Credit: Warrior Fight Photography
by Craig Hermit.
So, opening question, how did you get into the wrestling industry and when did the interest develop?
“I’ve always been a fan for years and years. Obviously, growing up with Hogan, Warrior and Macho Man, all the way through the cartoon period kinda thing, then growing up, the teenage years, WWE had the Attitude Era, so that got me right into it, I was rebellious and that fitted in.
Then I watched the documentary, “Beyond the Mat”, famous documentary, it opened my eyes to the world of wrestling, being backstage, the politics, the drama, the production and everything about it. I just said to myself, I wanna do this, unfortunately at the time I had no money to train and where SWA was originally based, I was unable to get to via public transport on a Sunday cause I stayed in Ayrshire, and travel was equivalent to using a horse and cart. Turning 18, I went to the army, met my wife started playing football for a while, got bored of it, wasn’t a passionate thing as I was still into wrestling so I thought, right bugger it. If I didn’t do it now, I never would. So 30th April 2011 came around, I stepped into Source Wrestling School, my first training session was with Paul Tracey which was brutal and ever since then I’ve never looked back.
I debuted on 18th November 2011 and the same year, I won trainee of the year award. I was going 4 days a week, sometimes constantly, just applied everything I could to get to training. I mean, I’m married so, I didn’t get to see alot of my family. I was borrowing money to get to training constantly off my wife, my parents and everything I done was wrestling related, I lived and slept wrestling through that period of time, still do, just at that period of time I wanted it, went for it and I’m still here.”
Credit: David J Wilson Photography
How do you find the time to balance your wrestling career and life outside wrestling?
“I just done it. Well now, I have two kids, which is more difficult. Starting out, at that time my daughter was quite young, I focused everything on wrestling, even in other jobs, my focus would be wrestling. Then I had my second daughter as well, everything started to slow down because my focus would be my family more than wrestling but now it’s picked up more, because my focus is back on wrestling. My family understand, cause it’s a way I bring in money as well, I’ve got two other jobs – I work in Security and I.T, I’m in college doing Sport and Fitness, so trying to fit the wrestling part in it’s different but I still fit it in.
Even when I go to the gym, the gym I go to has a boxing ring in it, so I practice wrestling based conditioning with my friend there. I’m constistantly trying to advance myself even if it is conditioning, cardo and WWE based style drills.”
For fans who have never seen you wrestle, whats the best way to describe a Bobby Roberts match?
“It is fight. That’s all it is, a fight. Yeah, I have the technical ability but the end of the day, I’m there to win. If it involves giving the guy a beating, I will. It’s just basically gonna be punch, kick, punch and kick at the end of the day. I’ll use my size to my advantage, if I have to smash him with a beefy bomb or a spear, that’s gonna happen. It’s a spear, my size, I’m 19 stone and that’s gonna hurt regardless who you are. If it’s enough to put you down for the three count, so be it.”
Many fans have seen you in various promotions in Scotland, will fans be able to see you in England this year?
“I’ll be in Paid Promotions on the 18th April and Tidal Wrestling 6th September which is my daughter’s birthday so I’ve decided to take her out on the day before down at Largs, to the fair. Hopefully I’ll see more of England, Paid Promotions brought me in as the Enforcer for the Referendum, the 45%, the minority with the majority, so that’s working with alot of great people down with Danny Hope, Joey Hayes, hopefully El Ligero as well. Doug Williams is gonna be down there at the next show, maybe I’ll get to work with him.”
As mentioned you will be in Paid Promotions teaming with Scott Renwick, facing Sexy Kev and “Mr Big” Shaun Vasey, your thoughts on this match and the momentum The Referendum has generated?
“The Referendum isn’t a movement, not a faction but a nation, it’s as simple as that, we are the voice that needs to be heard. The Referendum are gonna tear through Paid Promotions, it doesn’t matter who it is, we are gonna bury them under the saltire. Any Scottish wrestler is welcome to join us we want there voice to be heard as well. It doesn’t matter wither it’s Sexy Kev doing that strutting and gyrating or “Mr Big” Shaun Vasey, I don’t give a crap, there gonna get annihilated. We are just gonna mow down anybody because we are Scottish.”
At Beith in SWA you participated in one of the biggest matches of your career with Jack Jester, what did you learn from the match itself?
“Probably biggest match of my career, definitely Top 3 at least. Working with Jester, he is such a professional, timing is what I learned. Just basic timing, simple as that, I got alot of good feedback from him. Small things that I didn’t pick up on, Jester being the most experienced guy, he picked up on it. The timing and working the pace, I’m a big guy so I shouldn’t be running, jumping about, I’m not a Luchador and I should be working like a big guy.”
