Former WWE Superstar Mark Andrews Talks WrestleMania London (and more)
Following the merger of sports entertainment giants WWE and UFC last year, the world of pro wrestling has never been hotter. The WWE boasts sell-out stadiums and record attendance figures.
While next year, the WWE is set to return to Las Vegas for the first time in over 30 years, something our own Vital Vegas’ Scott Roeben was the first person to predict, recent news has gotten international WWE fans excited about a potential first-time London WrestleMania in the near future, with WWE’s Triple H meeting with mayor of London Sadiq Khan to discuss the possibility.
But the entertainment giant isn’t the only game in town. Rival wrestling company All Elite Wrestling (AEW) will make its own return to Wembley Stadium later this month for ALL IN, the company’s second major UK event, following a sell-out in 2023.
Ahead of the event, Casino.org sat down with former WWE and TNA Tag Team Champion Mark Andrews, the first Welshman to ever hold WWE gold, to get the lowdown on wrestling in the UK, WWE’s international expansion, NXT UK being the best thing for British wrestling, and whether the WWE is playing catch-up with Tony Khan’s AEW.
You can listen to the full interview hosted by Sean Thorne above or check out some of the highlights below.
On WrestleMania London being a Direct Reaction to ALL IN and WWE ‘missing the boat’ in the UK
Do you think AEW have paved the way here for the WWE to look at London as a place to hold big events and look into stadium shows?
“100% I mean, let’s look at the history books, right? I think it’s kind of pretty proven from the last well, 10 years, the WWE definitely, sometimes misses the boat, and then last minute, reacts a little bit, you know what I mean?
“That’s not me kind of trying to insult the company, because they’re, they’re the biggest company in the wrestling world, right? And I think sometimes that they probably have so many plates spinning, they miss things.
“In my opinion, I’m surprised how long it’s taken up to get to this because, AEW, they sold out Wembley last year at ALL IN. And it’s only now, after the second ALL IN is happening in Wembley that the rumours are coming around about potentially having WrestleMania in London.
“Fans have been wanting it for years, especially in London. So yeah, it feels crazy to me that it’s kind of taken this long, if I’m honest, but I definitely think it’s a direct reaction to how well AEW is doing in the UK.
On NXT UK being a reaction to World of Sport
“From my experience with NXT UK, before it was even called NXT UK, when it was WWE, UK, that first tournament came around in the space of two months. They got that together, literally, from like, the October to the January, and that was only really a reaction to the World Of Sport being announced on ITV.”
On helping WWE work with the Welsh Government for Clash At The Castle before being released?
Now, WWE has already dabbled in stadium shows, with Clash At The Castle with Cardiff, and you were involved a little bit with schmoozing Welsh ambassadors during the build-up to that show. Am I right thinking that?
“Potentially a very small amount, or not, I have no idea, really! But there was a Cardiff house show. I can’t remember if it was RAW or Smackdown when I was, working at the company. And I remember I was invited backstage to speak to some of the Welsh Government, before they had, you know, fully confirmed Clash At The Castle.
“What I did lend a hand with was being able to actually give real life experience from Wales, so I could kind of name drop where all of these wrestlers had come from. You know, how Tegan Nox was from Brynmawr and how there were a group of wrestlers from Ebw Vale, and we started training in Cathays Community Centre. Those real life facts that involve Wales, which I don’t think anyone else in the WWE, especially not in main roster, would be able to give that kind of, quick rundown of the history of wrestling in Wales. So I hope it helped anyway. I really do hope that’s what helped get it through the through the door”
On originally being slated for a Clash at the Castle match before NXT UK stars being released weeks before the event
It got the event through the door, and then they just sacked all the Welsh talent just before the show. Anyway….
“That wasn’t great, you know, that was a shame. It’s funny, like, but like, two days before Clash At The Castle was my wedding day, and we officially got married that morning in the city centre, and I could see the stadium from where we got married.
“I’d heard rumblings from backstage that my name was penciled in for a dark match. I had loads of big plans with BBC leading up to the event, not only my podcast, but on top of that, there were talks about doing stuff on TV, and then two weeks before, or whatever it was, 40 of the British talent and all Welsh talents got released, which was so crazy.
“But it goes back to my point a minute ago about I think sometimes there’s so many moving parts and spinning plates that they kind of just missed the boat. Like, did they realize they’d sacked all Welsh talent, like, when it happened, or did after it happened, did they go, Oh, actually, we just got rid of all of our Welsh talent and we’re about to do the biggest show that’s ever happened in Wales in the UK you know?”
On NXT UK being the best thing for the British Independent Wrestling Scene
A common thing that people say is that NXT UK came along and decimated the indie scene. Is that something you agree with?
“No, not at all. It like, I know that’s what fans like to believe. It’s really easy to believe. Okay, these UK indie shows are selling out up and down the country. The scenes on fire. But me, personally, I know for a lot of the top wrestlers in the UK around that time that there wasn’t enough money to be made for many of the top tier talent to make a full time living from wrestling.
“So unless a massive company did come along, whether it was WWE, whether it was a New Japan or an AEW or even a non-wrestling company like a Netflix or, you know, some big TV corporation. Because I know fans like to believe that, like, it could have just existed as it was and gone on forever, but like, there’s only so long you can kind of put that damage on your body with no promise of, like, real earnings. And I’m not trying to say that it’s about the money, because it’s not that. But like, when you’re an indie wrestler and you get hurt, there’s not this magical insurance that pays out loads of money. Do you know what I mean?
