1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to. 2 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 2: Around. 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: This is a pro wrestling podcast with a hinge of 4 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 1: pop culture joint Battle in Eli as they break down 5 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: the world of professional wrestling and you never know who's 6 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: gonna stop Buy now making their way to the microphone, 7 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,319 Speaker 1: give it up for the greatest podcast Tack team in 8 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: the World, Battle and Ela. 9 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 3: So it's Friday, which you know what that means right. 10 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 3: It is interview Day on the Battleground podcast. This is 11 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,639 Speaker 3: it podcast where we talk about wrestling. I am your 12 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 3: host Battle along with my tag team partner. 13 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 2: This is Eli Yo, and It's Friday. What's Up? 14 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 3: This is an exciting show because this is something that 15 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 3: has kind of been in the works for the past 16 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 3: several months. 17 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 4: We went to an event that was in town. Was 18 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 4: it at the Star Palace? Was that the play or 19 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 4: Nashville Palace? 20 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 3: Nashville Palace, and Cody Roads was there doing a cigar thing. 21 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 3: And then this is kind of before ae W started 22 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:10,759 Speaker 3: kind of being a w. 23 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 5: Yeah, they had announced it, but they had an I 24 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 5: think it was in April, so I think it was 25 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 5: before double or nothing. 26 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 3: So we had a conversation talk with Cody about wanting 27 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:21,759 Speaker 3: to get him on the podcast, and then of course 28 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 3: some things happened and there was they had to make 29 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 3: some big announcements and signings and belts and all this 30 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 3: other stuff. 31 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 2: But just build a company from the ground up. 32 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 4: Build a company from the ground up. 33 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:32,320 Speaker 3: So it's like, yeah, we're not gonna worry about the 34 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 3: podcast at the moment, right, no big deal. But I 35 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 3: gotta say, like, this is gonna be the biggest show 36 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 3: of the year for us. Right now, I'm trying not 37 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 3: to mark out because we have Wrestling Royalty on the 38 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:46,559 Speaker 3: phone with us. We'll just say the man, the myth, 39 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 3: the legend, Cody Rhoads is on the phone. 40 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 4: Man, what's going on? 41 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 6: Not a whole lot before before we came on the air, 42 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:57,559 Speaker 6: I had saw you guys, my mask got character, and 43 00:01:57,640 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 6: I want to I want to read, I want to 44 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 6: re up on it. I want your audience to tell 45 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 6: me how they feel about a giant dinosaur mascot with 46 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 6: dynamite on his head or back if we call it 47 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 6: Dino Mike. 48 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,679 Speaker 3: I'm telling you, like like we said earlier, I will 49 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 3: be the first person to pre order this as soon 50 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 3: as I see that pop up in my Instagram fee 51 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 3: when aw posts it out. 52 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 6: Thank you, my friend. 53 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 5: So the kind of the the main objective of this 54 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 5: this interview. You know, we definitely want to talk about 55 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 5: the present stuff. You know, we don't really want to 56 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 5: hark on, you know, your past stuff which you've never 57 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 5: really shot away from. But you know, this is a 58 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 5: really exciting time for your you know, your career personally, 59 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 5: what you're creating around you. I mean, it's really really 60 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 5: awesome one thing to kind of start with that, though 61 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 5: a lot's changed in five years obviously. Uh So, you know, 62 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 5: just to take it back for a minute, twenty fourteen, 63 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 5: you were in the midst of the Stardust run. You know, 64 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 5: it was about two years before where we left WWE. 65 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,639 Speaker 5: Do you remember what your goals and ambitions were at 66 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,399 Speaker 5: that time compared to obviously to where you are now. 67 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 6: I think, because and this may sound strange, but I think, 68 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 6: because I had staved my money during the time with WB, 69 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 6: it was really a goal of like mental happiness. It 70 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:23,359 Speaker 6: wasn't necessarily a goal of of I need to make 71 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 6: X amount or I need to get a contract elsewhere 72 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 6: or grow my brand. It was genuinely I just wanted 73 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 6: some mental happiness. My father had passed away. I think 74 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 6: the year prior, you know, a few months prior, you 75 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 6: have those real life issues. I didn't want to have 76 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 6: issues at work. I didn't want to really play politics anymore. 