From 700-Pound Squats to WWE: How Jimmy House Reinvented Himself

Jimmy House (0:00)

Being in a professional wrestling setting, it's kind of like a make or break thing. Like you live and see it through, or you die and get forgotten about. When I knew I wanted to strive to do something bigger with my life, at this point, I believed that to be God, leading me into a direction that was wrestling related. I started training under Dustin Rhodes, went through his beginners camp one week out for my very first wrestling match, and then I tore my meniscus. I tried to really be in the moment because I had worked four years just to get back to square one. So then I was like, okay, well, let's go the long route and become a wrestler, and then work our way back to getting a call or a tryout as a wrestler.

Nsima Inyang (0:31)

Even in this interview right now, bro, your communication is so clear.

Jimmy House (0:35)

I remind myself that these are problems that I've worked really hard for. In order to get good at wrestling, it's by far the hardest thing I've ever done.

It was probably, yeah.

Nsima Inyang (0:47)

So what were you actually?

Jimmy House (0:49)

At that time, I think I was only 200, but it's funny because my opponent, for example.

Nsima Inyang (0:54)

Let me guess your weight right now. Are you like 218?

Jimmy House (0:57)

No, I don't know exactly. I've been hovering around 210, but I've been pretty disciplined this week, so I might even be just under. Okay.

Nsima Inyang (1:04)

You're dense, dude.

Jimmy House (1:05)

I appreciate it.

Mark Bell (1:06)

Thank you.

Jimmy House (1:07)

His fricking neck and his traps. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Mark Bell (1:10)

Arms popping through the hoodie.

Jimmy House (1:13)

At the tryout, I was weighing in about 198, because I've been holding about 210 At that time, I might've been, I think I was 200, but my opponent said he was 220, and they're like, yeah, no, you're 245 I'm like, I was like, you know, so.

Nsima Inyang (1:28)

Yeah, these people out here can't tell.

Mark Bell (1:29)

Yeah, right.

Jimmy House (1:30)

At that promotion in particular, every time I go back, I drop five pounds, and so I'm getting close to my actual weight again. They're like, weren't you like 245 when you started? I'm like, yeah, but I've been, I've been dropping weight.

Nsima Inyang (1:41)

I'm like 205 now.

Mark Bell (1:42)

What's the height they're trying to sell you at?

Jimmy House (1:44)

They don't talk about the height, but.

Mark Bell (1:48)

Height unknown.

Jimmy House (1:49)

I remember when I.

Mark Bell (1:50)

Parts unknown.

Jimmy House (1:51)

Yeah, I probably should say that, because when I first started, I remember being suggested like just just tell him you're six foot. Like, damn, that's like another five inches away.

Nsima Inyang (2:00)

But you know, it's like an inch.

Jimmy House (2:02)

Yeah, right. Exactly.

Mark Bell (2:05)

You got to get the other thick boots.

Jimmy House (2:07)

Yeah, I know. I've been seeing those. This one guy that I've seen, his like his lifts are like about that thick. It's crazy.

Mark Bell (2:13)

And he's.

Jimmy House (2:14)

Yeah. Yeah, that seems dangerous.

Nsima Inyang (2:15)

That does seem like it'd be hard to like maneuver.

Jimmy House (2:18)

Yeah, that's why I've been. I've just been doing boxing shoes, to be honest, but on the height aspect. Yeah, maybe I should lift it a little bit.

Nsima Inyang (2:23)

I don't know.

Mark Bell (2:24)

How tough is this whole thing been to get into? And I guess maybe how did you even get into it?

Jimmy House (2:29)

Well, it started pretty much right around the time that I met you guys four years ago. I got my black belt in jiu jitsu and I knew I wanted to strive to do something bigger with my life and see what I could potentially do to impact people on a greater platform. And that's where, you know, I had a handful of wrestling experiences leading up to that, such as meeting Goldberg and then Goldberg having his little thing with me at that SmackDown where he comes and hugs me over the fence. So there were signs in my life, I believe, were kind of leading me into a direction. And at this point, I believe that to be God leading me into a direction that was wrestling related. And so after I got my black belt, I was like, you know what?

Maybe the wrestling that I was watching since I was three, this is like my turning point to venture into something like that. And so after I got my black belt, I had reached out to a couple of connections. Those connections actually referred me to Rob McIntyre at the time. You know, I know you're friends with him.