Last weekend was the biggest weekend of the year in Tennessee pro wrestling. You had Bandit and Resolute running shows on Thursday and Friday respectively. The 4th annual Scenic City Invitational, the premier pro wrestling event of the Southeast, took place Friday and Saturday night. And, it all wrapped up with Southern Underground Pro running in Nashville on Sunday afternoon.
The weekend featured talent new and proven alike – that’s part of the draw of SCI…seeing old favorites along with guys you’ve yet to discover. But, one of the new faces on the scene that had everyone buzzing was Mr. Brickster. He competed in the SCI Futures Showcases, though he lost in the first round. Then, he traveled to Nashville to vanquish the annoying Teddy King. Ask anyone that met Brickster over the weekend, and they’ll tell you – the guy is as positive as they come, he’s respectful, and he’s just generally a positive force in the wrestling community.
But, shaking hands and smiling is one thing. It’s a totally different thing to see success in the wrestling ring. That’s the part of Mr. Brickster that seems to be improving with every match. He’s now 2-1 on the year in SUP after Sunday’s victory over King. His only loss came in his SUP debut earlier in the year at the hands of Kerry Awful. That’s a loss that I doubt anyone is going to hold against him given the circumstances. In June, he defeated Jaden Newman, who, as pompous as he is, is no slouch in the ring in his own right. He’s put together quite the resume so far.
I was able to catch up with Mr. Brickster following the big weekend. We chatted about the man behind the Lego bow tie and what he thinks about the SUP atmosphere as a whole.
“Big Natural” Stoney Keeley Interviews Mr. Brickster
SK: How did ‘Mr. Brickster’ come to be? Can you share the meaning behind the name and your “brick by brick” philosophy?
MB: Mr. Brickster came to be from a fashion accessory that I used to wear which was a LEGO bow tie. From there, I used to wear my bow tie every big event I would go to and I coined the phrase ‘Mr. Brickster’ because of the LEGO, which are also called bricks.
The meaning then became a character, and when wrestling came about, I thought the name was perfect. Then, I began realizing that bricks are made to build something bigger. The message was to build something bigger for others. ‘Brick by brick’ came to mean that, a lot like legos, we all come in different shapes and sizes, but together we can build great things.
SK: I know you’re a big Lex Luger guy – who or what are some of your other inspirations? What first got you into wrestling?
MB: First – shout out to Lex. He’s my father/mentor in the business. He has been with me from the beginning. John Cena is also an encouragement to me because of how much good he does outside the ring. That is my foundational value as a character.
My dad and I watched wrestling. We bonded over it.
SK: You’re a Buffalo native – I imagine ‘winter’ and ‘summer’ mean something very different up there – was it wrestling that brought you to Tennessee or something else?
MB: God brought me and my family here. We knew we needed to be in an entertainment city and when my wife got a job here randomly out of the blue we knew….God was in it. We packed up our whole family and life and moved to a city we knew no one to pursue this dream. I do NOT miss the Buffalo winters.
SK: The terms ‘boundless energy’ and ‘relentless positivity’ keep coming up when people try to describe your presence – where does that energy and positivity come from?
MB: I went through a tough time a few years back and found myself pretty low and God really walked me out of a very dark place.
I am determined to help people get out of their bondage of depression and negativity. I truly believe people are one word or one sentence away from changing their lives if you give them the option to. Mya Angelou says people won’t remember what you say or do, but they will always remember how you make them feel. I want to make people feel alive and loved exactly where they are and that can be the driving force for them to look up and face another day and THAT day may be the day that changes them forever.
SK: You were booked for the SCI Futures Showcase on Saturday and SUP on Sunday – what was your own personal highlight of the weekend?
MB: I was so thankful to be there in general. Any promotion that books me means so much to me because they believe in me and my vision. My highlight from SCI was making moments in the locker room. I met so many people that taught me so much, I was a sponge….just soaking up every little piece of advice I can. I also found some great new friends.
SK: You’ve been incredibly well-received by that SUP crowd, in front of whom you’re now 2-1 on the year. What do you make of that gritty unfiltered crowd and atmosphere?
MB: I love the crowd. Their energy is amazing. They make me feel alive. I will always remember those moments with them no matter where my career takes me. Those fans are what matters. The ones that support you even without knowing you. That’s the beauty in it all. They don’t know me….but they shout for me and support me. It’s humbling. They’re part of the Brick Nation Movement.
SK: How did it feel to teach Teddy King what happens when you mess with a man’s Legos? Do you consider the score between you two settled?
MB: Defeating Teddy King was incredible. Don’t touch my legos. My legos are not toys. They represent each one of my fans. He messed with my legos which means he’s messed with my fans. He’ll pay that price!!! Just wait.
SK: What’s next for Mr. Brickster? Where will you be? And, where can people find your merch?
MB: Honestly my schedule is ever changing and filling up so my website is where you can keep up and get all the Brick Nation merch you want.
Thoughts
If you weren’t drawn to the guy before reading this interview, you’d be hard-pressed not to be now. Brickster was one of the nicest guys the SoBros team encountered over the weekend. He shook every single one of our hands, introduced himself, and then proceeded to tear up the dance floor.
He’s infectiously positive – that’s all well and good. But, what should put the rest of SUP on notice is the fact that the dude gets better every time I see him. Now I certainly understand why everyone says the man has a bright future in the industry. Brick by brick, right?
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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