77 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 6: It all seemed rather superficial that the main objective at 78 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 6: that point was to get out and do what makes 79 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 6: me happy, and what made me happy was what I 80 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 6: ultimately would go do, which was get a run of 81 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 6: indies under my else cherry pick the best independence, be 82 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 6: able to design my own merchandise, do some shows I 83 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 6: never thought I'd be part of like rest of Kingdom, uh, 84 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 6: things of that nature, and ended up being very rewarding 85 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 6: for many reasons. 86 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 5: Kind of kind of piggybacking off that, you know, your 87 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,919 Speaker 5: your dad is considered one of the greatest minds in 88 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 5: professional wrestling history. And now since you've kind of I mean, 89 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 5: you're starting a company from the ground up. I mean, 90 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 5: have you always been creative? I mean, were you always 91 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 5: you know, making things when you're a kid, or were 92 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 5: you just you know, just an athlete And then this 93 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 5: kind of bug hits you later in life, like what's 94 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 5: your creative you know process? 95 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 2: Has it always been a little bit of both? 96 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 3: Bro? 97 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 6: Did you not hear the dinosaur a bit. 98 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:53,840 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm floored. I mean, that's gold really, I you. 99 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 6: Know, I actually think I did have a little bit 100 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 6: of a creative phone. I think it's one of the 101 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 6: things that I shared in common. It was my dad 102 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 6: because I didn't get the curly hair, I didn't get 103 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 6: really any of his athleticism. I kind of had to 104 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 6: work for everything really hard when it came to athletics 105 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 6: and learning in the ring where it does depicted right 106 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 6: up I was. I mean, I'm still a slow learner. 107 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 6: I am thirty four years old heading into the best 108 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,359 Speaker 6: matches a time in my career. But I've been doing 109 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 6: this on TV since I was twenty, so I'm a 110 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 6: slow learner on the physical side of our industry. But 111 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 6: I always did have a creative link to Dusty, and 112 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 6: I'm glad I'm able to kind of express it and 113 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 6: get that bone working. 114 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 3: Our guest on the phone with us right now, Cody 115 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 3: Rhodes is hanging out with us. As you all know, 116 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,039 Speaker 3: AW is coming to Nashville and November, and of course 117 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 3: we'll have some information for you on that. You know, 118 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 3: kind of just sticking with a little bit in the 119 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 3: past for just a second, you know, I'm sure there 120 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 3: was frustrations throughout the end of the run, and you 121 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 3: could kind of tell on like on screen and maybe 122 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 3: on social media. But when did you like know, without 123 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 3: a shadow of doubt it was time to you know 124 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 3: leave the big company. And was there one defining moment 125 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:10,239 Speaker 3: or was it just all the factors kind of hitting 126 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 3: over time that you're just like, I'm done. 127 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 6: Well, it's kind of like a myriad of factors. But 128 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,479 Speaker 6: there were two particular moments. One that I've never really 129 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 6: shared with people because it's such a sounds like the 130 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 6: just billy thing, but it was important to me. And 131 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 6: then one which I you know, wrote about and publicized 132 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 6: in my statement when I left the company, about being 133 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 6: in you know, Greensboro in the same locker room that 134 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 6: Rick and Dusty and Arn had gotten ready for Star 135 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 6: Kaden and having been putting on the startup suit, just 136 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,679 Speaker 6: feeling so disconnected from it all. But there was also 137 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 6: a moment where the Royal Rubble where aj Styles debut, 138 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 6: I was, you know, you always want to maximize your minutes, 139 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:54,599 Speaker 6: as Jim Ross would say, and you always want to 140 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 6: get the most out of your spot. I was really 141 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 6: doing a lot with various talents that had a bunch 142 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 6: of cool creative stuff going on in the ring, and 143 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 6: I actually shot away from my interest and that's like you're, 144 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 6: you know, ninety seconds to shine when it comes to 145 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 6: the rumbles. Yeah, they shot away from my interest to 146 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 6: shoot some sort of couple that was happening on the floor. 147 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 6: I think it evolved ray why. And it was just 148 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 6: kind of a sobering reminder that at the time the 149 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 6: Startus character had become completely expendable and collapsible. And I'm 150 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 6: not putting any blame on them in that regard. It 151 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 6: was just a fact at the time that it was 152 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 6: not super valuable. And that was a big one because 153 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 6: I watched the show back, I watched the rubble back. 154 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 6: I always watch every paper feedback, and it was a 155 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 6: kind of a big buzzkill for me. But it was 156 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,679 Speaker 6: all stuff I needed. I needed to know that I 157 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 6: needed to leave, I needed to know that I needed 158 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 6: to work harder, all that stuff, and it was it 159 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 6: was the right kick in the ass for me at 160 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 6: the right time, right. 