by Daniel Johnson
Photo Courtesy of Justin Overstreet
Interviewer’s Note: At age 24 Justin Overstreet is already a four year veteran of the independent wrestling scene. Overstreet has wrestled for a slew of promotions based all over the country including, but not limited to those based in North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. He made his debut in Southeastern Xtreme Wrestling (SXW) and since that time has gone on to notably wrestle for the AIWF World Heavyweight Championship. Although he wrestles all over the country when he is in North Carolina he can be found most often at National All-Star Wrestling (NASW). Overstreet can be found on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. This interview was completed on September 24, 2013. In this interview Overstreet and I focus on the topic of wrestling on the independent scene in North Carolina.
Daniel Johnson: In a nutshell how would you describe yourself as a performer?
Justin Overstreet: Charasmatic. Passionate. Determined.
Daniel Johnson: For those unfamiliar with you where and when were you born and how long have you been wrestling?
Justin Overstreet: Dothan,Alabama, March 6, 1989. I just recently passed my four year mark.
Daniel Johnson: Do you remember any details of your very first match? If so then where was it, who was it against and what stands out most about it for you?
Justin Overstreet: Haha, yeah I do. Dothan, Alabama for SXW, I wrestled a masked wrestler by the name of Ravage, threw nine clotheslines in 10 minuets lol. I was not ready for the ring yet.
Daniel Johnson: About how far along in your wrestling career were you before you wrestled for the first time in North Carolina?
Justin Overstreet: I was three years in.
Daniel Johnson: Do you remember your first match in the state at all? If so what stands out from that match for you?
Justin Overstreet: Yes, I was in Reidsville,North Carolina for NASW, just walking into the building and making the fans feel like they got their money worth they spent with the attention we showed towards them.
Daniel Johnson: For those unfamiliar with wrestling in North Carolina how would you describe it in a broad sense?
Justin Overstreet: I’ve only been four times, I’d say it is a hotbed for good talent, but at the same time has a lot of guys that need to be trained or go back to Walmart. Also infested with indie shows. But there are a few good ones.
Daniel Johnson: What venues most stand out to you as good places to wrestle in North Carolina?
Justin Overstreet: I’ve only wrestled in Reidsville, Eden,and Mount Airy, North Carolina. Mount Airy was great, the fans there love their wrestling and are really hot about it.
Daniel Johnson: Are North Carolina fans unique from other wrestling fans at all? If so then how?
Justin Overstreet: I’d say they’re more like a Mississippi crowd. They enjoy the old school, they appreciate a headlock.
Daniel Johnson: How many promotions have you wrested for in North Carolina and what are they? Also, are there any promotions you have yet to wrestle for in North Carolina that you would like to?
Justin Overstreet: I’ve wrestled for three thus far going on four this coming Saturday. I’d love to wrestle for RWC [Ring Wars Carolina], NWA Greensboro, HVW [High Velocity Wrestling] and NWA WWWA [NWA World Wide Wrestling Alliance].
Daniel Johnson: Is there any one promotion you work for more than any other in North Carolina? If so then what keeps bringing you back to that promotion?
Justin Overstreet: The majority of my work was for NASW in Reidsville, North Carolina and the thing that kept bringing me back was the possibility to get in the ring with George South Jr., very underrated wrestler in the United States, and the laid back homey feel of the owner.
Daniel Johnson: You seem to have a very technical style of wrestling. How has this meshed with wrestlers you have worked with based in North Carolina?
Justin Overstreet: Tough man, not many guys know how to handle technical wrestling, but attending a seminar taught by Cueball Carmichael and Mike Howell was great because everyone that attended knew the style and how to work it.
Daniel Johnson: Similarly who have been some of the best North Carolina wrestlers you have worked with and what makes them stand out to you?
Justin Overstreet: Matt Smith, Kama Kozy Kid, Justin Flash and George South Jr. These four guys just had that fire, that passion that made you appreciate your own fire, rather. They were funny or good in-ring wrestlers or just all around good bodies to have in the business. All four guys were really great to be around.
Daniel Johnson: Are there any North Carolina wrestlers you have yet to work with that you would like to? If so then who are they?
Justin Overstreet: Cueball Carmichael of course for learning purposes, George South Jr., Gunner, Matt Hardy and Justin Flash again. There are a lot of good guys out there that I’d like to work with.
Daniel Johnson: For young prospective wrestlers based in North Carolina are there any wrestling schools you would recommend in the area as a possible place to train?
Justin Overstreet: Cueball Carmichael is the man to get a hold of. If you want the total package of training this guy will put you on the correct path, not just take your money.
