Paul Walter Hauser Gets Candid About ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Naked Gun’ & Major League Wrestling Debut

Paul Walter Hauser has been living the dream. And we’re not just talking about Hollywood but professional wrestling. The lifelong fan who puts everything into his roles is doing the same in the ring. The Emmy and Golden Globe winner caught the bug after a charity match. From there, the star has gone all-in with training and hardcore bloody brawls with the likes of Matt Cardona and Sami Callihan.

In between filming high-profile projects like The Naked Gun reboot Hauser has been preparing for his Major League Wrestling debut. The actor will be among 40 competitors vying for a shot at the promotion’s world heavyweight championship in the 6th Annual Battle Riot. The mash-up of battle royal and anything goes street fight will see a new participant enter every 60 seconds with the last one standing earning a shot at the top title in the company.

Here Hauser chats with TV Insider about how he has been preparing for the carnage ahead and his future goals.

It’s crazy to think you have this brutal match coming up with MLW this week and the next you’re celebrating the premiere of Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out 2. It feels like you’re getting the best of both worlds. 

Paul Walter Hauser: It’s such an honor and privilege. When I was a little kid, had you told me when I was 10 that I would have a wonderful marriage, two kids, be shooting a Naked Gun reboot with Liam Neeson while preparing for a battle royal wrestling match while promoting an animated film and having a McDonald’s Happy Meal toy…I would say I must have sold my soul to the devil or something. No, I’ve actually worked really hard and got myself sober and surrounded myself with really great people on my team both personally and professionally. God has been spoiling me rotten for a while, but especially as of late. It feels like a cool culmination of all the things I love.

Sam Crim

You mentioned your family, how supportive are they about you wrestling? 

The No DQ match I had with Matt Cardona in Iowa, I didn’t know it was no disqualification until I showed up to the arena that day. Sometimes you roll with the punches, literally and physically. I was really excited about the match with Sami Callihan in the ECW Arena for that weekend at WrestleCon. I intend to do one or two of those matches a year. It pushed me to my limits and helped me maintain composure in crazy circumstances. I think I handled myself well. What’s exciting about MLW’s Battle Riot is I get to work with a lot of people at the same time, hopefully, unless I’m eliminated quickly. You talk about WrestleMania moments. I’m pretty far from that, but I’m about to have a Battle Riot moment, and that means a lot to me. I’d say my friends are pretty excited. But my wife Amy and agent Ryan are not huge proponents of it although they are trying to be supportive.

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Working on all these projects, did you need to get studio permission to wrestle?

I would rather ask for forgiveness than permission. This match on Saturday is the last match I’ll do while filming The Naked Gun for Paramount. Then I have a little break, and when I wrap for The Naked Gun, I’m going to do a match for The Wrestling Revolver against Danhausen on June 22 and a match for Blitzkrieg Pro in Connecticut where I’ll be tagging with Paul London, my trainer and mentor. Then I head off to Australia in July to film a movie for Amazon and Skydance. I will be starring in that movie with a very reputable actor. I can’t announce it yet, but it’s the kind of film where I won’t be able to wrestle for the duration of that shoot. I might sneak in a class or two or get in the ring somewhere in Sydney, but in general, I will have to step out of the ring for a few months and then return in October and sneak a couple of matches in before the end of the year.

Tell me about your wrestling training. You have been taking this very seriously. 

I really am applying myself as best I can. My wife and I have gotten on this kick where we’ve educated ourselves on the toxins and metals that are in our everyday grooming products and toiletries and food and beverages. A lot of things are making us sick are not germs in teh air but the toxic things we put into our booties without knowing. I’ve been eating a lot more real food, unprocessed. I’m doing high protein and low carb. I feel better drinking a lot more alkaline water and electrolytes. I work out five to six days a week. I get up at about 5:30 in the morning, sometimes earlier.

