In an exclusive interview with Scott Mitchell and PWMania, Thrillbilly Silas Mason opened up about his NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship reign. This included everything from winning the title at NWA 77 against Thom Latimer to working with the likes of Nihan, Matt Cardona, Rich Swann, and EFFY. He also spoke about specific matches that stood out to him, as well as defending the title in Japan. Watch the interview in its entirety down below.

You won the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship last August at NWA 77. What was this moment like for you to finally hoist that title over your head?

“Well, the part that meant the most was to be able to go hug my mom, and her being there for it, and being able to say that we did it. Being able to see your child accomplish their dream, when there’s not a lot of dreams that get accomplished in this world, you know? It has a way of crushing. When you have the ability and you’re fortunate enough to do something like that, you want to share that moment. Being able to share that with her was crazy special. Whenever I won, the moment the ref’s hand hit three, I thought, it’s time to get to work. Then, after that, I was like, wait, where is my mom? It’s one of those things. The biggest thing is defending it. You become the champion when you defend it. That’s when you come to appreciate it.”

You had an excellent match with the former champion, Thom Latimer, at that event. What was it like to work with him?

“I would have had the stinkiest match in the world if it won me the world title. I would have dragged him through the mud and made him just the most boring thing that anybody has ever watched in their lives if I walked out of there with that. Fortunately, Thom was willing to meet me where I was at, which was in the middle of that ring, and he was willing to throw some leather. That makes for an exciting match. It’s one of those things where we did it again, and I’d do it a thousand times.

Thom is one of those guys who, fortunately, I don’t have to because we have rankings, but you don’t want to have to see how many times you can touch the stove before you get too badly burnt. Thom is an excellent man and an excellent opponent. He proved that as champion. He’s going to continue to prove that whether he goes for the National Championship again, or if he wants to become a Television Champion. He looks, now with his new haircut, I think he’s a model every time he walks out there. I was like, did we hire Tom Cruise, Tom Sellick? We hired a new Tom.”

You recently put your title on the line against the monstrous Nihan. What was it like to work with such a force of nature?

“Thom came up to me, Nihan’s a monster, and I’m not a man who’s backing down from a challenge. As a champion, I’m still trying to prove myself, to whom, you ask? To myself. I have to look at a guy like Nihan, 400 pounds, almost seven feet tall, and I have to know that I can beat him. Every single time. You don’t do that by lifting weights, and you don’t ever go do it. You have to actually go do it. So, if I’m going to say I fight dragons and slay monsters, I have to actually do it. You know, Thom knows that. I’m sure he, and everyone on the roster, wants to line me up with all of their tough friends so they can soften me up. I’m the hardest man in professional wrestling. You can put that in print.”

One of your first big defenses came against Matt Cardona in a Peachtree Street Fight. What was this whole match like, and to work with Cardona?

“I sent him packing. I sent him packing. He left. He was like man, when I was NWA World Champion, it was easy. You had a bunch of these guys who were coming down from the Fed, or going off to Trampoline Cowboy School, and he could rule the roost. Then he came down when the biggest man who ever lived was World Champion, and he found out he couldn’t cut it. So, he said, I’m going to go hang out with my wife, earn a paycheck, and do that instead. He quit in the middle of our match. I choked him unconscious. But, he didn’t tap out. So any time, Matt, you want to lock up again, I will make you submit. I will make you quit. I will make you say that I am the meanest man in professional wrestling.”

You also got to make your Wrestling REVOLVER debut, where you put that title on the line against Rich Swann. What was it like to head out to REVOLVER and work with Swann?

“I’ve always been a huge fan of Sami Callihan ever since he beat Eddie Edwards head in with that bat. So, going to Wrestling REVOLVER was pretty cool. Especially going and defending it against a former champion, like Rich Swann, who’s a man who I have the utmost respect for and is another guy who completely changed who he is as a person, has evolved, and is a better version of himself than he has ever been. The last time the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship was defended in Dayton, Ohio, until the Thrillbilly showed up, was Adam Pearce vs. Colt Cabana 15 years ago.

So, not only am I coming and showing the people of Dayton, Ohio, a good time on the Thrill Em All tour, but I’m making history every stop. To be able to make history with Rich is really fun, too. I’ll wrestle him any day of the week, as well.”

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t bring up your Worlds Championship defense against EFFY. What was this moment like for you working with someone as out there and eccentric as EFFY?

“He’s eccentric, he’s esoteric, even I’d say. He’s a very well-bred, well-thought-out, not only controversial, but cerebral individual in there. I think EFFY is an incredible competitor and another valuable member to add to the NWA roster. Again, another guy who has yet to sign a contract with a major company for a reason. It ain’t just for holding hats what he has up there. That’s another guy who made himself into a one-man industry in this business. You talk about New Gay Bullet Club, Big Gay Brunch, etc. Every single time EFFY does something, it’s an event. So, being able to go there and have EFFY be a victim of the Thrill Em All tour, that’s all the publicity a boy can dream of.”

Looking back at your reign as a whole, were there any matches that stood out for you?

“Man, there’s this guy, Aaron Roberts. I wrestled him. It’s been eight years since I’ve been at the EPW arena. This is a guy who was an ID guy, and for some reason, they didn’t see the bright lights in him. But he’s since gone on to AAW in Chicago, Freelance, and Memphis Wrestling. He’s a guy that I have nothing but respect for. I think he’s going to be a real force to come here in the future.

I’ve had over 45 defenses, so I have to go through the rolodex a little bit so I remember. Every defense is special, I remember. Oh yeah, there’s this one piece of crap in New Mexico, Hobo Hank. I hate that guy. I’ll break his neck. Matt Brannigan in DOA, that was a great one. Check that out on indie wrestling TV. I’ve got some more coming up, but I can’t tell you about them.”

You got to defend your title overseas in Japan at Korakuen Hall. What was this whole experience like for you?

“It’s surreal, man. It’s one of those things where when I walked out there, especially because I came out to different music than I normally do, they really like Jazz over there, so they had me coming out to Galaxy Express. This was Harley Race, Terry Funk, and every time the NWA World Heavyweight Champion comes out, in All Japan, he comes out to Galaxy Express. So, that’s my theme song in Japan. I’m cool with it. Then, the guy I went up against, former Wrestle-1 Fusion Champion, Shotaro Ashino.

He’s now in this faction. I’m not sure what their whole organizational structure is. I don’t know if he’s the leader or not, but HAVOC. That’s him, Omari Palmer, and XYON. Those are the three big, bad dudes. I knew I was coming into his yard and coming into his territory. The people there. I don’t know what it is about people who go overseas. I think they suck, and they paid to go over there. But they say the Japanese crowd is quiet.

They were loud the entire time I was there. From the moment I went through the curtain to the moment I left. They were either cheering for Ashino, booing me, or then, respecting me by the end of it. That’s the thing. That crowd wants to see two competitors go at it in there. There not interested in all the gaga. They want to see meat, and they want to see it executed well. They want to see two guys who know what they’re doing go at it. I’d love to go back. The champion, Kento Miyahara, says he’s the best. But what he doesn’t know is that I’m the best. Miyahara, the World Heavyweight Champion, doesn’t have three crowns yet, and I may be looking to put one on my head.”