Damian Slater joins Trent J M for the first episode of the Adelaide Wrestling Archive to document the history of professional wrestling in South Australia. From Col Dervany and the Monster Factory to the origins of what's now known as Wrestle Rampage.

Beginning his professional wrestling career in 2003, Damian Slater has spent more than two decades wrestling across Australia and internationally, including appearances in Japan and the United States and representing Australia in WWE's inaugural Cruiserweight Classic in 2016.

In this conversation, Damian discusses discovering professional wrestling in Adelaide, his earliest experiences before formal training, learning under Col Dervany and the senior wrestlers of the Monster Factory, the South Australian wrestling scene of the early 2000s, his development overseas, and the history and revival of the Australian Middleweight Championship.

TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Discovering professional wrestling in Adelaide

• Col Dervany and the Monster Factory

• Tony Stone, Hartley Jackson and Damian's early trainers

• Damian Slater's first professional match

• Maximum Power Wrestling and Joint Promotions Wrestling

• The changing South Australian wrestling scene

• The divisions between Adelaide promotions

• Wrestling in Japan and the United States

• WWE's Cruiserweight Classic

• The Australian Middleweight Championship

• Col Dervany's championship legacy

• Preserving South Australian wrestling history

CHAPTERS

0:00:00 Introduction

0:00:1:57 Meet Damian Slater

0:04:14 Discovering Adelaide Wrestling and PWSA

0:07:02 Col Dervany’s Monster Factory

0:09:05 Before the Monster Factory: The Basso Brothers

0:15:40 Damian’s Early Trainers and Mentors

0:17:40 Harley Jackson and the Birth of Wrestle Rampage

0:26:05 Col Dervany’s Wrestling Career

0:29:57 The Australian Middleweight Championship

0:34:05 Sponsor - The Protector

0:34:47 Becoming Australian Middleweight Champion

0:36:17 Maximum Power Wrestling and Joint Promotions

0:40:26 Lessons from Col Dervany and Harley Jackson

0:45:21 WWE and the Cruiserweight Classic

0:51:05 Handling Major Opportunities and Wrestling Legends

0:57:31 Preserving Adelaide Wrestling History

1:02:49 Who Should Join the Archive Next?

ABOUT ADELAIDE WRESTLING ARCHIVE

The Adelaide Wrestling Archive is an oral-history and research project dedicated to documenting the wrestlers, promoters, championships, venues and stories that shaped professional wrestling in South Australia.

Created and hosted by Trent J M.

Grab a copy of The Protector: https://linktr.ee/trentjm27

GUEST: Damian Slater

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FOLLOW TRENT J M / ADELAIDE WRESTLING ARCHIVE

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Special thanks to Silver Storm for the recreation of 'Perfect Cell Theme' used for the intro and outro.

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