‘The Yung Goat’ Kid Valiant
Australian wrestling is filled with young hungry talent. While this is true there is perhaps nobody hungrier than Victoria's own, Kid Valiant. At just 21 years of age, Kid Valiant has already gone toe-to-toe with some of the world's best, both here in Australia & abroad in Japan.
Earlier this year Kid Valiant was presented with an opportunity to tour Japan & he immediately knew it was something he had to jump on.
"When I was introduced to New Japan Pro Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling & DDT Pro-Wrestling I was blown away," recalled Kid Valiant. "Ever since then wrestling in Japan was something I wanted to accomplish. So when I was given the opportunity, I had to take it. I couldn't not do it because there was going to be a part of my body that would have been like, 'You got given the opportunity & you say no to it? How dumb are you?'"
During his tour of Japan, Kid Valiant was able to wrestle 4 matches across 3 different promotions. These promotions included Taka Michinoku's Just Tap Out, EXIT Pro Wrestling Underground, & World Underground Wrestling.
Following Kid Valiant's recent excursion to Japan he sat down with Pario to discuss how that trip changed him as both a wrestler inside the ring & as a person outside of it.
"Japan was really life altering & life changing. I like to think I came back a better person in terms of maturity," explained Kid Valiant. "As a wrestler... coming back from Japan I like to think I'm a lot wiser in the way I plan stuff & the way I protect my body with the bumps that I do. You can still have those moments, but, you have to make it mean something & make sense. I never really understood that concept until I wrestled in a foreign country."
Outside of the ring Japan also lit a fire under Kid Valiant to work even harder.
"Japan treat wrestling like a religion. It's wake up, breathe, eat, sleep, wrestling. That's really awoken me, so I'm back now hitting the gym hard & trying to live a healthier lifestyle. I'm trying to look the part even more because that hard work outside of the actual wrestling is something I've lacked or neglected for so long. Scroll through my Instagram page &you'll see. I'm small now but when I started wrestling, I was 15 & I was a lot smaller. I was just skin & bones.
"I'm here to work hard & prove to everyone that I really do want this. Everyone's goal at the end of the day is to get a contract, but I'm also really happy just wrestling overseas & being one of those names in Australian wrestling that can be relied on... My goals in general are; to work hard, train hard & just live a happy, healthy life. That's a big thing because wrestling takes such a toll on your body & your mental health. If I'm not happy outside the ring, I'm not going to be happy inside the ring. So I've got to do things that benefit me & make me happy for me to be at the best & on top of my game at all times."
Before making his way over to Japan there had to be a Kid Valiant origin story. During our conversation, Kd Valiant revealed to Pario who he is away from the ring.
"Outside of the ring I’m pursuing a course in early childhood care as I’ve always felt the need to help people by making their life easier, a little bit happier & a little bit better," he said as he opened up to Pario. "Something else that a lot of people don't know about me is that I'm also secretly a theatre kid who loves musicals. I've completed a scholarship with the Melbourne Theatre Company & also have my qualifications as a trained screen actor. So a lot of people simply see me as this flamboyant kid, but in reality, I'm just someone that likes to help people & performing"
Follow Kid Valiant’s creative journey on social media at: @TYGValiantPW
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