TORONTO -- James Wilder Jr. always wanted to follow his father into pro football, but it wasn't always his activity of choice.
Growing up, the Toronto Argonauts running back admits he spent as much -- or more -- time watching pro wrestling on TV than James Wilder Sr. lugging the ball with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins. Next month, the junior Wilder will attend a tryout with the World Wrestling Entertainment in Orlando.
"I'm super excited, it's a dream," Wilder said in a recent telephone interview. "I think every kid born in the early '90s -- I was born in '92 during the Stone Cold, The Rock, The Undertaker and Kane era -- was probably a WWE fan before they were even a football fan."
Wilder, 26, learned of the tryout via email. Turns out the CFL's top rookie in 2017 was nominated for the gig, although the WWE didn't say by whom.
"I don't want to ask too many questions," he said. "I'll definitely ask who after the tryout but right now I don't want my mind to be in the wrong place."
Wilder certainly has the chiselled physique and charisma of a pro wrestler. The former Florida State star has quickly become a Toronto fan favourite with his engaging smile and gregarious, fun-loving persona.
But Wilder understands the demands of pro wrestling. It's certainly very physical and involves plenty of travel as many of the WWE's top stars spend over 200 days annually on the road.
However, many of the top wrestlers earn over US$1 million annually with the chance to make more in potential movie gigs.
Wilder wouldn't be the first CFL player to head into wrestling. Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson -- a former Calgary Stampeders defensive lineman -- and longtime Hamilton Tiger-Cat Angelo (King Kong) Mosca are two more notable players in Canada to achieve success in the squared circle.
Another is Ron Simmons, a former Florida State player and defensive lineman with the Ottawa Rough Riders.
"Wow, there's a connection there," Wilder said. "Ron Simmons? That's Florida State, baby."
However, Wilder said his main focus now is the tryout. How that goes will dictate if -- or when -- he can start worrying about the logistics of a potential wrestling career.
Wilder says football remains his top priority -- he's under contract with Toronto through the 2019 season and still has a strong desire to continue playing. However, an opportunity to audition for the world's largest sports entertainment organization was simply too good to pass up.
"Right now it's a tryout but a pretty serious tryout and one not everyone gets," he said. "They know I'm playing football, they know that's my priority, they know I don't have much wrestling experience but they're willing to show and teach me.
"They think I fit and I think so to."
Since receiving the tryout notice, Wilder has combined his football workouts with studying videos of wrestling holds and techniques. Starting on Monday, he plans to put those lessons to practice at a ring in Mississauga, Ont.
And then there's always trying new moves on his training partner, six-year-old daughter Nala.
"Sometimes she kicks my butt," Wilder said with a chuckle. "You know how a six-year-old is, they never get tired.
"We'll wrestle for like 15 minutes and you're catching your breath and feeling sweaty."
Wilder's preparation also involves determining what character he'll be in the ring.
"I get up in front of my wife and (four) kids and get into my character," he said. "It's tough because you have the kids laughing and you have to keep a straight face and stay in character but I think that's going to help me out.
"I was going to go with Wildman Wilder but there was wrestler who used to go by Wild Man so I don't know if that would cause any conflict. I also came up with Wilder Beast and that seems to be the one people like most."
And Wilder hopes to play a baby face in the ring.
"I think I want to come in as a good guy, a guy of the people, a guy of the fans," he said. "That way I'm not too much out of my own character.
"If they let me get that role I think it would be easier for me because I'd just be myself at that point."
Wilder said the Argos have been supportive of his upcoming opportunity.
"Of course, football comes first," he said. "This is the biggest sports entertainment business in the world and I have support from (Argos), have huge support from my teammates and even the Canadian fans.
"I always thought (wrestling) would be cool to do, that I could definitely do this and it's me but I never could really imagine it. However now that I've got a tryout . . . I don't want to let them down and take advantage of the opportunity."
Here's a look at some of the former CFL players who've wrestling professionally during or after football:
Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson: The former Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman spent time on the Calgary Stampeders' practice roster before being released. He then followed in his Canadian father Rocky Johnson's footsteps into pro wrestling and became arguably the WWE's biggest star. He's since become a hot commodity on the silver screen.
