1 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Welcome back to w WF Wrestling with Freddy and I 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: have the coolest guest on earth right now, and I 3 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: can't believe we're talking after all this time. Ladies and gentlemen, 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: I don't care what you say. He's a baby face 5 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: and his name is Matt Cardono now stuffing up for 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: the mic of Wrestling with Freddie Freddie Prince June. Yeah, 7 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: what's up, brother? I haven't seen you forever. How the 8 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: hell are you? Yeah, what's up. It's funny because when 9 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: I was searching for this, uh this links we could 10 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: do this, I typed in Freddi Bridence Jr. Is by 11 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: email and I got like the press release that w 12 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: W said all the talent like Freddie Bridce Jr. Joins 13 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: the w W like for like whatever was two thousand eight. Yeah, 14 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: back in the day. Dude, that's insane. That's insane. Bro. 15 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: You gotta clean out that inbox. I know I use 16 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: hotmail still, you know, but I gotta set all the 17 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: dirt in that email. That's why can't get rid of it. Tasty, So, Matt, 18 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: I'm I have never been what I would consider a 19 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: hardcore and I was never educated on the indie scene 20 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 1: of wrestling. But I happen to follow you on social 21 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: media and you left the company, and I know Sam Roberts, 22 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: and he said, have you seen Cardona on g c W? 23 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: And I said, what is g c W? Edge Educate 24 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: me and he starts sending me clips that are crazy right, 25 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: And so I go and I watched an old school 26 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 1: but in the ring, and I'm hooked right away, But 27 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: that's not where I want to go. Like I continue 28 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 1: to watch and it is story based like their actual 29 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: I didn't I don't know. I didn't know if this 30 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: was the norm or if this was something special or 31 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: what And forget the I'll make those shows so unique 32 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: and and it it's just you realize, especially in in 33 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,519 Speaker 1: the pandemic when others have tried it without crowds, just 34 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,800 Speaker 1: how important they are and they care about y'all so much. 35 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: But you guys are telling real stories in and out 36 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: of the ring with this. I have a lot of 37 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 1: listeners who have, probably like me, had never heard of it, 38 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: had never seen it. Will you please get me hip 39 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: to g c W and tell everybody what the hell 40 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: you're doing over there, so I'll try to dumb it down. Um, yeah, 41 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: exactly was ready. I didn't really know what g c 42 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: W was either. Um, I knew it was some sort 43 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: of deathmatch style wrestling, or that's the perception out there. 44 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: When you actually watch it, you realize, yes, there are 45 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: deathmatch wrestling. There's also a great technical wrestling, a lot 46 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: of high flying wrestling. I could bear it to e 47 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: c W back in the day. A lot of people 48 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: think e c W was bled and guts, and yes 49 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: they had that, but they had the storytelling. They had 50 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: incredible in ring action, bell to bell um. So yeah, 51 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: so so people were twee at me with this guy 52 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: Nick Gauge, and yeah, I heard about him. There was 53 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: a dark side of the ring. I couldn't even get 54 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,359 Speaker 1: through the episode. It was so disgusting, you know, I'm like, 55 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: I don't want anything to do with this guy, but 56 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: the tweets kept happening and happening and happening, And I said, well, 57 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: you know, sometimes in wrestling, you gotta give the people 58 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: what they want, right, And I knew this would create 59 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: some buzz. I could have never imagined the buzz it 60 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: did create. It has changed my career, It has changed 61 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: my life. So I knew, okay, I will do this 62 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 1: death match. I'll wrestle this Nick Gauge guy Um and listen. 63 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: I knew there was gonna be some blood. I wore 64 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: all white and like, yeah, it'd be cool if I 65 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: had like a white shirt on. There's some trickles of blood. 66 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: I was pouring, pouring, It was red. I was There 67 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: was like ooze blood ooze coming from my shoulder, and 68 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: the referees like do you want to continue? And when 69 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: this referee is asking me if I want to give 70 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: me he's seen it all. They got me scared, you know, 71 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: because I was covered in so much blood. I didn't 72 00:03:58,320 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: know where the blood was coming from. You know what 73 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: I'm in. There was white tubes and glass and pizza cutters. 74 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: You talking about the fans, Oh my god, they hate 75 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: me there, they hate they hate everything I represent UM 76 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 1: and I love it. I love that because that's so great, 77 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: so great, because for so long I was the the 78 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 1: white meat baby face in w W E. And the 79 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: thing is, I'm continuing to be that because in my mind, 80 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: I am a white meat baby face. How can you 81 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: I'm I'm a diehard fan, live in the dream. How 82 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: could you boo me? Right? And then when I beat 83 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: Nick gauge and won the title. Bro there was insane. 