Too many people in this world merely fantasize about the lives they wish to lead. Only a rare group of people chase their dreams, rather than settling for the mediocre. Alex Payne, 21, is one of the few gutsy people choosing to do so. Currently a student at Hillsborough Community College, Alex Payne attends Uproar Pro Wrestling Academy, in pursuit of a career as a professional wrestler.

  Payne trains under the tutelage of current Ring of Honor television champion and head coach, Jay Lethal. “I have training twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursday nights.” Payne is growing accustomed to the fact that training to be a wrestler goes beyond being inside the ring. It’s a nonstop routine. “The days I don’t train, I have to hit the gym,’ he explains, “I have to work out now, in order to keep my body stronger.” In ring training and building strength, paired with a healthy, protein rich diet are now the standards for Payne. He manages to balance school and work while remaining consistent with training.

  It’s one thing to be a fan of professional wrestling, but what makes one want to choose this as a career? For Payne, it’s a no brainer. “Wrestling has been the one thing that I can call my own,” he said. He goes on to say, “I’ve been a fan of wrestling ever since I was kid. I idolized these guys [the wrestlers] growing up. I just want to give back to the business.”

  Give back to the business. What exactly has the business given?

  For Payne, as well as other fans, wrestling is a form of entertainment with a cathartic effect. It’s a sport that provides feelings of joy, excitement, and inspiration for people during the hardest of times. The larger than life characters, combined with the classic storylines of good vs evil is what draws fans to the product. “It puts smiles on faces,” he states. The wrestlers give people, young children especially, someone to look up to and aspire to be. To a kid who watches wrestling, it gives him or her the feeling of being invincible and capable of anything. That’s the motivation for Payne.

  Payne’s passion for wrestling shows in his actions. To those who know him, he’s made a reputation for being less than enthusiastic about his obligations. Pro wrestling has been the exception to the rule. “It’s the one thing I’m truly invested in and take seriously,” he said. “I’m late for everything all the time. Late for school, late for work and I don’t really care. I’ve never once been late for training,” he explains. “I always try to show up about 10 minutes early. That’s how much it means to me,” he said. Payne conducts himself with a cool and laidback demeanor, however his enthusiasm for this topic is unrestrained.

  With so much invested into this dream, Payne knows that wrestling carries a certain label. In the sports world, professional wrestling has long been deemed fake. “That’s the biggest misconception,” he asserts.

  In response to those with that notion Payne says, “They’re making a blind statement.” Payne goes on to say, “It’s not just some sort of fake fighting. There’s so much more to it.” He continues, “It takes athleticism, toughness, memorization and stamina. You have to be trained extensively, in order to execute the moves correctly. If you get hurt during a match, you just can’t stop. You have to keep going and finish it [the match].”

  Payne goes on to provide insight into the angles or storylines, which is what confuses people often. “It involves storytelling,” he says. You have to be a great storyteller and understand in-ring psychology. You have to know how to get the crowd behind you or against you.” He continues, “Yes, its entertainment, but you really can’t fake the moves that are done in the ring. Think of it as live stunt work.”

  Years down the line, Payne expects his hard work and big dreaming to come to fruition. When asked where he hopes to end up in the business, he replies, “Hopefully the main stage, WWE.” Payne makes it clear that he is taking things “one day at a time,” but in the end, he has the ultimate goal of “making it to the big leagues.”

  “After paying my dues and honing my craft, I hope to get there one day.