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 time we take a look at “The Harbinger of Truth” Jeremy Prophet. William interviewed Jeremy Prophet on his show Tea and Hot Takes.
He is the harbinger of truth, the silver-tongued sex symbol, and black dynamite. Jeremy Prophet has carried many names throughout his illustrious independent career, but modest is not one of them. This Canadian-born superstar hailing from LaSalle Quebec has been an unstoppable force on the Canadian Independent circuit for going on 17 years and he himself says he has no plans to quit anytime soon. “What can I say? I’m great at what I do.”
An Interview With Jeremy Prophet
Career Beginnings
“Canadian wrestlers have contributed to some of the greatest moments in professional wrestling… I want to give back and have my name amongst the greats in Canadian pro wrestling.”
Prophet is a proud student of WWE Hall of Famer Jacques Rougeau, better known as the Mountie. Having an opportunity to showcase his abilities for a Hall of Famer at a young Jeremy wanted to continue to exceed expectations at every turn. Claiming his first championship within three years of starting his training. He was already a student of the game.
Student of the Game
“I’m a diehard, I’m a master of what I do… I am 110% invested in pro wrestling. I take this very seriously.”
In 2010, just five short years into his professional career, Prophet found himself starring down the barrel of newly minted Hall of Famer Scott Steiner. Prophet and Steiner ran a three-match series that year with Jeremy claiming victories over the veteran Steiner in two out of the three matches.
“I got nothing bad to say about ‘Big PaPa Pump,’ I know how to do business and so did he.”
Prophet went on to expand on the great bond he and Steiner developed that even continued over to an IMPACT Wrestling tryout for Prophet in 2012. During their time together in Canada, Prophet was able to hone his craft working with someone like Steiner who would have Prophet “go out there and call it to me” lending Jeremy a chance to showcase his move sets and ideas with a much larger Steiner who wanted to help the young up and comer get over.
“I hope to achieve the heights that he has… I hope to be that veteran in my mid-fifties talking to someone in their twenties telling them that they have something special.”
The Independent Circut
The path to superstardom hasn’t always been easy for Jeremy Prophet either, having run-ins with current WWE star Kevin Owens, then known on the independent scene as Kevin Steen. During a show in Quebec, Prophet was on the card to face Steen and Kevin was late to the event. Once he arrived Steen proceeded to call the match to Prophet and Jeremy wasn’t happy about the plan.
“You come in here late, and you try to dictate how we are going to do things, that doesn’t work for me” Prophet went on to say during the match that “he got a little rough, and that didn’t work for me either, so I got a little rough back.”
Admittedly by Prophet, this was the cause of the friction between Steen and himself. The shoot feud came to a head outside another show with the same promotion a few weeks later, when Steen confronted Jeremy outside the venue. “Kevin started mouthing off to me… he kind of came at me, I’m thinking with his body language, his demeanor, he wanted a fight.”
Prophet continued to tell Steen that he was going to stop him right there, he didn’t know what he heard but just take it all as truth. The argument continued and according to Prophet, Steen got to talking and cussing.
“He has a reputation for being tough. So, I kept expecting him to sucker punch me.” After he finished the story, it didn’t come to punches after all, according to Prophet they worked it out without fighting. “We aren’t Neanderthals.”
Trying to Get to the United States
Entertainment visas are a hot commodity for Canadian superstars. These hard to come by government documents are the key to a lot of Canadian superstars’ success. Prophet said that it could be up to a $5,000 up-front cost, to bring a Canadian wrestler down even just for a tryout. Prophet attributes his lack of mainstream success in the United States to this.
“You can take any bum off the American independent Scene… Literally, take anyone off the streets, train them to wrestle and it would be cheaper than bringing a Canadian down.”
Jeremy went on to describe how some promotions will even go as far as to suggest taking the risk to come to the states and work illegally. “There’s such a big risk to run, I wouldn’t want to get banned from going to the United States, by simply trying to further my career.”
Prophet would also reference fellow Canadian “Speedball” Mike Bailey who was penalized and suspended from wrestling in the United States due to his visa status at the time. Jeremy says that “The work you do in your country means diddly” they want you to come “work illegally” so they can use that work as a means to get you hired legally. Prophet says far too often larger promotions use these tactics in recruiting young superstars to come to the states.
“Only Jeremy Prophet speaks the truth, God forbid somebody speaks out against the all-mighty WWE, ‘we might work there one day,’ well the truth remains the same.”
Prophet would later use the analogy of Jackie Robinson and Major League Baseball. Robinson was responsible for breaking barriers in regard to people of color and pro sports, and Jeremy Prophet says he can do the same for Canadian pro wrestlers and the American mainstream.
“I’m perfectly fine breaking barriers… If I have to be the Jackie Robinson, who’s going to stop me?”
Building a Character
When discussing ring psychology Jeremy Prophet says he plays all the keys on the piano. He can do it all. According to Prophet his technical ability and high flying are just the tip of the iceberg. Jeremy describes himself as a “medium-sized” wrestler. Meaning half the time he is the big man in the match and the other half he is the smaller competitor. He says when you are in this in-between size, you have to be able to do it all. Standing at 5’11” Prophet is far from a giant, but slightly larger than the average luchador. “I don’t think anyone is as complete as me, be that Hangman Adam Page or Roman Reigns,” Jeremy says that he is the complete package.
“When you use the Bret Hart scale, you assess a wrestler based on his look, his promo, and his in-ring work.”
Prophet is a true three-tool superstar using this scale as the control. The electricity and charisma were felt through the computer monitor. The confidence and ability to speak and truly believe what he was saying were there. The in-ring work like all wrestling is relative to whoever the judge is at the moment, but with over 40 titles to his name and to be longest-reigning Great North Wrestling Canadian Champion his resume speaks for itself.
“They may have a body, or be a talker, or be a great wrestler, but there are a lot of one tool, one-dimensional wrestlers out there.”
That resume also has him standing face to face with a hardcore legend in Hannibal and fighting with giants like Lance Archer and Brian Cage. Prophet would say he is a shapeshifter in pro wrestling, changing to meet the needs of the match and his competitor, he was proud to say he was a hand and would protect his in-ring partner at all costs. If anything, “I’m overqualified to still be on the indies.” Prophet also says that he is proud to represent the Rougeaus on an upcoming reality TV project, “The Wrestling Academy” where he is competing for a chance to earn a spot at the Nightmare Factory in the United States.
Of all things, Jeremy Prophet is proud. He is proud to be a person of color, he is proud to be Canadian, but he is most proud of being a professional wrestler.
“Wrestling has been nothing but good to me. No lows.”
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. Keep up with Prophet on Twitter.
