Zack Sabre Jr. Interview: The Technical Wizard

Zack Sabre Jr. is a gifted wrestler. Hailing from the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, he has been tearing it up around the world on the independent scene for years, with epic matches against now WWE superstars AJ Styles, Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura.

Interest from WWE was inevitable and the perfect opportunity for the Brit has arrived in the form of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic - a 32-man tournament pitting the very best Cruiserweights against each-other in a knockout tournament.

Sabre does not look like what outsiders or casual fans expect the archetypal wrestler to look like - he does not look like a mountain of muscle.

But don't let his physique fool you, this guy can snap both of your arms with relative ease. His submission and escapology based approach has served him incredibly well over the years and now he is bringing it to a WWE platform.

We caught up with the 29-year old to talk about the Cruiserweight Classic and his experience thus far.

theSPORTbible: What is it like for you to be part of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic? It's obviously something very unique for WWE to be doing, what's the experience been like?

Zack Sabre Jr: Yeah I think it was one of those things when the project was first kind of announced, if you're a wrestler you instantly think this is something you've got to be part of - I was obviously just excited to be part of it in the beginning. I think WWE really need to be commended for taking such an ambitious project because when you think of the model of how a company the size of WWE works and you're inviting 32 outside talents to come in and be given such a huge platform to do what they're doing in their own way. We've be given a lot of freedom, I feel like I'm projecting myself as the wrestler that I am.

theSPORTbible: It seems like something that has been in the pipeline for quite some time. When did you first hear about the tournament and who reached out to you?

Zack Sabre Jr: I think it was around the start of the year where I first heard that this would be coming about and it was through Mr [William] Regal that I started to chat about this [Cruiserweight Classic]. It's a very progressive move, you can tell from the Bracketology show onwards that this isn't just a novelty show that's been hobbled together - the team behind it have genuinely spent a lot of time putting this together. One of the reasons I think the Cruiserweight Classic has been able to flourish is because we've been on the WWE Network and when you control your own network you can control your own content and that's given us a lot of freedom.

theSPORTbible: The whole presentation of the Cruiserweight Classic is very different, with the sporting elements such as the weigh-ins beforehand, the handshakes prior to the bell ringing and of course Mauro Ranallo and Daniel Bryan on commentary. What do you make of the feel the show has?

Zack Sabre Jr: I love it. For someone like myself it's perfect and I think a lot of the subtle nuances about the Cruiserweight Classic, when I was growing up, about 14 or 15 I started watching Japanese wrestling and I just fell in love with the way they had handshakes before the match and like combat sports, the referee raises the winner's hand. We're doing a lot of those things in the Cruiserweight Classic and it creates the kind of feel that complements the way in which a lot of the Cruiserweights in the tournament are wrestling.

theSPORTbible: And I suppose for someone like you who has a very legitimate style of wrestling, in many ways this show is the perfect fit for your way of doing things?

Zack Sabre Jr: Yeah absolutely. Professional wrestling is entertainment first and foremost but the way we can present that form of entertainment can be very diverse. I think what we're trying to produce altogether as a team on this is to showcase wrestling and the more athletic, sporting side that it can be sometimes.

theSPORTbible: A whole host of backgrounds and styles being covered - not just the high-flying action that is associated with the word "Cruiserweight". Do you feel as though people like yourself, with your submission and escapology based approach, are redefining what it means to be a Cruiserweight?

Zack Sabre Jr: I think definitely to a larger audience. For me, Cruiserweight wrestling has always been a very diverse mix, when I think about Cruiserweight wrestling I think of Dean Malenko from Western wrestling as much as a Rey Mysterio. The mix of styles has always been there but at times Cruiserweight wrestling has just been associated with high-flying - obviously high-flyers are a huge part of that style but I think Cruiserweight wrestling is more about the lighter, smaller wrestlers wrestling at a quicker, perhaps intricate pace and style.

theSPORTbible: Now you've been wrestling around the world for a number of years, performing in both the UK, Europe and America as well as a stint in Japan. Who have been some of your favourite opponents?

Zack Sabre Jr: Obviously I spent a lot of time in Japan and there was a wrestler called Taiji Ishmori who I got to wrestle a lot in my time in [Japanese wrestling promotion] NOAH. When you speak about Cruiserweights having a blend of mixtures, he was such a great high-flyer and he trained a lot in Mexico with Ultimo Dragon so he was very good on the mat. A good interest in the British style too so he was someone he brought the best out of me when I was in Japan.

Drew Gulak is someone who I have had some real big matches with over the years so I think it's fate that he would not only be in the tournament but he will actually be my next opponent in the Cruiserweight Classic. They are the ones that spring to mind.

theSPORTbible: In the Cruiserweight Classic, there a lot of talents who you may not have worked with before. Have you enjoyed going into a match in the dark so to speak, in terms of not been fully aware of what your opponent is all about?

Zack Sabre Jr: I kind of pride myself on being a student of the game for one of a better, cheesy term. There weren't many people in the tournament that I wasn't particularly familiar with - obviously I've wrestled quite a few [competitors] and some I have seen wrestle at events. Maybe I'm in the lucky position where I've boarded the Ameircan and UK scene and Japan so I'm familiar with a lot of people, but I think someone like Cedric Alexander, I knew he was a very good wrestler but he has and will continue to blow people away.

theSPORTbible: Many have tipped you to win the Cruiserweight Classic even though there are many big names who could win the tournament. What would it mean for you to go all the way?

Zack Sabre Jr: I felt like I was one of the only people who, when I was announced as being part of the tournament got "You better win Zack!" rather than a pat on the back and "Good for you, well done for taking part!". Everyone who I've been speaking to since being part of the tournament has been saying "You better win this, I've got money on you!". No pressure for being in the biggest tournament of my life! I've been travelling the word and especially last year I started to have a lot of success - I've won some Championships in Japan and some big tournaments on the independent scene, to take that to the biggest stage I've ever had would be validation in my journey but I'm still taking it one brand at a time.

theSPORTbible: Triple H has made it clear that there are opportunities going forward for the competitors in the Cruiserweight Classic. Are you looking for a full-time WWE role or do you still have unfinished business on the independent circuit?

Zack Sabre Jr: I still feel I've got unfinished business. I don't set myself on a particular path as such, my own goal is to be the best wrestler that I can be and progress each year but having had such a great experience and working with the people behind the Cruiserweight Classic and seeing the passion they have, I could definitely see myself working for WWE in the future.

theSPORTbible: Dream match in WWE?

Zack Sabre Jr: Finn Balor. It seems like such an obvious answer but he's a close friend and a big influence on me, to do it on the world stage would be very special for me. Perhaps I'll paint myself up as a Demon and try and trick him!

theSPORTbible: Your style summed up in one word?

Zack Sabre Jr: Technical.

theSPORTbible: If you could have one person, past or present, manage you, who would it be?

Zack Sabre Jr: Dean Malenko.

theSPORTbible: If the WWE were to do this again next year, which wrestler(s) would you put forward?

Zack Sabre Jr: I would like to see Taiji Ishmori from Pro Wrestling NOAH involved, obviously we've had [Akira] Tozawa, Tajiri and [Kota] Ibushi this year from Japan but I'd really like to see Taiji Ishmori in the tournament.

See Zack Sabre Jr. and the rest of the Cruiserweights in action in the Cruiserweight Classic on the WWE Network every Wednesday at 1am.

Words by Josh Lawless

Topics: British, Finn Balor, British wrestling, Wrestling, WWE

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