The former 'Hornswoggle' talks ten years in WWE, being part of D-Generation X with Triple H and Shawn Michaels, winning the WWE Cruiserweight Title, becoming a dad, meeting The Ultimate Warrior and more.
Back in 2014, WWE hosted a very special WeeLC match featuring El Torito (Mascarita Dorada) taking on his arch rival Hornswoggle (Dylan Postl). It was the first time that the tables, ladders and chairs format had been contested by dwarf wrestlers. The match was notable not only for the props – which had been reduced in size to match the proportions of the performers – but also for a hilarious trio of little people who replaced Michael Cole, JBL and Jerry 'The King' Lawler on commentary.
It was one of the many standout moments for Dylan Postl in the WWE, where he performed for a decade (2006– 2016). Now a wrestling veteran at just 37, Dylan is a successful author, vodcaster and wrestling trainer making a success of the next stage of his life.
Dylan joined Ben Veal for episode 025 of the #WrestlingLifePod. Here are some things you might not know about him:
He has an Ultimate Warrior display in his basement: Growing up, Dylan was a huge Ultimate Warrior (Jim Hellwig) fan. As a WWE performer many years later, he was able to meet his hero one night after RAW.
Dylan told the warrior that he was the reason he was in wrestling. It touched the vet who brought his wife over to meet Dylan too. The photo of them together is one of Dylan’s most cherished wrestling possessions and was also, sadly, one of the last photos Warrior took with anyone before his untimely death in 2014.
He sends Fit Finlay father’s day greetings every year: Having started in independent wrestling, Dylan was recommended to WWE by his trainer, Ken Anderson (better known as Mr Kennedy). He was introduced to TV audiences as the demonic leprechaun partner of Northern Irish wrestler Dave “Fit” Finlay. The pair were a successful double act and Dylan was named 2007 Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rookie of the Year (N.B. they still owe him a plaque). Dylan considers Finlay one of his two wrestling dads (ECW legend, Tommy Dreamer – a very different type of wrestler to Fit Finlay – is Dylan’s other wrestling dad).
“He [Finlay] went to bat for me, more than anyone,“ Dylan told Ben. “To make sure I was used correctly. He didn’t want a match on television without me being used in some way.” When Dylan found out he was unexpectedly going to become a father, Finlay was the second person he saw. Finlay reassured Dylan that it would be the best thing that would ever happen to him. Which it was. When Ben asked Dylan what he learned most from Finlay, he replied that it was how to be a father. Dave – himself a second generation wrestler – has two sons, both of whom now also wrestle (David Finlay for New Japan Wrestling and Brogan Finlay in NXT). Dylan has even wrestled David Finlay!
He sacrifices signing time to watch Wrestlemania with his son: Dylan had an incredibly memorable creative run in WWE, with a storyline that he was Vince McMahon’s secret son, a stint as part of the DX stable and WeeLC. He was also the last WWE Cruiserweight Champion. Dylan now loves his new career meeting wrestling fans at events, selling merch and signing his fake name for them. But he gives up 1.5 days of that every year to return home to watch Wrestlemania with his son, Landon. It is very clear that Dylan is a devoted dad. When they went to a wrestling signing and Landon wanted to meet Sting (Steve Borden), Dylan prioritised getting them in a photo together, which is another cherished memento. “If I have learned one thing in this business it’s take the photo,” he said.
He gave his own father the gift of a photo with Ray Liotta: Outside of wrestling, Dylan was one of the stars of the 2014 film, Muppets Most wanted. “Muppets most wanted was the second coolest thing to happen in my life next to being a dad,” Dylan enthused. “Outside of wrestling, growing up my other heroes were the muppets.”
Dylan was invited to the film’s premiere in LA and asked his father to join him. Known for being frugal, Mr Postl senior had to rent a suit for the occasion and borrow some dress shoes from Dylan’s best friend. But they had a blast at the event, meeting Tina Fey, Ty Burrell, Danny Trejo, Ray Liotta and many other stars.
He tells his own students to have little goals: Among his other pursuits Dylan now trains aspiring wrestlers in his home town of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. “I would love to see one of my students make it at some kind of stage. I teach my students to have achievable goals. Don’t have your goal to be in WWE or AEW. There is nothing you can do to control that. You can try your absolute hardest, but if they are not looking for someone like you it’s not going to happen. Then when it doesn’t happen you feel like you haven’t achieved that. So set little goals. I live by setting little goals.”
To find out more about Dylan, Ben recommends his book: Life Is Short & So Am I: My Life Inside, Outside, and Under the Wrestling Ring. You can also check out the Going Postl vodcast over on YouTube.
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About the author: Steve Shepperson-Smith lives in Hertfordshire, England and has a highly successful career in the public relations industry and as a Board member. He has been a wrestling fan for over 30 years and would still like to work in publicity for a wrestling promotion one day. Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, The Rock and Asuka are some of the wrestlers he has most enjoyed watching over the years. His ambition is to attend WrestleMania one day with his kids. In London. Connect with Steve: X | LinkedIn | Instagram
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