by Daniel Johnson
Photo Courtesy of Alex Alligator
Interviewer’s Note: Alex Alligator is a young wrestler fighting out of Spain. He began his career in 2009 and first sought to become a wrestler while living in Cadiz. He was so determined to wrestle that he moved from the bottom of the Iberian Peninsula to Barcelona, nearly 700 miles away. In Barcelona, Alligator trained at Super Wrestling Alliance (SWA), the Spanish company which has a working agreement with ZERO 1 in Japan and is sometimes referred to as ZERO 1 Spain. Before he was known as Alligator, Alex had his first match with Zack Sabre, Jr. after a nine day training seminar. Since then Alligator has continued to grow as a performer working for five different wrestling promotions in Spain, most recently making his debut for Revolution Championship Wrestling (RCW). Other promotions Alligator has worked for include 3×4 Lucha Libre, Pro Wrestling Euskadi (PWE) and Consejo Intercontinental de Lucha (CIL). Alligator can be found on Twitter @alexalligator and his YouTube page can be found here. This interview was completed on September 29, 2014. In this interview Alligator and I focus on the topic of being a young wrestler today in Spain.
Daniel Johnson: What is your first memory of being a wrestling fan and how did you first get into pro wrestling?
Alex Alligator: Rey Mysterio vs. JBL on Smackdown, 2006 I think. After 10 years without wrestling on Spanish TV, WWE was coming back with Smackdown and Raw. I was 14 years-old at this moment.
Daniel Johnson: When did you decide you wanted to go from more than a fan and become a pro wrestler?
Alex Alligator: Maybe from the first time that I watched wrestling, I was thinking “I really want to do this.” But in July 2009 I decided to become this, thinking in something real. I traveled to Barcelona for a nine day wrestling seminar managed by Jorge Catalina with the participation of two top European wrestlers: Zack Sabre, Jr. and Andy Wild. After this training I made my debut against Zack Sabre, Jr. These nine days had been one of the best experiences in my life.
Daniel Johnson: How did you come up with the name Alex Alligator?
Alex Alligator: I didn’t have it in mind when I made my debut after nine days of training. However, I was booked on a show for the last day. My real name is Alex, but I needed something more for my name so my trainers decided to put me this “random” surname, Alligator. Alligator was so successful that I decided to stay with it.
Daniel Johnson: How is it training to become a wrestler in Spain, where did you train?
Alex Alligator: My first training was that nine days that I mentioned. I had to move from Cadiz to Barcelona, 1,100 kilometers. The following summer I decided to bring Zack Sabre, Jr. to Cadiz for 20 days. Another awesome experience with one of the best young European wrestlers of the moment! From 2009 to now I have been wrestling around Spain. In 2013 I was in the first ZERO 1 pro wrestling tryout in Barcelona, with Paul Tracey managing the training and castings.
Daniel Johnson: Are there a lot of wrestling schools in Spain? Are there any you would recommend other than the one you trained at?
Alex Alligator: I began my trainings with SWA, Spain, which currently has an agreement with ZERO 1, Japan. I totally recommend them from my experience. Then there are some more good wrestling schools, where I never trained, but ruled by very good wrestlers with whom I have had the pleasure of wrestling, like 3×4 Lucha Libre and Spanish Pro Wrestling (SPW).
Daniel Johnson: For someone who has never seen you wrestle how would you describe yourself as a performer in a few words?
Alex Alligator: Hit and Jump. I try to dominate with a good amount of kicking, and finish with my high flying arsenal.
Daniel Johnson: You have been wrestling since 2009. What are your memories of your early career and early matches?
Alex Alligator: The debut against Zack was so special, he was a top European wrestler at the moment and I was just a rookie. I got a feel what it is like working with a great wrestling performer and a great wrestling mind from my debut. My next matches against the best Spanish pro wrestlers were a big experience too, I had some good chances to define my style and show to the crowd who Alex Alligator is. I have many memories from these years.
Daniel Johnson: I first saw you wrestle in a match you had for PWE. How did you first get involved with this promotion? Also, is this the promotion you work for most often? If not then what is?
Alex Alligator: Pro Wrestling Euskadi was an awesome project based in Bilbao. The promoter and I had a friend in common, who talked to him about me. He saw some videos and decided to put me on the show against maybe the best Spanish pro wrestler from this generation, La Pulga. Sadly, the first was the last show too, PWE decided to stop running. In December 2014, it looks like PWE will come back with a campus managed by TNA superstar Doug Williams. I really hope they come back as strong as they looked at their first show. The promotion where I wrestle more often is SWA, Super Wrestling Alliance, which now has an arrangement with ZERO 1, Japan. That was my school and the place where I feel at home.
Daniel Johnson: How many promotions in Spain have you worked for so far and what have they been? Also are there any promotions you have yet to work for that you would like to either in Spain or beyond it?
