Q&A interview with Dezmond Xavier.
The independent wrestling scene is more alive than ever at the current moment and that liveliness is brought in by wrestlers such as Sammy Guevara, Pentagon Jr., Fenix, Dezmond Xavier and many others. I had the opportunity to do a Q&A interview with one of the aforementioned stars - that being the Dayton, Ohio native Dezmond Xavier.
Xavier had his debut pro wrestling match in 2011 but his first independent promotion match was in 2013 for Maryland Championship Wrestling at the promotion's Anniversary Show where he teamed with Fenix Fury in a Three-Way tag team bout. Fitting that Dezmond Xavier's first match in MCW was a tag match because fast-forward a few years later and he alongside Zachary Wentz would go on to form what some wrestling fans consider to be one of the most entertaining duos in the sport. Dezmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz went from being known as 'Scarlet And Graves' to being known as the 'Rascalz' alongside their good friend and former two-time American Luchadore Champion Trey Miguel.
Zachary and Dezmond alone have obtained the AAW, CZW and are the current PWG World Tag Team Champions and have their sights set on the IMPACT Tag Titles as well. I asked Dezmond about he and Zachary's chemistry and how they've able to mesh and he stated that their bond simply derives from wanting to leave their marks on the sport of professional wrestling.
"From the moment we met, we just had this connection." Dezmond said of Zachary. "We both wanted to leave our mark in some way on wrestling - whether it be singles or eventually tag team. We built a healthy sibling-like rivalry that kept pushing both of us to work harder and become better. Just two kids with a common goal and we won't stop until we accomplish that."
Dezmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz are not only a United States-based duo but they have made the rounds around the globe as exampled by their six-man tag team match earlier this for Dragon Gate in Japan where Dezmond and Zachary teamed with Susumu Yokosuka to defeat Bandido, Flamita and Genki Horiguchi. I presented the idea to Dezmond about Zachary and himself possibly making a move to New Japan Pro Wrestling and hawking down either the IWGP Tag Team or IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles and here's how he responded:
"There aren't any plans but we are open to the possibility. New Japan is a goal of both of ours, but first we want to accomplish as much as we can at the stage we are at. But, if New Japan calls we have no problem coming to light it up." He responded.
With all of the great talents residing on the independent scene, there are a number of promotions and companies looking to sign those talents to exclusive contracts. WWE has been a shining example of that as they have signed a great number of talents from the independent scene over the past year alone. Dezmond Xavier understands that it is a part of the business but he added that the independents always has talents waiting in the wing to break out and he further elaborated on that by using an analogy relating to other sports.
"It's happened before and it will continue to happen." Dezmond explained. "It's inevitable. But the great thing about professional wrestling is that it's a revolving door of talent. There are guys and girls that you haven't heard about because they have been patiently waiting for their opportunity. With the new signings, this gives those men and women the chance to shine in a light they never had because it was occupied by the previous class." He continued, "Think of it like a sports team: You have your favorite team and on that team you have favorite players. Those players may get traded, released, injured or retire; and someone else has to step in and fill those roles. Takes some time to adjust but you begin to develop an interest in those new players because they are either a breath of fresh air or a reminder of the old. It's just the same with wrestling."
In his six years of being a professional wrestler, Dezmond Xavier has done a lot in his career. He's traveled the world and established himself as one of the staples of the independent wrestling scene but even with that, his hunger for success is still there. I asked Dezmond what else does he want to accomplish in the sport and beyond the championships and accolades, two of the most important things for him is to inspire the next generation of talents and leave behind a legacy that he'll be proud of.
"I've already done a lot in the 6 years I've been actively wrestling, and yes, I still have goals." He noted. "That X Division Championship has eluded me and one day I'll have it along with the Impact Tag Team Championships. Hell, might as well be a triple crown guy like my biggest inspiration from Impact, so I'd love the big belt as well. Outside of Impact, I want to just continue to do what I love with my brothers (Zach and Trey [Miguel]) by my side around the world. We've stood outside the Tokyo Dome and can't wait to have our time in the ring there. MSG is a mecca venue in itself and I'd love to be in the ring there in some capacity. Beyond that, I just want to leave behind a legacy that I can be proud of. Fame and fortune can and will eventually run out, but inspiring the next generation and the many more to come is what I want to accomplish the most."
To cap off the Q&A Dezmond shared one of the matches he saw that immediately grabbed his attention and inspired him to become a wrestler. That match was PAC versus the current NXT North American Champion Ricochet at Dragon Gate's 'Untouchable' show from 2011 in Chicago which was a 10-minute sprint jammed-packed with action.
"I forget what Dragon Gate event it was but I saw a match between PAC and Ricochet. It was a 10-minute barn burner that blew my mind." He said of PAC and Ricochet's 2011 bout. "I was a die-hard fan of wrestling by that time, but never seen anything like what they were doing. The athleticism, fluidity, and smoothness reminded me of how I used to dance and I thought maybe I could do something similar. I was deployed overseas in the Air Force at the moment but once I came home and found out of a school opening, 'I had to give it a go' as you said."
Dezmond Xavier can be seen in IMPACT Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and all over the independent scene as he continues to showcase his elite skills to the world. For more on Dezmond, head over to the 'Dezmond Xavier - Topic' section of YouTube where all things involving the man also known as "Dezmond X" can be viewed, and Dezmond can be followed on Twitter and Instagram @DezmondXavier.
