Coming up on April 8th and April 9th, Nova Scotia independent promotion Wrestlecentre will be running two big shows in Cape Breton and Halifax. The highlight of this doubleheader of action will take place on April 9th as the current IFWA World Heavyweight Champion and Wrestlecentre stand out J.p. Simms defends his title against top contender Matt Bullen with the special guest referee being none other than the legendary Kurt Angle. J.p. Simms has been a mainstay in Maritime professional wrestling scene for a number of years. The WWE, TNA, and ROH should take note as he is ready to break out and take his wrestling game to the next level. Being involved in huge match that includes Kurt Angle will certainly help his cause due to the expected increased publicity. I was able to catch up with and conduct an interview with J.p. Simms as he heads into this huge match on April 9th.
Lewis: On April 9th, you step into the ring at a huge Wrestlecentre card at the Halifax forum and defend your IFWA Title against Matt Bullen with special referee pro wrestling legend Kurt Angle. What is your thought process going into this match knowing that the Kurt Angle will be in the same ring as you?
J.p Simms: My thought process is being FOCUSED 100%. Also, knowing it’s a big Main event match I have to be ready. It’s a completely different situation standing across from your opponent and knowing that a star the caliber of Kurt Angle being there to witness everything you do is pressure for sure. But I feed off pressure. I can’t wait to show him that I’m legit and that I can hang with the big boys.
Lewis: What can we expect during your April 9th match with Matt Bullen?
J.p. Simms: You can expect a brawl. You can expect me to go out and turn it up and give a performance of a lifetime and have that crowd going wild.
Lewis: There is a card on April 8th as well in Cape Breton. Who will you be defending you IFWA title against on this show?
J.p. Simms: I’m actually not defending it on April 8th in Cape Breton, I’m involved in a tag team match. It will be myself and Nick Diggz vs Matt Bullen and Tommy Starr. It will be a lot of fun and I get to give Matt Bullen a small preview of what he can expect in Halifax on April 9th.
Lewis: Let’s travel back in time, when did you realize that you wanted to be a professional wrestler and what made you come to that decision?
J.p. Simms: Wrestlemania 22. 60 minute Iron Man Match between (WWF World Champion) Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels. That match changed everything for me. Shawn Michaels was and still is my favourite wrestler. Just the stuff he did in that match amazed me even as an 8 year old kid. I said that’s going to be me someday and I just became mesmerized by pro wrestling. I had been watching WWF before that match, but Wrestlemania 22 just changed everything for me. I remember saying that I want to be just like these guys.
Lewis: Who were some of your wrestling heroes growing up?
J.p. Simms: Shawn Michaels was my hero and my idol. Bret Hart for sure, he was not only a hero, but a Canadian Hero. That documentary Bret Hart Wrestling with Shadows was awesome! And Stone Cold Steve Austin, just his personality and character was amazing how couldn’t any wrestling fan look up to someone like that?
Lewis: You trained with at the Lance Storm Wrestling School. Take us through a typical day of training at the school.
J.p Simms: A typical day at the Storm Wrestling Academy would start with some stretching, then some fitness drills, lots of wrestling drills, then we would have matches and watch them over and he would go over each match individually with us so we could see and learn and hear from him what to do, why not to do something and where to put it etc. It was an amazing experience. I loved it.
Lewis: What made you decide on the Lance Storm Academy?
J.p Simms: Well I was very serious about getting wrestling training at a top level and I seen online that Lance Storm was running a training School in Calgary, AB. I knew there was no one else in Canada who could train me better. I also enjoyed his work in the ring and he had a great reputation all over the world for being a great trainer. So I shot him an email and the rest was history.
Lewis: What was the first company you worked for? Do you recall how you felt just as you were about to walk to the ring for the 1st time?
J.p Simms: Yeah, it was for the CWF. The most memorable part of that whole match was the feeling standing behind the curtain. I never experienced a feeling like that. The nerves and excitement was there. When I walked out and got my first crowd pop. I was instantly hooked on that feeling. Even though I didn’t know what to expect, I was confident I belonged in this industry.
Lewis: Your finishing move is called the Simmulator. How did you decide on that as your match ending move?
J.p. Simms: Well back in the WCW days I was a huge DDP fan. He was one of my favourites. I loved how many different ways he could hit the Diamond Cutter. It was great. Then Randy Orton started doing it later on and also hit the RKO in every way so I always loving that move, I wanted to use it and find different ways that I could hit it.
Lewis: When did you first win the IFWA Title and how long have you held it?
J.p. Simms: I won the IFWA Championship on July 4th, 2015 from Christopher Daniels for my second title reign.
Lewis: In addition to wrestling indy talent, you have faced many well known wrestlers such as AJ Styles, Charlie Haas, Christopher Daniels, and Marty Jannetty to name a few. Who was your favourite all time opponent? And why?
J.p. Simms: Most definitely AJ Styles because he was and still is one of the number one workers in the entire world, so the stakes were high. I knew this was a do or die moment for me to prove that I could hang with one of the top wrestlers in the entire world in a high marquee TV taping match. He’s still young and in his prime so I wanted to show I can step into the ring with any top worker In the world and I can hang. It was over 20 minutes and it was an amazing experience.
Lewis: You And XXL Steve Arsenault have had quite a feud in the Nova Scotia area. How did that feud start and can we expect to see any more JP Simms vs XXL matches?
J.p.Simms: Well it all started between myself and XXL way back in the UCW days and just came to a head even more during the Wrestlecentre days. Who knows maybe down the road, but right now I have other people to worry about and there are a lot of people ahead in the line for my IFWA Championship.
Lewis: Tell me about the Jake Roberts incident.
J.p Simms: The Jake Roberts Incident was a great moment in my career. The night before that incident, I regained the IFWA championship from Christopher Daniels. So I wanted to go out in front of the crowd and let them know that I was number one and why. Then Jake the Snake Roberts interrupted me to give me a lesson about respect, and when I turned my back to him he slapped me in the face so I dropped him with the Simmulator and stood over him. It was a huge moment for my career and a huge moment for the Maritimes. I was honoured to be the guy to have the opportunity to do that epic confrontation with Jake Roberts.
Lewis: What is the goal of JP Simms? WWE? TNA? ROH? Japan?
J.p Simms: The ultimate goal is to get to the WWE most definitely. I’ve dreamt to be a WWE Superstar since I was 8 years old and I won’t stop until I get there.
Lewis: If you got the big call tomorrow, do you feel you are ready?
J.p. Simms: Absolutely 100% I would be ready and I would train as hard as possible to show them that I have what it takes to be a WWE Superstar and wrestle all over the world.
Lewis: If Vince McMahon, Dixie Carter, or Jeff Jarrett asked why they should give you a shot in their respected companies, what would your answer be?
J.p. Simms: I would tell them that I have that “It” factor and that I truly believe I was destined to do this. Lots of people talk it but I truly believe that I would fit in great. I’d tell them to give me a chance and let me prove that I belong, and trust me I would work hard and show them.
Lewis: Last question – On April 9th, if Kurt Angle gets out of line, will he become another victim of the Simmulator?
J.p. Simms: If Kurt Angle gets out of line, he can most definitely expect a Simmulator. I don’t care who you are or where you been, If you get out of line you get put down and Kurt Angle will see that first hand if he gets in my face.