161 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 5: So I mean, basically, if you were if you had 162 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 5: that top spot at that time, probably wouldn't be having 163 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 5: the same conversation, right now right. 164 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 6: Yeah, we were in you know, I know, I'm sure 165 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 6: you understand how the multiverse works, different realities vibrating on 166 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 6: different frequencies. If there was one where I was the 167 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 6: top individual WW, then they're likely wouldn't even be in 168 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 6: AW at this moment, or maybe the bucks that Tony 169 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 6: would have got the AW in a different way. But 170 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 6: the good thing, the good thing is that it happened 171 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 6: the way it happened where I took my lass, I 172 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 6: took that l and turn it around into the situation 173 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 6: where now and I'm I mean, I'm excited to becoming 174 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 6: a nationale the city, you know, rich with wrestling. 175 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, well, I like the little connection to the multiverse 176 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 5: since your on Arrow and all that. That was a good, 177 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 5: good connection there there you go. 178 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 2: So, you know, I don't remember exactly. 179 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 5: You know, it felt like to me that it was 180 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 5: almost immediately after you announced you were leaving w B 181 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 5: that you were kind of paired up with impact, And 182 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 5: you know, I started seeing the vignettes, you know, pretty regularly, 183 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 5: and you know you did hit the indies, you you 184 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 5: wrestled in East Tennessee. I know a bunch of time, 185 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 5: well not a bunch of times but I know you 186 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 5: and Matt Cross, you know, did some matches up there, 187 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,839 Speaker 5: but the big thing, it just seemed like, Okay, Cody's gone, 188 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 5: He's going to Impact. That seemed like the natural conclusion, 189 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:25,679 Speaker 5: and you did some stuff with him, but it was 190 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:27,559 Speaker 5: only like a five or six month thing. 191 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 2: Was that always the plan or was it one of 192 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 2: It was more of like. 193 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 5: A handshake agreement, and then just as things evolved, you 194 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 5: went into other things. 195 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 6: I have no ill feelings towards the Impact, but I 196 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 6: wish they had never said I remember they put out 197 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 6: a boast thing I had like. 198 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 2: Dime, because that's that's what I thought. 199 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 6: Yeah. Yeah. Over the course of the month that you 200 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 6: saw me on Impact, I actually only did two days, 201 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 6: which you ended up being seven shows. Us two day 202 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 6: got you. And the only reason I did it was 203 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 6: I wanted Brandy was really interested in wrestling Mike and Maria, 204 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 6: which was so much fun. I'm glad we got to 205 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 6: do it. I think they're I think they're great people. 206 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 6: Uh And I actually really liked the production and everyone 207 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 6: was nice. But at the time they were going through 208 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 6: management changes and I was I was not settling anywhere. 209 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 6: I wasn't settling down. So it was kind of a 210 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:27,959 Speaker 6: this leading thing, which is you know, we say it 211 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 6: is my fault, but I enjoyed the time. But it 212 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 6: was much more rewarding to be out there on these 213 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 6: independent levels because I went everywhere, because you're able to 214 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 6: actually do these meet and greets, which are as important 215 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 6: to the show as the actual matches, where you can 216 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 6: reach across the table and meet the people that for 217 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:49,560 Speaker 6: years and years and years, in my case, ten years, 218 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 6: I hadn't been able to genuinely interact with and learn 219 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 6: what they liked, what they didn't like, and perhaps what 220 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 6: I could do to make them fans as we bold 221 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 6: a future. 222 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you mentioned the whole meet and greet aspect, 223 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 3: and like you know, growing up, I was at the 224 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 3: big wrestling fan so it was at Bridge, Dominesscuent all 225 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 3: this stuff. You never had the option to like go 226 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 3: before the match and meet your favorite wrestler. It was 227 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 3: you had to kind of wade out back to where 228 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 3: the buses were the trucks and hope to get a 229 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 3: glimpse of, you know, your favorite wrestler, just I mean hopes, 230 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,319 Speaker 3: but I mean now, it's like when we did the 231 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:25,680 Speaker 3: thing a couple months back, with the cigar thing, like me, 232 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 3: you and Eli, we kind of just sat there and 233 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 3: just talked for a little bit and getting to hang out. 234 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 3: And that's something you don't see back in the day, 235 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,559 Speaker 3: but now it's it's a new thing for everything, and 236 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 3: it's it's an awesome moment. 