Lex Luger: The former Larry Pfohl was an offensive lineman with the Montreal Alouettes (1979-81) and also spent time in the NFL with Green Bay (1982-82) and Tampa Bay 1984). The six-foot-five, 270-pound Pfohl adopted the pro wrestling moniker of Lex Luger and was a WCW world heavyweight champion.
George Wells: The six-foot-two, 233-pound Wells was a defensive end with Toronto (1971-72), Hamilton (1972-73, '78), Saskatchewan Roughriders (1974-78). He began wrestling in '74 during the off-season and went on to appear in the WWE when it was known as the World Wrestling Federation.
Roman Reigns: One of the WWE's biggest stars currently spent 2008 as a defensive lineman with the Edmonton Eskimos under his given name of Joe Anoai. His father, Sika Anoai, and brother, Rosey, who died in 2017, were both pro wrestlers. Reigns is Dwayne Johnson's cousin.
Tito Santana: Born Merced Solis, he played briefly for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and was a tight end with the CFL's B.C. Lions in 1976 before adopting his wrestling ring name. In 2004, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Brian Pillman: After spending time in the NFL with Cincinnati (1984) and Buffalo (1985), the former Miami University defensive lineman played one season (1986) with the Calgary Stampeders. After football, he began training as a wrestler under the tutelage of the legendary Stu Hart, beginning his career with Stampede Wrestling (1986-88). Pillman later worked in WCW, ECW and World Wrestling Federation, becoming the first wrestler in '96 to sign a guaranteed deal with the organization. He died in 1997 at the age of 35.
Angelo Mosca: A legendary player in the CFL, the six-foot-four, 275-pound Mosca was even more imposing in the ring as King Kong Mosca. Inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1987, Mosca played in the CFL with Hamilton (1958-59, 63-72), Ottawa (1960-61) and Montreal (1962). He began wrestling during the off-season and became a full-time wrestler upon his retirement, becoming a perennial heavyweight champion.
Gene Kiniski: A defensive lineman, Kiniski suffered a torn kneecap with the Edmonton Eskimos in 1952 and retired from football the following year. He wrestled and played football in high school and returned to wrestling full-time after retiring from football.
Ron Simmons: A former defensive lineman at Florida State, the six-foot-two, 270-pound Simmons spent time with the NFL's Cleveland Browns (1981), CFL's Ottawa Rough Riders (1981) and USFL's Tampa Bay Storm (1983-85). A teammate in Tampa was none other than Pfohl, the future pro wrestler Lex Luger. Simmons wrestled in the WWF and held such ring names as Doom, Faarooq, Faarooq Asaad and Ron Simmons. His No. 50 jersey has been retired by Florida State University.
Glenn Kulka: The six-foot-three, 275-pound Edmonton native began his CFL career as an offensive lineman with the hometown Eskimos before becoming an all-star defensive lineman with Montreal, Toronto, Saskatchewan and Ottawa. While with the Roughriders in 1995, Kulka teamed up with Bret (The Hitman) Hart in a tag-team match against (Million Dollar Man) Ted DiBiase and (Psycho) Sid Vicious in a fundraising event for the CFL club. He later wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation and retired from the organization in '99. Kulka made his MMA debut July 26, 2008.
(Superstar) Billy Graham: Born Wayne Coleman, the six-foot-four, 275-pound defensive lineman came to the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders in 1968 but joined the Montreal Alouettes later that summer. But Coleman only played five games with the Als before being released. Coleman's charisma and outgoing personality made him a natural as a pro wrestler. As Superstar Billy Graham, he was a former world heavyweight champion in the WWF.
(Hacksaw) Jim Duggan: James Edward Duggan gained wrestling fame as the 2x4-totting Hacksaw Jim Duggan. But football was his main sport, playing collegiately at Southern Methodist University before spending time in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. The burly offensive lineman also played for the CFL's Toronto Argonauts.
