Alex Hammerstone On How the Dynasty Came Together, Changing His Character Up and Feeling Pressure to Fit Into an Accepted Mold

Speaking with Jeffrey Harris for the 411 Wrestling Interview Podcast, Alexander Hammerstone discussed how the Dynasty came together and changing up his character. The Dynasty is one of the tpo factions in MLW, and Hammerstone recalled how the group gravitated toward each other, and why he felt the need to make some changes to who he was in the ring. Hammerstone said that he used to feel a lot of pressure to fit into a certain mold and that it was the decision to do his own thing that allowed him to really move forward as a performer.

You can check out some highlights and the full interview below:

On who he credits for bringing the Dynasty together: “Well, I mean Court Bauer, he’s a mad scientist when it comes to his ideas for wrestling. And then once me and [Richard] Holliday and Max [MJF] were all in the same company at the same time, you know, like-minded individuals tend to gravitate toward each other. And it’s just something that once we got thrown together, we had no idea what it was going to turn into, but luckily we all just kind of clicked really quick. And it started making the magic, as I always say.”

On how he’s changed up his character: “I mean, I think a big thing for me is that I didn’t think of it as like a reinvention of my character. I think a lot of people get into professional wrestling and very similarly to the way I did, felt the pressure to create a certain time of wrestler, or to create a certain type of image or persona, or all these things. And I was almost acting, I was almost playing this role of like, this thing that I wasn’t. And I felt I had to look a certain way, and talk a certain way, and shave my beard a way I didn’t like it. And then I finally one day, I was basically pushed to the edge of almost quitting wrestling, you know? I was to the point where I was like, ‘Take it or leave it.’ And I finally went, ‘You know what? What if I just didn’t care about anything? About what anyone thought, about how anyone’s gonna be mad, or react? Or if I piss someone off, or if I say the wrong thing or look the wrong way, or wear the wrong thing? And what if I just don’t care and I do whatever I want to do?’

“So I did it. I did it, and there was some immediate backlash, and even for a couple months of backlash. Even still, there’s some guys who get on Twitter and complain about how I’m ‘not a real wrestler’ because I wrestle in jeans. But all in all, I basically just did what I wanted to do. Stopped trying to be anything that I thought someone wanted me to be, or someone told me I needed to be, or someone said I had to say things this way. I said, ‘No. I’m gonna be me. I’m gonna do what I wanna do, I’m gonna dress how I wanna dress. I’m not gonna fit myself in this little box of what I thought a professional wrestler was gonna be.’ And I kind of broke a lot of rules for what I was told. But what happened was, I created something genuine, and something that people latch onto because they can tell they have a genuine person, and not someone doing make-believe.”

In the full interview, Hammerstone discusses his match with Laredo Kid at the AAA vs. MLW Super Series on Friday, the Dynasty’s feud with Mance Warner, rumors of a new MLW TV deal, how he reinvented himself, the Dynasty’s goals for 2020 and more.

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0:00: Introduction
0:17: On his match against Laredo Kid and representing MLW on the card against AAA
2:21: On if there’s extra pressure for the match by being in Mexico for his title
3:55: On whether it’s more important for him to win the match for MLW or to retain his title
4:43: On how the Dynasty fits together as a group, their chemistry as an alliance, and Medina joining the group
7:15: On the Dynasty’s feud with Mance Warner and if Warner is a bad example for pro wrestling
10:58: On being the sole MLW National Openweight Champion thus far
12:30: On who he credits for bringing the Dynasty together
13:15: On how he’s reinvented himself and initially feeling pressure to be a certain type of character, being inspired by Fight Club
16:40: On if Richard is making sure he’s well-protected this week
17:46: On rumors of a new TV deal for MLW
19:59: On how accessible Court Bauer is to the roster
22:04: On his final message for Laredo Kid
23:02: On the Dynasty’s goals for 2020
24:06: Where to find him online

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