237 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 6: Yeah, there's something that ROH does really really well is 238 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 6: their meet and greet system, and it was something I 239 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 6: loved so much actually how I really got to know 240 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 6: Matt Nick because one of my character one of the 241 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 6: things that I feel like I could always judge someone's 242 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 6: character pretty barely is by how they handle a meet 243 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 6: and greet, how they handle an interaction with a fan 244 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 6: or even a critic. And Matt Dick handle it so beautifully. 245 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 6: Then that's something we really bonded over, I know, with 246 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 6: our with aw we've got a great cheap berchandising and 247 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 6: marketing officer data Matthew, who shares the same she wants 248 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:15,439 Speaker 6: the same thing. She wants us to be able to 249 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 6: continue to meet and greets and and give you our 250 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,239 Speaker 6: best stuff with them, and that's always a great conversation. 251 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 6: And almost everyone who's on top in the current aaw 252 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 6: world is somebody who's saying, oh, I'll. 253 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 3: Be there for that, right, And you know you kind 254 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 3: of you mentioned Ring of Honor and you were a 255 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:34,959 Speaker 3: part of Ring of Honor for a little over two years. 256 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 3: When did the discussion about you becoming World champ happen? Like, 257 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 3: what did it mean to hold that belt? 258 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 6: Oh? That's just huge. Uh, I got the opportunity and 259 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 6: it's a belt itself, the physical belt. That's the best 260 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 6: manifestation of the Ring of Honor belt. Uh. It was 261 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 6: my wife's birthday. It was a Bowell mass. It was 262 00:12:57,360 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 6: the first time I'd ever been to create the actual 263 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 6: World Champions by a major company, and I got to 264 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 6: rustle Christopher Daniels. So, I mean perfect storm, culmination of 265 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 6: of of wonderful events that led to it. I think 266 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 6: they had started that conversation unbeknownst to me around the 267 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 6: time I came into for Final Battle with Jay Lethal, 268 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,719 Speaker 6: just because sometimes it's best to go with the momentum 269 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 6: and the path of least resistance. And I had a 270 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 6: lot of fans sentiments. I had a lot of fans 271 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 6: who were jumping on board with me, and they they struck. 272 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,200 Speaker 6: They struck with that Christopher Daniels, I'm sure made that call, 273 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 6: uh being such kind of an honorable and a whole 274 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 6: school style wrestler. So I was. I was honored to 275 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 6: have it. I treated it like gold, I was. I 276 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 6: was sad when I lost it. I was sad that 277 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 6: I didn't get to physically wear the dow belt. I 278 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 6: carried it to the ring in Hammerstein ballroom, but never 279 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 6: actually put it around my waist. Dalton Castle as the 280 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 6: ninety one the title. But yeah, that was a really 281 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 6: special I mean, I say like, yeah, it was really special. 282 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 6: It was really cool. But I mean to a wrestler, 283 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 6: being the world champion is everything so right? It's no, 284 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 6: It's not lost on me how important it was, you know. 285 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 3: And one cool thing that I kind of took away 286 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 3: from that is you did something different with a championship. 287 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 3: It wasn't a belt, you had the ring. Where did 288 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 3: I guess that idea come from? Because you don't really 289 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 3: see that very often. 290 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 6: Well, the ring is a great case of a character 291 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 6: idea that slightly backfires. I thought it would be incredibly 292 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 6: condescending and rude and all these things, you know, the 293 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 6: farious to ask people to kiss my ring. But it's 294 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 6: not unlike when I was putting paper bags on people's faces. 295 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 6: People liked it. Yeah, so I had a lot of 296 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 6: a lot of people enjoyed it. And it was just 297 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 6: a lot of pomp and circumstance, the belt, the belt action, 298 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 6: which is so important, especially with Ring of hon her. 299 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 6: I think when people saw me they got kind of 300 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 6: a release from that. You're going to see some of 301 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 6: the best dressing in the world. You're at a Ring 302 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:10,440 Speaker 6: of Honor shows. But when I when I would come out, 303 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 6: I think I provided a little bit more, a little 304 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 6: bit more sizzle, a little bit more, you know, Shakespeare 305 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 6: and the ring was a way of doing that. I'll 306 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 6: tell you I still don't have the ring because I 307 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 6: gave it to stick all this part of the all 308 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 6: in arrangement and have a gun. Literally either lost it 309 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 6: or just doesn't want to tell me where it is. Yeah, 310 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 6: he never gave it back to me. You know, he 311 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 6: lost it, doesn't want to say anything. 