Independent Wrestling Spotlight Week One with Barrington Hughes

In the debut article of Independent Wrestling Spotlight, I had the esteemed privilege of sitting down with  Barrington Hughes. The Florida native has made a name for himself being one of the best big men on the independent scene today.

The Beginning of Blaque Thanos, Barrington Hughes

In 2011, Hughes went to a wrestling show in Miami, and this was his gateway to getting into the business. “I always wanted to get into wrestling, I was a lifelong fan, and it just fascinated me. Shortly thereafter, he started training with Rusty Brooks.

“A loved one of mine was able to find out where Rusty was having classes and I went out there on a Sunday,” Hughes said. “Rusty told me if I would like to join, let’s do it. I never looked back since.” Nine months from this moment, Barrington Hughes went on to have his first official match.

“I’ve always had a passion for it, I enjoy making people happy,” said Hughes when asked why he got into professional wrestling. He was always very close with his grandfather and they watched wrestling together a lot. “Right before he (his grandfather) passed away, we basically had a heart-to-heart talk about wanting to do more in life and be better in life.” Hughes always took what his grandfather taught him in life, “whatever you’re going to do in life, live with no regrets.”

Ron Simmons and Razor Ramon were big inspirations to Hughes. “One of my favorite matches growing up was 123 Kid vs Razor Ramon where Kid beat him.” Along with liking the Attitude Era, he also enjoyed wrestlers like The Rock, Owen Hart, Cactus Jack, Vader, Sting, and he was “very fascinated by” Lex Luger.

Barrington Hughes’ Early Days on The Independent Scene

Hughes loved wrestling everywhere. However, a couple of promotions that really stood out to him were Ring Warriors and Real Pro Wrestling. “They got me the experience I needed that helped me down the line,” Hughes stated. “They gave me a lot of unexpected chances.” Hughes also said he is “very grateful to them” because at one point he was frustrated with wrestling and thought about hanging it up. Real Pro invited him to a show and helped him shake that feeling.

At Real Pro, Hughes really enjoyed working with guys of the likes of Zack Monstar, Mike Monroe, and Max Stardom. “They allowed me to showcase who I was and they elevated me to show that I was more than just your generic big guy.” Hughes also enjoyed wrestling at Turner Hall which was a former beer hall. “The energy was unmatched; it was so good.”

January of 2020

“The day was really scary for me,” Hughes stated. In January of 2020, Barrington Hughes would end up fighting for his life, after going to the hospital. “I wasn’t feeling well and was sleeping awkwardly and something wasn’t right,” Hughes said. “The doctors told me I had fluid in my lungs and the next thing I knew, I would wake up 12 days later.”

“I wake up and I have a tube down my throat; I was in a medically induced coma for 12 days,” Hughes said. “I woke up with my mother looking right at me.” He is happy to be alive and has hopes to return to what he loves to do this summer.

Barrington Hughes Signs With MLW

When asked about signing with Major League Wrestling, Hughes exclaimed “This was my first real television experience.” “It was a great learning experience having guys like MVP and Low-Ki in the back.” Hughes was beyond grateful to sign with MLW and had a lot of mentors in the back who helped him out. One specifically, though, is current WWE star MVP.

“MVP is definitely someone I look up to and respond,” said Hughes, “With the hand he was dealt in life he should not have been a success based on statistics. He looked past that and wrote his own story. He’s doing well and continuing to do well. I look up to him a great deal for that.”

MLW’s War Chamber Match

The first “War Chamber” match in MLW history featured Hughes. “That match is a testament to everyone who was involved and showed what they bring to the table,” Hughes said. “The show was in my hometown. The building has since been shut down but to say I was able to do one of the last wrestling events in that building means the world to me.”

Hughes described that day overall as “surreal” to him. “All the guys took care of one another in that match. The butterflies going into that match was crazy,” says Hughes. “To sit under Tommy Dreamer’s learning tree was also surreal too. That match was full of top-notch stars. I raised my profile a great deal because of it.”

Importance of Being an African-American Wrestler

“It’s bittersweet,” said Hughes. “You always feel like you’re starting to get ahead with society as a whole and them understanding who you are as a person. Then you remember the same people who hated us 50 years ago are still alive teaching their kid’s the same thing.”

Overall though, Hughes said it’s “extremely important.” “You have to know that not only are you representing yourself, but you’re representing your community and your family. For me, I represent the Caribbean. Being a second-generation Jamaican grandchild of an immigrant. It’s hard but it’s 100% worth it.”

What’s Next for Barrington Hughes?

Simply put, “getting healthier, getting better and getting back to do what I do best, that’s wrestling.” Hughes also has a big future goal in mind, “I want to wrestle with or against Samoa Joe. That would be a hell of a match.”

You can follow Barrington Hughes on Tik Tok, Instagram, and Twitter, at BlaqueThanosBH.