Scots wrestler who lived in his car with his dog now a rising ring star in USA
A former Scots carer who once lived in his car with his dog is now making waves across the Atlantic as one of the rising stars in American wrestling.
Luke Scouler, 33, from Motherwell, better known by fans as Crixus, and he's quickly become one of the breakout stars of Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) — the same promotion that launched WWE legends like John Cena and Batista.
Nicknamed the Scottish War Machine, Luke's journey has taken him from sleeping in a gym car park to headline matches in the US, including casket matches and cage fights. He made history as OVW's first-ever Scottish champion, and now appears regularly in the cult promotion recently featured in the hit Netflix documentary Wrestlers.
Before the body slams and bright lights, Luke had worked as a fitness instructor and in residential care for young people at Inspire Scotland.
'I really loved that job. But it was tough emotionally,' Luke said. 'I've always had a bit of a Batman complex - I thought I was going to save everybody.
'I was in a bad place with it. I knew it wasn't for me and I was burned out. I was in a bad place and I remember sitting in my house in Newmains watching TV with my dog, Odin, when wrestling came on and I just thought: 'Screw it. Let's go.' Scots have made it big in this business – why couldn't I?'
That same night, he packed up his car, grabbed his dog, and drove through the night to enroll at a wrestling academy in London run by former WWE star Al Snow , who is now OVW's head trainer.
'I drove through the night with no plan and no place to stay. Me and the dog slept in the car for a bit,' Luke recalled. 'Eventually the guy who ran it asked if I was serious. I told him I'd already quit my job and left my house. That was it. We moved into the gym and didn't go back.'
After topping a 300-person wrestling combine in 2019, Luke earned a coveted spot at OVW. But his momentum was stalled when the pandemic hit, forcing him back to the UK for two years. Now, fully based in Kentucky, he's cementing himself as one of the promotion's leading names.
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'We've got thicker skin, especially in Glasgow. You're battle-ready by the time you leave primary school, so wrestling comes naturally to us,' Luke said.
'I'm a smartass cheeky b******, and the accent helps too. Over here in the States, people already think we're mental which helps. I just turned my personality up to 11. I wasn't pretending to be someone else — just the version of me you probably wouldn't want to sit next to in a pub. I get to act like an a**** and they still love me. They boo you, but they're cheering underneath.'
His rise comes during what insiders are calling a golden period for Scots in pro wrestling. Joe Hendry , from Edinburgh, appeared at WrestleMania this year, while Drew McIntyre , from Ayrshire and also an OVW alumnus, became Scotland's first WWE Champion in 2020.
OVW head coach Al Snow, himself a former WWE European and Hardcore Champion, believes Luke could be next.
'With the success of Joe Hendry and Drew McIntyre, Scotland is increasingly a potential source of talent. ICW did amazing things. I know Grado — though don't tell him I said this — but he's incredibly charismatic and doing so well across TV, radio and stage,' Snow said.
'With Crixus, we may have another superstar on our hands. His dedication has been incredible. To make it in this business, you have to sacrifice and do things out of the ordinary. And that's why I think he's got what it takes.'
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