Former WWE and TNA World Champion Ken Anderson, a co-founder of the renowned wrestling school “The Academy,” recently shared the core philosophies behind his approach to training the next generation of wrestlers. In an in-depth interview on WrestlingNews.co’s The Velvet Ropes with SoCal Val, Anderson discussed his number one rule for students, the importance of fundamentals, and the piece of advice from Jim Cornette that has guided his career.
Anderson, who co-founded the school with Shawn Daivari and Molly Holly, explained that his motivation for becoming a trainer was to create a more direct path for aspiring wrestlers than the one he had. “I spent six and a half years stumbling and bumbling my way into a job with WWE,” Anderson said. “And I wanted to make sure that I was able to, like, give back and make it a little easier for people who are interested in getting in the business to do so without having to do all the stumbling and bumbling that I did.”
The “Don’t Be a D*ck” Rule
When asked about his infamous number two rule at the school, “Don’t be a dick,” Anderson explained that it stems from a simple belief in kindness and professionalism. He feels that the way you treat people on your way up is what matters most, a lesson he tries to instill in all of his students from day one.
“You remember all the people who were d*cks to you, and you remember all the people who were good to you,” he explained. “And to be being nice to people, being kind, it just doesn’t cost you anything, right? And so let’s just help each other out… I don’t know, in my opinion, you could replace the 10 Commandments with just that, just be cool to people.”
He then shared a pivotal piece of advice he received from legendary manager Jim Cornette when he first arrived in WWE’s developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling, which shaped his view on helping others in the business. “I remember Jim Cornette said to us, he said, ‘If you know somebody in the business who’s really good and who this company would benefit from having on the roster, and you don’t do everything in your power, go out of your way to try to get them to be noticed and seen and get them a job, like you might as well admit to yourself that you suck because you’re worried about that person taking your job,'” Anderson recounted. “And just something that always stuck with me, like, help people out when you can, and don’t expect anything in return either. Like, just put it out there.”
Mastering the Fundamentals
When it comes to in-ring training, Anderson stressed the importance of mastering the basics above all else. He believes that a strong foundation is the key to executing any move in wrestling safely and effectively, a principle that is the cornerstone of his school’s curriculum.
“I think that mechanics, fundamentals are super, super important,” he stated. “We do a series of like, there’s like 20 or 30 things that we do that, if you can master those, then everything else sort of maps on to that… there’s five or six bumps that we take, and if you can master those bumps and taking them safely, you can dissect every wrestling move that there is out there, and do it and do it well.”
Never Stop Learning
Anderson’s biggest piece of advice to his students is to never stop learning and trying to improve, a philosophy he says his best students embody. He cited AEW star Darius Martin and independent standout JDX as prime examples of this dedication, noting that they still regularly attend training sessions despite having already graduated and established their own careers.
“I have Darius Martin, who was our first graduate… he’s been on TV with AEW now for three or four years already. He still comes. He still comes regularly,” Anderson said. “JDX was one of my students… he graduated four, five years ago. Now he’s been in the business for six years. Still comes weekly. So just never, never stop learning. I never stop learning. Sometimes I’ll be in the ring, and my students will show me something. And it’s like, ‘I’ve never thought of it that way.'”
Anderson continues to share these stories and philosophies on his new podcast, Mic Check, where he has “talking shop” conversations with his friends and peers from the wrestling industry. For those looking to learn from him directly, his wrestling school, The Academy, is based in Minnesota and continues to train aspiring wrestlers, referees, and managers.
This interview is exclusive to WrestlingNews.co. If you use these quotes, please include a link back to this page.