In Reckless Intent, you have been feuding with St George and many others, but the next event you’ll be facing LJT after he blindsided you to win the Hardcore title, your thoughts?
“That’s the thing, the Hardcore Title, it’s 24/7 completely. I’ll give him props, he saw an opportunity and he took it. I like LJT, he’s a cracking wrestler, great worker. If I was in his shoes I’d have done the same thing, he took the opportunity, superkicked me in the face, knocked me out after my match, I got beat up 3 on 1. I do like him, we have mutual respect and we’ll see where that goes. My main target is St. George, The Better Together Campaign, Ian Ambrose and Bravehart, that’s my main target right now. LJT, that’s gonna be a good match I guarantee it to the fans but I’m still gonna keep my eye on St. George.”
Credit: David J Wilson Photography
What is your thoughts on the progression that Reckless Intent has made in the last few years?
“Absolutely fantastic, they have just grown, any company has to start from somewhere and they have just grown and grown. Some of the people they have brought in, myself, Chris Renfrew, DCT, Damian O’Connor and Colt Cobana. Last year Cobana was there and that was a sell out show. It went from the Reckless Intent Unit to Morrission Scout Hall and it’s been selling out everytime we are there.
The show on the 4th April, Murieston Scout Hall, there is a Pre-Show, where fans can see Venom defending his Sunday Slam Title against many opponents on that day.”
At Rock n Wrestle you were part of an 8-Man Tag Team match featuring some of the best young talents in wrestling, what do you think of the development within Scottish Wrestling at the moment?
“The youth development in wrestling in Scotland is amazing. It’s just so hot at the moment, Scottish Wrestling has taken off so much, so many people are part of it now, we have traffic schools in Scotland, Source Wrestling School specifically, the amount of talent coming from there is fantastic, Matt Daly, Scott McManus and Kieran McColm absolutely fantastic wrestlers, so much potential. I cannot wait to work with them.”
The Stone Cold Impression, where did it begin and how did it develop?
“I started doing the impression when I was 15, just growing up watching Austin, he’s my favourite wrestler, always will be, continuing to the day I die nevermind when he does. It was just something I always done, 15/16 doing the impression then started drinking and just kept going and going. No one in wrestling knew I could do the impression, then during a training session, people were doing impressions of different wrestlers, I did mine and everyone stopped, looked and clapped. They told my head trainer, he heard it, we were on an ICW tour in Newcastle, I was part of the ring crew at that point, backstage after the show I got made to do it infront of some wrestlers and they went nuts. They then got Mark Dallas into a room, made him close his eyes, I cut a promo infront of him with his eyes shut, he opened his eyes and said, “Why the hell did you not tell us you could do that?!” he then said your booked and at Shuggs House Party, I made my debut as Stone Cold Bobby Roberts. I also cut a promo infront of Fergal Devitt (Finn Bálor) as Austin and he loved it, I was happy with that.”
Credit: Warrior Fight Photography
When you started training, it began within Source Wrestling School, how did you find it and was there anyone who has been influential in your training?
“Damian O’Connor and Mikey Whiplash by far, Damo trains you hard but it’s worth it, he sees the potential in people, exact same as Whiplash. He just sees the potential oozing out of some people and pushes you that much harder because if you’ve got it, he wants to see you come through, Damo as well. I had alot of personal problems, spoke to him face to face and he gave good advice on it. Whiplash is constantly pushing me as much as he can, always helping me on wrestling. Both have a completely different way of telling you the same thing but both make so much sense. One piece of advice that always stuck with me, “Just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should!”, I’ll always remember that.”
At Pride Wrestling, fans saw you beat Jam O’Malley, your thoughts on the battle and the Pride Wrestling promotion itself?
“It is amazing, it’s evolved so fast compared to where it started from, originally the Source Programme, then it changed into Pride. It’s come on leaps and bounds bringing in Renfrew, Jackie Polo, Mikey Whiplash. It’s getting bigger and bigger as it’s progressing, even being a smaller cog in the machine, I’m enjoying being part of it. Beating Jam tonight, that’s a thorn in my side out of the way and meaning I can concentrate on the Pride Championship.”
Where can fans keep up with you on social media?
Facebook – Bobby Roberts
Twitter – @BobbyRobertsAGC
*Our thanks to Bobby Roberts for his time in conducting the interview and to Craig Hermit for contributing the interview to the Wrestle Ropes website.
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