As a commentator for a local Pittsburgh promotion, I get the chance to call matches for a lot of talented people and there are some that have a chance to go further than just wrestling in front of a few hundred fans on the independent scene. A few of these competitors that immediately come to mind are Storm Academy graduates, Jack Pollock and Bryan Bowers, both whom make my work easier with their always solid in ring work. While Bowers is relatively new to the game, Pollock is one of the most underrated talents in the Pittsburgh area and I would recommend anyone unfamiliar to find some of his work online because he has the talent to make it to a bigger stage. Still, the independents have a draw to them and specifically the Pittsburgh area brings the blue collar atmosphere of the region to its wrestling. The storied history of Bruno Sammartino, Shane Douglas, Kurt Angle, and others have inspired competitors from the area to chase the dream of professional wrestling fame. Earlier this year, I was discussing the format of the TV tapings for that night's event when I saw and unfamiliar name listed on the run sheet, Mike Young. At first I thought it sounded like an 80s jobber, but when I actually talked to him to get his background prior to the show, it was interesting to hear that he trained under the tutelage of WWE Hall Of Famers, Scott Hall and Larry Zybyskso. I had never heard of or saw him wrestle before and in some cases, if you haven't heard of a competitor, it's possible you're going to witness a train wreck, as rookies are still in the learning process. However, Young showed poise and skills beyond his years, delivering a solid performance for his promotion debut.
I was surprised and impressed with his ability, especially for being roughly two years into his career so, what was the foundation for this rookie prodigy? The story starts not too long ago in 2002 when at age 7, Mike became fascinated with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and it led to him ordering the Summer Slam pay-per-view that year without knowing exactly who all the participants were on the card. The Lesnar-Rock bout had a profound effect on him and he searched for more notable contests. He found footage of a series of Kurt Angle matches, which he considers some of his favorite bouts. Soon, he discovered Youtube and watched as much wrestling as he possibly could, spending hours watching classic ECW footage, as well as seeking independent wrestling through Ring Of Honor during one of its peaks in 2006.
Mike became a die hard fans of the industry, but soon began dreaming of a career inside the ring ropes after he finished high school. Initially, Young planned to start the training process in his hometown, but when a job opportunity led to his family moving to Florida, he followed with his sights set on the WWE Performance Center.
"As far as my training in Florida, I had planned to train at the PWX academy since I was in high school. I planned on starting right after I graduated. However, during my senior year of high school my father was offered a job in the Orlando area. This was right around the time WWE had announced that the performance center was being built in Orlando so the naive 18 year old version of me thought that wrestling in that area would increase my chances of being signed. I chose the Scott Hall and Larry Zbysko endorsed Team Vision Dojo that was within a mile of the performance center," he said.
The Team Vision Dojo brought a variety of trainers into the facility, including Lince Dorado, Chasyn Rance, and Aaron Epic. There were also frequent visits from former WWE stars Ricardo Rodriguez and Alex Porteau for training sessions, which Young considered a valuable experience. After five months at the dojo, Mike Young made his pro wrestling debut in front of a small crowd in 2013 and he impressed his trainers, as he applied many of the dojo lessons in front of the live audience. During his time in Florida, he wrestled a few matches for notable independent Full Impact Pro, but he wanted to compete in his hometown, just as some of the legends that inspired him to purse a career inside the ropes.
Ironically, it was another Pittsburgh native and WWE Hall Of Famer, Larry Zbysko that was pivotal to Mike's return to Pittsburgh and Young said, The most important talk I had with Larry Z was the week before Wrestlemania 30. He was going to Wrestlemania access and I drove him to the airport. I told him about how I loved wrestling in Florida, but how I missed PA and felt like I wasn't finished there. He told me that I had a good look and potential and to not give it up, but to go back to PA to go to college.That was all I had to hear. I moved back on my own to PA a month later." Aside from Zbysko's advice, Mike spoke on his interaction with Scott Hall saying, "I didn't get to talk to Hall as much as Larry, but there were a few instances at practice where Hall complimented me and I remember feeling ecstatic about having Razor Ramon compliment me."
After returning to Pittsburgh in 2014, Mike transformed to "MV Young" as a representation of the progress he made in his career and continues to wrestle regularly for a variety of promotions. When asked about his goals, MV said, "Living on my own paying my own bills, it really gives you extra motivation to "make it". I want to be a top indie guy and ultimately be In the WWE." MV Young also plans to study Sports Entertainment management as a college major next fall as another potential career besides wrestling. If MV Young becomes a superstar in pro wrestling remains to be seen, but it's certainly commendable that he's chasing the dream of pro wrestling stardom.
Until next week
That’s My Story and I’m Sticking To It
E mail:drwrestlingallpro@yahoo.com
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