Alan Wojcik Archives
Interview with "mr. 630" Jerrelle Clark
Home | Erick Stevens 2004-2005 Recap | Interview with Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger | Interview with the Midnight Freebirds | Interview with "mr. 630" Jerrelle Clark | Interview with "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels | Interview with Chase Stevens | Interview with Mikey Tenderfoot | Interview with Steve Corino | Interview with CM Punk | Interview with Danny Doring | Interview with Roderick Strong | Interview with Sedrick Strong | Interview with Maximum Capacity | The Phenomenal AJ Styles | Da' Commish/Eric Acker of CCW Evansville | Interview with Antonio Banks | Interview with Axis and Python | Interview with "Superfan" Mark Zout and Job Zout | Interview with Justice | Interview with "Modern Miracle" Steve Madsion | Interview with "Uptown" Frankie Capone & Double Deuce Inc | Interview with Ricky & Tommy Vandal | Interview with David Babylon | Interview with Jimmy Rave | Interview with Naphtali | Interview with Scoot Andrews | Interview with Agent Steele and Sexretary Tiffany | Interview with Mike Sullivan | Shane Brothers Part 1& 2 | Interview with Roderick & Sedrick Strong | Interview with Rod Steel | Interview with Billy Fives | Lex Lovett Part 1

JERRELLE CLARK is one of the up and coming cruiserweights in the ranks of IPW, and has his eyes set on the Florida Unified Cruiserweight Championship. Mr. Clarks major debut with IPW Hardcore was on April 12, 2002, at 'Rage in the Cage 4', where he electrified the entire crowd by performing a moonsault off of the top of the steel cage, wiping out five competitors below. Since then, Clark has found himself face-to-face with the very best cruiserweights in IPW and the world including RODERICK STRONG, DAVID BABYLON, SEDRICK STRONG, JUSTICE, TONY MAMALUKE, SONJAY DUTT and NAPHTALI. Mr. Clark is known as 'MR. 630', an incredible maneuver which is a 630 degree somersault into a swanton off the top rope which finishes off his opponents.  Mr. Clark is a graduate of Morgan State University with degrees in Graphic Design and Advertising. He recently returned from a successful dark match at NWA:TNA against Elix Skipper. This interview was conducted as Mr. Clark prepared for a four way elimination match with fellow cruiserweights David Babylon, Johnny Vandal and Sedrick Strong on September 27, 2003.

 

Alan Wojcik: Was wrestling part of your childhood?

 

Jerrelle Clark: I watched professional wrestling all the time. I would wake up on the weekends and watch WWF, WCW and WCCW.

 

AW: What led you to get trained and who trained you?

 

JC: I was trained by Jeremy McCullough; he used to work for Maryland Championship Wrestling as Jay Mac. His son went to Northern HS where I was coached wrestling. What ended up happening was he wanted the son to get more training. I would train him on the side and Jay Mac would talk to me on his wrestling background. We ended up traded off training.

 

(Maximum Capacity interrupts the interview)

 

Maximum Capacity: You are going to put this into the interview Alan. You call yourself Mr. 630, bullsh#$. I weigh 630 pounds and I want you to put your title up against the real MR. 630 pounds of Maximum Capacity. (Jerrelle laughs for several minutes as Max walks away.)

 

AW: Speaking of Mr. 630, how did the 630 splash come to be in your arsenal?

 

JC: As some people know I have a diverse background. I work for the Pirates Dinner Adventure in Orlando and we use trampolines as part of the act. (Jerrelle can get you a discount of $35 off.) I have 12 years of competitive gymnastics plus 12 years of competitive diving. The 630 is a 1 and ¾ in professional diving, it is a timer or over rotation for a front double. I took bits and pieces of my background to make the 630 splash.

 

AW: Who was your first match against and what do you remember from it?

 

JC: My first real match wasnt until about 3 years after I began training in 1997, I was working on graduating from college. So in 2000 I worked for Barry and Tony Mulkey when they ran out of Baseball City near Orlando. That was when I used the gimmick, Little Baller. I would come out with a basketball outfit. I came out to Skee-Los I Wish. You know how it goes, I wish I was a little bit taller. I would dribble around ringside and then shoot the ball but I bricked every time. I wrestled Cutthroat Bones. We had fun out there.

 

AW: How did you come to IPW Hardcore?

 

JC: I began wrestling in Florida in May of 2000. I went to an open tryout at the Wrestleplex in October 2001. I drove down from Orlando with Les, Barney Rumble and Wade OReally. I worked a singles match with Naphtali and then a tag with Les. Ron asked us to come back that night for a CWF (Christian Wrestling Federation) show but we already had a show with HVW in Ocala. We kept in contact with IPW though.

 

AW: At Rage in the Cage 4 you made an amazing moonsault off the top of the cage. What made you decide to do that?

 

JC: It was built up adrenaline. That night was my coming out party. I had been with IPW since November 2001 as a member of the team called the Cutthroats. We did a run in on a Shane Brothers match and got squashed.  We worked for some other groups at the same time. I began to become developed as a singles worker. Chris Carson came up with the idea of using my real name Vincent Jerrelle Clark, but dropping my first name. I worked for Chris and after some stuff happening, I talked to Ron again and got back in with IPW after doing a workout. I worked on a CWF show with Justice. Then I got to Rage and I wanted to make a big impression, so I did the big cross to the heavens and did the flip.

 

AW: You have wrestled many cruiserweights from all over the country. We shall go through them and give your comments/memories on the matches. You have wrestled Scotty Hotshot under many of his gimmicks (That Masked Asian Guy with the Really Hot Korean Valet or Sabunim with Ipuna.)

