Kayfabe Q&A: Jay Bradley

Weight: 262 lbs.

Height: 6'4"

Debut: 1999

Age:31

When did you decide that you wanted a career in wrestling? 

Early teenage years if I remember correctly, Jr high years. I remember day dreaming in 8th grade about doing it. Soon after I was exposed to Japanese and ECW tapes and it cemented that this was what I was meant to do.

You were trained at Steel Domain in Chicago along with CM Punk and Colt Cabana. What was it like training with those guys, and did you ever see someone like Punk being in the position he's in? 

Not really. Punk, Colt, and myself are all extremely passionate about what we do and very hard working. Yet we are all very different. He dedicated his life to the business, played the political game, sacrificed and did well with the opportunities he received.

Many wrestlers have told stories about the dues that they paid while coming up. What kind of hardships did you experience at the time? 

I don't think I experienced the same level of hardship as the guys who came before me in the territory era. I never had to live out of my car or live off bologna and bread. I was the the youngest of the Steel Domain crew breaking in, so I was often the whipping boy of the group and the target of a lot of ribs and pranks. But I used it to motivate myself to get better and improve.

You signed with WWE in 2005 and got sent down to Deep South Wrestling. But before long WWE ended their partnership with DSW and you were shipped over to Ohio Valley Wrestling, where you stayed until they were also dropped as a partner. What is it like working in developmental, and how did all the chaos that was going on at the time affect you? 

Professionally it was great, I imagine it was a bit like moving from territory to territory years ago. I got to work with new people, learn from new people. I also got chance to wrestle in front of different types of crowds too. DSW was much more in ring training where OVW was ran like a territory with TV. We did TV taping with 3-5 live events a week. I did about a 12 week stint on the road with RAW.

I also made my own little piece of wrestling trivia as I became the only wrestler to hold Heavyweight Titles in two developmental territories and I was the last WWE contracted champion in both as well. Meaningless, but fun bit of trivia. Personally, the uncertainty took a toll on me mentally. I got "the call" that I was going to the main roster 4 or 5 times but things kept falling through. Tag partners would get injured, fired, or suspended. Or other people involved in the plans for me would fall into those circumstances. I got really frustrated.

After almost three years you finally got brought up to the main roster where you competed in several matches on episodes of Smackdown and ECW as Ryan Braddock. What was that like after everything you had gone through to get there? 

When I got "the call" this time I was excited because I was going to debut against HHH. Who better to show the company what I could do then the future boss? But when I arrived at TV, things changed...again. I was debuting against the Big Show, and they had no other plans beyond that. So the frustration set in heavy quick. So I did the best I could with the little they gave me and earned the backing of the agents while on the road.

WWE decided to release you in 2009. A lot of people would've given up at that point, but you didn't. What made you want to stick with it and continue to improve? 

I love being in the ring, it's what I'm most passionate about. On top of that I know I can be a major star if I was given the right opportunity to shine. But after working indies when I was released, I was disappointed in the lack of quality on the scene, so I took about a year and a half off. I kept seeing guys that weren't properly trained getting matches, rings that were unsafe and promoters who weren't promoters of business men. But its been about a year since I started wrestling regularly again and honestly the time away to de-stress, and relax helped me to grasp a lot more of my experience in different ways, so even though I wasn't in a ring, I was improving.

You've been working for Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan's Resistance Pro. How would you compare them to other Indy feds? 

The biggest difference is they run the promotion like a business. They don't do the typical Indy thing of just booking matches that are "cool". They also actually promote the events and run things from the mindset of trying to get more eyes on the product. The TV show is in an infancy stage and the reality show is still in the works. I actually saw the sizzle reel for it and was blown away. This is stuff typical indies just don't do.

Credit: Businessweek.com

You've been actively campaigning for a spot in TNA, and you recently posted a picture of some ring gear that looked an awful like something Aces & Eights would wear. Could we be seeing you in the Impact Zone anytime soon? 

Well you may or may not have seen me in the Impact Zone already. As far as the ring gear goes, its the same style of gear I've been using for years now...OVW, FCW, WWE, Indies etc. So I guess if people connect the dots sometimes it fits, other time it doesn't.

As far as campaigning for TNA goes, I'd say I'm just campaigning for Jay Bradley in general. I honestly feel I am the best unsigned talent on the scene. I have the intangibles, the talent, the passion. I have the resume and the experience to back it up too. I want fans, promoters, major companies to know I'm here, I'm available. I know I can be a star at every level, I'm just looking for the right opportunity. So if WWE calls, sure I'll go back...but I'm not interested in sitting on the bench or hanging around in Florida again. If TNA throws a contract, sure I'll go. Same if any of the Japanese companies want to bring me back over there.

Photo tweeted by Jay Bradley on October 13th 2012

Do you have any upcoming shows that you would like to plug? 

I'll be at Extreme Uprising on 11/17 outside of Pittsburgh, PA and on Ippv.

11/24 I'll be at Pro Wrestling Blitz in Joliet, IL.

11/30 I'll be at Resistance Pro's 1st Anniversary show in Chicago, IL.

12/1 I'll be near Milwaukee for GLCW's annual Blizzard Bash convention and show.

Plus a few other things I may not be able to mention ;)

How can people get in touch with you?

Facebook.com/jaybradleypw & on Twitter @jaybradleypw