by Dr Debonair, Esq.
Let’s start at the beginning. How did you get into professional wrestling and what were your years as a trainee like?
I first started watching Wrestling at the age of 5 with my sister, initially it was WCW and then WWF/WWE. I saw a local show advertised in 2004 and attended it, of which I loved. I found out there was a training school 60 miles away in Immingham, of whom trained every Saturday. I attended every session, initially by a gentleman named Ron Wilkinson but the bulk of the training was done by Steve Sykes, I then moved onto Blondie Barratt’s training school, SAS’ school ran by Charming Don Charles amongst others. It was a tough grounding and the number of aches at the start was too many to mention, after all it is not ballet and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
You were “The Teenage Sensation” at the age of fourteen. What was it like being in that position at such a young age and how has this influenced your career?
I was lucky to have numerous big opportunities at such a young age, such as appearing for 1PW at 15 years old and being around big names and big production values. I started appearing on shows at 14 and they were the Holiday Park circuit, in front of 1000-2000 fans at the Haven resorts amongst other opportunities. I grabbed them with both hands but looking back now, I was too young, it was too much on young shoulders but its made me a better person and I’ve learned from mistakes I made at a young age, but I am grateful for everything that came my way.
The early days of your career reads like a who’s who of wrestling – Joel Redman, El Ligero , Keith Myatt, MK McKinnan and Kris Travis amongst them. Did such talent have an impact upon you?
I always tried to learn from the person I was working. It was an honour to step into the ring with the names above plus many more, all top class workers and guys at All Star Wrestling such as Robbie Dynamite and Frankie Sloan, it was great learning from veterans such as those.
You’ve appeared across the spectrum of British wrestling promotions, what draws you to work with as many promotions as you have done and how do you choose who to work for?
I stopped working for other promotions 4 years ago but I enjoyed my time at each of those I worked for and took learning experiences from all of them.
Many promotions you worked for in the early days are no longer in operation. Does this surprise you?
I guess it is swings and roundabouts, what works for one may not work for the other and some people get disheartened or move onto other things.
British wrestling has changed over the past few years. What’s been some of the high points and low points of your time as a wrestler?
High points as a Wrestler must include appearing for the 1PW promotion. To be around your childhood heroes such as Ric Flair, Jimmy Snuka, Bret Hart etc and the cream of the crop in British Wrestling was a surreal experience, plus working in an arena which really cemented itself as a hotbed for Wrestling in this country and packing it out with 1800 fans (The Doncaster Dome) was great.
Wrestling for Brian Dixon’s All Star Wrestling was another highlight, anybody that knows British Wrestling knows All Star. Learning from the veterans there was a real experience. The other highlight was being able to live out my dream and work for 50+ other promotions, good or bad.
As for low points, I dont really have any as I find my low points are just learning experiences.
You’re also behind the Megaslam promotion. How did this come about?
I started Megaslam Wrestling six years ago when I decided I did not want to work for other promotions, I wanted to set myself a challenge and Megaslam Wrestling was born.
With so many wrestling promotions in the UK, what makes Megaslam one to watch?
Megaslam Wrestling is all about family entertainment. Anybody from the age of 2-100 can come and watch Megaslam and have a good time. We have established characters, a great production set up, some very nice venues and an all around great show. We don’t promise 5, 5* matches, we promise a great value ticket to a great family entertainment show.
As you approach your first decade in the business, what’s your opinion of the British wrestling industry today?
Theres good and bad points in any business or industry and Wrestling is the same, I know that I have enough money in the bank to keep Megaslam Wrestling going for years to come, invest in top quality production ie Megaslam.TV and run a schedule of 200-plus Live Events and have all the insurances, risk assessments etc. So, I suppose the fact that anyone can run a show these days is a bad point, but there’s plenty of plus points too and its not just British Wrestling where there are low points, it’s lots of other countries too. Theres good and bad with anything.
For anyone starting out, or training now, what advice would you give?
Keep your ears open, have a level head and be a sponge, take on as much advice as you can.
What are the plans for Brad Flash in the next twelve months?
The plans for Brad Flash the Wrestler, not much haha, the plans for Brad Taylor is to keep evolving Megaslam Wrestling and continue making it a great product for the loyal fans we have to watch.
Where can people find out more about you?
Megaslam.TV
Facebook: Megaslam Wrestling UK
Twitter: @MegaslamUK
Instagram: MegaslamWrestling
Youtube: Megaslam TV
Our thanks to Brad “Flash” Taylor for his time to conduct the interview and thanks to Dr Debonair, Esq (@dynamicthinking) for contributing it to the Wrestle Ropes website.
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