Faraaz Noor, the 22-year-old Faithful from the latest series of BBC's The Traitors, has swapped the castle for the wrestling ring. On June 7, he debuted at PROGRESS Wrestling in Manchester as an ally of Nathan Black, only to turn on him with a cutter reminiscent of Randy Orton's RKO. Speaking exclusively to Metro, Faraaz expressed his desire for more.
A New Challenge
'The feeling was unbelievable, I absolutely loved it,' he said. 'But I want more, I want PROGRESS to let me have Nathan Black one-on-one in Manchester in September.' Nothing is official, but PROGRESS is planning a tour later this year, and Faraaz seeks revenge after Nathan landed a boot to his chest. 'He's getting it for that,' he laughed. 'It wasn't pleasant… I was still a bit sore a couple of days after, but I'm sort of coming out the back end of it now.'
Respecting the Craft
Faraaz emphasized his goal of being taken seriously. 'Fans don't like many outsiders coming in and trying to take the p***,' he said. 'I wanted it to be proper, and I wanted to take it seriously.' He respects the hard work of professional wrestlers, noting the travel and dedication required. 'I'd love to do more, but I couldn't take the mick, because I see how hard the lads work… The travel kills, and obviously I've got other ambitions as well outside of it,' he said, referencing his podcast and presenting commitments.
Wrestling Style Aspirations
While a full-time career isn't on the cards, Faraaz has thought about his wrestling style. 'I'd love to be a high-flyer, but I don't think I've got the capability… I'd love to be a hoss as well, but I definitely don't have the capability, being five-nine and about 65 kilos,' he laughed. 'But I think sort of that explosive action, it'd be good fun. It might be nice getting a few strikes in there since I used to box.' His favorite wrestler growing up was Jeff Hardy, and he hasn't ruled out hitting a Swanton Bomb.
Parallels Between The Traitors and Wrestling
Faraaz sees similarities between the game show and wrestling. 'It's all theatre, it's all a show, but it's funny because you're so immersed in it, it is so real,' he explained. 'When you are there and when you are performing, that is reality.' This mindset helped him handle crowd reactions, including one fan who asked, 'Who the eff are you?' as he made his entrance. 'In the game, I knew that nothing was personal, so it allowed me to think more rationally,' he added.
Future Plans
Faraaz would love to involve some Traitors castmates, with Maz in the 'Paul Heyman role' and Ross as a tag partner. 'It'd have to be Ross,' he smiled. 'I think he's already halfway there! He's sculpted, mate, he's absolute beast! So, I wouldn't mind tagging with Ross, and Maz being the mastermind.' PROGRESS Wrestling tickets are available now.
