A monthly in depth look at the ECWA performers by Josh Martin
SUPERSTAR SPOTLIGHT
featuring
GLEN OSBOURNE
by Josh Martin |
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He stands 6' 1" tall and weighs 260 pounds. He is an ECWA Icon and Hall of Famer. He is the one and only Glen Osbourne. Back in the ECWA ring after a five year absence, much to the delight of the
fans. If anyone has done it all in the ECWA, it's been Glen Osbourne. He has accomplished just
about everything possible within the promotion. I recently had an opportunity to pose several
questions to this ECWA icon. I hope you enjoy.
Ring Name? "The Beast" Glen Osbourne
Height? 6' 1"
Weight? 260 lbs.
Character hails from? The Badlands
Birthdate? (month & day) June 5th
Years Pro? 16
Trained by? Larry Winters
Where did you train? Philadelphia PA
Style of wrestling? Powerhouse/ brawler/ old-school
Favorite moves? Powerbomb, Chokeslam, Iron Claw, Dropkick, and general brawling. It doesn't have to
be pretty to be effective!
Finishing moves? Powerbomb, Chokeslam, Iron Claw
Notable ECWA feuds? There have been so many! I'd have to say the most notable was when The Master
and I tried to take control of the ECWA from Jim Kettner. It culminated with me and The Master
facing Jim and Cheetah Master in a steel cage. What a feud! I must also mention the Heavyweight
title matches with Cheetah, as well as the wars with Viper, and Thunder/Armageddon. They were all
tough, experienced wrestlers who left me with some battle scars.
Favorite ECWA opponents? My favorites include the guys mentioned above, along with Ace Darling,
Boogie Woogie Brown, Ronny Roberts, Derek Domino, Simon Diamond, and the one-and-only Mr. Ooh La
la!
How long have you been in wrestling? Sixteen years this past June.
What made you want to get into wrestling? The sheer power and emotion created by the stars I watched
while growing up. I had a difficult home life, and in many ways I was raised by the wrestlers I
watched on TV and saw at the arenas. I knew from a young age that I had to give back to the sport.
When did you join the ECWA? I joined the ECWA in 1993.
How did you joining the ECWA come about? I had just left ECW, where I had been Television Champion,
and was deciding, "what the heck do I do now"? I met Jim Kettner in New Jersey, where I had recently
started wrestling. He talked with me and showed me some tapes of ECWA events. He asked if I'd be
interested in signing on, and I jumped at the opportunity. I knew immediately that I'd found a new
home.
What do you like about the ECWA? There are several qualities about the ECWA that set it far ahead of
the pack. The first is Jim Kettner, who understands wrestling like no one I've ever met. I've
learned an immeasurable amount about wrestling from him over the years, and continue to. I've never
worked for anyone who respects the wrestlers and fans like Jim does. He's a groundbreaking promoter
and a great friend.
I also love the wrestler-fan interaction that the ECWA encourages. The energy created between the
wrestlers and their fans is what makes it all worthwhile!
Also, for me, it's the memories. The ECWA represents my greatest experiences in wrestling. I
don't know if people really understand the caliber of talent that has walked the ECWA aisle. I
matured there, and I'd be happy if my second run in the promotion comes even remotely close to the
first.
What do you think about the ECWA fans? The ECWA fans are among the most passionate, knowledgeable
fans in the world of wrestling. They give you great energy when you're in the ring. Nothing we do is
possible without the fans' support!
What have been your favorite ECWA moments? Winning the ECWA Heavyweight title from Cheetah Master,
being inducted into the ECWA Hall Of Fame, battling Derek Domino in a steel cage, the great shows at
Mill Creek Fire Hall and Salesianum H.S. Wrestling Tito Santana for 25 minutes in a 100 degree arena
during the infamous O.J. Simpson white Bronco chase!
What is the Glen Osbourne character all about? It's not so much a character as an alter-ego I have
inside me all the time. I guess sometimes I feel a bit possessed!
Your thoughts on the current state of the wrestling business? While I admire the athletic talents of
the participants, I think the sport as a whole is in terrible shape. There is so little true
emotion, so little creativity There was an intangible quality that wrestlers used to have that is
almost completely missing from today's "sports entertainers." The art has been bled out of
mainstream wrestling. Any veteran observer can understand what I'm saying.
Favorite Food? Seafood
Favorite music? Rock/Metal
Favorite band/artist? Too many to list!
Favorite color? Blue
Favorite sports team? I don't generally follow team sports
Favorite athlete? See next question.
Favorite wrestlers? Most 70's/ 80's era wrestlers from the NWA, WWF, AWA, World Class, and UWF. Hiro
Matsuda was a great wrestler from that era as well.
Favorite TV shows? The Simpsons, Frasier, Absolutely Fabulous, Sopranos
Favorite movies? Gangs Of New York, Office Space, Fight Club, Silence Of The Lambs, the Harry Potter
and original Star Wars movies.
Favorite actor? Daniel Day Lewis.
Favorite actress? Jennifer Saunders.
What sports do you like to watch? Old School Pro Wrestling, Olympic sports.
What sports do you like to play? Baseball, Volleyball.
What hobbies do you have? Music, Cryptozoology, Hiking, Yoga
What do you do in your spare time? Mostly working out and listening to music
What kind of work do you do? Wrestling and in-home Personal Training.
What are your aspirations (professional & personal)? Professional To bring an old-school vision of
wrestling to the younger generation of fans.
Personal: Simply to live a happy, healthy life.
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