Readers of Issue 10 of Inside The Ropes Magazine may have spotted a new feature with WWE Superstar Kofi Kingston where we asked the former WWE Champion 20 questions and got some unique and bizarre answers to the questions that won’t be asked in any other wrestling interview!
Well, the feature has been so popular that we decided it shouldn’t simply be confined to our monthly magazine – so Inside The Ropes‘ Lead Writer Gary Cassidy pitched our 20 Questions to Westin Blake, formerly known as Wesley Blake of the Forgotten Sons and Knights of the Lone Wolf.
If you’d prefer to read about Westin Blake’s career, that interview is available here, but if you want to know the former SmackDown star’s favourite band, cheat meal, or what items he would want if he were stranded on a desert island, read on!
What’s your cheat meal?
My favorite cheat meal would have to be a burger. Right now living in Florida, It has to be BurgerFi. I usually get a BurgerFi cheeseburger and the breakfast all day burger. That’s my go-to cheat meal. And then for dessert it would have to be cheesecake. I absolutely love cheesecake. So for Father’s Day I got to have some cheesecake for myself so that would probably be my to go to right there
What’s your favourite video game?
Oh man. So I used to play video games a lot before I became a father and husband.
You’ve got a bit less time now!
Yeah. One of the last games I played that I was real big into was the Batman series, The Arkham Knight and stuff like that. So, yeah, that was kind of my go-to was the Batman series and then back in the day when I was a huge Halo… In high school and in college, I used to carry around my Xbox just so we could go play little tournaments here and there at our friends houses. That was a game that I always loved. I was a huge Halo fan and loved that game. Going back to college, probably Call of Duty, the Modern Warfare type stuff, you know, getting to play online. And then way, way back when, Zelda. I loved Zelda. And then, of course, wrestling games.
What would you be watching if you had a day of Netflix and chill?
Well, one thing that I’m watching right now is, I’m just getting done with Peaky Blinders. I really enjoyed that show. It’s one of my favorite shows.
Next on my list, because everyone keeps recommending it to me, is Yellowstone. So I need to get onto that.
If I’m just casually watching, because I got Hulu, I’ll just throw shows that I’ve already seen on there. Married With Children or something like that. Just kind of noise for the background. But those would probably be the two shows. I’m just getting finished with Peaky Blinders and then after that I’m going to go to Yellowstone.
Which movie have you seen the most?
I would probably have to say Dumb and Dumber, I’ve probably seen the most probably followed by Major League 2, and then my favorite all time movie would have to be Man On Fire with Denzel Washington.
Which actor should play you in a movie about your life?
I’m going to go with Chris Hemsworth. He’s going to be playing Hulk Hogan. So what better guy to play myself, you know? Of course, I’m not Hulk Hogan’s stature, But it is a movie about me so I would want someone that’s probably a lot better looking than me that could portray me.
If I could pick anyone, I’m picking Chris Hemsworth and I’m much further away from him physically than you!
What’s your favourite musician or band?
Favourite musician or band, there’s quite a bit there. Man, WHOOF! Let’s see. You know, favourite one that I listen to right now, will be probably Cody Jinks and Whiskey Myers is another one. Ryan Bingham. Then, of course, rock. Five Finger Death Punch and stuff like that. Avenged Sevenfold, I really enjoy a lot. What else?
Man, I’ve always listened to, since I was a younger kid, DMX was someone that I would always listen to just for the gym or whatever. I was a big fan of Nelly growing up as well. Of course, Tupac and that type of stuff. There’s some Texas country in there that I don’t know if people have heard about, but it’s like Kyle Park, Pat Green, Cory Morrow, Turnpike Troubadours, that type of music as well that I listen to. Of course, I think they’re on everyone’s list, is Metallica. Stuff like that. Black Sabbath, Zack Wylde. Another one that that that keeps playing on my workout playlist and stuff like that. And there’s just a plethora of stuff out. My dad loved Prince, so I’m a big fan of Prince and stuff like that. So I’m kind of like all over with genres depending on the type of mood and stuff like that.
Growing up, I was a big R’n’B fan with K-Ci and JoJo and Brian McKnight, and Boyz II Men and stuff like that. So yeah, I kind of listen a little bit of anything and everything, just depending on the mood.