84 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: People were throwing bottles, they were throwing like cans, they 85 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: were throwing pizza cutters at me, which luckily Puerto Rico. 86 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: What's going on? This is Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 87 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: security guards had to escort me out of the building. 88 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: Like that's that makes me scared, you know what I'm saying, 89 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 1: Like I couldn't even celebrate, you know, I couldn't even 90 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: have moment because they're throwing stuff. Any it's there, it 91 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: becomes their moment. Yeah, and and and listen, I have 92 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: since retired from death match wrestling. I am the death 93 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: match King. I have that trademard. I have retired from 94 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 1: death death match wrestling. But that's what makes them hate 95 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 1: me even more because now I come into these shows. 96 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 1: I sam the death match King, but I don't do 97 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: death matthing. I just thrown their king. And uh, it's 98 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 1: been so much money, change my career, change my life, 99 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 1: and it has soballed into all the other promotions that 100 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: I'm working in, where now these fans are starting to 101 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 1: turn on me and boom me. But I don't I 102 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: generally don't understand why. Okay, so I want to deep 103 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 1: dive on something because when Roberts got me into g 104 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 1: c W, and I saw this, like vict real hatred 105 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: for you, and you're such a good solid dude man, 106 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: Like we weren't like best friends or anything, but I'm 107 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: a good enough judge of character to be like, Yo, 108 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: that's a good solid guy. And I've never heard anybody 109 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: say a bad word about you ever. So I was 110 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: sitting there and I was watching with some of my 111 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: wrestling nerd friends and McCauley was there, Culkin was there, 112 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:11,679 Speaker 1: who you've met back in the day, and he goes 113 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:13,599 Speaker 1: and we both kind of said at the same time, 114 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 1: I said, you know what I think it is, and 115 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: it's not it's the it's the g CW thing and 116 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 1: what you just described as what it is. But where 117 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: our brains at that moment where he said it's because 118 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:29,919 Speaker 1: he was such a relatable guy and all like the 119 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: like the guys that need like John McClain die Hard 120 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 1: as their hero, like he can represent that. And then 121 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 1: he got the girl that no John McClain could ever get. 122 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: And they saw a lot of themselves in Cardona and 123 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: they know they can't ever get a girl like that, 124 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: so they hate him even more, and we convinced ourselves 125 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: that there was this hate of like, well, I could 126 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 1: never get a girl that good, so screw in man boom. 127 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: That's what we sealed on. And that's what I'm playing 128 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: too as well, because I'm a die hard fan, just 129 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: like all these people watching. Right, I'm such a die 130 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 1: hard fan that I wanted to be a wrestler. Right, 131 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: I still collect the figures, you know what I'm saying. 132 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,119 Speaker 1: So I am. I am just as much as a mark, 133 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: you know, as these guys, except I'm successful, I have 134 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: a hot wife, I look like a million bucks. And 135 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: that's and that's why they hate me. And I I 136 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 1: love the hatred. I don't you know, listen, I know 137 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: it's two I understand you know, the business has changed. 138 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,679 Speaker 1: But I want to be the bad guy. I want 139 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: to be he like I want not that I want, 140 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: you know, I don't come out there and and just 141 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: I don't want them to to hate me, but then 142 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: secretly like me, you know, I want them to really 143 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: hate me. Yeah. I don't want to you know, them 144 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: to make gifts or or whatever it's called my cool moves. 145 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: I don't want, like Dave Melson to write reviews about 146 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: me like five star matches. I want to be the 147 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 1: most hated person in wrestling. So check this out, man, 148 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: because you and just have a small and full of 149 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: others have and art always does this, right, are always 150 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: moves in circles. You've brought it back to the old days, 151 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: right where you want that hatred. You're desiring that hatred 152 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: because that's good business for everybody, right, But you're having 153 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: to do it in a world where there is no 154 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: longer a curtain on the business of wrestling. But you 155 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: and like I said, a very small handful of people 156 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: are committing to that in very different ways. I'll say 157 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 1: their names do like I see m JF do that 158 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: a little bit in a e W. And then on 159 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: the complete opposite end of the spectrum, somehow Xavier Woods 160 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: was able to live his character be a baby Now 161 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: it only works as a baby face, but he's able 162 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: to live that character and be that presence on and 163 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: off camera. Let's just talk about the three of