312 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 3: He is in Nashville now, and of course you're going 313 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 3: to be in Nashville in November, so. 314 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 2: We could maybe organize the piece. 315 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 6: He needs to He needs to bring that sucker to 316 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 6: the building. Man like Nick, he's a sweet guy athlete. 317 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was. 318 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 5: I was at the Ring of Honor show the TV 319 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 5: tapings last year in Nashville, and you had it and 320 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:00,120 Speaker 5: there was actually some some guy beside me that had 321 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 5: made his own little homemade one. So when you came out, 322 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 5: he's like, yeah, so yeah, I think I can kind 323 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 5: of see how you're you know, kind of getting that 324 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 5: regal and you know about about down and kiss the ring. 325 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 2: But people were like, oh, this is awesome. 326 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 6: So any bit of interaction the wonderful thing at the 327 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 6: talent and as fan, so I love. 328 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 2: Doing it nice. 329 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 5: The other big thing you've done post w W, and 330 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 5: then I guess pre aw was your you know, your 331 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 5: time with New Japan. Uh, you actually won the id 332 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 5: W GP US title obviously had a very successful run 333 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 5: over there one time. 334 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 2: I think you had that and the nw A world 335 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 2: title at the. 336 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 5: Same time, so you were obviously just racking up What 337 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 5: was it What was your experience like working in Japan? 338 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 5: And was that something you'd always wanted to do or 339 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 5: was that just kind of like a new goal post. 340 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 6: W W, I had always wanted to go and actually 341 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 6: watched New Japan. I had not really considered working there 342 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:00,080 Speaker 6: at the time. I was with with WWE and a 343 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 6: WW guy. I just wanted to watch because I had 344 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 6: such good memories as a child from when my dad 345 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 6: would go over and talk about the you know, the 346 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 6: mini coke cans or the just amount of respect or 347 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 6: the young lions. The culture is is completely different, and 348 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 6: it's it's different in such a positive way. The respect 349 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:27,639 Speaker 6: that fans have and the way the industry is seen 350 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 6: and perceived is different. So it's very challenging to go 351 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 6: over as as a wrestler and adapt to that or 352 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 6: provide something new to look at. And it was just 353 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 6: an amazing experience. Ever, the New Jaman show that I 354 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 6: was part of, I wish I could always done more, 355 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 6: but I came in a kind of more of a drop. 356 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 6: It to be the ITWGP United States WA Champion, the 357 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 6: biggest belt physically, biggest belt until I saw the aw 358 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,959 Speaker 6: World title that I ever had my hands going damn 359 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:05,359 Speaker 6: just time fly Man. There was a point where I 360 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 6: was old, found the gold and that bell and it 361 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 6: just felt like it wasn't gonna end. There was a 362 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 6: collection going on, Yeah I was. I loved it. A 363 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 6: lot of a lot of respect for what news you 364 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 6: Ban has been able to accomplish as far as being 365 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 6: the number one brand in Japan and their expansion here 366 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:22,439 Speaker 6: into the West. 367 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:29,240 Speaker 5: Yeah, you mentioned h Nick Altis earlier, and I was 368 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:33,640 Speaker 5: at all In last year and your match with him 369 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,439 Speaker 5: was my match of the year. I mean just the 370 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 5: match itself, the build up, how it kind of felt like, 371 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 5: you know, I think you might have said it or 372 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 5: I've just read it somewhere in the press about it 373 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 5: was almost like an old school heavyweight boxing match. And 374 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 5: just the build up, I mean it was, I mean 375 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 5: probably as close to a perfect build as you can get, 376 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 5: in my opinion that I've seen in probably you know, 377 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,360 Speaker 5: twenty thirty years. 