Cheap Pops - Interview with Anthony Bowens
(Author Note: Cheap Pops was a weekly wrestling column I did with a few friends for Critical Blast. Anthony Bowens was still a relatively unknown wrestler at the time before he would end up blowing up in AEW, but I got to interview him about ten years ago, so I thought it was a fun thing to reprint. This interview was done before Bowens had come out, so it obviously doesn’t deal with that, even though he’s become a very important figure in representation and diversity in the last few years. He deserves to have that spotlight on him!)
Mike: When I see Anthony Bowens,, I see someone who has superstar written all over him. He’s got an incredible build, and the in-ring talent to back it up. Anthony Bowens is heralded as “WrestlePro’s Best Kept Secret” and it’s a perfect description for him.
I first saw Bowens when he was teaming up with Bobby Wayward as part of The Untouchables, and it was clear that he was going to be a break-out star of that team. Which is not a knock on Wayward who is probably one of the biggest heat magnets on the WrestlePro roster. But Bowens just has a certain it-factor that puts him above and beyond most guys. Just recently, he did a tour of matches in England, and I would be shocked if you aren’t seeing him on the big stage in a few short years.
1) How was England?
Incredible! The experience was everything I thought it would be. Amazing culture, amazing people, 14 matches in 7 days…what could be better?! I’m tentatively scheduled to go back in late July/Early August to do the holiday camps in Wales, which I’m very excited about.
2) Growing up, were you a fan of wrestling? If so, who were your favorites?
This first person I gravitated to is Sting. I saw the vignettes for the Starcade match between him and Hogan and I was immediately hooked. As I got a little older I was very into Jeff Hardy. I was always very shy as a kid, so seeing how fearless he was in the ring inspired me. As time went on I began to appreciate people like Jericho, Benoit, Guerrero, HBK, etc.
3) How did you get into the wrestling business?
I played baseball from little league through college and when that was over with, I had a lot of free time on my hands that I wasn’t use to having. I had thought about getting into wrestling for some time but I really didn’t know where to go. It just so happened that one day when WWE was in the area, a lot of the roster was working out at the gym I go to. When I got there I tried to take pictures with as many people as I could and the most important person I met ended up being Santino Marella. After we took the picture he stopped me and said I looked like a wrestler and asked if I had ever thought about becoming one. I told him yes but I wasn’t sure where to go. He then took out his phone and gave me the number to Pat Buck, head trainer of Create-A-Pro NJ and owner of WrestlePro. A week later I visited the school, signed up and haven’t looked back. So thank you Santino!
4) Favorite moment in your career so far?
It’s kind of hard to pinpoint a favorite moment because I have so many cool memories so far but I think one moment that stands out is when we were filming the WWE Tough Commercials. I was only one cleared to bump so the producers put a crash mat in the ring and had me do a bunch of moves from off the top rope in hopes of getting a cool shot. I can’t tell you how many times I jumped but about half way through I had a flashback to being 7 years old and climbing on top of my mom’s dresser and leaping off it across the room and onto the bed. Fast-forward 17 years and I’m in a WWE ring in the WWE Warehouse jumping from the top rope for a nationally televised commercial. That I thought is pretty cool.
5) When WrestlePro started announcing you as “the best kept secret,” I thought it was a perfect description for you. You mix a lot of styles in the ring. When I see Anthony Bowens, I see someone who is going to have a huge future in the wrestling business. What goals do you have for your wrestling career?
I want to travel the world doing this, which I’m just starting to do. Ultimately I want to end up in Japan or WWE.
6) You’ve been involved in some WWE promotional work like the video before Money in the Bank, Breaking Ground, and Tough Enough. How did that come about? Can we expect to see more Anthony Bowens on a bigger stage in the near future?
I was offered to come to shoot the Tough Enough commercials and the producers liked working with me enough that they invited me back the following week to shoot the MITB open. Both were really cool experiences and it was awesome to see the finished product on TV. As for Breaking Ground…I was invited to do NXT’s first live tryout last year at the Arnold Classic in Ohio. I impressed enough there to be invited back to the more elaborate tryout at the Performance Center in Orlando last September and it just so happened that they were filming this one for the tv show.
I’m not what to expect in the coming months, I like to roll with the punches and take whatever opportunity is being given.
8) Which WrestlePro (or non-WrestlePro) guys would you like to work with?
For WrestlePro, I lucked out because I’ve wanted to work Dan Maff, Fallah Bah, and Matt Macintosh for a while and now I get all 3 in one match on April 23rd in Brooklyn, NY. As far as outside of WrestlePro, there are almost too many to name…guys like Jay Lethal or Johnny Gargano come to mind. I want to take on anyone who will force me to step up my game.
9) You are the number one contender, so when will we see you taking on Matt Macintosh for the WrestlePro title?
Over the next few months I think you’ll be seeing a bit of an evolution of my character which is just starting to develop. I plan to put out a video explaining more about me and about the character so be on the look out for that. As more the title match, I haven’t yet decided…I have to concentrate on the Fatal 4 Way in Brooklyn on April 23rd. With Maff, Fallah Bahh, and Macintosh, I’m going to have to be on top of my game.
10) Outside of the wrestling business, what are your other interests?
I love to travel, which goes hand in hand with wrestling, baseball, video games, working out, etc. All pretty basic stuff.
11) Why should someone come out to a WrestlePro show?
WrestlePro is always going to deliver and put on a great show with something for just about everyone. Whether you are into technical wrestling, comedy, hardcore, indy stars, ex WWE/TNA guys…we have everything! You can find more information at wrestleproonline.com. For more about me you can find me on Twitter and Instagram at @Bowens_Official.
Mike: One last thing. As I was getting this interview ready to post, WrestlePro announced that at next Saturday's WrestlePro show in Rahway, NJ, Anthony Bowens will be facing Matt Macintosh for the WrestlePro Title. As I have said numerous times throughout this column, I am a fan of Matt Macintosh, but I think it's very likely we'll be seeing the title change hands next Saturday. Good luck to both men, and thanks again to Anthony Bowens for taking the time to do this interview!