Graham Bell is a busy guy. As an agent of Black Diamond Industries and one half of the Diamond Dogs, there’s plenty of merc business to go around. His objectives have carried him all over the country, but what caught the attention of the SoBros Network crew were his missions in Nashville at Southern Underground Pro. Well….that….and the big ass actual bazooka that he brings to the ring and fires off.
Graham was generous enough to lend us some time to discuss what got him into wrestling, the merc business, bazookas and so much more. “The General” John Mosley and I teamed up for this SoBros exclusive interview.
Graham Bell Interview
SK: For the uninitiated, give us the Graham Bell story.
GB: Like everyone else I wanted to be a wrestler since I was a kid. I was five when Austin won the belt, so I was prime age for the influence of the Attitude Era, which my mother just loved I’m sure.
Yeah – it was my brother who first showed me WWF and eventually WCW. I was always a Fed kid, but loved both. Goldberg’s my all time favorite, though. He was undefeated when I was a kid which, to me, meant he was the best. So, he’ll always hold that special #1 spot in my heart no matter how many disgusting Tombstones he takes right on the dome.
My start came in 2011 when I started training with a guy named Chad Sullivan, who you’ve never heard of. But, he was affordable and he got the OK from some of the local KC guys. So, every Sunday, I’d drive 2 1/2 hours to train for four in the hottest metal shed you’ve ever been in.
And to be honest, it wasn’t nearly enough. I didn’t get to train often enough and the quality wasn’t there. He taught us to bump, the basic holds, and some rope running. Then after about four months, he closed the school down.
So me and Luke Langley, my tag partner and hetero life mate, hit the road and wrestled wherever we could. That’s how we got better.
JM: Now, what was it that got you into the mercenary business and was it the bazookas?
GB: Black Diamond Industries scouted us. It was unusual because they usually like to recruit from former military, police, intelligence, etc. But even then, pickings can be slim. They thought Luke and I had the perfect lack of empathy and morals to be paid assassins. And boy were they right!
We lacked a lot of the formal training of other operatives, but we were unconventional and a whole hell of a lot meaner than everyone else. So we formed the Diamond Dogs unit and became the most effective and efficient team in BDI history. With no small amount of credit given to the bazooka.
SK: How does one come into possession of a bazooka in this day and age, anyway?
GB: Ya know – I’m not even supposed to have that. You have to…like…sign a sheet and check heavy artillery out of the armory when you need it, then return it after the mission. But I just kept it and told anyone who bothers me about it to “Fuck off it’s mine now.” I know my supervisor wants it back, but he ain’t gonna do shit about it.
SK: You made your SUP debut back in January in a scramble match that also featured Manders, Jaden Newman, Gary Jay, Joshua Bishop, and Danny Adams. That’s quite the group of dudes, and yet, you found a way to stand out. What did you think of your SUP debut and that crowd at The Basement East?
GB: I was honestly nervous what they’d think of the bazooka and my whole get-up. Sometimes, crowds just don’t really get what I’m going for. And for a second after I stepped through the curtain, that’s what I thought had happened. But I think they just needed a second to digest what they were seeing because it got loud quick. And it wasn’t even cheers necessarily – it was like everyone saying “Oh shit that guy’s got a bazooka!” Then I shot the damned thing and the roof came off. I knew I had ’em right then.
SK: Earlier this month, you got the call to go one on one with Manders, a guy who’s undefeated in SUP. It was a losing effort, but you showed you can go toe to toe with anyone in that ring, and you won over a lot of SUP fans because of it – what’s your mindset moving forward as you chase that first SUP win?
GB: To not chase wins. Black Diamond Industries doesn’t pay attention to win/loss records and sometimes winning’s not even necessary to complete the mission. But I’m a hell of an agent and I’m only getting better. I’ve got my first Japan assignment in a few months. If I stay focused on getting the job done, wins will follow.
JM: You were brutally tossed into the support beam at The Basement East. How does it feel knowing you’ll always be associated, at least around these parts, with a beam in the middle of a bar?
GB: People have done lots of unique things with that beam, but me and Manders have done the coolest one yet. Honestly I think people are gonna remember me getting back in the ring afterwards just as much as they remember me getting chucked out of it.
JM: Who on the SUP roster are you trying to merc before the end of 2019?
GB: Ison.
SK: What’s next for Graham Bell? Where are you wrestling? How can our readers follow you on social media?
GB: I’m all over bubba. My current schedule is something like:
- 6/28 CWE in Winnipeg
- 6/29 Casino Show in Minneapolis
- 7/13 Monster Factory in NJ
- 7/18 Journey Pro in KC
- 7/19 St. Louis Anarchy
- 7/20 Wrestling For A Cause in Oklahoma (check out WFCcharity.com)
Some August stuff I can’t talk about yet, and end of September/early October, I’ll be flying to Shinjuku to train with Wrestle 1.
My social media is easy. I’m Graham Bell on Facebook. my profile pic is my ugly mug. @MercWithAMane on Twitter and @instagraham5580 on the Insta.
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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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Credit image to Erratic Aperture.