you, 164 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: like that sort of triumvirate. I see this as sort 165 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: of a wheel turning back to the old days, which 166 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 1: then becomes a rebirth of this art. And I call 167 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 1: it art met because it's the literal and you just 168 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: experienced this, the literal blood, sweat and tears on a literal, 169 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: actual canvas. It's the very definition of art. And I 170 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 1: see it going back to this old school way and 171 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: it makes me excited for it. Are you feeling that too? 172 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:27,320 Speaker 1: As now you're literally the most over indie wrestler in 173 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 1: North America, like you have to be. It's it's an 174 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,560 Speaker 1: incredible feeling. And you know when I when I signed 175 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: up to this GCW thing, when I did that Nick 176 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: Gauge match, it was gonna be uh. It was a 177 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: three three deal, a three appearance deal. I was gonna 178 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: come in lay him out, had the match, and then 179 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 1: lose the title. That that was that was the plan, right, 180 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: But we had so much buzz Like that night when 181 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: I beat Nick Gauge with the title. We were competing 182 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: against Olympics and UFC and we were trending number one 183 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: over both of those things. Pretty crazy for an independent 184 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: wrestling show, you know what I'm saying. That's so great. 185 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: So I became, you know, a member of the roster 186 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 1: doing I don't do every single show, but I do 187 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: a lot of the shows, right, And I would have 188 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: never imagined when when was that match July? That in 189 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: January we'd be selling out the Hammerstein Ballroom, which is 190 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 1: incredible with no matches announced. And you know, I don't 191 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: want to take of the credit. I do want some 192 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: of it, but it's the whole roster, and it's the 193 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: die hard fans that support that roster um and then 194 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: of course we have to deliver, right Hammerstein Ballroom sold out, 195 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: and man, like you talk about art, like I was 196 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: planning this, this this entrance. I was planning like who 197 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 1: I would have like run in. I was planning every 198 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: little detail and it just worked perfectly, And it was like, 199 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: I don't want to say my favorite match I've ever had, 200 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: but it has to be in the top three. And 201 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 1: even now just thinking about it, I have goose bumps 202 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: and like just sometimes I don't know if I necessarily 203 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 1: believe in fate, right, but I remember, like my mom, 204 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: I wanted her to come because I knew how special 205 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: this would be um and she said, well, she only knows. 206 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: She doesn't watch wrestling, right, she knows j c W. 207 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: She knows that death match. She saw the pictures of 208 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: the video. She was gout to life, so she she 209 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: made me promise there would be no blood. I'm like, mom, listening, 210 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 1: this is not a death match thing. Me and Joey, 211 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: We're gonna tell a story in there. There's not gonna 212 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:21,719 Speaker 1: be any blood. Of course. I break my nose like 213 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: five minutes and blood just like ouizing out of my nose. 214 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:27,079 Speaker 1: Joe Joel hits me with the steel chair. Now there's 215 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 1: blood dripping from the back of my head. I'm like, 216 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: hoh shit, she's gonna be pissed. You know, are you? 217 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: And is here? Like talk? My mom's out here. I 218 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: was like I could just tell like and I knew 219 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 1: exactly where she was too. But it's it's been so 220 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: much fun. Like listen, not everything I do is going 221 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: to be a success, of course not. I'm going to fail. 222 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: And that's how you learn this, how you grow right. 223 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: And it's just so much fun having this opportunity to 224 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: create um because all I've ever wanted was an opportunity 225 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:58,199 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna run with it. I'm gonna try to 226 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 1: make this as big as possible. I'm trying into uh, 227 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,200 Speaker 1: I'm trying to prove that you don't necessarily need to 228 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 1: be in W W E or a W to be 229 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 1: a successful pro wrestler because now look, there's podcast, there's 230 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: only side things you can do. I think the days 231 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 1: of just independent wrestling being like a step down. I 232 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:28,319 Speaker 1: think those days are about to end. There's a tremendous 233 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 1: movement right now. You know, a lot of people on 234 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: social media see what's going on with with the major 235 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: with the major brands, and they say wrestling is over. 236 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: And I remember doing a podcast as a guest and 237 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: I'm saying, you know, the state of wrestling is is 238 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,199 Speaker 1: pretty rough. And I said, what are you talking about? 