My wife and I go to a YMCA in Atlanta because it’s very inclusive and has a sauna and pool and daycare center. Then I’m working on my upper body, even as a smaller man at 5-foot-8 ½, 255 pounds. One thing I want to do is get a little Scott Norton in me in that I can be more of a powerful wrestler and be able to pick up a guy who is 300 pounds. I feel really good. I won’t say I was in the best shape of my life. I think that was when I got ready for Black Bird in 2021. I lived with Diamond Dallas Page and did a lot of DDP Yoga workouts. I was probably 240, 245. I’m getting back there and putting in more muscle so I can get back there.

Is there anyone you’re excited about potentially sharing the ring with in the Battle Riot? 

There are a couple of people I’m dreading I don’t want to run into. I think Mads Krügger I like to steer away from it. I don’t want to take any kicks from Bobby Fish or Matt Riddle. It doesn’t seem like a lot of fun. I would like to mix it up with a lot of guys. MLW has a very diverse roster. Looking at who is going to be in the Battle Riot, I would like to mix it up with this web star Chris Danger. I’d love to spar a bit with Bad Dude Tito. I know he is holding the Openwieght belt I have my eyes on. And if I get to slap A.J. Francis, I look forward to that.

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In the wrestling business who has been your go-to’s for support? 

I would say the people who have embraced me the most and taken me under their wing for advice and help would be Paul London, Diamond Dallas Page, Nattie Neidhart, and MJF. Those are the three that come to mind. They’ve embraced me and been kind and encouraged me too saying, “You have something, lean into it and see where you land.”

Has any of the casts you been working with known about what you’re doing with wrestling and become fans as a result? 

Liam Neeson wanted to come to the show this weekend but is a little weary of crowds and doesn’t want to get mobbed. I don’t think he’ll be joining me but watching on YouTube. I have a handful of people who are closeted wrestling fans or lapsed fans. I also have ones that think it’s the goofiest thing in the world. I think more than anything it means a lot to have my wife in the audience, as well as to have my manager Bryan Walsh, who is a wrestling fan, ask me about it and get excited.

What’s your ultimate goal that you want to accomplish in pro wrestling? 

I’m very competitive as an actor. I compete for roles with other names and compete creatively with myself to make something special. In the wrestling world, right now my main goals are to keep growing and learning my craft to become better. My goals are also to not injure myself or my opponents long-term. After that, I would love to hold a title in MLW first and foremost. I would love to traverse into the world of TNA or AEW and do some work there.

There have been discussions in both companies, but nothing has materialized. I would love to have a SummerSlam or WrestleMania moment and do a match there. My dream title as a kid has been the Intercontinental title. Pie in the sky, I want to be an International champion in the next 10 years. A more grounded dream right now would be to compete at a higher level and maybe capture an MLW title. That’s my goal for now.

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Paul Walter Hauser to Compete in Major League Wrestling's 'Battle Riot VI'

Lastly, Cobra Kai’s last season is coming up. Your character Stingray really resonated with people. How do you look back at your time on the show? 

When I was first offered that show, I was told it was a Karate Kid reboot on YouTube. That pitch was like, “Do I want to do this?” Then I watched the first three episodes and was hooked. I was in love with the show very quickly. At the time I was coming off of projects like  I, Tonya, and BlackKklansman. There were a couple of people in my camp who said I didn’t have to do this if I didn’t want to because it was silly. I told them I thought it wasn’t silly. The people behind it were taking it very seriously and elevated it in a way that is kind of surprising. I did it and it paid off hugely.

If I’m going to an airport or shopping mall or wrestling event, it’s what I’m recognized for. I’m really honored to be part of a cinematic universe. I recently was plucked by Marvel for a role in their latest Fantastic Four. Before that, I had never gotten a call from a DC or Marvel to be part of a universe. Nobody was knocking on my door to be in a Ninja Turtles movie. To be part of The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai lore does mean a lot to me. As far as the final season goes, you will definitely see Stingray appear. I won’t say when or how, but you will get a farewell for Stingray.

MLW Battle Riot VI, June 1, 9/8c, YouTube