Daniel Johnson: What has been the most memorable part of working in North Carolina overall for you to date?
Justin Overstreet: There are a few. I keep saying his name but spending five hours with Cueball Carmichael and learning, joking, wrestling, it was just a good five hours that I wish went longer.
Daniel Johnson: I always like to hear ribs and road stories. Do you have any that you would be able to share?
Justin Overstreet: Haha! A few good ones, I was on the road with two other guys to Mississippi and one fell asleep in the back, we should be ashamed because he just worked an eight hour shift overnight as well, but we pulled over to the side of the road near a tree and just started screaming to the top of our lungs and he starts screaming from his sleep! Lol. Another good one was a full Dodge Durango, five people and it is a 20 hour drive to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Now keep in mind the only thing I ate all day was Mexican chicken, raw egg shakes and a protein shake. I start lighting the car up with gas and about thirteen hours in everyone was sick of it. Lol, we finally get to our hotel and even my wife and wrestler Mackenzie York told me to go take and shower and stop passing the gas. Fun times on the road trips.
Daniel Johnson: Do you have any short term goals you would like to accomplish over the next year or so? Is so then what are they?
Justin Overstreet: Short term goal at the moment is to get my body looking better and finally win the AIWF World Heavyweight Championship.
Daniel Johnson: What about looking more long term, basically where would you like to be in five years?
Justin Overstreet: In five years I’d like to be in the middle of a good run in TNA or WWE. I want to get my name famous enough so I can come back to the indies and make enough money on the weekends to live and be home with my family.
Daniel Johnson: Speaking of the future, you actually have your own YouTube channel. How important do you think it is for an independent wrestler to have an online presence these days and do you think it will only become more important in the future?
Justin Overstreet: It maybe is the best thing for young wrestlers now. I mean back in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s you had to air mail videos of your work to big promoters and hope someone talked good about you. Now it is one click away. But it can be a hazard as well if you’re not a professional. When i send videos i send a resume. This is a job you need to treat it like one. Write out a full resume as if you’re applying for a job to feed your family.
Daniel Johnson: This is a super broad question, but what do you consider your greatest accomplishment as a wrestler to be to date?
Justin Overstreet: I really don’t know. Appearing in PWI magazine in the [PWI] World Title Rankings. Being in the fatal four way for the AIWF World Heavyweight Championship. Maybe even meeting my wife in the wrestling business, date to marry is October 12, 2013, two weeks away.
Daniel Johnson: I also like to ask five non-wrestling related questions just to bring a little uniqueness to the interview. Outside of wrestling, what television shows do you enjoy watching these days?
Justin Overstreet: The Walking Dead, LSU [Louisiana State University] football, NFL, any shows about natural disasters, The History Channel for wars from the past, anything about history of where I came from.
Daniel Johnson: What was your favorite movie that came out this year?
Justin Overstreet: So far this year I don’t know if I’ve watched a 2013 movie yet, i liked Killer Joe, Transit and For a Good Time Call.
Daniel Johnson: What is your favorite food that you tried for the first time this year?
Justin Overstreet: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream haha.
Daniel Johnson: What is your favorite song to come out this year?
Justin Overstreet: “Good Man” by Devour the Day or “Easy” by Sheryl Crow. The unedited version of “Redneck Crazy” by Tyler Farr.
Daniel Johnson: What is the last book you read and would you recommend it?
Justin Overstreet: I don’t read books regretfully, I read a lot of articles though and magazines. I just read about wrestling though.
Daniel Johnson: I wanted to close with just a few more brief wrestling questions. What is the weirdest part of being a pro wrestler?
Justin Overstreet: Having to do things you consider “for women” like tanning or shaving your body hair. Lol, but you grow to accept it.
Daniel Johnson: Who is one wrestler 25 or under that you think readers should know about?
Justin Overstreet: Myself haha, only 24. I don’t know many wrestlers by their age honestly.
Daniel Johnson: Is there anything you would like to promote?
Justin Overstreet: My Facebook page, Twitter and YouTube channel. Everything Justin Overstreet you can connect to through my Facebook. I’m always open to talking to fans and people interested in wrestling.
Daniel Johnson: Is there anything you would like to add?
Justin Overstreet: If you’re young in the business or looking to get into it, find a real school, not some indie show looking for money to train you. Don’t get abused and trained wrong just because you don’t have patience for getting in the ring.
Watch Justin Overstreet in action! In this match that occurred in North Carolina Justin Overstreet wrestles Justin Flash for the AIWF World Heavyweight Championship:
Categories: Wrestling Interviews
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