Indie Watch: PWA’s Social Media Sensation, Lachy McIntyre

Indie Watch is our regular series that looks at amazing talents working the independent circuits around the world. Some are veterans revitalizing their careers. Some are indie prospects hitting their peaks. Others are names to be on the watch for! This edition looks at PWA’s own Lachy McIntyre.

On the eve of Pro Wrestling Australia’s (PWA) biggest event of the year, Colosseum, James interviewed the social media sensation, podcaster, and influencer-turned-wrestler, Lachy McIntyre. McIntyre, who has been training with PWA’s Black Label Academy, has entered PWA’s Colosseum tournament as a surprise entrant.

Colosseum this Friday, February 13^th, 8 PM, at The Metro Theatre in Sydney, following a venue change due to overwhelming ticket demand. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.

This is only McIntyre’s second match. If McIntyre wins, he has the chance to progress to the finals of this prestigious PWA tournament, which will conclude at PWA’s IN A CAGE on Friday, March 6. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.

Thank you, Lachy, for taking the time to conduct this interview, and thank you to Nicki Price for her help in coordinating.

You can follow Lachy McIntyre on Instagram at @lachy.mcintyre, TikTok at @lach_mac, Facebook here, and YouTube here.

You can follow PWA on Instagram at @pwaaustralia.

Q. For international wrestling fans, unaware of who Lachy McIntyre is, either in the ring or on social media, how would you introduce and describe yourself?”

I would probably describe myself as the best thing that’s ever happened to PWA. I am the only person with a perfect record in singles competition, which statistically makes me better than anyone they have ever produced, including Robbie Eagles, Grayson Waller, Madison Eagles, Jess Troy, and Mick Moretti, among social media, such as Lachy McIntyre, where I’m inspiring the masses. When I’m not doing that, I’m teaching the people of PWA how to be a real star.

Q. You defeated The Dropouts and former Australian Survivor contestant, Scott Green, in your debut. It was a dumpster match! Few wrestlers start their careers in this type of gimmick match. As a newcomer to wrestling, what was this like as a debut match?

First of all, I want to say that it’s insulting to insinuate that a no DQ match helped me in any way at all. I didn’t require anything that would involve, you know, no DQ coming into play. I didn’t need anyone to step in for me. I didn’t need to use weapons. I didn’t need to be nefarious. I just got there through pure wrestling smarts and skills, and you know, going up against someone like Scott Green, you know, it’s really amazing to be against someone who is that close to The Tuckman, who is a great wrestler, in his own right. Hopefully, I thought it would rub off on Scott a little bit, but really, it was disappointing, and the smell, the smell was the hardest thing about wrestling Scott Green. Clearly, I am very much similar to a piece of soap because when it comes to Scott Green, he doesn’t get anywhere near me.   

Q. What might fans expect from your PWA Colosseum tournament match against Matt Hayter? What can fans expect to see from you in this 2nd outing?

You know it’s been a dream of mine to compete in PWA Colosseum since last week, when I first heard about it. I think the fans can expect a five-star match—some of the best stuff they have ever seen. I am a perfect physical specimen, a freak athlete. Matt Hayter, look, I think he’s got a lot of charisma. I think he’s got a lot of talent. He’s an up-and-comer in the business; I think he’s got a lot to learn from me. They say never meet your heroes, but I think he’s going to handle it really well.

Q. What skills from your influencer have made the transition to wrestling easier? 

 I think what I bring from the influencer industry into the pro wrestling industry is a sense of hard work, which people within pro wrestling don’t really have, but I think that’s really cultivated when you’re an influencer. I think, as everyone knows, being an influencer is easily the hardest job in the world. Much harder than being a firefighter or a nurse, it truly is the only one out there that requires the most amount of focus and hard work, so I think I bring a new mentality to pro wrestling, which they didn’t have before. Which, let’s face it, much like the fans, there is this sort of lazy mentality, but I’ve come in there, I’ve cleaned it up. I’ve given them a bit of inspiration. I think people look to me now and look at me as a locker room leader.  

Q: What has been the hardest part of transitioning to wrestling?

I think the hardest part of transitioning to the pro wrestling industry would be the smell. You wouldn’t believe that you walk into these venues and the fans, when you have that many of that type of people in enclosed spaces, the smell is pungent, it’s awful. It’s a miracle that I don’t pass out. Usually, I’m in rooms with incense and beautiful fragrances, I’m wearing expensive colognes, so I think the thing I’ve had to get used to the most, coming from the influencer world to the wrestling world, is the smell.

Q: Wrestling was a childhood dream of yours. What are your ambitions?

I definitely watched a lot of WWE growing, like a lot of other kids out there, and I remember talking to other kids and saying, “Wow, if we work really hard, you could be on the big stage at WrestleMania one day.” I remember there was a child I was speaking to, not too long ago, who said what can I do to be better and I said, “You know what, if you look at the things I’m doing and have hard work, if you have hustle, if you have loyalty and respect, you’ll be able to go very far.” That kid took that advice, and he grew up to be John Cena. That’s how he actually coined the term Hustle, Loyalty and Respect, so I think it was a childhood dream of mine, and it’s nice I’ve inspired kids like John Cena to grow up to be pretty decent wrestlers.

Q. PWA has quite the buzz around it. For years, it’s been Australia’s hottest promotion with stars like Grayson Waller in WWE and Kyle Fletcher in AEW. What makes PWA special? 

PWA is the best promotion in Australia, even before I got there. Certainly, when I arrived, it definitely became the best. A huge part of that is that you have incredible wrestlers who can put on a technical masterclass. You have people who can entertain you, whether you are six years old or sixty years old. It has something for everyone. Anyone can go to the shows and see themselves up there. They have such a diverse group of people from all different backgrounds, sexual identities, and nationalities. Everything you see when you look out at the community of Australia, you see within PWA. 

Q. Over time, as both your social media fans and wrestling fans get to see you develop in the ring, what lasting impression do you want to leave with them?

I’d say develop is the wrong word in that question. I’ve already mastered the art of wrestling, so I don’t think there is anything more to develop on. I think I will leave a lasting impression on PWA and the fans. However, a lot of that will be the partners of the PWA fans, who will see me with my shirt off and obviously will be picturing me in their heads any time they have to sleep with their partners, because it’s the only way they can get through it, which I totally understand. I’ve seen some of these PWA fans. I would be closing my eyes and thinking about something else as well. I also think that it’s just going to give PWA a lot of star power. It’s giving them some notoriety. Really, no one deserves to be in the Colosseum more than me. I’m undefeated. They should all be thanking me, and if not, they can go cry about it.

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