Nova Scotia and the Annapolis Valley will be well represented as WWE and WCW legend Jaques Rougeau has selected top up-and-coming wrestlers from across Canada to compete for the training opportunity of a lifetime at the Nightmare Factory in Atlanta. Rea...
Hants County native Cody Brown, a.k.a. Lil’ Blay, has been selected as one of the contestants in the 2023 Lutte Academie competition. Here, he celebrates an August 2022 tables match win in Windsor with dad Adam and mom Torra Brown.
FILE PHOTOKENTVILLE, N.S. — Nova Scotia and the Annapolis Valley will be well represented as Canada’s top up-and-coming pro wrestlers compete for a chance at the training opportunity of a lifetime. Quebec wrestler Jacques Rougeau attained legendary status in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s. The 62-year-old is a former Intercontinental Champion and multiple-time co-holder of world tag-team championships. He is among only a handful of wrestlers to ever score a pinfall victory over Hulk Hogan and is perhaps best remembered as The Mountie.IN PHOTOS: Hants County, N.S., native Lil’ Blay victorious in tables match main event in Windsor Rougeau is now a promoter and trainer, operating Lutte Academie . He has initiated a contest that will see three finalists receive a $10,000 prize and three months’ training at the Nightmare Factory in Atlanta, Georgia. Trainers there include All Elite Wrestling star Q.T. Marshall, wrestling legend Billy Gunn, and WWE superstar Cody Rhodes. Matches held as part of the competition will take place at Montreal’s Club Soda. Among those selected for the 2023 competition are Cody Brown of Cogmagun ; Brett Stubbert of Coldbrook Thad Howett); and Jeff Ferguson of Halifax .Brown, who has more than nine years of professional experience, was originally trained by Devin Chittick. Brown went on to train in New Brunswick, western Canada, and perhaps most notably at Bandido’s Gym in Mexico. The 26-year-old recently won the Real Canadian Wrestling tag-team championship with friend Ryan Fortin , who has also been selected for Lutte Academie 2023. Brown said that when he first found out he had been selected, his reaction was that he was going to win it. This sentiment comes from a deep sense of self confidence in his abilities. “When it comes to something like this, when it comes to wrestling in general, I just feel like unless you’re putting everything into this, someone else is putting in more,” Brown said. He said many young wrestlers have other responsibilities, such as children, marriages, and day jobs. However, unless a person is willing to sacrifice everything else and jump at the opportunities presented, they won’t go as far as someone who is willing to do so. Brown said he looks forward to the additional exposure he’ll get from taking part in Rougeau’s competition. It will give contestants a chance to show more fans and those within the wrestling industry what they can do. Brown said that being a finalist and getting to train for three months at the Nightmare Factory would be a different kind of learning experience than he would get anywhere else. He hopes to go and learn more from the trainers about ring psychology, for example. Brown’s quarterfinal match takes place on June 4 against Michael Richard Blais. Prior to this, Brown will return home to Hants County for a show in Windsor on May 20 where he’ll be rallying support from his hometown fans. Brown said Blais is one of the top talents from the west coast and has been for a long time. Blais may have a few more years of experience, but Brown said they each have something different to offer. Cody Brown, a.k.a. Lil’ Blay, is one of three Nova Scotia pro wrestlers selected for Lutte Academie 2023. Here, referee Emily Parker raises Brown’s hand following a tables match victory in Windsor. FILE PHOTOStubbert was originally trained by Gary Williams and has tried several wrestling personas since debuting in 2014. He said he’s been trying different things and discovering what works. The 30-year-old said to become one of the finalists in Lutte Academie and get the associated opportunities would mean elevation to a whole different level. Having already wrestled as far west as Ontario, Stubbert said moving forward in the competition would validate him like never before. “Getting to train with high level professionals and staying in Georgia for three months is getting the attention and spotlight I believe I deserve,” Stubbert said. He said it would be fulfilling, life changing, and the possibility of winning it all has “lit a fire under me that no one can put out.” He said his goal is to get more bookings, nationally and internationally, but making it to a major federation such as WWE, AEW, or Impact! Wrestling would be “amazing.” Stubbert also wants to bring what he has learned back to the Maritimes and help other aspiring wrestlers succeed. Stubbert said wrestling is his passion. He loves creating a story with his body, performing moves, evoking emotion from the crowd and having fans respond to him. He said it’s an amazing feeling. Stubbert’s quarterfinal match happens June 4. He’ll be teaming with Jesse Bieber in a tag-team match against Karl Jepson and Bjorg Haaken. Stubbert has been studying his opponents and watching partner Jesse Bieber to begin developing chemistry and so that they can work together cohesively. “I’ve also been doing a lot of strength training in and out of the ring so I can look and feel my best for some extra confidence going into this competition,” Stubbert said. Brett Stubbert of Coldbrook, a.k.a. Thad Howett, is among three Nova Scotia pro wrestlers selected for the 2023 Lutte Academie competition. CONTRIBUTED24-year-old Ferguson has five years’ experience as a pro wrestler, having originally been trained by Troy Merrick. Ferguson spent the majority of his second year as a pro wrestling on the New England scene. This included an opportunity to wrestle Sidewalk Sam at Fenway Park in August 2019 for the Victory Championship Wrestling Can-Am championship. Ferguson said that when he found out that Rougeau and Marshall had selected him for Lutte Academie 2023, he was “super excited.” He said it’s his chance to