Wrestler’s persona inside ring formed by person he once was
In the wrestling ring, Shane Taylor’s been called a mercenary, a hitman and an enforcer.
His preferred descriptor, though, comes with a mafioso connotation.
“I like to think of myself as the caporegime of Ring of Honor,” said the 32-yearold professional wrestler, referring to a title for a ranking member in an Italian crime syndicate.
It’s a role that places Taylor in the gray area between a hero — known in the trade as a babyface — and a villain, known as a heel. When he makes his entrances into the arena during Ring of Honor shows, he’s greeted with cheers just as often as he’s greeted with boos.
But the 10-year wrestling veteran welcomes both receptions. What: Ring of Honor Where: Express Live, 405 Neil Ave. Contact: 614-461-5483, www.promowestlive.com Showtime: 7 p.m. Sunday, with doors opening at 5 Cost: $30
“Whether you want to cheer, boo — doesn’t matter,” Taylor said. “Just make a ton of noise.”
His reception might be warmer this weekend when the Cleveland native returns to his home state for a show in Columbus. Taylor will be among 20 to 30 wrestlers appearing Sunday at Express Live for Ring of Honor’s “Masters of the Craft.”
Because of its strong wrestling fan base, Columbus has been an annual stop on the Ring of Honor tour since 2011.
The dynamic stage presence from the likes of Taylor is what makes the experience entertaining, said Joe Koff, chief operating officer for the wrestling company, based in Baltimore, Maryland.
“His story is so good, and he’s so passionate about his craft,” Koff said. “He’s a very, very strong, very powerful personality.”
Taylor, who has been wrestling with Ring of Honor for two years, plays an extension of the person he said he used to be when he lived in Cleveland.
“Someone who’s willing to throw hands for anybody and do whatever it takes to provide for his family,” he said of his role.
Taylor, who grew up on the northeast side of Cleveland, said he had to grow up fast to adapt to a life surrounded by violence and drugs. By the age of 15, he said, he’d been to 100 funerals for family or friends lost to drugs or gangs.
“I saw a lot of terrible things; I didn’t realize how terrible until I got out into the rest of the world and realized everyone doesn’t live like this,” said Taylor, who now lives in a suburb of Houston with his wife and 3-year-old daughter.
He realizes that not every wrestling fan will sympathize with his character, a rough-and-tumble tough guy who will form an alliance with anyone — if the price is right. But others may see a part of themselves reflected in the difficult circumstances from which Taylor ascended.
“I’m presented with a unique opportunity to showcase that,” he said, “and give some input into why people do certain things.”