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CYRUS MCWHORTER ON HIS 1 IN 100 OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM IN JAPAN, EMULATING LEGENDARY BIG MEN, KAZ HAYASHI AND MORE

Cyrus McWhorter grew up watching legends like Bam Bam Bigelow, Giant Bernard and Vader. Towering foreign wrestlers who wowed Japanese audiences with their size, quickness and violence.

McWhorter always dreamt of wrestling in Japan. Then, an opportunity. A scouting cohort led by Wrestle-1 competitor and executive Kaz Hayashi visited the Power Factory wrestling school in Atlanta.

Out of over 100 wrestlers, only a few could be selected. McWhorter impressed scouts and later flew to Japan with wrestling agent Sonny Onoo.

Then, the call from Hayashi came. McWhorter seized his one-in-100 opportunity and achieved his dream touring with Wrestle-1 in January and February this year.

“My dream from the beginning was to always wrestle in Japan. I wanted to be like the greats: Vader, Giant Bernard, and Bam Bam,” he says.

While in Japan, McWhorter wrestled the likes of Kuma Arashi, Shotaro Ashino, Yusuke Kodama and Hayashi himself.

“Overall, Wrestle-1 an amazing experience. Everyone was very respectful and made me feel at home,” he says.

“I was treated like a guest of honor and an equal. I am honored that they took a chance on me, and it worked out for the both of us.”

Unfortunately, Wrestle-1 closed in April. Ashino, Arashi and Kodama can now be found in All Japan Pro Wrestling and current travel restrictions stemming from the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic prevent McWhorter from entering Japan.

However, this is not the end of McWhorter’s dream. From the ashes of Wrestle-1, a new company backed by former Pro Wrestling NOAH owners LIDET Entertainment ran its first ever show last month.

During GLEAT’s first ever show in Korakuen Hall, a video message from McWhorter aired promising to be at GLEAT’s second ever show; GLEAT.1 in Tokyo Dome City Hall on July 1, 2021.

“GLEAT! The monster has been in the darkness for way too long,” McWhorter snarled to the camera.

“I’m coming. I’m coming back to Japan, where people love and fear the monster, to perform in GLEAT!”

Just like Wrestle-1, Hayashi serves as a competitor and executive for GLEAT.

“He has had a lot of people ask when Cyrus is coming back. He responds by saying that I will return soon, when COVID-19 is under control,” McWhorter explains.

“We talk often through text. I owe him a lot because he gave me the chance to come to Japan and perform.

 

Highlights of Cyrus McWhorter’s match against Kaz Hayashi can be seen above!

 

“He spent time training with me and showing me things I never would have thought of. In my opinion, the man is a genius when it comes to wrestling and performing.”

“Wrestling Kaz was amazing; we clicked in the ring, and everything flowed smoothly. I considered it such an honor to work with him in the ring. The story that match told was incredible.”

The Power Factory, where McWhorter’s original tryout took place, has since rebranded to All Elite Wrestling’s Nightmare Factory training centre.

“I owe all the credit to doing a tryout at the Power Factory, now known as the Nightmare Factory, that Michael Cuellari Marshall operates,” he says.

“He brought in Sonny Onno with Kaz Hayashi and Gary Lee Jackson (Lucha Otaku on Twitter) because they were looking for Americans to come to Japan.

“Out of over 100, only a few were chosen for this opportunity. Being selected was an honor, so I knew I needed to make the most of it.”

GLEAT, led by executive director Kiyoshi Tamura, aims to recapture the shoot-style wrestling which captivated Japanese audiences in the 1980s and 90s.

McWhorter stands at 6ft 5in and weighs 345 pounds. He played semi-professional football after high school. He is built for shoot-style wrestling.

“I really do enjoy shoot-style wrestling. Growing up, I was in wrestling and martial arts.

“When I was in training for professional wrestling, we had a drill called King of the Mountain where we would stay in the middle of the ring and one after one would try to get others to submit while they were trying to get us to submit.”

With his return to Japan looming next summer, McWhorter has his eye on an out of the box competitor for his GLEAT debut.

“NOSWA Rongai is one of the guys that I would like to face in GLEAT. I met him while in Japan, and I feel that there is a great match potential there,” McWhorter says.

“I think we have a unique combination of styles and craziness we bring to the ring. It would be fun and entertaining.”

From being one in 100 to Tokyo Dome City Hall next summer, the self proclaimed monster Cyrus McWhorter is only just getting started.

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