Wow … I got the news about a week back, that my upcoming, highly-anticipated cage match – the first of my long wrestling career – would be changed from me facing multi-time Danish champion Chaos, to me facing the breakout rookie star whom I have trained over the course of this year, Sweden’s hottest new property, The Beast!

I receive this news with mixed emotions. Firstly, I have taken a vested interest in prepping and coaching The Beast for his trek from the submission wrestling and MMA field into the world of pro wrestling. I took The Beast on as my pet project, proving that under my coaching, I could mold a superstar out of the man. I saw a world of potential in the guy when Stockholm wrestling promoter Chris Salhgren sent him to me for training at the beginning of this year. After all, he had an impressive resume already built up by the time that he was sent my way.

The Beast had gone to a time-limit draw in MMA against Sweden’s top export in that sport, Alexander Gustafsson, only to lose narrowly by judge’s decision. He had been a top star on the Swedish version of the reality competition show Gladiators, and he had nabbed the bronze medal in the 2014 Swedish national submission wrestling championships. In other words, I had one hell of an athlete to work with in my quest to mold him into a pro wrestling powerhouse.

I have to admit: I didn’t see this one coming. I’ve even formulated a friendship in addition to my mentorship with the man. I have seen first-hand how disciplined and strong this guy is. It’s downright scary. I have a lot of respect for The Beast, and I am sure that the feeling is mutual.

However, on August 22 in Randers, Denmark, I have been scheduled to meet this man inside of a 16-foot high steel cage, the first such match of my long and storied wrestling career. In truth, I have waited my entire life to wrestle inside of the cage. Ever since I was a youth, the cage matches between Ric Flair and Ronnie Garvin, Hulk Hogan and Paul Orndorff, the War Games matches of late 1980s NWA lore and such have been amongst my favorites. Before the eventual day comes that I have to hang my boots, one of my penultimate goals has been to grapple inside the cage, and now that day is here. But I never expected it to be against someone that I took on as my personal project.

Initially, I was slated to face and old foe that I have grappled against many times in the past in Chaos. He and I have battled it out many times, and our matches have always been slobberknockers. I was firmly in the understanding that he and I would make wrestling history on August 22 in Denmark. However, just a week back, those plans went out the window, as the Danish Pro Wrestling [DPW] booking committee decided to change the card and put former TNA/WWE star Mr. Anderson (Ken Kennedy) against Chaos, with me against The Beast under them.

Now that’s all fine and dandy, I really have no problem with that. However, this does mean a change in my personal approach and coaching as it pertains to The Beast. He has now become a foe, an adversary, regardless of how indirectly that all transpired. I simply cannot afford to walk into the cage on August 22 against this man and teach him all that I know. That simply would not make any sense nor would it work in my favor.

From here on out, The Beast is on his own. I’ve given him the foundational tools that he needs to work with. However, come August 22 in Randers, Denmark, it will be a trial by fire for The Beast. Sure, he might have me outweighed by almost 20kg. He’s got a good 15cm height advantage on me. He’s much more powerful than me, he’s arguably more explosive and his reach exceeds mine. Yet, with all of these things against me, there are some things that he doesn’t have over ol’ StarBuck.

Firstly, The Beast does not have the experience that I have. I’ve been all around the world, a champion all over. I’ve faced them all, from big to small, both rookies and vets. I’ve learned to navigate through all kinds of waters. Secondly, I have a diverse bag of tools in my repertoire to draw from. I am not a one-trick pony. I can spot an opening anywhere, and I will not fail to expose a weakness when I see one. Thirdly, I have only taught The Beast what he needs to know, as in the role of the student he has been on a need-to-know basis. In the initial stages of his career, he needs to grasp the basics. Right now, The Beast owns a very rudimentary set of tools. I wouldn’t have done him any favors, had I force-fed him more knowledge than he could chew at any given point. That puts me in the driver’s seat, despite the imminent threat that he poses on the surface going into this huge cage match.

August 22 is going to be monumental in both of our careers. For me, it will be my first cage match, one that I have looked forward to all of my career. For The Beast, it will be the supreme test for him, as he will have to face his mentor before being ready and equipped enough to tackle my kind of professional experience.

Whatever happens on August 22, I just want The Beast to understand that it’s nothing personal. This is just business. Let the chips fall where they may.