Alex Alligator: I have worked for four Spanish promotions: SWA, 3×4 Lucha Libre, PWE and CIL. And this October 4 I will work with RCW, another big project with a very good look.
Daniel Johnson: I was curious do you think there is anything particularly unique about wrestling fans in Spain? For instance do they enjoy certain parts of wrestling more than other parts?
Alex Alligator: The Spanish fans are especially loud, it gives you the proper atmosphere to make things big. People like El Generico and Paul London have made very good comments about their feelings on Spanish crowds.
Daniel Johnson: Speaking more broadly of wrestling in Spain, aside from yourself I was wondering what other Spanish wrestlers there are that you think readers should check out?
Alex Alligator: In my opinion, there are four big names that you must know in Spanish pro wrestling: Bad Boy, La Pulga, Axel Salazar and Mascara de Leon. Guys from my generation, young wrestlers that evolved and worked very hard for years. I had the opportunity to face all of them and check how hard they trained to be top athletes.
Daniel Johnson: On a similar topic what do you consider to be your best match so far and why?
Alex Alligator: It is always difficult to answer, but I would say that my match against Bad Boy in Barcelona at SWA. I took part in a storyline to stop him, and I really needed to give my best to succeed. After all, I did.
Daniel Johnson: You have worked with some internationally known wrestlers like Zack Sabre Jr. and La Pulga. What has it been like to work with that quality of talent?
Alex Alligator: A big chance for learning. Professional people like them always make you better.
Daniel Johnson: On a similar subject I was curious who your dream opponent would be?
Alex Alligator: Big names like Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle and AJ Styles are obvious. But there is a European pro wrestler that I really want to work with and his name is Tommy End. I am a big fan of his wrestling vision and to have a match with him is one of my big goals.
Daniel Johnson: This is kind of a random question, but I have not been able to see your more recent matches. I was curious do you still use this as your entrance music? Also, what made you pick that as a theme song?
Alex Alligator: Well, the truth is that this song is a joke. I have never really used it. A good friend of mine found this on the Internet and made me this video. I thought that the song was funny and I shared it. I used to enter to “Kill Humans” by Dubsidia.
Daniel Johnson: How do you feel you have grown as a performer since debuting in 2009?
Alex Alligator: I have a better athletic condition and more experience, but there is still a long way.
Daniel Johnson: Looking to the future what do you hope to accomplish in the remainder of 2014 and even looking forward to 2015?
Alex Alligator: The RCW debut is a big chance to make a new partner and work more often. I hope to keep this connection in 2015 and as long as I can. I really want to end 2015 traveling to England too.
Daniel Johnson: Before I get into my final series of questions I was curious if there was anything else you would like to say about the wrestling scene in Spain?
Alex Alligator: I ask for readers to keep an eye on Spanish wrestling, a young generation which is called to put Spain on the wrestling world map.
Daniel Johnson: I like to end each interview with five non-wrestling questions followed by a few more short questions. First, what is the last book you read and would you recommend it?
Alex Alligator: The Shadow Out of Time by H.P. Lovecraft. If you like science fiction it is a must read.
Daniel Johnson: What has been your favorite movie to come out in the last year?
Alex Alligator: Guardians of the Galaxy.
Daniel Johnson: Along the same lines what do you enjoy watching on television these days?
Alex Alligator: With Utopia and Game of Thrones filming; I like to watch The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy or just something that makes me laugh.
Daniel Johnson: What is your favorite song to come out in the last year?
Alex Alligator: “Immunity” by Zomboy.
Daniel Johnson: Have you tried any new foods in the past year? If so what has been the food that you have enjoyed the most?
Alex Alligator: Boar chops, just awesome.
Daniel Johnson: Ending with just a few more wrestling questions who is one wrestler 25 or younger that you think readers should know about?
Alex Alligator: Mark Andrews, a British high flyer who is young, talented and even experienced.
Daniel Johnson: Ribs and road stories are almost always fun. Do you have any that you could share?
Alex Alligator: Maybe check out how scary Bad Bones is live in Barcelona.
Daniel Johnson: This may be a bit of an odd question, but I’m always curious to find out what people think about is weird. What, if anything, do you think is the weirdest part of being a wrestler in Spain?
Alex Alligator: When I’m asked the question, ‘Wrestling? What is this?’
Daniel Johnson: My final question is, is there anything you would like to add?
Alex Alligator: I would like to thank you and your readers for the interest, and ask them again to support Spanish wrestling and get a great surprise. If you want to know more about me and Spanish wrestling, find me on Twitter as @alexalligator and on Youtube as Alex Alligator. Thank you again and mucha lucha!
Check out Alex Alligator in action! In this match Alligator wrestles the man with a devastating package piledriver, Axel Storm, as part of the SWA King of the Ring 2010:
Categories: Wrestling Interviews
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