At 26 years of age, Jack Perry has barely scratched the floor of his potential, and but he’s already racked up spectacular victories over among the greatest stars in All Elite Wrestling. So, M&F sat down with the present FTW Champion to learn the way he trains for these big-time matches, and what it’s truly wish to step between the ropes and wrestle among the greatest monsters ever to enter the squared circle.
“I’m by no means gonna be the largest man, and I form of like that,” says Jack Perry. In fact, athletic efficiency isn’t measured by muscle measurement, and in 2019, professional wrestling followers realized that this man’s coronary heart was as massive as a lion’s. Having made his debut in 2015, on the Los Angeles impartial scene, Perry joined AEW as one of many firm’s first signings in 2019. In November of that very same 12 months, the younger upstart (who was then going beneath the identify “Jungle Boy”) was challenged by AEW Champion Chris Jericho to try to final 10-minutes with the titleholder with out shedding. Thankfully, he did simply that, and earned a ton of respect amongst critics and followers for doing so.
“That was large for me, as a result of the present (Dynamite) was model new at the moment, but in addition at the moment, I felt like a really small fish in a model new, large, pond,” recollects Perry. “, I’m strolling round backstage and there’s a bunch of those guys who I’ve seemed as much as … after which fairly early on I get thrown in there with Chris Jericho, who just about is the largest fish of all of them. So, that was a very nerve wracking expertise, however I’m additionally kinda glad that I received to do one thing like that so up entrance, and felt that I may dangle at that time.”
Whereas “Jungle” Jack Perry was exhibiting flashes of brilliance as a single competitor, his alignment with the “Jurassic Specific” faction noticed him working loads of tag-matches, repeatedly teaming up with the 6’ 5”, 275 pound man mountain referred to as Luchasaurus. In January 0f 2022, Perry and Luchasuarus turned AEW World Tag Crew Champions and so they held on to these titles for 161 days, however following a loss to The Younger Bucks in a ladder match, the workforce quickly disbanded, finally resulting in matches in opposition to his former mentor, Christian Cage, and former companion, Luchasuarus — in a metal cage. Having wrestled with the likes of Chris
Jericho, Christian Cage, and Luchasaurus, Perry is aware of what it means to step contained in the ropes and carry out on the highest stage.
This professional wrestler’s high-flying wrestling arsenal is exhilarating to observe, however don’t be fooled into considering that Perry isn’t severely sturdy. He additionally got here up with a brutal wanting working elbow to the again of the pinnacle that may change the dynamic of any match inside seconds.
“That (transfer) was one thing I intentionally considered as a result of, I really feel like being a smaller man, loads of occasions I get thrashed round in these matches and I’ve had my head smashed a pair occasions and I used to be considering that loads of my strikes are fancy and funky wanting, however they don’t essentially do loads of injury, a few of them. I used to be considering, I’d wish to have a transfer, that I can put proper in on the finish of the match after these guys have been punting me across the whole time, and make them pay with it.”
Taking his elbow and smashing it into the again of his opponents definitely does the trick. However what about getting right into a metal cage? How does Perry really feel about that?
Jack Perry explains what it’s wish to wrestle inside AEW’s metal cage
“The metal cage (match in opposition to Luchasaurus) was truly certainly one of my high 5 favourite matches,” shares Perry, who says that this was his first ever cage match. “And, there was rather a lot going into that one for me as a result of that was somebody who had been my companion for a really very long time and certainly one of my closest buddies. I began wrestling after I was round 10, and Luchasaurus was in the identical learners wrestling class that I used to be in. He was only a bit older … you see (these matches) on TV and really feel form of accustomed to them, after which the time comes the place you might be strolling via the door and it’s form of like ‘Oh, s**t, I’m truly on this factor.’”
Perry was thrown round his inaugural cage bout like a rag doll. “I believe individuals may need misconceptions about how (the cage) may really feel,” he says. “That factor is simply straight up steel. It’s tough in your pores and skin and I received reduce fairly early on in that one. In the direction of the tip of that match, I climbed as much as the highest of it, to leap off, and it’s larger than it seems to be (on TV), it’s loud in there, there’s a bunch happening, so I believe it’s undoubtedly a frightening form of expertise however truly I actually, actually, loved it and the match that got here out of it.”
Throughout that grueling metal cage match, Perry hoisted Luchasaurus up for a piledriver, and delayed the execution, holding up the 275-pound monster for what appeared like an eternity earlier than lastly driving him down headfirst towards the canvas. Such strikes require unimaginable core power. “That was cool. One in all my favourite moments and truly the primary piledriver that I’d ever given to anyone,” says Perry. “And at that time, I’d already been bleeding for round 10 minutes or so. When it got here time to do it, I used to be like ‘Oh boy, let’s see what we received left in right here.’ However, I believe it was a very cool visible, that one. The slower nature of it.”