239 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,719 Speaker 1: I said, the state of wrestling. This is gonna be 240 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: like the French would say, the rent, the renaissance, the 241 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: rebirth of wrestling, because opportunity, money comes from everywhere. Now 242 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 1: with all these streaming services, you can find a deal 243 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: here and there. People are willing to give you a 244 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 1: couple of years to faye as a brand and then 245 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:04,839 Speaker 1: try to find the right way the business model within that. 246 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: I think there's going to be this beautiful resurgence. And 247 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: look what happened to you when you put yourself in 248 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: one uncomfortable situation as an artist like and I was 249 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 1: so afraid of that as a young actor, dude like 250 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 1: once I stepped out of my comfort zone, I was 251 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: just like, this is gonna suck. I have no idea 252 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: like that. Dad, It's not a room if it's not 253 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: two pretty people struggling to be together for ninety minutes. 254 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:31,079 Speaker 1: I didn't know, you know what I mean? Like, I 255 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: was scared. And the first time I did it, my 256 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: acting everything changed, dude, And all of a sudden, I 257 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 1: wasn't trying anymore. I was just acting. I was like, 258 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: oh my god, it's I was thirty when it happened. 259 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: I was like, oh my god, I wasted ten years 260 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: of my life, like being afraid. And to see you 261 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: say that I didn't know about like doing this death 262 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 1: match with this guy whose videos I saw it looks 263 00:13:56,200 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 1: like he he was in Dante's Inferno. So to do 264 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: that and come out on the other end A changed artists. 265 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: This sort of like you go through fire to be reborn. Dude. 266 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: You like the Phoenix. Bro, You're like Geene Gray from 267 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: The Excellent Man. Like, it's so sick to see what 268 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: you're doing. Man, I you're it literally makes it made. 269 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: I'll put it to you this way, and it's and 270 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: you are a credit for this. I called my accountant 271 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: after watching this g c W and you're what made 272 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: me watch g c W. And I said, I want 273 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: to start an indie wrestling federation in California. And he said, 274 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: you're insane. You can't. You can't do that. You're gonna 275 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: lose money. I said, I don't care. I want to 276 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: have enough for two years. He goes, and you have 277 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: to go get a job. So I took a job 278 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: with Netflix and I didn't move me in New York. 279 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 1: I started putting money away and I told a couple 280 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: of my friends who are are successful, and they were like, yo, 281 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: whatever you put in, I'll match it and we'll fail 282 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: for two years. That if everyone hates it that two years, 283 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: then we're screwed. Whatever we failed doing something we love 284 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 1: and if not, it's gonna be awesome. I was like, dude, 285 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 1: I'm in. So I'm literally on that train right now 286 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 1: to build up the coin purse, the wrestling coin purse, 287 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 1: and to do it. And it's all because of watching 288 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: what you did there and to hear you say I 289 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: was like, I didn't know if I should do this, 290 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: and then see where you're at now, like that doubt 291 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 1: that I had is completely freaking gone, and it's why 292 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 1: I wanted to have you on the podcast. But to 293 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: hear you break it down like that is such a 294 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: That's what you have to do to make it man, 295 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: like you have to step out of that comfort zone, 296 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: get off the treadmill and see what the actual road 297 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: feels like sometimes and it sucks. There's rocks and and 298 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: potholes and this, and the city doesn't take care of 299 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: their streets. But man, every once in a while, you 300 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: can kind of find yourself. And I really feel like 301 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: you have. Dude, I absolutely agree with you. I do 302 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: feel like I found myself. And I say, you know, 303 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: I try to be funny when I say w w 304 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 1: WE was my developmental and I don't mean that as 305 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: a shot. I don't. That's not a negative statement. I 306 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: learned so much from w W and what I learned 307 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: I'm now applying here on the independent scene. And I 308 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: really feel like I found myself in was my favorite 309 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 1: year um of my career, which is incredible to say, 310 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: because you know, like some people they get fired from 311 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: w E. Not some people, most people, and they disappear, 312 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 1: they they they they you know, fall into obscurity. And 313 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: I don't I say this all the time too. I 314 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: wasn't trying. I didn't have a chip on my shoulder, 315 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 1: I wasn't bitter. I didn't want to, you know, prove 316 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 1: w W wrong, you know, like I wanted to prove 317 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: myself right and my fans right, who stuck by me 318 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: this whole time. I really feel like I have and 319 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: that's what keeps me going, uh, proving people right. And 320 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: if I get some haters, some doubters to join me, 321 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: glad to have you. This isn't about you. This isn't 322 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: about proving people wrong, or trying to get back to 323 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: do or trying to get the a W. No, this 324 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 1: is about trying to create like my legacy, you know. 325 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: And I say this also, there's so many people in 326 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: this business. How many wrestlers are there out there, so many? 327 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: How many of them have been haunted out I have 328 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 1: come back more times than me zero zero. And that's 329 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 1: the thing. I am the cockroach of the pro wrestling business. 