378 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 2: How did how did that match come to be included 379 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 2: in all at the All In card? You know, when 380 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:07,640 Speaker 2: did you know you were actually gonna go over? 381 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 5: And then of course obviously what did it mean to 382 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 5: hold the same belt that that Dusty did? 383 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 6: Well, that was something that kind of came in the 384 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 6: process of me Matt Nick going over the idea of 385 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:22,359 Speaker 6: what is all In look like? You know, what, what 386 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 6: does it really look like? If Uga Wressell? Who? And 387 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 6: when you have the you have all the cards. You know, 388 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 6: we had the ability to source from Ring of Honor, 389 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:35,120 Speaker 6: from Nutabro Wrestling from every under the Sun. We were 390 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 6: really creating our own, our own show for the first 391 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 6: time ever, so all the boys in the sandbox. It 392 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 6: just kind of was a combination. I thought it was 393 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 6: a good idea, and then I saw Ten Pounds of Gold, 394 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 6: the series that Dave Logana produces and I do. Then 395 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 6: it was a good idea. Yeah, the nw A title 396 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,720 Speaker 6: is a great hook. This great to add to a 397 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:05,679 Speaker 6: wrestling show, but it means even more for me. It 398 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 6: almost felt sar indipitent. Nick Kolevis said that about all 399 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 6: In and he was very right. Everything's not felt serendipitit 400 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 6: that that I would be wrestling for the NWA World 401 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,119 Speaker 6: title title that I thought I'd never even physically see, 402 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 6: and here it is back in circulation. To be one 403 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 6: of the first father's son world champions or in a 404 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 6: champions ever just seemed like it was too good to 405 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 6: be true. Plus, it was a match that I wanted 406 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 6: to I wanted to diversify the whole card, and it 407 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 6: was a very different old school heavyweight style match, which 408 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 6: was challenging for me to do and but vastly different 409 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 6: from the rest of the card. So I was I 410 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 6: was I was all in on the NW a very 411 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 6: early on in the process of it, and I was 412 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:55,400 Speaker 6: glad it was the very first match out. 413 00:20:56,280 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 5: Do you remember what was going through your mind? I mean, 414 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 5: as soon as the bell hit, you and him kind 415 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 5: of had to stare off, and then it was just 416 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:10,640 Speaker 5: a sea of noise, just clapping. I mean, it's one 417 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 5: of those you know, you always you know, people kind 418 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 5: of equate it to you. You're always looking for that 419 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 5: WrestleMania moment, and you know when when those things hit. 420 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 2: I mean that to me, that was the moment of 421 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 2: that came. 422 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 6: It was. I know that when we went to kind 423 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 6: of post produced ten pounds of goal. I made sure 424 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 6: that they captured at the beginning of that match, as 425 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 6: you're saying, and let people just hear it, let people feel. 426 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 6: It wasn't anything that I was expecting. You always want 427 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 6: to go in thinking, oh, it'll be into it. M M. 428 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 6: They're there for this. I wasn't expecting it, but I was. 429 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:45,880 Speaker 6: I was very aware, and I had been doing this 430 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 6: long enough, and I've been in enough high profile matches 431 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:54,160 Speaker 6: and situations like a Mania or even high profile angles 432 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 6: and scenarios with a Monday Night roll. I knew enough 433 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 6: in my mind to let it because you're not going 434 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 6: to get this every week. You can be as cocky 435 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 6: as hell, but in your heart, you know you're not 436 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 6: going to get this every week. You may never get 437 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 6: it again. Yeah, So I wanted to. I wanted to 438 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 6: take it in and Nick was, and Yeah, being able 439 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 6: to look into his eyes and to feel his sense 440 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 6: of wow, there's a there's a wait here, there's a 441 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 6: weight to this. That's the biggest reward for a pro wrestler. 442 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 6: It's the actual response to the fans. I love critical reviews, 443 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 6: and I'm not critical of them, but but nothing matters 444 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 6: more than the actual review in the house, the noise 445 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 6: in the building. It's Tully Blanchard say loudest, the longest. 446 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, it was. It was goosebumps. I mean, I can't 447 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 5: even it's hard to explain to people how loud it 448 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:44,199 Speaker 5: was when that hit. 449 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 2: I mean it was. 450 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 5: It was probably one of the coolest, you know, things 451 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:50,120 Speaker 5: I've seen at a live wrestling event. 452 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:50,959 Speaker 2: It was, it was awesome. 453 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,639 Speaker 6: You know, glad you liked it. 454 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 4: It's such an awesome thing to just see. 455 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 3: It's a great time to be a wrestling fan right 456 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 3: now because there's so many options choose from. But I 457 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 3: want to know this, like, was all in the moment 458 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 3: ae W came to fruition, And if not, when did 459 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,360 Speaker 3: the idea officially come about saying Okay, this is it, 460 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 3: let's go. 461 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:14,919 Speaker 6: It wasn't all in because at all In when it 462 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:18,159 Speaker 6: was over and we had kind of been validated, you know, 463 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 6: we had made big claims that there was a market 464 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 6: out there for us, and people said there wasn't we 465 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 6: prove them wrong. It was when all In was over, 466 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 6: it was more about let's do a sequel, Let's go 467 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 6: double or nothing, Let's do a sequel to this show 468 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:35,120 Speaker 6: on how we do it. We'll figure out later. It 469 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 6: wasn't until Tony Kah entered the scene. And I mean 470 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 6: it just takes a quick google on Tony to understand 471 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 6: the level of professional and the acumen he has the 472 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 6: business and sports world. So when Matt took that first 473 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 6: call from Tony, it changed things very much, and it 474 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 6: just happened to be the perfect storm of free agency. 