prove what he is capable of and to grow as a performer alongside some of Canada’s greatest up-and-coming wrestling talent. He hopes to gain more knowledge through the experience, but perhaps most importantly make great connections with like-minded individuals. “I feel like it will be a very tight-knit team and that is what I look forward to the most,” Ferguson said. He said there is nothing more physically creative than pro wrestling. He loves travelling from town to town to entertain an audience that spends its hard-earned money “to watch and appreciate the art that we paint on the canvas.” Ferguson’s quarterfinal match takes place on May 7. He’ll be teaming with Jon Gonzalez and K.L. Shock to take on Brandon Bright, Eli Surge, and Tomer Shalom in a six-man tag-team match. Ferguson said he is already preparing as much as possible, doing extra weight training, stretching, and yoga so that he’ll be strong but also relaxed and have fluency of movement. Jeff Ferguson of Halifax, a.k.a. Jefferson James, is among the Nova Scotia pro wrestlers selected for the Lutte Academie 2023 competition. CONTRIBUTEDRougeau said he thinks the Lutte Academie competition is a great thing for Canadian wrestlers. He and girlfriend Nathalie Thibodeau are behind the initiative. Rougeau was in Atlanta recently with Marshall to review approximately 70 video entries received. They selected 24 men and 10 women to compete in 2023. Rougeau said he was pleasantly surprised that he and Marshall so consistently agreed on their choices. When selecting competitors, Rougeau said he wants wrestlers who are coachable. Some of the qualities he looks for include charisma, in-ring ability, and perhaps most importantly a certain intangible that makes a person stop and take notice. “You need to be open to criticism,” Rougeau said. “You need to be open to taking the habits you’ve had for 15 years and being able to change it.” He observed that Marshall paid close attention to the pride the applicants took in their appearance and ring gear, an indication of how seriously they are taking the opportunity. Rougeau said he wants to be a springboard for young Canadian wrestlers. Ultimately, he’s looking for the next Kevin Owens. Owens is a top WWE superstar who was trained by Rougeau for four years. Rougeau said he has been thanked many times for providing opportunities, and he appreciates it, but he is having a lot of fun doing it. He said the young wrestlers are also giving him an opportunity.Current All Elite Wrestling star and Nightmare Factory trainer Billy Gunn, who is considered a legend in the wrestling business, with Canadian wrestling icon, trainer, and promoter Jacques Rougeau of Lutte Academie at a recent AEW show in Toronto. FACEBOOK PHOTOThere will be two male finalists and one female finalist chosen. Rougeau said they’ve gone from $5,000 prizes last year to $10,000 prizes in 2023. There is more money to offer because sponsorships have increased, and Rougeau said they’re looking for more sponsors. He said they wanted to provide more funding to the finalists to help cover living expenses while training in Georgia for three months. This year, there should be enough money to pay for flights and hotels, too. Rougeau put up $15,000 of his own money to help cover the costs in 2022.Rougeau recently visited the four 2022 finalists at the Nightmare Factory. He said it was great to see how much they were enjoying the experience of training with Marshall, Gunn, and Rhodes.He said doors of opportunity were opening to the 2022 finalists. They were making good contacts and already getting bookings at independent shows in surrounding states. With 47 years of experience in the wrestling business, Rougeau has always said there are two things that would make you a success: knowing the right people and being at the right place at the right time. In this regard, he considers the Nightmare Factory the answer.To watch the 2022 Lutte Academie competition, to follow along with the 2023 contest or for ticket information, visit2023 Lutte Academie contestants Brown, Stubbert, and Ferguson have something in common: all are friends with 2022 Lutte Academie finalist Chris Dillon, a.k.a. Dylan Davis, of Newfoundland. Brown said he found out about the competition from Dillon and reached out to Rougeau about the opportunity. Having lived with Dillon, knowing him well, and having seen the work he puts in, Brown said he knew Dillon would make the finals. Brown, who recently travelled to Florida to see his girlfriend, made a side trek to visit Dillon in Atlanta while Dillon was training at the Nightmare Factory. Brown had a chance to see the facility and gain some insight into what the training would involve. Brown got Dillon’s workout plan from him and has been following it so that he’ll be better prepared physically. Stubbert said he also heard from Dillon that Rougeau was putting together another competition in 2023.Stubbert said Dillon has helped him out “immensely” since they met about five years ago. Dillon gave him a lot of confidence as Stubbert worked to find himself and become the best version of himself. Stubbert said he is very proud of Dillon for making it to this year’s finals. He hopes he can follow in Dillon’s footsteps in 2023. Ferguson said he was in awe when Dillon won a spot in the finals of the 2022 competition. He said it’s not just because he considers Dillon a mentor, but because he considers Dillon the standard of Newfoundland and Maritime wrestling. “He brought a sense of hope that anything is possible no matter where you’re from,” Ferguson said. “He is the example of anything is possible if you’re willing to do the work.”It has been our privilege to have the trust and support of our East Coast communities for the last 200 years. Our SaltWire team is always watching out for the place we call home. Our 100 journalists strive to inform and improve our East Coast communities by delivering impartial, high-impact, local journalism that provokes thought and action. Please consider joining us in this mission by becoming a member of the SaltWire Network and helping to make our communities better.
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