Big Trouble Ben Bishop Teams with Richard Holliday at ACW Reckoning

Big Trouble Ben Bishop stands 6-foot-12 and delivers powerful blows in the ring, establishing himself as a top independent wrestler.

The former University of Vermont basketball player turned to pro wrestling after college. He told Fox News Digital that he loved the team side of basketball and Vermont but not the sport itself. He stayed fit playing Australian rules football.

Bishop attended an independent wrestling show as a fan. Wrestlers there approached him, and he began training the next day. Seven years later, he remains in the business. He said the physical transition proved easy thanks to his basketball footwork.

"I think that’s the biggest hurdle for a lot of people getting into wrestling if they don’t have an athletic background – just learning how to move your body in space," Bishop said. "And then, of course, there’s a lot more that goes into it when it comes to the psychology of professional wrestling, what happens in the ring, when to do certain things, all that. But picked up the physicality of it and the athleticism of it pretty quick. So, basketball was definitely a huge help."

His ring character draws from Kurt Russell's Jack Burton in the film Big Trouble in Little China. "Ben Bishop is just me. It’s just me turned up to 11," he said. "I always asked myself who do I want to be and there’s a million monsters in pro wrestling. The guys who are just brooding, big bad guys. That’s not me. I’m pretty fun-loving. I don’t take myself too serious."

"I think Kurt Russell’s character Jack Burton in that film pretty much encapsulates ‘Big Trouble’ Ben Bishop," he added. "What am I doing here, not taking yourself too seriously, anti-hero type of character. I love to have a good time, promote myself on social media – comedic skits – but you know when it comes down to business in the ring, I get stuff done."

Bishop has worked the independent circuit for years. He found a home at Awesome Championship Wrestling, where he supports Richard Holliday, known as The Most Marketable Man. He connected with the tag team The Now, featuring Vik Dalishus and Hale Collins.

Bishop faces Foxx Vinyer at ACW Reckoning next week at the MJN Center in Poughkeepsie, New York. He will also return to Holliday's corner for his bout against Andrade.

"Myself and Richard Holliday, we’ve decided that we’re teaming up at Awesome Championship Wrestling because we do believe in our hearts, other people believe it too, including WWE superstar Matt Cardona, we are two of the top guys on the independent circuit right now – bar none," Bishop said. "We are the two guys that gets the most eyes on us."

At the last show in March, Killer Kross captured the ACW title. "All is fair in love and war in professional wrestling. It is what it is," Bishop said. "In about two weeks, Holliday’s got a huge match against Andrade and I have a huge match against Foxx Vinyer. We’re both looking to get back on the right track. Foxx is a helluva competitor. He’s a staple in the Northeast wrestling scene. But I’m a staple all over the country."