|
by
Les Honig
It is a biography filled with hard work and determination along with understandable immaturity blossoming into true ring savvy; and now the story of the Riggs brothers, Jason and John, enters a new and breathtaking chapter with their signing to a coveted WWE development deal.
Remembered early on as a pair of relatively green youngsters who grabbed their vision of mat success and carried it each week to UPW’s famed Huntington Beach Saturday light shows, where they traveled the five hours by car from their hometown in Vegas, sometimes with only the money in their pockets to afford the gas to get there and back, the two later went on to continue honing their craft out of the light of Ultimate Pro cameras, but the result has now proven startlingly dramatic and quite phenomenal.
Born in a small Arkansas town and then resettling with their mom in their eventual Nevada home, the pair remember early on an infatuation with pro wrestling, as they discovered the weekly WWF shows and immediately became smitten.
Recalls Johnny: “I remember seeing Saturday Night’s Main Event when I was very young, but didn’t really start watching religiously until I was about 10 years old in ’93. Brett Hart was a huge interest and really drew me in. I liked his abilities and just everything about the sport.” Jason, older by 3 years, adds, “It was good having a little brother who would record every show, including the recaps, even when he had the originals already. For me, it was like watching other sports but much better. The drama aspect was way more intriguing.”
Both playing a variety of sports as youngsters, John continued that passion into high school with a successful gridiron career but bro Jason, who had been a standout in football, basketball and baseball saw his promising sports career cut short by a near-fatal collision which sent him hurtling through the windshield of a car going nearly 60 miles an hour.
“There were numerous injuries; the worst being my right arm which was spiral fractured and broken in fourteen different places, leaving a foot-long steel plate in my arm along with sixteen screws to hold it together,” says Jason.
Still, the mutual love of pro wrestling grew and when their mom saw a local promotion advertising sessions at the fed’s wrestling school , Johnny, followed a year later by Jason, signed up for training. Instructed by Yokuzuna and Scott Casey (who they credit with much of their earliest ring knowledge), the boys began to improve but it was John, unable to participate in the fed’s arena shows since he was still under 18, who decided to make the initial move to So Cal for additional in-ring education and exposure.
Having seen the Discovery Channel’s UPW-centered “Wrestling School” documentary and then researching further online, he and Jason soon were on their way to become part of Ultimate U’s training class and eventually to participate in our now-classic Saturday evening spontaneous events.
Making the move down to Huntington Beach to demonstrate their commitment to seriously learn and perform, Jason remembers how hard the times were for the struggling brothers as they even slept in a college library for several days upon their arrival; eventually rooming with a couple of other trainees when they were able to find work to help them subsist and pay for UU tuition.
Still both were unsophisticated rookies and they recall that their attitudes left something to be desired. “We were very ignorant to the business and really arrogant, which later became a very humbling experience when we were stretched in the ring more than once,” Johnny says.
Yet their ability to proficiently train and perform at light shows with the likes of John Cena, Nathan Jones, John Heidenreich and Frankie Kazarian remains a memory etched in their psyches that they will never forget. Under the tutelage of Tom Howard, Kevin Quinn and Samoa Joe they progressed just about as far as two raw recruits could, as the two willingly acknowledge now.
“The biggest thing that has helped us out to this day was the psychology taught in UPW classes,” says John, while Jason credits our outstanding facility with even more. “Although you never really stop learning in this business,” he says, “the guys in UPW were great and laid the groundwork for the beginning of everything.”
Forced to return back to Vegas eventually for personal reasons, however, the Riggs brothers continued their education, “slowly humbling, maturing and progressing,” as the younger bro puts it. Training with past greats like Superfly Snuka and Nick Bockwinkel and touring with Headshrinker Samu throughout Puerto Rico, Honduras, Hawaii, Cuba and Alaska, they also found their way to Cincinnati’s Heartland Wrestling Federation where famed trainer Les Thatcher also helped them develop their talents and become more seasoned competitors. At the same time, and quite noticeable to anyone seeing them before and during their recent return, they both have hit the weight room in the interim with total fanatisicm, transforming their formerly slim bodies into much more impressive and marketable sports entertainment commodities.
Little did the pair expect, however, that the amazing good fortune that recently came their way was about to happen. Reconnecting with Rick Bassman when he took the UPW crew to Vegas in December to put on a supershow, they appeared that night and subsequently in several other So Cal events, causing many longtime fans to marvel at the big changes that had occurred. (Jason was performing as a solo talent while John teamed with Tommy Wilson).
Still, it was Bassman’s extraordinary efforts to push the pair that helped bring them to the ecstatic emotional state they now find themselves in. Having been tremendously impressed with Jason’s Vegas performance where he “really caught my eye and I pegged him as a future Superstar” as well as “seeing big things for the Johnny/Tommy Wilson combo,” Rick pushed them hard with WWE talent agents John Laurinaitis and Tommy Dreamer during Wrestlemania Week in late March in a meeting where they were reviewing specific prospects for Titan’s expanding talent pool.
Jason recalls the first thrilling moments: “I was just getting out of the shower around 8:30 p.m. preparing to go to work when I received a call from Rick Bassman. He then informed me that we would be needed in L.A. by noon for a shot he helped arranged for us. So we went to work and told them we had to leave early the next morning and at the same time risked getting fired since we said we didn’t know when, or even if, we’d be back, due to this opportunity. The WWE agents looked at us during the workouts before Raw and Smackdown. After the Smackdown show was over Johnny “Ace” Laurentitis approached us and explained that WWE was interested in signing us to a developmental deal.”
John recalls that career turning point as well: “When we arrived for the two workouts, we were told they were looking at us for their new developmental Georgia territory. We were both so excited we were on the verge of tears. The positive feedback after the workouts turned into the start of our dreams. But we definitely have to give credit where credit is due. Mr. Bassman was looking out for us; he took care of us. He didn’t have to call us but he did and it’s thanks to him that everything happened the way it did.”
Obviously much more ring-tested than when they first entered the L.A. Boxing Center wanting to join UPW some four years ago, the world can now see two new fresh, reinvigorated fantastic talents with not only brand new physical packages but more importantly with a much deeper inner personal transformation that proves that the new-improved look is not merely superficial window-dressing.
Johnny explains that maturation process this way: “As a wrestler, being humbled was a big part of us becoming a stronger product. I believe we’re applying everything that we learned a lot better. To me, we are two completely new people physically and mentally and the result can clearly be seen.”
And Jason adds his own insight: “I think our respect for what other people are capable of has grown tremendously. I think we have matured as wrestlers and as people. Simply put we have grown up and just want to be the best we possibly can be.”
As they now embark on their amazing major league sports entertainment adventure, we wish the Riggs Brothers all our best and know that their new mat worldliness and tireless work ethic will surely help catapult them to the successes they have always hoped for and can now finally perceive to be within their grasp.
|