Normally, when you ask someone, they say, “A little bit of everything” – but you’ve actually given me a little bit of everything.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
One song for the rest of my life… Wow, that is a good one. I would, probably just because it was my wedding song to me and my wife, it would have to be Seal – Kiss From A Rose.
Amazing song!
Pineapple on pizza – yes or no?
No for me.
That used to be more controversial until The Rock said he liked it!
The Rock can like it, it’s just not for me.
What three items would you take if you were stuck on a desert island?
The three items that I’m taking… I would have to say probably just for survival, a grill, steak and a bottle of wine.
What’s your secret talent?
I don’t know if it’s really a secret, but like I’ve ridden horses.
With the kids, I’m amazing at ABC now, I can count all the way up to 100!
I mean, I don’t know, there’s stuff that I’m learning, but I wouldn’t say I’m very talented at. Like, I’m learning how to play guitar and stuff like that. Other little things, like I’m learning To cook better. I’ve never been an extraordinary cook, but during the pandemic and stuff like that, I started finding myself watching the Netflix documentary series on these chefs and it’s just incredible because it’s one of those things that, you know, they’re kind of like rock stars in the industry. They’re just showing how passionate they were and they’ve got a good backstory. When you get a backstory on a chef or someone like that, it’s just very cool.
So then I started getting passionate about cooking and trying to cook better with different techniques and stuff. Just like stuff like that, that I don’t think are talents or whatever, but just stuff that I’m working towards.
Hey, the cooking thing is just surreal! Remember everyone was talking about the Wednesday night wars not so long ago but Guy Fieri was knocking every wrestling show out of the park with his numbers!
Yeah, I mean it’s everyone’s niche and it’s just one of those things where now I find myself on the Food Network quite a bit, and you kind of get to know these chefs and you get to hear their story. You realise, just like wrestlers or any type of entertainment, they start from the bottom, like a busboy, and making no money then working hard to kind of hone their craft and then they finally make it big, whether a big restaurant. It’s just very cool. It’s very eye-opening to see different aspects of different talents.
Very cool. Same thing with stand-up comedians. You get invested where they played these nightclubs for pennies on the dollar and then, all of a sudden, now they’re selling out arenas. And it’s just very cool to kind of get the story. Stuff like that intrigues me as well.
What’s your most annoying habit?
Most annoying habit. I would say probably not saying “no” enough. Which I’m getting better at. I try to say “yes” to everything, you know, like, “Hey, can you do this or can you do that? Can you be here at this time?” “Yes, yes, yes.” But I’m getting better at planning my time and doing what I want to do, and what’s best for me and my family, my time. That’s probably my most annoying, I would say.
A good lesson to learn next month when every wrestling promotion on the planet wants you on their show!
If you weren’t a wrestler, what would you be?
If I wasn’t a wrestler, I would probably be coaching somewhere. I would have got invested in strength and conditioning. It’s what I went to college for, strength and conditioning out there at the college. I was a student/trainer. That is just something I’m very passionate about. I’ve got to work with two great strength and conditioning coaches there in NXT with Matt Wichlinski and Sean Hayes. When you’re around those two and they’re coaching and you see people interact, like how you can help athletes or just help the common person try to achieve their goal, that is something that I really enjoy and I would see myself doing that. That’s something that I would even see myself pursuing after wrestling as well, doing strength and conditioning or some type of coaching.
During the pandemic, I got really invested in real estate type stuff, so that’s another thing that I could see myself getting into as well, is probably real estate and land, and getting people their homes that they want and helping them achieve their dream.
I’m getting that you’re a man who just loves doing everything! Every answer is multiple answers that couldn’t be further away from each other.
What wrestling match (not involving you) do you rewatch the most?
I’d have to say Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, the Iron Man Match. That’s just one that I remember watching as a kid and it always stands out in my head as one of the greatest matches in WWE and WrestleMania history. That would probably be my number one that I go back to right there.
What’s your pre-match ritual?
