Exclusive: Dru Onyx Opens Up About His Time at the NJPW Dojo, Being British Commonwealth Champion, Working With Legends The Honky Tonk Man and Gregg Valentine

In an exclusive interview with The OTHER Alliance Guys: (@NWAGold, @HJWOTS, & @DaveScooby), Former NWA North American Champion Dru Onyx spoke about his time in the NWA, Creating the pipeline between NWA Ireland, NWA Hammerlock, and NWA Quebec, the British Commonwealth Championship, training at the original NJPW Inoki Dojo, and so much more.

“It was imperative for all the champions to be fighting champions, to be able to defend the belts, to promote [the promotion you are working for], the NWA, and yourself.” Dru Onyx shared his thoughts on the NWA Champions of his era. Dru Onyx famously held multiple NWA Championships from 2004-2010, NWA Quebec, NWA Hammerlock, NWA British Commonwealth, and NWA North American Championships.

NWA British Commonwealth Championship and the Pipeline between Canada and the UK.

The NWA Britsh Commonwealth Championship today survives as simply the British Commonwealth Championship. The title was designed by Dru Onyx and Rico Mann and was produced by Parks, Millican, and Mann. “What people don’t realize is that there was never an original British Commonwealth Championship prior to me.” When Spyder and Fergal Devit fought for the championship there wasn’t a physical belt. The belt was originally represented by an old Florida [title belt] after the inaugural championship was crowned. “Andre Baker who was the creator with Ernie Todd, Todd was the promoter for CWF in Manitoba and Baker was the NWA Promoter for the UK HAmmerlock. They felt like the World title wasn’t being represented in their countries. They couldn’t get their guys to have opportunities to fight for that title. So they thought if they could create a championship that could be defended in the Commonwealth, [they could fill the void]. This title which would originally link the CWF and Hammerlock would later link NWA Quebec to the UK.

His feud with Finn Balor

“They always say when you are good friends outside the ring, it gets [more intense] inside the ring… We became better friends the more that we wrestled against each other.” no less than four times from in England and the United States. The pair battled all over the Atlantic which led them to being discovered by New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Training At the Original NJPW Inoki Dojo

“We are at the NWA 56th Anniversary and I was fighting Finn Balor, defending my title. There were representatives from TNA that were there. And also NJPW, David Marquez” At the time David Marquez was the Proxy vote for Antonio Inoki on the NWA Board and Vice President of the New Japan USA. “After he saw our match, he invited us to the dojo. I went there for the opportunity to ply my trade and to learn a new style of wrestling and to see if there was an opportunity to wrestle for Japan. Going there was an eye-opening experience. They run their school just like a Japanese Dojo.” “Just to give you a normal day, you wake up at 7 o’clock and you fill up on food. You hit weights from 8 to 9. At 9:30 you get on the mats. You start off with 15 minutes of skip rope, and calisthenics to warm up. Then you’d start with 1500 push-ups, 1500 Hindu squats, and 1500 crunches. With 500 on, take a break, and then 500. Then you had you wrestle with an hour and a half.” While there they were taught MMA-style Muay Thai, Jui Jitsu, Yoga, and strength and conditioning.

What’s Next for Dru Onyx

Dru Onyx still competes and promotes events for Torture Chamber Pro Wrestling (out of Laval Quebec). He also trains students at the Torture Chamber School. “I wanted my own facility to train at… I’ve sent eight students to WWE Tryouts. [Tryouts] for NJPW and TNA. Two wrestlers that came through our doors or I came out to visit them. Kevin [Owens] came to the [dojo] prior to his WWE Tryout. We spent about 2 months working to get him ready. Briana Brandy from Hit Row, I visited her in the Dominican Republic and I trained with her there. And there is a gentleman named Sydney Bateman, [who came from Circuis Sole. He came to work with me.” He’s there now and wrestles as Scrypt in NXT. “I’ve trained easily more than easily 300 students. I’ve done seminars from Canada to the United States, to Spain, to England, to Ireland.” Dru incorporates his time at the New Japan Dojo at his school.

Their last event was on January 22nd, 2023.

You can find Dru Onyx on Twitter and Instagram.

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