Ali Akbar Discusses Working With GFW, the Promotion’s TV Situation, and More

– Wrestlezone Daily recently interviewed GFW talent Ali Akbar. Below are some highlights:

On how he got involved with GFW: “About two years ago I worked an indy show in Knoxville, TN and Jeff just happened to be in attendance. I worked with a friend of mine, who is somewhat of a limited worker, and we worked against a very talented indy worker by the name of Shawn Scultze; from the Tennessee area. Shawn’s partner was a fella who had played football for the University of Tennessee but had never been in a wrestling ring before, ever. He had never trained to take a bump or do anything. So, I had the task of working with this guy. As a matter of fact I contacted Rip Rogers, who is one of my “wrestling Dads”, one of my trainers, and I told him about the situation. I said, “I really want to impress Jeff. What do you think I should do? I’m in this situation working with a guy who’s never been in a ring before?” And Rip’s advice to me was, “Murder the person that booked you in to this situation.” Needless to say, I didn’t murder the person who put me in that situation but I did fairly well. Jeff and I just started talking from there. We had a dialogue for about twelve months and then he offered me a spot about March of this past year.”

Akbar on the TV situation for GFW with GFW filming TV shows, with no TV deal in place: “I don’t. What I’ll say is this, there were a whole lot of producers there and there were a whole lot of people from television that looked like they knew what they were doing. They were guiding a specific product that they wanted to see. So, I’d imagine, and I’m not a gambling man even though I just left Vegas, I would imagine that it is being done for a purpose. We’re in the age now where in 2015 being on television isn’t the end-all-be-all that it used to be. You have networks such as Netflix for instance; look how much money they are putting in to original content shows that go under their own umbrella. Resurrecting old series like Arrested Development, which was one of my favorite TV shows. Netflix picked it up on their own dime and created a fourth and fifth season. To say it (GFW’s Amped) could end up on a Netflix or a Hulu, I don’t think that’s out of the question.”

Akbar on Toby Keith not being at the tapings: “I know nothing. I know that Toby Keith wasn’t there. Whether or not he’s involved or not, who knows? I hope he is. I am a fan of his music. I would love to do an angle with him. I didn’t hear anything or see anything that would lead me to believe that was the case.”