From performing to the squared circle, Emmy winner Hauser is able to rumble for Main League Wrestling

Paul Walter Hauser thanked his dad and mom, voters, brokers and fellow nominees in his acceptance speech in January when he received an Emmy for his function in “Black Chicken.”

Then, in a transfer extra becoming for Sting than Stingray, Hauser minimize a promo straight out of the squared circle.

“That’s a ‘what up’ to Jesus, he’s the soul proprietor. I personal the physique, I’m about to beat Matt Cardona,” he stated.

Hulk Hogan or Roman Reigns positive by no means trash-talked a wrestling opponent from an awards present stage.

The 37-year-old Hauser lived as much as his phrase two months later and lit a desk on hearth earlier than ally Bully Ray slammed Cardona, a former WWE star, via a desk at an impartial wrestling present.

Very like his performing profession — the place Hauser is about to shake up the Marvel Cinematic Universe — his skilled wrestling profession is heating up, too.

Hauser has declared for the 40-man Battle Riot match on June 1 for the Main League Wrestling promotion card in Atlanta. He’s among the many wrestlers set to compete in a mashup of a battle royal and avenue struggle at Battle Riot VI on YouTube.

“Paul is constructing one thing particular with a two-track profession pushed by his ardour and an unrelenting high quality that separates the pretenders from the contenders,” MLW Founder and CEO Courtroom Bauer stated.

Wrestling is greater than a publicity stunt for Hauser — it is his ardour.

“The dream is to go win an Oscar for writing or performing in a movie and the subsequent night time, I’m in entrance of two,000 individuals in an impartial present,” Hauser stated in an interview with The Related Press. “That’s what I need to be doing. I need to be accessible to all individuals and present them the true me, which is, I’m a fan similar to the remainder of you.”

Hauser is simply the newest in a rising record of celebrities — everybody from Dangerous Bunny to Johnny Knoxville to Shaquille O’Neal — who’ve had WrestleMania bouts and matches throughout the trade worthy of the primary occasion on any card. Hauser — who counts previous and present wrestlers Dean Malenko, Arn Anderson, Sami Zayn and Kyle O’Reilly amongst his favorites — has been coaching with former WWE star Paul London to arrange for his facet hustle in performing.

“I consider I’m someplace between desirous to do the reckless, heavier-set man stuff {that a} Mick Foley does, entertain individuals whereas hurting my physique, but additionally I research the technicians,” Hauser stated. “I need to have the ability to get any individual in a Texas Cloverleaf as a lot as I’m going to undergo a desk or a chair.”

Hauser has appeared in varied wrestling promotions over the previous couple of years, together with WWE and its rival All Elite Wrestling. Hauser, the “I, Tonya” and “Cobra Kai” star, took a guitar shot to the top from AEW heel Jeff Jarrett throughout an AEW look final yr. Jarrett and his unhealthy man cronies then stole Hauser’s Golden Globe award that he had dropped at the ring.

Solely in wrestling.

Hauser stated he would wrestle extra if not for a schedule that makes him one of many busiest — and, of late — most coveted actors in Hollywood. He’s set to play the late “Saturday Evening Stay” actor Chris Farley in a biopic, he’s filming a “Bare Gun” reboot with Liam Neeson, he snagged a job “that I can not discuss” in Marvel’s “Incredible 4,” and stars within the upcoming recreation present drama “Press Your Luck.”

As for his hottest function, his packed schedule means Hauser stated he was simply “making an look” within the closing season of “Cobra Kai.”

“I present up, I can’t say rather more than that,” he stated. “It is going to be memorable and also you’re all the time going to have amusing with Stingray.”

Hauser has earned extra followers in his frequent forays into wrestling — besides, maybe, among the many individuals closest to him.

“My stunning, affected person, understanding spouse and my agent are very a lot towards it and need that I might simply purchase some sidewalk chalk and go hopscotch within the driveway,” he stated. “The fact is, that is all the time one thing I used to be going to do.”

Whereas he is hopeful of a protracted, profitable performing profession, Hauser stated he meant to wrestle just for the subsequent 10 years.

“I actually really feel like the longer term is vibrant for me between the performing and wrestling, and it’s actually about scheduling and discovering nice opponents and discovering an incredible story to inform,” he stated.

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