 

JC: Dr. Jeckyl/Mr. Hyde. Scott is a good worker who doesnt get his just due props.

 

AW: You mentioned Justice. Did you have any apprehensions upon your first match and how do you think your subsequent matches have gone?

 

JC: I worked a tag match in Zephyrhills Professional Wrestling when Justice was in Halo 13 with Livewire. I had seen him workout at Billy Gunns school, Top Gun and I liked what he could do. We used to travel together. We have a nice friendship. We both have a martial arts backgrounds and do what Frankie Capone would call the flippy floppy bullsh@$.

 

AW: You have worked some matches with the Bug.

 

JC: He used to flex that gut but he cant do that anymore. He went to Hungary and did some porn and lost that gut. Whats up with that, dont drop your gimmick.

 

AW: You wrestled Mikey Tenderfoot when he was under the mask as Seijin Akki.

 

JC: Stiff forearms that my throat is still recovering from.

 

AW: You have had many matches with the man to have the longest Unified Florida Cruiserweight (NWA Florida X title/IPW Cruiserweight) title reign in Al Bino AKA Naphtali.

 

JC: The only guy I can throw around in he ring, he has great psychology skills. I like to go to him when I am stuck on a spot. Naphtali is my boy.

 

AW: What about the very young Johnny Vandal?

 

JC: Antonio Banks had me mixed up with him. Banks I havent had a fro since 1996 when I went bald. (Johnny has large hair.) Johnny and I worked last week in Davie as part of a cruiserweight scramble. He did a great job.

 

AW: Another South Florida wrestler you have met in the ring is the Rat Magnet David Babylon.

 

JC: I hope some of his charisma and magnitude will rub off on me. Now on to his wrestling skills, he can go with the best of them and its amazing hes been in the business only two years. Keep up the great work Babs.

 

AW: At Rage in the Cage 5 you refereed the title match Naphtali and Justice. How did you get involved in that match and what was it like to be a referee?

 

JC: Refereeing was more fun than I thought. Ron posted the card and it listed a guest referee. I show up at the building and Ron tossed me the referee shirt. It was time for me to get revenge on Naphtali for all his evil done onto me in the past. Anyone see that chair shot??

 

AW: Justice and Steve Madison joined you in traveling to the CZW Zandig Trifecta tournament. Were you surprised by the crowd reaction and what was it like to wrestle on a CZW card?

 

JC: The whole trip up I thought what happens if the crowd doesnt react to us. I came to think if we didnt know how to work we wouldnt have been brought up to the show. We got great pops and that was just our entrance. We had them popping and up on their feet throughout the match. It was amazing. Justice and Steve shined and I like to think I shined as well that night.

 

AW: This past May you were one of sixteen men in the Jeff Peterson Memorial cup. Do you have any comments on your match with Tony Mamaluke?

 

JC: Dislocated jaw, thanks Tony.  Really just kidding, Tony was cool. But I really did dislocate my jaw and popped it back in during the match. Tony is a solid worker, he wanted to keep at a nice steady pace and it went well. The next night I was part of a tag match with Roderick Strong against Sonjay Dutt and Steve Madison. That was a hell of a match that I would like to put on again. Roderick I want to know why are you jumping on girls from fifteen feet away??

 

AW: As we sit here you have recently returned from a NWA:TNA dark match with Prime Time Elix Skipper. How did the match come about and what can you tell us about your experience?

 

JC: When I was working for No Name Wrestling some guys told me they were from TNA, that they were scouts. I told Ron about it. He called some guys including New Jack and told me the guys were BS. A couple of months later Justice calls and said Ron wants us to pick a date for our dark match. My wife comes walking in and cant understand why I am jumping around the room. Once we got to the show, my jaw hit the floor even when I met Elix. Everyone that wasnt working for WWE was working for them. Many guys from my childhood. D-Lo Brown broke the ice, Gilbretti and Juvy Guerrero came over next. Elix was very cool. It was the best total experience that I want to have again soon. The TNA people including Bill Behrens told me they liked my stuff and wanted me to try and come back this December.

 

AW: You brought up a cruiserweight scramble you were part of in Davie and you are part of one tonight. Do you prefer to be part of a 1 on 1 match or do you like the 3 and 4-way person matches?

 

JC: I prefer any type of match where I can work with what I have. If I get in with three, two or five guys that can work I will have as much fun as possible and put on a match that will entertain the fans. We will be safe even though cruiserweight wrestlers being safe is an oxymoron.

 

AW: Who has been your toughest opponent?

 

JC: Thats a real tough one Alan, but I will say Roderick Strong. If you read this Roderick, my chest is still healing from you, you chopping ass bastard. He can throw a backbreaker from anywhere.

 

AW: Who has been your favorite opponent?

 

JC: That would be a tie between Justice and David Babylon. They are two solid workers who can go with the best of them.

 

AW: Who is your dream opponent?

 

JC: Leaping Lanny Poffo from 1988. That was the ultimate worker. He was the first high flyer that got me into wrestling.

 

AW: If the WWE called tomorrow and offered you a developmental deal would you take it?

 

JC: Yes. A developmental deal would lead to bigger and better things. Its not a guaranteed shot to the WWE but it id a chance to be graded every week by the WWE. Plus its near my hometown of Cleveland.

 

AW: In closing, where you do you hope to be by the end of 2003 and in the future?

 

JC: The future is too big to talk about; there is an opportunity around every corner. I hope to do my best in everything I do. From my job with the Pirate show to being in wrestling. I might bump into Stone Cold Steve Austin tomorrow and he might want me to meet JR. You never know what is coming.

 

Many thanks to Jerrelle Clark for this interview.