Indie Watch is our regular series that looks at all of the amazing talents working the independent circuits around the world. Some are veterans revitalizing their careers, some are indie prospects hitting their peaks, while others are names to be on the watch for! This edition looks at one of the fastest rising stars from the resurging Southern indies, in multi-champion AC Mack.
He comes out of Atlanta, Georgia, but the name AC Mack is beginning to make waves outside of the South, where he’s become an impact player in less than five years. The reigning (and inaugural) ACTION Champion and Southern Underground Pro (SUP) Bonestorm Champion is already champion material and 2020 looks to be the year he breaks out of the Southern scene and becames a star on the US indie national level.
AC Mack began his wrestling career at the famed WWA4 Training Facility in his hometown, where he learned the craft from EVOLVE and Lucha Underground star AR Fox. “The biggest thing I took out, was probably taking in that ‘moment,” he told FNX in January of 2019. “Wrestling matches, like speeches, need certain pauses to let things resonate, especially matches filmed for TV. The pacing has to be just right for the big things and even the small things to be able to be conveyed on screen by the viewer & interpreted by the commentators. This, I feel, is a really big, determining factor to how good a wrestler someone is.”
Aside from WWA4 events, he soon found himself in the competitive Georgia indie scene, working for the likes of Peachstate Wrestling Alliance (PWA) and Anarchy Wrestling. He would go on to become a 3x PWA No Limits Champion.
A year later he joined upstart ACTION Wrestling, where his star exploded. He’s become the undeniable face of ACTION Wrestling, winning the inaugural ACTION Championship in December 2018, holding it for 431-days (and counting), and defending against such names as Fred Yehi, Curt Stallion, Slim J, and Joey Lynch.
Last October, he invaded Nashville’s SUP, where he defeated longtime Bonestorm Champion Brett Ison to win gold, which he’s continued to hold to this day, including a recent double title defense against SUP’s Kevin Ku.
One thing that’s dear to AC Mack’s heart is the continued presence of LGBTQ+ wrestlers, a community that Mack himself is a part of. He’s appeared on two A Matter of Pride shows to support the cause and continues to carry the flag to encourage other LGBTQ+ wrestlers to enter an industry that historically was somewhat closed to its members. “That was a very emotional show for me,” he told FNX. “I came to terms with my sexuality at the age of 21 and I didn’t think that just 4 years later, I would be comfortable enough to perform on a stage that brought awareness to the LGBT community. It was great to be able to show the audience that we come in different shapes & sizes. It was actually my first time ever doing anything with Pride.”
Appearing for both ACTION and SUP – which both air as part of the IndependentWrestling.tv alliance of promotions – has raised Mack’s profile considerably in 2019 and 2020 looks to be his biggest year yet. Last December, he made two appearances with Beyond Wrestling as part of Uncharted Territory, with a big win over Leyla Hirsch, followed by a tag team loss – beside Atlanta veteran Fred Yehi – against Hirsch and Wheeler YUTA.
Keep your eyes on AC Mack – it’s only a matter of time before he takes the gold beyond the South.
Check out our full list of previous Indie Watches, showcasing emerging talent from around the world!
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.