475 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:04,120 Speaker 6: Everyone's contracts ending on January first, Everyone's contracts it should 476 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 6: There hasn't been anything like this in a while, or 477 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,159 Speaker 6: maybe ever, And there were some of you who have 478 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 6: ben been so well, they'll just go to W to B. 479 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 6: They're all going to go to W to B, myself included. 480 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:18,120 Speaker 6: And when this was presented to us, the big thing 481 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:20,159 Speaker 6: that we wanted to know is we'll be able to 482 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 6: shape this well, this will this be our vision like 483 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 6: all in was, or will this just be taking a check? 484 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 6: And Tony Kahn has been an absolute star in terms 485 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 6: of letting us shape this to our vision, add his 486 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:38,679 Speaker 6: knowledge to it all as a massive super fan and 487 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 6: and kind of just overall sports genius. And that's that's 488 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 6: where we ended up once once those January free agency 489 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:49,959 Speaker 6: roles rolled about and we saw how the storm was brewing. 490 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 6: And that was right then when we realized that the 491 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 6: company it was very real. And even today, you know, 492 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:59,919 Speaker 6: days like today we're Dynamite. The name Dynamite is you know, 493 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 6: put out there for the universe and things of that nature. 494 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 6: Every day there's something more that makes you go, man, 495 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,359 Speaker 6: this is real. This is actually happening, and it's a 496 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,919 Speaker 6: good time. There's never going to be a first, you know, 497 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 6: or another first, like we're heading into October second with 498 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:20,480 Speaker 6: aw Dynamite on DC. So I want to sit. 499 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:22,719 Speaker 3: Back and enjoy it, all right, and we're kind of, 500 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 3: you know, kind of let's fast forward to we're going 501 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:28,399 Speaker 3: to the opening night TV taping, and there was an 502 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:31,639 Speaker 3: announcement that happened on social media about the next pay 503 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 3: per view it's going to be you and Jericho for 504 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 3: the title, and of course a lot of people on 505 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 3: social media started flipping out because it was like, you know, 506 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,560 Speaker 3: they thought different things, but you've since came back and said, 507 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 3: you know, things could change between now and then, and 508 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 3: you know, Sammy could beat you, and it could be 509 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 3: Sammy versus Jericho. What do you say to fans who 510 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,399 Speaker 3: are worried that this could end up being like WCW 511 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 3: ninety seven, with like the outsiders in Hogan running the 512 00:25:57,840 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 3: show behind the scenes. 513 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 6: WW ninety seven was pretty good. 514 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 2: Man, that's true. 515 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 6: I mean I may be wrong on my years, no, 516 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:11,480 Speaker 6: but I don't think the business of the business is 517 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 6: an entertaining as the actual show presented in front of 518 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:19,159 Speaker 6: me a lot right now. All I totally don't mind it, 519 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,640 Speaker 6: and I don't get it. I mean, I understand it 520 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,639 Speaker 6: when people discuss the business of the business, all of 521 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 6: their EVP is this that, But once the show starts 522 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 6: that's what we want to be judged for. I want 523 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:33,199 Speaker 6: to be judged for the picture we're painting. Can I 524 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:36,399 Speaker 6: get in this process? There's no prerequisite other than the 525 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 6: pay per views we've done to compare to. But Dynamite 526 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 6: is unlike anything that's currently on TV wrestling wise, so 527 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 6: it's there is nothing comparable other than the fact that 528 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 6: there's a ring in the center of an arena. So 529 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 6: I don't mind it. I understand where it comes from. 530 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:56,639 Speaker 6: But I think we have enough self awareness amongst the group. 531 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:00,399 Speaker 6: There's not a delusional one amongst the core that swing 532 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:04,199 Speaker 6: this together. Check get balance ourselves as we move forward. 533 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:06,439 Speaker 6: That's what we owe to the audience. Some people have 534 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 6: waited eighteen twenty years for this alternative product. We can't. 535 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 6: We can't let egos or our ambition heat that alive. 536 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:20,240 Speaker 5: Right, So the picture is the main objective, not individual 537 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 5: egos and stuff. 