I usually start about 30 minutes before my match with certain stretching, and it’s kind of evolved because, before when you’re younger, you just lace up your boots and just go out there and start working. Since then, I’ve kind of evolved into a thing where I usually stretch, I don’t lace up my boots all the way until almost I would say curtain time so I kind of keep it loose until it’s time to go out. When I was in Forgotten Sons, I had the cowboy boots so that made it easier.
Then, of course, I would always wet the hair usually about five minutes before going out, usually brush my teeth about two to three minutes right before I go out, and then I usually crack a smelling salt and sniff that right before the music ends and then I head out there.
Who’s the biggest locker room prankster you have ever met and why?
Man, there wasn’t a lot of pranking when I was coming through. It was just more people having fun and joking around. There wasn’t too many pranks. It’s just like a different, I guess, type of era because, with NXT early on or even now, you bring people in that don’t know the culture, and I don’t think people want to prank someone and then they take it the wrong way and they go up to management – and get like a teasing or hazing or anything like that.
So I think people kind of stay away from it. At least in the locker rooms I’ve been in, they kind of stay away from pranks. For the most part, people are just cutting up and laughing. Most of the time just telling jokes or telling stories and stuff like that but when it comes to pranks, I haven’t seen too much of that.
What’s the best present you’ve ever received?
It would have to be probably about my two kids right now. My third one on the way. They would probably be the best gift that I’ve ever been given. Just because growing up, I never really needed much growing up to kind of do the kind of stuff I liked. I had two other brothers that we would play baseball with and then I had a younger sister who would want to play House or whatever like that. So I always had company and that type of stuff and always was outside playing or with wrestling figures or anything like that.
Gift-wise, I mean, as long as it’s a sentimental gift or there’s some feeling behind it. I mean, my kids making me cards and stuff like that or – I live in Florida, but my mom sending me coffee from Texas, some Texas homemade brands. Just like little sentimental things like that, that mean a lot to me. It could be my dad writing a card to me for my birthday and stuff, those are like the things that I kind of look forward to as really great gifts.
Who was your wrestling idol growing up?
The first one that kind of captured my eye on TV was Macho Man, followed by Hulk Hogan right after that. I remember being… I had to still be in diapers at that time, but I remember the picture vividly because I was sitting right next to my dad and I remember we were watching wrestling and that was the first image that I see. So Macho Man would definitely have to be one of those.
As I got older, It was Mr. Perfect and Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and of course, Austin and the Rock. Then, of course, you get up there with Eddie Guerrero and Edge and Christian and stuff like that. You kind of keep finding and evolving, finding who’s your favorite at those times.
Who is your all-time dream opponent and why?
It would probably have to be Terry Funk. Yeah. He’s someone that I’ve watched and admired throughout my whole career. That’s someone that I tried to emulate. Of course, I’m a big Funks guy. Growing up in Texas and stuff like that, it’s the Von Erichs and the Funks, and my dad was heavily into the Texas wrestling at that time, and he’s the one that kind of showed me the Funks and Von Erichs. There’s just something about Terry that was just so revolutionary, he was just taking different bumps and the way he wrestled, I could watch him wrestle all day long. It was just something that thrilled me. When I’m out there, I try my bits and pieces of Terry Funk as best I can, because that’s someone that I would absolutely love to wrestle and that would probably be my dream match.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Guilty pleasure in my life. I have to say… Probably pedicures. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That is an answer I would have NEVER expected!
Yeah! Probably pedicures. That would probably have to be. My wife took me to it and then I was like, “Oh, wow, this feels fantastic.” I’ll never forget when my grandfather told me when he went to his first, he went “Why haven’t I been doing this more?” But yeah, I’ll have to probably have to say pedicures would probably be my little guilty pleasure.
Who would be the guests, from anyone throughout history, at your dream dinner party and why?
I would probably have to do John Wayne, my grandfather and then I will probably have to do… Just because I would find it very interesting and I find it very intriguing, I would probably have to say Jim Carrey.
Thank you to Westin Blake for taking the time out to speak to us! For more editions of 20 Questions, you can subscribe to Inside The Ropes Magazine or check out the Interviews section of ITRWrestling.com – including this one with Alexander Wolfe. Meanwhile, you can follow Westin on Twitter and Instagram.