23-year old wrestler Noam Dar is one of three flying the flag for British wrestling in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic; a 32-man tournament where the best Cruiserweights in the world tussle it out for the right to call themselves the top dog.

The tournament has been a weekly show on the WWE Network, giving a host of unsigned wrestlers like Dar the perfect platform to showcase his talents.

He speaks to TheSPORTbible about being part of the Cruiserweight Classic, being a wrestling fan growing up, his unique story of how he was contacted about being in the tournament and what it would mean for him to go all the way.





Advert

TheSPORTbible: First of all, what has it been like for you to be on a WWE platform as part of the Cruiserweight Classic?

Noam Dar: It's fantastic to be involved in and working for the WWE but to be part of this project, this brand new concept that they've launched is amazing and hopefully it's something that people can look back over and say that the first Cruiserweight Classic was a positive and pioneered a different approach to smaller athletes.

TheSPORTbible: When were you first contacted about competing in the tournament? How did it all come about?

Noam Dar: January time, a couple of weeks after Christmas I was at a friend's house - a bunch of us were just having a FIFA night and my phone was in my bag. I missed the first call and checked my bag and saw that it was an international number and there was a voice mesage from Mr [William] Regal. I missed the initial call because I was getting beat 2-1 on FIFA and I paused the game and phoned back straight away. It's a good excuse for getting beat instead of forfeiting the game.

Advert

TheSPORTbible: And I presume you were a big wrestling fan growing up? Can you remember a match, event or superstar who inspired you to want become a professional wrestler?

Noam Dar: I got into wrestling, I wouldn't say late but I wasn't watching it from five [years old] onwards - I think it was just after Wrestlemania 19 when I started watching it and since then I've been hooked on it. I would probably say Eddie Guerrero was the biggest influence I had - I liked so many guys: Brock Lesnar, JBL, John Cena but Eddie Guerrero was probably the person that captivated me the most and a lot of his characteristics resonated with me. I'd probably say he was my favourite of all-time.





TheSPORTbible: In terms of your work and you come across as very tenacious - there's also a few Liam Gallagher mannerisms in there. How would you describe your style?

Advert

Noam Dar: I've never really got one specific way to describe it, I would probably just say that I try and keep everything as realistic to the situation that I'm in. I've also had an issue because I've been wrestling at such a young age, I've mostly wrestled guys who are much bigger than me or maybe more experienced so I've had to try and do things a bit differently to what a normal standard would be. In terms of character stuff and mannerisms, I really just try and amplify myself so I can feel a bit confident and get the job done.

TheSPORTbible: This tournament is something different for WWE to be doing. Obviously there are a lot of sporting elements, the handshakes before the match, the winner gets their hand raised at the end of the match and you've got Mauro Ranallo and Daniel Bryan on commentary. What do you make of the vibe the show gives off and the whole feel it has?

Noam Dar: I think it's definitely very unique so to a casual wrestling fan it's going to seem completely different to what they are used to watching, and then to a more educated wrestling fan they are going to appreciate the product. There's so much fantastic stuff on the [WWE] Network that people have to commit to something, a lot of people don't have a lot of time so for something like this to stand out, I think it will grab a lot of attention.

Advert

TheSPORTbible: Just getting into the tournament is a huge accomplishment, particular for you being the first Israeli-born wrestler to be featured on WWE. And of course you're one of three flying the flag for British wrestling. What does it mean to represent your roots and also help put more eyes on the UK scene?

Noam Dar: To represent Israel on such a scale is fantastic, it's not something I thought I could do and I'm not really surprised that there hasn't been an Israeli wrestler representing on the international scene because there isn't much of a wrestling community - there are a couple of small promotions from some of the guys I know and they are trying obviously to make a scene and really build it up and they seem to be getting some traction. If anything, hopefully my exposure, I guess, can help raise the popularity of wrestling in Israel and they can start build a really good scene over there.

And then of course the UK scene, so many people at the moment are calling it the hottest scene in the world and I would totally agree with them. There's just so much content if you're a wrestling fan over here - so many different types of promotions, so many different types of shows. You can watch the same wrestler, your favourite wrestler, wrestle in three different promotions over the weekend and in each promotion that wrestler will provide you with something different so it's great to see so many different avenues for a wrestling fan and as wrestlers to work and perform over here.

TheSPORTbible: What was it like stepping foot in the WWE Performance Center for the first time and being in the same company as the likes of William Regal and Triple H? That must have been pretty special.

Advert

Noam Dar: It was totally overwhelming, it looks much bigger in real life than it does on TV. Everything's just state-of-the-art and pristine just as you would imagine and to have these people like William Regal, Matt Bloom to seek advice from and to ask them questions, it's a great opportunity to be a part of.

TheSPORTbible: And what do you make of the support you've received through participating in the tournament?

Noam Dar: It's been great, actually I'm so overwhelmed at how much positivity the entire show has had from different people in different countries, the wrestling community and even people who don't watch wrestling all the time are getting behind us and this concept.

TheSPORTbible: You've made it quite clear that you aren't just here to take part, you want to win the Cruiserweight Classic. What would it mean for you to go all the way and win the Cruiserweight Classic and then potentially go full-time with WWE?

Noam Dar: If I can win a tournament of this standard at such a young age and also a tournament that's never been done before, making me the first Cruiserweight Classic winner - that's a career-changing process. Every single person in this tournament, they may have done other tournaments but this is the first one [Cruiserweight Classic], there's no previous Cruiserweight Classic competitors so we're all going in essentially with the same chance, obviously there's favourites and what not but this is all new to us so I've got as good a chance as anyone else. Of course winning it would seriously heighten the chances of going full-time with WWE.





Quickfire questions

TheSPORTbible: Dream match in WWE?

Noam Dar: John Cena.

TheSPORTbible: Your style summed up in one word?

Noam Dar: Realistic.

TheSPORTbible: If you could have one person, past or present, manage you, who would it be?

Noam Dar: Eddie Guerrero.

TheSPORTbible: If the WWE were to do this again next year, which wrestler(s) would you put forward?

Noam Dar: Kenny Williams.

We couldn't possibly do an interview with "The Champagne Supernova" himself without asking him what his favourite Oasis song is so that was the closing question...

TheSPORTbible: Favourite Oasis song?

Noam Dar: I'd probably have to say Morning Glory or Falling Down.

See Noam Dar and the rest of the talented competitors in the Cruiserweight Classic on the WWE Network every Wednesday night.