Perry says that he likes to rise to power challenges akin to that epic second, because it surprises those that solely anticipate him to do the extra highflying forms of strikes. “in my preparation, and exercise, I attempt to be all-round fairly sturdy,” he says.
Jack Perry says he’s studying from the positives, and steering away from the negatives to develop as a expertise
Having defeated ECW legend Taz’s son, “Hook,” for the unsanctioned FTW (F*** The World) title again in July, Perry understands the significance of constant his legacy with the help of people who paved the way in which earlier than him.
“I really feel like one of many nice issues about AEW is that there are such a lot of individuals, who’re so good at what they do, whether or not they be in-ring individuals of behind the scenes. That match with Chris Jericho modified my outlook on loads of stuff. So early in, I noticed the way in which that issues are executed at this stage, particularly with somebody like him, and it was completely different than what I’d been used to on the time. Even simply being in there with the blokes, seeing what they do and seeing the way it works, I kinda take little bits and items and suppose ‘It’s fairly cool how he did that’ or why this man did what he did. So, I believe, on a regular basis I simply try to preserve an open thoughts and see what’s happening round me, see what I like, and in addition what I don’t like as a result of there’s loads of that happening too. Stuff that I see, that I’m not an enormous than of and I simply suppose ‘Effectively, I’ll keep away from that.’”
In the case of holding the FTW title, Jack Perry understands the significance of its lineage and says that he feels proud to put on the belt. Just a few weeks in the past, on AEW’s weekly present; Wednesday evening “Dynamite,” Perry defeated an ECW authentic and bona fide celebrity when he took on the 52-year-old wrestling icon, Rob Van Dam. It was a match that surpassed many individuals expectations, with RVD exhibiting that he has loads of fuel left within the tank, however for Perry, there was by no means any doubt that his former hero turned opponent would give him every thing that he had. “
That was a match that I actually wished to have,” he says. “Simply from a fan perspective, I used to be an enormous fan of Rob again within the day. I nonetheless am. I used to be actually excited simply to be part of it and to be in there with a man who I had been such a fan of as a child. And, additionally, I used to be form of excited to see [him] up shut and private. Should you take a look at it, the issues he does are wonderful. A whole lot of it’s stuff that, even right this moment, no person is ready to emulate. And, I assume his slogan, or no matter, is ‘One in all a Variety’ however I actually suppose with him, greater than lots of people, that’s truly the case.”
So, together with his profession on the up, Perry has every thing to maintain working for, however at simply 26 years of age, he isn’t just navigating pressures contained in the circle, however exterior of it as effectively. This professional wrestler’s new, darker, on-screen persona is permitting him to show components of his persona that weren’t doable with the shackles of the extra cartoonish “Jungle Boy” however coping with followers and backstage critics is probably his most present studying curve. “I definitely felt that it was time for a change, and I’ve form of been ready on that change for some time,” says Perry of his current ‘heel ‘ flip. “And, actually, loads of it form of grew via actual frustrations that I assume I used to be having within the office, but in addition with sure wrestling followers. I really feel it’s form of break up down the center. So, loads of wrestling followers are the perfect followers you’ll ever discover, and loads of them are simply very ungrateful and cynical, and form of simply in search of a cause to speak s**t about individuals, and I felt like over time I’d been getting fed up.” As a “unhealthy man,” Perry not wants the cheers of the group, and says he feels all of the freer due to it.
Thankfully, whilst a self-professed onerous gainer in relation to constructing muscle, Perry is ready to clear his head of the perils of being a professional wrestler by exercising, typically opting to go exterior and have enjoyable within the components. However, in relation to the health club, his go-to is the bench press. “The bench is certainly my strongest carry,” he says. Perry additionally likes to squat and deadlift when his physique will not be too tight and beat up from his busy wrestling schedule.
Jack Perry is happy with his progress thus far in AEW
Longtime followers of the grapple scene will recall that Perry was first on professional wrestling tv screens merely as a fan when he attended WWE SummerSlam in 2009 together with his father; the late, nice actor, Luke Perry. Whereas dad is not within the crowd, he’s at all times there in spirit. “I believe he’d be digging it,” says Jack. “We talked rather a lot about wrestling, clearly as I used to be arising, doing it, and I received his enter on loads of stuff. He was nonetheless with us after I signed my first AEW contract, and we had been each, kinda, simply over the moon about it. I believe he, as I’m, could be actually proud of the progress and the journey of the entire thing.”
In fact, in relation to making his followers and household proud, there might be no higher time to try this, than when AEW rocks London, England, on August 27, the place, on the ALL IN pay-per-view from the enormous Wembley Stadium, greater than 80,000 followers are anticipated for one of many greatest occasions in professional wrestling historical past. “Folks wish to see AEW, and what that entails,” says Jack Perry. “And I simply suppose, to be part of an organization like that, to have been right here because the very starting, to see it culminate on this large occasion with individuals all world wide paying their cash to come back and see us, it’s an actual particular factor that’s happening.”
