Did you feel that? That was the rumble of professional wrestlers practicing their powerful punches and finishing moves before All Elite Wrestling takes over Lakeland's RP Funding Center. AEW Collision kicks off on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m., with tickets starting at $31.

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) bills itself as "the first true mainstream wrestling alternative in more than two decades," featuring a roster of fighters like AEW star Big Bill. We sat down with the wrestler, a nearly 7-ft-tall Tampa resident with years of experience in the ring, to find out what to expect from Lakeland's first AEW Collision event.

Editor's Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What's the story of Big Bill?

A: [I was] born and raised in Queens, New York. I went to New York University in Manhattan and started training to be a professional wrestler the day after I graduated college, then started my journey from there. I've been all over the world, so many different countries, and for the past three years I've been doing my best work of my career, I would say, and I'm pretty sure everybody would say.

I'm just a guy that likes to be honest. I don't like fake people. I don't like people that wear masks every day. I don't like people that pretend to like people they don't actually, [or] pretend to agree with things they don't actually agree with. And I call them out for it. And people don't like that. That's who I am.

Q: If someone is new to wrestling, what should they look out for at the Lakeland show?

A: [AEW has] been around for six years, and we've sold out Wembley Stadium in London. We've sold out in Australia. We just sold out in Toronto for our pay-per-view. We did 30,000 fans in the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington this year. Now we're coming to the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida, and we're bringing the best wrestlers from all around the world — and I mean all around the world. They've been consolidated into one place.

There's something for everybody. There's traditional wrestling for those more old-school fans. There's high-flying wrestling, hard-hitting action. There's people that are going to do things and take risks that no other human being on Earth can do or would even consider attempting. There [are] characters to love, characters to hate.

So, it's for everyone. It's good for youngsters. It's good for the adults. It's a good family environment, but also, it's good for people my age. We have something for everybody. And it's an exciting night. It's for television. It should be really fun.

Things will get fiery both inside the ring and in Jenkins Arena. | Photo provided by All Elite Wrestling

Q: For lifelong wrestling fans, what will surprise them about this show?

A: First of all, it's All Elite Wrestling, so there could be surprises whenever, wherever. There's always going to be something. Tony Khan always has something up his sleeve. The pyro — that's something that definitely will catch you off guard. Make sure you're aware of that, because that used to be one of my favorite parts of the show when I used to go to wrestling shows: the lights, the entertainment aspect of it. It's All Elite Wrestling. You never know what's going to happen. There will be surprises for everybody.

Q: Do you have a move fans are waiting to see?

A: I take my size 16 Timberland boot and I kick people in the face with it. I'd call that my signature. That's what I do, and it's what I love to do. Whoever's in there with me is catching a size 16 right to the dome. That I can guarantee is going to happen.

Q: What makes AEW wrestling special and has you wrestling at the top of your game?

A: The camaraderie in AEW is unlike anything I've ever seen. Everybody's banding together for a common goal, for the same thing, to just keep upping the ante and keep achieving higher and higher success. We want to keep winning championships, so everybody's coming together for the same cause.

That's not just talent. That's everybody from top to bottom, everybody in the company. It's a real team effort. You go into work, you feel like you're a part of the team and you're contributing. It's not like you're going to work and riding the bench for a championship team. Everybody feels like they're contributing and they feel like they're a part of it. It makes work more peaceful, more enjoyable, and more comfortable.

I also want to mention the fans in the Tampa Bay area, because I'm sure they're going to be coming to Lakeland. The fans in this whole area, especially anywhere around Florida: They're amazing. They're very knowledgeable, very passionate. There [are] generations of wrestling fans, in the Tampa area and all over Florida.

Snag VIP tickets to see moments like this up close, or watch from home when AEW Collision airs on TNT and HBO Max on Saturdays. | Photo provided by All Elite Wrestling

Q: If someone watches the show and wants to get involved with wrestling, how would you recommend they get started?

A: Be a student of the game. Keep studying. In wrestling, you're not going to succeed without passion. The lifestyle is way too of a mental grind. If you don't have passion for it, you're going to fizzle out. So if you really really have the passion for it, study hard and just work really hard.

Wrestling is an industry where there are people that can't play certain sports, no matter how passionate. Just because of physical limitations, they'll never make it to the big time. But wrestling is different. Everybody of all shapes and sizes can make it as long as you work hard. Wrestling is an industry that requires hard work, but I can assure you hard work will get you to where you want to go.
Ready to rumble? Buy tickets to see AEW Collision in person, or catch it televised on TNT and HBO Max.