BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — His real name is Silas Mason, but in the world of professional wrestling he is known as "The Thrillbilly."
At an early age, this Blount County native knew he wanted to make a career between the ropes.
"I was a little kid sitting in front of the TV, and I was like, 'Man, these guys are like superheroes.' I liked superheroes and stuff, and I said, 'I want to be a superhero,' and now I am,” Mason said.
A student of the Jacobs Prichard Wrestling Academy, Mason had humble beginnings, wrestling in places like the Green Acres flea market. Now, he's signed to the National Wrestling Alliance owned by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan.
Mason is the current holder of both the NWA National Championship and the Joe Cazana Promotions Heavyweight Championship and a visit to our studios early in 2023 helped Mason's star shine.
“There's just that big surge where it had like over a million views all across all social media and stuff like that. It's just been a meteoric rise," Mason said.
In October 2022, production began on "The Iron Claw," a film about the Von Erich wrestling family.
Mason's headshots wound up in the hands of the movie's producers and they felt he was perfect to play Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy—a member of the legendary trio the Fabulous Freebirds.
“They asked me if I knew who Terry 'Bam Bam' Gordy was. I've been ripping him off for like the whole seven years, at the time, that I'd been wrestling," Mason said.
The main character of "The Iron Claw" is played by Zac Efron.
“Zac Efron's favorite wrestler? This guy. He literally told me that after we like filmed one of the scenes. He's like, 'You're my favorite wrestler.' I was like, 'I am. Because I'm my favorite wrestler, too,” Mason said.
Not bad for a kid from Blount County.
“I’m really grateful being a kid from Blount County who didn't really like start out with much in life. Now, I've got two big shiny belts, baby, and a lot of money in my bank account. So, I can't complain," Mason said.