330 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 1: I will not die. And if this, if this run fails, 331 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:12,399 Speaker 1: guess what I'm gonna come back in ten years. I 332 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,679 Speaker 1: don't know. I'm gonna keep coming back because I love 333 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:16,880 Speaker 1: this business too damn much. It's just you know, I 334 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 1: wasn't born into this business. I don't want to say 335 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 1: it's in my blood, but it's in my blood. I 336 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: love it. I don't know why. It's a it's a 337 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: it's my addiction. It's what what fuels me every single day. Dude, 338 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: you were this way when I when I met you, 339 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: when you would be backstage before you would go out, 340 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 1: and and it was a tag team and then, and 341 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 1: tag team wrestling has always kind of suffered in w 342 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 1: w E because there and they told me this philosophy, 343 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: I'm paying four guys for one match, so the commitment 344 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,479 Speaker 1: was never there as much as it was with singles. 345 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: But I would see how I almost cussed, why you're alive? 346 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: Because but I would see how fucking hyped you would 347 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,120 Speaker 1: be back there right before you would go out, and 348 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,640 Speaker 1: it was legit, man, Like, it wasn't just so here's 349 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: another night at the office. It was his other night 350 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 1: at the office. Let's go. And I would see that 351 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: that excitement existed then. And you were a young dog 352 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: back then, man, a young dog. I don't even think 353 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 1: you had the beard. I think you were a clean 354 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:15,159 Speaker 1: shaving baby. Yeah, yeah, I mean when I wasn't, I 355 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 1: got so that was probably, man, I must have been 356 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 1: like four then, because I got signed to the w 357 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: B in two thousand and six when I was twenty 358 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: and then I got on the main roster when I 359 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: was twenty two, so I must have been like twenty 360 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: four when we when we were together, Yeah, man, I 361 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 1: remember we would do the like the promo class. You 362 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:39,240 Speaker 1: guys would re enact scenes, and I remember one time, 363 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: were you there? I think you were there when Cina 364 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: like walked in and just like sat in the middle 365 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:46,640 Speaker 1: of the class. Were you in there for that one? 366 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 1: I don't think I was there for that one. You 367 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:51,199 Speaker 1: were there for one where something crazy happened and you 368 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:53,879 Speaker 1: were the one that said, oh it was Were you 369 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:59,239 Speaker 1: there when Big Show did the pul fiction speech there 370 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:01,719 Speaker 1: was two damn lawn going. I'm forty five going on 371 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 1: a hundred years old, but I just remember seeing all 372 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 1: you young gunners in there, and you were the first 373 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 1: ones that came in, like you were the group that 374 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: really put it over. And when you guys all went 375 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 1: back to the locker room and didn't shoot all over it, 376 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: it's no for real, man. It really it helped develop 377 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:22,160 Speaker 1: that class, and it helped some other people start to 378 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: to find themselves as well, who I think probably wouldn't 379 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,439 Speaker 1: have come had that first group not stayed loyal and 380 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: uh and stayed in there. But to see the ultimate 381 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 1: like to use your words, white meat baby face. Not 382 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: a hair on your cheeks, not a hair on your chin. 383 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 1: You probably had the arms shaved up nice, probably had 384 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: the legs I mean not, I mean it was ultimate 385 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: baby face. They put you in kind of a heelish 386 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,439 Speaker 1: tag team and then they had you with edge for 387 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:56,719 Speaker 1: a while, and then to see that grow from what 388 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: it was, and it served its purpose, and like you said, 389 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 1: it was developmental, And I would equate it to a 390 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: lot of my older movies that I did if I 391 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: knowing what I know now and how to apply it. 392 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:10,679 Speaker 1: I sometimes look back and I think about how we 393 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: do scenes differently, right, because because I've seen my myself grow, 394 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: I'm I'm self aware enough to acknowledge that right. So 395 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: to hear you discuss it as your developmental, I don't 396 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 1: see that as a shot at all. It helped you 397 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 1: become the man you are today. Those things help shape 398 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: and define who we are as artists, who we are 399 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: as dudes, who we are as if if I had 400 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: your wife on here who she is as a woman, 401 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, Like, it's all those trials 402 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:43,120 Speaker 1: and tribulations, successes and failures. If we're self aware enough 403 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: help us kind of blossom. And I feel like you're 404 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: just now starting to hit your peak, your prime. A 405 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: