Jessie Godderz on OVW Tag Gold, Big Brother and Overcoming Bullying

Fred: Fred Richani here for The Sports Courier. We’re kickin’ it at FWE, joined by Mr. Pec-Tacular, Jessie Godderz.

Jessie Godderz: Boom! Bringing the pain.

Fred: That’s pretty impressive. Can you do that again?

Jessie Godderz: It’s pretty Pec-Tacular. P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R. Pec-Tacular.

Fred: Wow. Besides kicking butt in the ring tonight and flexing your pecs, what brings you here today?

Jessie Godderz: The debut of Mr. Pec-Tacular at FWE. I’m very happy to be here. I used to live in Jersey City, just over the river, for about three months during my fitness modeling stint, so I’m a Jersey boy. Now I live in Louisville, Kentucky, and go to OVW, but this brought me up here.

Fred: And obviously that amazing physique. You weren’t always Mr. Pec-Tacular, though. This event is about stopping bullying. Were you ever bullied as a kid, and if so, what led you to stop it and take your life in a positive direction?

Jessie Godderz: I actually was bullied, because even Mr. Pec-Tacular was once a young buck, more like the runt of the litter, as my dad once said on a TV show I used to be on. I was a really small kid. I wrestled my senior year of high school at about 140 or 145 pounds, and I weigh a lot more than that now. In high school, everybody tries to find something to pick at just because you’re different, whether you’re the biggest person or the smallest. Everybody groups themselves together, and then they start getting malicious. Kids are a lot more impressionable at that age, so they take things more personally, because they don’t know any better. You take things at face value. If you have to wear glasses, you think, “What’s wrong with me?” Your hair’s too long, your hair’s too short, you’re too tall, you’re too short, you’re too big, you’re too small, or you came from a different borough. It’s something you have to deal with. I dealt with it not by getting in fights or being antagonistic, but by coming into my own and knowing it’s not always going to be there. As soon as you’re done with high school, you’re never going to see those people again, so you don’t need to impress them. That came from my dad, and obviously you don’t really listen to your parents until after the fact. You might not believe them now, but you’ll believe them later, and sure enough, your parents are always right. So listen to Mom and Dad, kids.

Fred: Recent news: You won the OVW tag team titles with Rob Terry. You’ve done your thing on “Big Brother” and reality TV, you’ve worked hard, you overcame bullying and a lot of obstacles to become a professional wrestler, and you’re in one of the longest-running promotions in the country. How does it feel to finally get your first taste of gold in pro wrestling?

Jessie Godderz: It’s such a whirlwind, because you’re moving so fast that you almost can’t wrap your mind around it. I’m trying to do this and this and this, because that’s what I’ve acclimated myself to. That’s the norm for me. So it’s, “Oh, man, I really am the champ. I’m accomplishing something else. What’s next?” And being with Rob, it’s Rob “The Freak” Terry, for crying out loud. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s always going to be a lot of fun. Right now, I’m a triple threat, for God’s sake. I’m a reality TV star, I’m a professional wrestler and I’m the youngest natural professional bodybuilder in the country. Look at where I came from, a small town in Iowa. Don’t hate me ’cause you ain’t me. Look out, TNA Impact Wrestling.

Fred: Where can fans find you online?

Jessie Godderz: Fans can find me on my website and on Twitter. Just look up Mr. Pec-Tacular.

Fred: Thank you so much for your time, Mr. Pec-Tacular.