AN INTERVIEW WITH…

HEIMO THE WILDMAN

PART 1: THE 5 W's (Who, What, Where, When, Why)

Who are you?
My name is Heimo Ukonselkä… but they call me �The Wildman’, for I am the son of the Thundergod, I am the last of the vikings.. and I am a professional wrestler also!

What do you do in the Wrestling business?
I am a wrestler and also promote our own Finnish wrestling company FCF Wrestling.

Where do you do your thing?
I am based out of Finland, often seen also on cards in Sweden, Germany and Denmark among others. I feel proud and humble by the fact that I have gotten the chance to wrestle in many different places and promotions.

When did you first get involved in wrestling?
Back in 2006 I found out that there is live wrestling in Finland. I went to see the show and was blown away by the crowd interaction and atmosphere. It was the first time I went to a live indy wrestling show, I had previously only seen wrestling from TV and maybe some big WWE arena shows. So I was immediately drawn by the more intimate settings of a smaller show, like in heavy metal gigs I often go to. Just so happened that they we’re looking for new trainees at the time, I grabbed a flyer and enrolled to the training course.

Why did you get involved?
I guess I have always been intrigued by more show business -like athletics, like as a kid I liked strongman events, american gladiators, bodybuilding and that sort of stuff. Also rock n’ roll had a big influence in me growing up in the 80’s with two bigger brothers who were into all the good stuff like KISS, Maiden, WASP etc. the imaginary of the posters and album sleeves up on my big brother’s wall left permanent impression on me, and also superhero comic books were a big favourite of mine. So when I first saw wrestling as a kid I was instantly a fan – a sport that combined all my favourite stuff together!

I think I had the dream of becoming a wrestler from a very young age, but as a natural pessimist I pushed the dream away thinking there was no chance for me. It was the first time I saw the live indy show in Finland I realised that this is the way to go about it, there is a possible way in. So I took a leap of faith and never looked back, never regretted.

PART 2: IN DEPTH…

What Motivates you?
I guess what motivates me is being able to make shit happen, you know? When the whole crew works together to make a wrestling show happen, you basically create something out of nothing. And when I see that the people who came to see it enjoyed it and had a great time, it is a deeply satisfying feeling.

Especially if you had a good match and then you know you deserved those after-show beers, when you gave the people their monies worth. So basically I like doing it for the people and especially little kids, who are truly into it and are having such a good time being a fan.

I also like being on the road spending time and training with the guys, being part of this strange wrestling family who works hard together towards a common goal. And I am also highly motivated to promote wrestling, getting it to grow and improve in Finland and all over Europe.

Who inspires you?
I’d say Lemmy from Motörhead (see the music question answer)

What has been your favourite program or match?
I can’t really say a favourite, there has been so many I really really enjoyed. Maybe the one that sticks out in my mind is all the way from 2007, from my first year in wrestling, where I faced my trainer StarBuck. It was a tremendous match and we worked really hard for it and the crowd was livid. Everyone on the venue was standing up from their seats at the end, the match was just too damn intense to watch sitting down! It was the match that “made me” so to say in Finland so I have very fond memories of that (very painful) night.

Who has been your favourite opponent?
I really liked my matches with a fellow Finn Valentine.. Chaos from Denmark is great. Björn Sem is a huge guy from Norway and we’ve had many brutal bouts about the bragging rights who is the true real viking!

What pre show/pre match rituals?
I go through my warm-up routine and then I like to have a little quiet time.. because usually show day is long and hectic and there’s hundred things going around at the same time, so I like to take 10mins to just meditate and empty the mind from all the hassle and focus on the task at hand.. get the focus on the match because that is the main thing your out there to do and do well. So drop the extra baggage.

What 5 items do you always pack in your bag when wrestling?
1) Own toilet paper -never leave home without it!
2) Duct tape – you can fix anything with it!
3) Superglue – good first aid
4) Beer -always bring your own in case the venue does not have any
5) Bubblegum -no need for toothbrush, always feel fresh!

What do you do to wind down and relax?
I like music, graphic novels and also some nice tv-series / movies to watch. The most I enjoy is the outdoors, If I get the chance to hike or hunt in the woods that really puts my mind at ease… I also like to draw, but I get frustrated easily so I don’t know if its relaxing for me.

What one thing would you like to achieve?
I want to see wrestling in general to reach wider audience, see the promotions do well and prosper. Personally I would like to wrestle in the US, Canada and maybe Mexico too some day.

What has been your proudest moment in the wrestlingВ business?
Winning the Finnish championship for the first time was a big moment for me. They say titles do not mean anything but they do, and the Finnish title is prestigious held only by the most deserving. It was a great moment, tremendous match, historical venue, great crowd and my family there watching. I felt proud.

PART 3: FAVOURITE THINGS…

What is your favourite Movie?
One of my favourites is Conan The Barbarian, such a epic sword/fantasy tale they just can’t seem to come up nowadays. It has the gritty realism that is missing from modern movies yet it adds the adventure/fantasy element to it perfectly. Maybe something that comes close in style is the Game Of Thrones series, I like that a lot too.

What is your favourite Singer/Group?
That’s a tough one, but I would have to say Motörhead. They have great songs and great albums, but I truly respect the work ethic and longevity of them and the generations they inspired. They had good times and hard times, but they never changed what they believe in and always kept grinding out albums and never ending tours for decades, and being on the road I can relate to that, It is super hard lifestyle.

What is your favourite song?
Again so many to choose from…. but maybe the most favourite song of all time is “Love me forever” by Motörhead.

What is your favourite meal?
I am a simple man with simple pleasures. I enjoy meatballs with mashed potatoes and also karelian stew and game stew. Sometimes a good burger really hits the spot. I enjoy simple foods like fried chicken with only salt & pepper on top, clean flavours.

Who is your celebrity crush?
I would have to say Finnish pop/folk singer Arja Koriseva.. I’ve had a huge crush on her since I was a kid and she just keeps getting better and better as she gets older! Look her up !!

PART 4: PLUG YOURSELF!

Where can people connect with you?
You can find me on social medias like Facebook, twitter and Instagram.
You can also email me if you like at: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/heimo.ukonselka (“personal” page)
https://www.facebook.com/wildmanwrestling (“like” page)
https://instagram.com/heimothewildman
https://twitter.com/heimothewildman

Where can people watch your work?
You can see me at your local shows, for 2015 I have Italy, Germany and Austria booked.. upcoming dates I’ll update to my pages as soon as they are confirmed. So follow or “like” the pages and I’ll keep you updated.
video clips and stuff at:
https://www.youtube.com/user/wildmanwrestling

(Interview Questions by Dan Barnes)

(Photos courtesy ofВ Fredrik Schoug)