decade into the business plus a decade plus. Oh yeah, 406 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 1: I mean it's crazy to think. I mean, I started 407 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:58,639 Speaker 1: training in two thousand three. I'm not really good at 408 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: mat that my likes me. I mean, it's it's wild. 409 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: And you know, when I got released from w w 410 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: E two years ago, it's kind of that a crossroads 411 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: because my my contract was about to be up and 412 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: I didn't know if I had wanted to stay. Listen, 413 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,159 Speaker 1: I had my story speaks for herself, a lot of 414 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 1: highs and lows, the highs of highs, the lows of lows, 415 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:22,920 Speaker 1: which is fine. Not everyone is gonna be the chosen one. 416 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:25,679 Speaker 1: That's that's absolutely cool. But I didn't know if I 417 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 1: wanted to stay, and it was the anxiety was eating 418 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: at me for a whole year because I had been 419 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 1: offered a contract the year before, and I had spent 420 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 1: the whole year negotiating and thinking what do I want 421 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: to do. What do I want to do? Well, they 422 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: made the decision for me right essentially, and it was listen, 423 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: I needed that. That was my sign. Okay, let's go, 424 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,440 Speaker 1: let's hit the ground running. Um. But we were living 425 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:48,439 Speaker 1: in this global pandemic. I mean we still are, but 426 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,360 Speaker 1: this is like it had just started. Everything was shut down. 427 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: I couldn't go do indies. I couldn't wrestle. So luckily 428 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: I had this major wrestling for your podcast I do 429 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 1: with with Brian Myers Kurt Hawkins, and that kept us afloat. 430 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 1: But even I didn't I didn't want to wrestle when 431 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:04,560 Speaker 1: the indie started opening up in front of like ten 432 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:07,360 Speaker 1: people wearing masks and like maybe I get COVID, maybe 433 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:09,159 Speaker 1: I don't, and like it's just that's not how I 434 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,800 Speaker 1: want to come back to wrestling. You know what I'm saying. Listen, 435 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: everything happens for a reason, right, And and I'm in 436 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: the spot I am now because I took every situation 437 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: and did what I thought was best to go to 438 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 1: the next move, you know, and some sometimes I made 439 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: the wrong decision, but it got me here, so it 440 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: ended up being the right decision, if that makes sense. 441 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 1: I want us to close out. I want to talk 442 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:41,360 Speaker 1: about your podcast, and I want us to nerd out 443 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 1: a little bit. So do it? So the action figure 444 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:50,439 Speaker 1: collectible World, yes, which I am not a part of, 445 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:52,680 Speaker 1: although I do collect miniatures for like D and D 446 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: and stuff like that. Right, So I guess I'm on 447 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 1: the same boat. But I mean, that's that's that's pretty dirty, right. 448 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:01,639 Speaker 1: There's I mean, we all Freddy Krueger Doll behind me. 449 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: He's like, I guess that's pretty nerdy. So my first 450 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 1: exposure to w w E Action figures was through Karen Culkin. 451 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: Have you met Kieran before? I believe I have, like 452 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: backstage at a show. You guys didn't know this about 453 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 1: each other or you would be best friends today, all right? 454 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 1: So I go over to his apartment, um, just to 455 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:29,399 Speaker 1: hang over, like play video games or something, right, And 456 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 1: this is before I even worked in the company in 457 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: w w E. And we go into this room that's 458 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: his game room, and there's w w E Action figures everywhere, 459 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 1: at least at least a thousand, and I go to 460 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:43,640 Speaker 1: there's I go, there's got to be like a thousand 461 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 1: ww action figures here. He goes, oh, that's nothing. And 462 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: he opens this closet up just behind this huge pilot 463 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: toys and it's thousands and thousands and thousands of wrestling 464 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 1: action figures from the eighties nineties. Like, I mean, I've 465 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: never seen anything like this before. And I go, I go, dude, 466 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: holy holy sh it. I go, how many do you have? 467 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 1: He goes, I don't know, man, over ten thousand pieces. 468 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: And I'm like, you gotta be kidding me. So this 469 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: story like exists in the ether for a couple of years, right, 470 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: And he has this girlfriend and we all go out 471 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: to dinner and Karen and I go to the bathroom 472 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: and my wife Sarah and his girl. I'm gonna leave 473 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: her nameless. Um, they're talking at the table. We come back, 474 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 1: dinners over, we all say good night, and Sarah and 475 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 1: I walked home and uh, she goes, Hey, you need 476 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 1: to call You need to call here. And I go, 477 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:37,879 Speaker 1: what do you mean? And she goes, you need to 478 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 1: call him and tell him to break up with this girl. 479 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 1: Right away. I was like, I go, here, choking, what 480 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:43,679 Speaker 1: I'm gonna call him to. He's gonna be mad at me. 481 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: She goes, no, she goes. The first thing she said was, hey, 482 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: does Freddy like collect toys and stuff like that, and 483 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: Sarah goes, no, he collects