“It’s a really hard job to be consistently good at and get consistently paid. So I just think that. I feel like the fans have this kind of romanticized idea that the scene could have continued as it was without WWE getting involved. I think the best thing for the scene was WWE getting involved.
On the UK scene being just as strong now
“I think the scene now is actually just as strong as it was, like you just got to give those new talent at chance, and it comes in waves, it does. There’s going to be times when every venue is being sold out, and then times where it’s actually quite hard to sell out, but the stars are still there.
“Just give it a year or two look at guys like, Michael Oku who right now is a top, top talent in the UK, a top talent in the world. Unfortunately, not all the shows in the UK are selling out, but it doesn’t mean he’s any less of a star. So and another example, just to end on, let’s look at ALL IN weekend coming up soon. How many shows are being sold out that weekend? How many shows are happening in the UK? How many eyes are going to be on British wrestlers that weekend? And I think that kind of proves my point, that I don’t think the scenes changed as much as people much as people think it has.”
On a TNA British Bootcamp revival – who Mark would pick
We’re seeing NXT having a working relationship with TNA. Obviously, you’ve got, you’ve got a rich history with TNA, as one of the first winners of the British Boot Camp, if they brought back British Boot Camp now, who are some of the people you think could thrive from a show like that on the British scene?
“Ahh. It’s funny. The first thing I was gonna say was Leon Slater, but he’s already signed there. He’s already there. You know, there’s a guy in Wales called Leon cage. He was 17 years old. And for 17 years old, this kid is, is pretty much got it all, you know, don’t get me wrong, he’s not the finished product yet. But in a British Boot Camp like scenario, you kind of don’t want the finished product.”
“Then there’s guys who are just overdue their big shot for so long, like Robbie X. I think Robbie X is someone who’s just, you know, he has been on top of his game for so long now, and it’s just insane how big a company hasn’t picked him up yet. So someone like him, I’d want to see do something like British boot camp and win it and go win the X Division Championship. On top of that, I some other names who I think would just absolutely smash it, like KANJI, Emersyn, Jayne Rayne Leverkusen, three of the best wrestlers in the UK. All, all again, kind of overdue, a big opportunity as well. So there’s five names for you, right?”
“With the British scene as it is at the moment, as we see with ALL IN weekend, there’s shows happening all weekend. Lot of them sold out. I think seeing a British boot camp return, I think that would be, that would be exciting and interesting. “
On UK wrestler Pete Dunne’s WWE run as Butch & being one of the best wrestlers in the world alongside Omega and Ospreay
Another, another one of the key parts of NXTUK, obviously, Pete Dunne, the long reigning UK champ, then having where he had his spell as Butch and now back as the Bruiserweight. With a lot of fans, look at that is kind of a misstep in his career. What were your thoughts on the on the spell of Butch?
“It’s so hard, right? I mean, at the time, I remember chatting with him, and, I felt as unsure as he did. I think it’s fair to say, because everyone, at first, hates a name change, right? Everyone, everyone says, Oh, it’s a terrible name. If you look at Gunther, for example, that’s been a huge success, but at the time, everyone hated it.
“I think it was a risk that Pete had to take because it got him on main roster, you know, and Wrestlemania, right So I think it’s a risk that he, 100% had to take. However, I definitely think the company didn’t do what they could have done with him. I mean, even, hey, I don’t think the Butch character is bad by any shout, and I think Pete smashed it. However, as a wrestler, you can do so much more with him. So unless you’re going to commit to that gimmick and really give it the opportunities it deserves, it doesn’t matter. He’s called Pete Dunne or Butch, whichever way around you got to give him the spot that he deserves.
“Because, to be honest, he should be in the argument for best wrestler in the world. And the only reason he isn’t is because he’s not put booked in those positions. You know, people throw out your Ospreays and your Kenny Omegas Randy Orton and your Roman Reigns and your Cody Rhodes, Pete Dunne, in my opinion, should be in that category, like he is 100% one of the best wrestlers in the world. He’s just not booked as it.
“So I am glad to see that now he’s kind of past that gimmick, and hopefully get the opportunities he deserves, because he’s a wrestler’s wrestler, and everyone backstage knows it how good he is. So hopefully he has a chance now to show the fans as well.”
On Joe Hendry’s success and being annoyed by “I Believe in Joe Hendry”
Another wrestler from the British scene who’s making a lot of bars at the moment is Joe Hendry. What do you think is one of the keys of Joe Hendry’s current success?
“I feel like it takes 10 years of hard work to become an overnight success. And that’s the perfect saying to Joe Hendry, because it’s not like this guy has only just released his entrance music and only just got on over. He’s been ploughing away at this for years and years and years, doing a very similar shtick, but getting better and better at it as he goes along.
“With Joe, it’s just been a matter of time. He’s a very, very funny man. He’s very clued up with wrestling, and I think he knows what his place is in wrestling as well. I don’t think he’s there necessarily to steal the show in the 16 minute epic Ironman match, or even to necessarily be the main event, but he’s there to entertain everyone, and he does a hell of a job doing it. And he’s so good with his branding and his consistency and a like, at times I’ve been annoyed waking up in the morning with his song stuck in my head, “Like, why is it there?”, persuading myself it’s not even a good song. It’s not even a good song! And then, you know, I just start singing it. I’m like, Ah, that is pretty catchy, you know. So I think he’s absolutely smashed it, to be honest.
“I think Joe someone who he has something which 99% of the rest of wrestling doesn’t have, you know, and a lot of a lot of people should aspire to be more like him in a lot of ways, or at least how he handles his character and his business in pro wrestling. He’s a very smart man.”
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Featured image credit: The official WWE website