538 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 6: Yeah, No, I think. I think once the show starts 539 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 6: its way, I'd rather people tell me, Hey, I didn't 540 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:30,159 Speaker 6: like this match or I love this match, versus the 541 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:35,199 Speaker 6: concerns behind the business of the business. That's that's not 542 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:37,360 Speaker 6: I don't know, that's not how I am as a fan. 543 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:40,360 Speaker 6: I have no interest in all the behind the scenes 544 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 6: elements of the modern Star Wars movies. For example, I 545 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 6: go see the movies and if they're really good, high 546 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 6: tweet this was a really good movie. If it wasn't, 547 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,439 Speaker 6: it wasn't, you know, Like I just the business of 548 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:53,439 Speaker 6: the business is going to be very entertaining for a 549 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 6: very long time unless you present them more entertaining products. 550 00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 6: And that's our job, right. 551 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,879 Speaker 5: Well, this will, uh, this will kind of circle back 552 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 5: to the first question. You know, we talked about your 553 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 5: goals and where you were five years ago. Where do 554 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 5: you see yourself in aw, five years from. 555 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:16,200 Speaker 6: Now, white out there you go, it's gonna be uh, 556 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 6: it's gonna be the president five years five years from now. 557 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:24,919 Speaker 6: I honestly would say I would hope that Dynamite has 558 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 6: really cemented itself as a staple in in everybody's TV lineup. 559 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 6: I would hope that the Big four pay per views, uh, well, 560 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:37,760 Speaker 6: we'll only have three at this point, but ultimately the 561 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 6: Big four pay per views really stand out as a 562 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 6: as a come together event for fans and friends and 563 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 6: families alike. And I would hope that the revenue for 564 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 6: the industry is up all around because, like they say 565 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 6: about the rising Tide, it means a lot. Obviously, a 566 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 6: wrestled means a lot of wrestling fans. It means a 567 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 6: lot to wrestlers. To know that you could raise the 568 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 6: pay floor, that you can provide a better quality of 569 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 6: life for wrestlers, it's going to only create a better product. 570 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 6: So one of the biggest mission pieces we have here 571 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 6: is provide better quality life for our wrestlers with one 572 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 6: show a week. That should be very easy and very 573 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:23,120 Speaker 6: something we hope to accomplish. So I ope, aw Dynamite 574 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:25,720 Speaker 6: is a big picture of everyone's TV. 575 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 5: Schedule nice And I mean it's kind of hard to 576 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:33,440 Speaker 5: predict this obviously, but do you have do you have 577 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 5: an end goal for you when you're going to stop 578 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 5: wrestling and just go more behind the scenes or is 579 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:40,200 Speaker 5: it more of a you know, you'll. 580 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 2: Just play it by hear. 581 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 6: I have said for many years that I was going 582 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:49,080 Speaker 6: to stop bell the bell wrestling around for forty and 583 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 6: that would that would leave me a little shy a 584 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 6: six years to get where I'd like to get, and 585 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 6: I might need a little bit more time. So who 586 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 6: knows that if I continue to train and do the work, 587 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 6: maybe I can compete past forty, but right now forty 588 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 6: is still kind of being goal for me as a 589 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 6: pro wrestler. 590 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 3: I do got to say that it's literally an honor 591 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 3: to have you on the phone with us right now, 592 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 3: and I know your time is precious, so we're going 593 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 3: to kind of wrap it up at the moment. 594 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 4: But Nashville AEW. We've been asking for. 595 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 3: It every time when you would say, hey, when's where 596 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 3: should AEW come next, and every time I would comment 597 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 3: to Nashville, and you literally answered my prayers. 598 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 4: We are super pumped for AWW in. 599 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 6: Nashville, well, very very excited. It's going to be a 600 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 6: great show. It to the historic building and at Nashville. Man, 601 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 6: nobody knows the wrestling like Tennessee, so I'm looking forward 602 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 6: to being there again, looking forward to it very much. 603 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 4: Awesome and we're looking forward to it. 604 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 3: And the studio doors wide open, so come November when 605 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 3: you're in Nashville, anybody and everybody on the roster is 606 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 3: welcome to come in and awesome. 607 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 4: Thank you, my friends, thank you sir, and we'll see 608 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 4: you in November. 609 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:56,479 Speaker 6: See you then. We hope you enjoyed this week's episode 610 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 6: of Battleground make sure you give it five stars and 611 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 6: leave a nice review. If you want to stay up 612 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 6: to date, follow them at Battleground Podcast on Instagram,