masks, like luchador masks, and 484 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 1: she goes, oh, god, wrestling, And Sarah goes, what's what's 485 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: the problem with wrestling? And she goes, Karen, us like 486 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: ten thousand toys and I have to figure out a 487 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: way to get rid of them. And once she said that, 488 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:06,919 Speaker 1: she's gotta go. You gotta gotta called cure and I 489 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 1: was like, yo, man, Sarah says, you gotta drop this girl. 490 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 1: She wants to get rid of all your wrestling minutes, 491 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: I'm shoot you not. Forty eight hours later, he was 492 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 1: a single man. He's now he's now successfully married, he's 493 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 1: got a baby. She loves his toys. She's fringe. Her 494 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 1: name is Jazz. She's amazing and she's super cool. And 495 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 1: you guys would be great friends. And he may be 496 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 1: one of the dudes. I'm not gonna say this confirm it, 497 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 1: but he may be one of the dudes in the 498 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: indie wrestling brand out here. So you guys would have 499 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:35,879 Speaker 1: to hang no matter what, man, you gotta connect us 500 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: for sure. I'd love to have him on the podcast 501 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 1: and talk figures and so yeah, man, tell me about 502 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,160 Speaker 1: this podcast and how it took off in your passion 503 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:44,160 Speaker 1: for this and you're just turning it into this talking 504 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:46,680 Speaker 1: about it. So I'll give you the long story short. 505 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: You know, as a kid, of course, I played with 506 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: the wrestling figures. I loved it. I would create what 507 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 1: I call like figure feds. You know, I'd be the 508 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: book playing with these toys. I'd keep the title histories, 509 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:01,680 Speaker 1: write storylines. Um. And then when you're in high school, 510 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 1: it's not cool to collect toys. It's just not I 511 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: still I still did you know. I would collect them 512 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 1: through my youngest brother. I would go to toys r 513 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:12,199 Speaker 1: us and hunt them down. And I'd asked for a 514 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 1: gift for seat the counter because I with the cashier 515 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 1: thinking I was buying it for myself. I was embarrassed. Um. 516 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,159 Speaker 1: And then when I met Brian Myers Curtawkins in wrestling 517 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: school in two thousand and three, at first he was 518 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 1: my competition. We just signed up to wrestling school with 519 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: the same age, looked the same. I hated this guy, 520 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 1: right because I don't want to be a tag team. 521 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 1: And then somehow we found out we both collected the 522 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,160 Speaker 1: wrestling figures and that broke the ice. Weasibly became best friends. 523 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 1: End up the tag partners go to w B together. 524 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 1: But the locker room back then, Freddie, you know, there's 525 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:43,920 Speaker 1: no way. There's no way I could have walked into 526 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:47,159 Speaker 1: a w w E locker room with like Undertaker, J 527 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 1: B L, Hardcore Holly, with the figures I just got 528 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 1: on the road from like Target. They would have kicked 529 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: the locker rooms ship in my bag. No fucking way. 530 00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:00,040 Speaker 1: But you know, I tell us a lot the the 531 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: the environment backstage has changed. I'm not saying for better 532 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:05,400 Speaker 1: or worse, but it's because it's a new generation of wrestlers. 533 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,119 Speaker 1: Like I grew up on the ice cream bars, you know, 534 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 1: the wrestling buddies, the toys. Undertaker was that he wasn't 535 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:13,400 Speaker 1: chasing after the ice cream man for a w ice 536 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 1: cream bar, So we can't he can't relate to that. 537 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:19,120 Speaker 1: I don't blame him. He can't relate to that. Um. 538 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: So you know, while we were in w w E, Listen, 539 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,680 Speaker 1: we're texting every day about wrestling figures. Are on the 540 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,199 Speaker 1: road searching for wrestling figures. I said, why don't we 541 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,439 Speaker 1: just do a podcast about wrestling figures? There's so many podcasts. 542 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:33,400 Speaker 1: They're about wrestling, but why don't we do about wrestling figures? 543 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: You know? And took some convincing and eventually he decided 544 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:38,959 Speaker 1: to do with me and we started the Major Wrestling 545 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 1: Figure Podcast. Um. We were in w W E the time, 546 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:44,960 Speaker 1: so I I, I'm not gonna get into this, but 547 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 1: I had new from other situations I had been in. 548 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:51,200 Speaker 1: We cannot call this this Act Wryder Kurt Hawkins show 549 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 1: because they'll own it, they'll take it, blah blah. So 550 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: we're using our real names, being very careful tiptoe around 551 00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 1: like intellectual property and trademarks and stuff like that. And 552 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:01,879 Speaker 1: thank god we did it that way because when we 553 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:04,639 Speaker 1: got fired, it was still ours Because if it was 554 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 1: the Zack and Current gone, oh my gosh, it's that 555 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 1: room there is so wild to me, man, they're gonna 556 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:16,439 Speaker 1: they're gonna kill up, up, down down that is just 557 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 1: gonna destroy that. And what they built there was super cool. 558 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 1: As a gamer, I loved it. Um. I even d 559 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,679 Speaker 1: m their third season for talking about nerds. I was 560 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:31,000 Speaker 1: their dungeon master for season three then talking trash on you. Um. 561 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: But yeah, I hope that they I hope they start 562 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 1: to figure out the future of business. And I mean, 563 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 1: if college players are allowed to do this, now professional 564 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: wrestlers and an independent contractors should certainly be able to 565 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: exactly at least got to be a happy medium in there, right. 