TREИDNG PROFILES: AUGUST ARTOIS – THE BAD GUY OF PRO WRESTLING

When you first see August Artois in the ring, you immediately know you’re watching someone different. At the recent KCW event in Derby, I saw him take a guitar to the head, brush it off with a snarl, and then continue to dominate with a mix of brutality, athleticism and razor-sharp wit. From the moment he entered, he tore into the crowd with insults and quick-fire comebacks, feeding off every heckle hurled his way. The man thrives on chaos.

And yet, behind the blood-soaked canvases, the fire-breathing entrances, and the worldwide bookings with promotions like KCW, POW, Target Wrestling and appearances on The WrestlingDood Podcast, lies a performer who knows exactly who he is and what he brings to the table.

“I play fight in tights, but I just happen to be a whole hell of a lot better than everybody else that does it around me,” says Artois, without a shred of hesitation.

Florida Roots, Global Reach

Although he’ll tell you he could succeed anywhere, Artois made the move to Florida, a state he calls “The Mecca for Pro Wrestling.” It’s where legends were made and where he sharpened his craft. And sharpen it he has — taking his unique brand of pain and showmanship across the globe. One of his standout moments? Defending his Full Impact Pro World Heavyweight Championship in Bangkok, Thailand.

Unshaken, Unapologetic

When asked about challenges, Artois shrugs them off:

“I’ll let you know when that happens. I’m not even five years in the business and I’ve yet to run into anything ‘challenging’.”

It’s that mindset — bulletproof, almost reckless — that defines him. He admits openly that he lives on borrowed time:

“I should have been dead 100 times by now. I’m lucky to wake up every day. Tomorrow morning. That’s what’s on my horizon.”

Fire, Blood and Brutality

Scroll through his Instagram and you’ll see it all: fire-breathing stunts, brutal slams, high-flying manoeuvres, and images of his head drenched in blood. It’s wrestling at its most visceral — no polish, no pretence. Just raw performance.

At the Derby show, he proved himself not only a physical force but also a master of crowd control. Every insult lobbed at him from the audience was instantly flipped back with twice the venom. Combine that with his in-ring ability, and you’ve got a performer who makes you love to hate him.

Inspiration and Influence

Artois credits his mother, brother and late coach Francisco Ciatso (R.I.P.) as his main inspirations, along with — interestingly — other people’s failures:

“Seeing people lose helps me stay focused to win.”

It’s a philosophy that keeps him sharp, driven and dangerous.

What He Wants You to Take Away

In classic Artois fashion, he doesn’t sugarcoat his perspective on fans and their reactions:

“I couldn’t give two fucks. Their journey is their journey. I’ll give me every time… What they take away from it is up to them.”

Love him or loathe him, he’s brutally authentic — and that’s why audiences across the world are paying attention.

Where Next for Artois?

Ask him what’s next, and you won’t get the usual talk of championships or dream matches. Instead, he simply answers: “Death. There’s nothing I’m working on. I just let the universe run its course and I hang on tight and enjoy the ride.”

In an industry full of personas, August Artois is as real and raw as they come. A villain in the ring, a rebel in life, and a man carving his own path across the global wrestling scene. If you want to see the chaos unfold, just search his name: August Artois. Real. Raw. #Worldwide