566 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: And then you know, when we got released from w B, 567 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:53,720 Speaker 1: like I said, the middle of the pandemic, all we 568 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 1: have left is this podcast and we're thinking, oh, ship, 569 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: we're screwed here too, because who's gonna be buying collectibles 570 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 1: in the middle a global pandemic turns out everybody? Everybody? 571 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: So our podcast like blew up. It was like the 572 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 1: complete opposite of what we thought because people wanted to 573 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: they wanted to find some happy moments, they wanted to 574 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 1: relive some happy memories. I say this a lot to 575 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: like with with these wrestling figures, you can recreate these 576 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: childhood memories or create moments that didn't happen. For instance, 577 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: like Christmas, all I wanted was one to three kid. 578 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 1: I didn't get it. It devastated me. It ruined my Christmas. 579 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 1: But now, as a thirty six year old man, I 580 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: go on eBay. You know, I'm paying a thousand bucks, 581 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: but I'm getting that figure mint in package, and I'm 582 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 1: like creating a moment that I never had. It's it's 583 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 1: it's the closest thing to being in Delaurea and go 584 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: back to the future. It's the closest thing, you know, 585 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: because you can, you know, either relive your childhood moments 586 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 1: or create ones that you never had. And that's why 587 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:55,640 Speaker 1: I think, um, the wrestling figure fans and not just 588 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:59,240 Speaker 1: wrestling your fans, anyone who collects toys or collectibles, that's 589 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: what they're doing it for. And nostalgia. Yes, of course, 590 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 1: sometimes you can flip it make some money. That's not 591 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 1: why I do it. Have I made some money before, Yes, 592 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: of course, sometimes I buy things to sell, but ninety 593 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:12,520 Speaker 1: a time because I want it, uh you know, I 594 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 1: want it on display and a lot of the things 595 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 1: like here and it's just in my closet or in 596 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 1: my garage. It's just it's like out of at of fomo. 597 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: I can't. They've got you, dude, they got their hooks 598 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 1: in you. That's like kids today with micro transactions in 599 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 1: video games. They're like, I gotta get that other outfit 600 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: that my children try me crazy with it. I'm telling you, 601 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: I'm like, you're not even gonna like it. In a week. 602 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: You can't physically touch it, you can't grant it, you 603 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:41,880 Speaker 1: can't hold it. That's one of the cool things with collectibles, 604 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 1: you know, is you can feel it. You can do 605 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 1: I still put on my stupid luchador masks bro like 606 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 1: the first one I got was in Puerto Rico with 607 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: my grandma, and I still have the mask. I don't 608 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: let anybody touch it because it's old and beat down. 609 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 1: The only thing that's not original and it still is 610 00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 1: the lace. I ended up putting a Converse shoelace in 611 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:02,480 Speaker 1: the back because the other one got afraid and tore up. 612 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:05,640 Speaker 1: But so I have my dorky stuff for sure. To um, 613 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:09,360 Speaker 1: where can everybody listen to the podcast? Wherever you find 614 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 1: your podcast? Major Wrestling for your podcast. We have a 615 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 1: YouTube channel too where we going like figure hunts. We 616 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 1: do figure reviews, really really nerdy stuff. I think that's 617 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 1: awesome and I love how many wrestlers are actually big 618 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: show plays, dungeons and dragons. Listen, everyone's a nerd. Everyone 619 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 1: collects something or is into something that not everyone else 620 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 1: is into. And I think, you know, we're just trying 621 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 1: to break that stigma that like you don't have to 622 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 1: be ashamed to collect a certain thing or like a 623 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 1: certain thing. Like those days are over. Let's end all 624 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:40,880 Speaker 1: that bs. You know, dude, you're first of all, you're 625 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 1: so cool for doing this, but you're just so freaking 626 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 1: cool man like brother, thank you so much for doing this. 627 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 1: Where can everybody reach? On social media? You're really good 628 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 1: follow at the mac car don't on Twitter and Instagram. 629 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: I post a lot because uh, I gotta make people 630 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 1: know who I am. I don't care if I post 631 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: too much. So you're great on there and you interact 632 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 1: with people. That's right man the creator creator of it. 633 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:06,480 Speaker 1: So thank you for being a part of the show. 634 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: Thanks everybody for listening. This has been a production of 635 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 1: I Hearts Michael podcast Network. For more podcasts for my 636 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 1: Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 637 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Yeah,