1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Battleground Podcast. 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:06,279 Speaker 2: Podcast. 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: You'll night for all and exclusive interviews with some of 4 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: your favorite wrestlers. 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 3: Podcast stop here, what's up you guys? Welcome back into 6 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 3: iHeartRadio's official wrestling podcast, the Battleground Podcast, And man, it 7 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 3: is a fun week here on the show. Of course 8 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 3: you've got a e W Beach Break that is this 9 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 3: Wednesday night, eight seventh Central on TBS, and of course 10 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 3: you could stream it on Max. 11 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 2: And today we have joining us on the show. Is 12 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 2: no stranger this show. 13 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 3: We can consider him a friend because he's been on 14 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 3: here multiple times. A lot has changed the last time 15 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 3: he's been on. But uh, let's make some noise with 16 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 3: the Walking Weapon Josh Alexander's show. Yeah, so let's let's 17 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 3: just kind of dive right into this. I know you've 18 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 3: been making the media rounds and I know recently you 19 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 3: said back in twenty nineteen that you reached out to 20 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 3: the Young Bucks about joining AW, but timing wasn't right. 21 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 3: Fast forward twenty twenty five, you're now all elite. How 22 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 3: do you feel to be finally a part of AW 23 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 3: after that initial interaction, I. 24 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,680 Speaker 1: Mean, it feels justified, you know, it feels like a 25 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: full circle moment, but like I don't want people like 26 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: see these headlines pop up and people read into this stuff. 27 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: Like it was like you know what I mean, it 28 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,040 Speaker 1: was a big shutdown all this stuff. It was like 29 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: this was like the the like before the start of AW. 30 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: This is when there was just like murmurs in like alleyways, 31 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: this thing possibly happening, right, and I just kicked the 32 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: tires on it. 33 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 2: And like in all fairness when they said not right now, 34 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 2: I was like, yeah, I get it. 35 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: Like I'm a guy that's been locked in Canada basically 36 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: for five years, done some big independence here or there. 37 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: You know, I need to build my name and then 38 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: you know, I had a few things come along and 39 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: I ended up choosing TNA at the time. And you know, 40 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: I built my name up over six years there well 41 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: enough to where now I'm an asset coming in aw 42 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: So like in my old age, you know, I think 43 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: I'm a little bit wiser and I realized that everything 44 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: happens for a reason, and uh, you know it's all 45 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: come around the way it should it. 46 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, and now now you're you're repping that that you 47 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 3: know that AW right there on your hat and it's 48 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 3: and it's an awesome thing, especially when we heard the 49 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 3: rumors is Josh gonna show up at aw and all 50 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 3: this other stuff, and then perfect timing, it happened for 51 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 3: you and now here we are sitting here thinking about it. 52 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 3: The Owen Hart Cup a tournament with massive legacy. When 53 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 3: you think of Canadian wrestling, obviously you talk about Owen Heart. 54 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 3: We've had these conversations before. What does it mean for 55 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 3: you to represent Canadian wrestling in an event that honors 56 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 3: such an icon such as Owen Hart. 57 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: I mean, I think I correct me if I'm wrong, 58 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: but I think I was the only Canadian in that 59 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: tournament this year. Yeah, and you know it's not something 60 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: I take lately. I take a lot of pride in 61 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: being a Canadian wrestler, and more importantly than that, you know, 62 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 1: over the past twenty years and especially these past like 63 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: five to ten, really kind of you know, representing the 64 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: Canadian indie scene and all the wrestlers that come from 65 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: up here. Because for me coming up so difficult to 66 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 1: get noticed and all that stuff. So if I can 67 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 1: get out there, build my name and then bring my 68 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 1: name back to the Canadian scene so that it gets 69 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: some more eyes on the guys because we have so 70 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: many talented men and women wrestling here in Canada right now, 71 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: and we have for you know, decades, it's just, you know, 72 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: for whatever reason, it's hard to get noticed. So if 73 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: I can go out there and represent and do it 74 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: in the Owen Heart Tournament, you know that that's something 75 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: that means a great deal to me because you know, 76 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: I grew up a kid, you know, idolizing Brett Owen, 77 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: Edge Christian, all these guys that you know, we're on 78 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: my television when I was you know, a child or 79 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: a tine and you know they say Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 80 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: I'm like, that guy's like my neighbor, even though it's 81 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: you know, a five hour flight away. 82 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 4: Or you know, so you've held gold everywhere, you know, 83 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 4: all over the globe. Literally, what does the initial like? 84 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 4: How does how does this a How does the start 85 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 4: of this run maybe feel different from your other runs? 86 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 4: Like do you just kind of have like maybe there's 87 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 4: some momentum behind you or just like you kind of 88 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 4: feel like it's right around the corner whatever that goal 89 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 4: may be. 90 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: Well, you know, when I started, you know, TNA, I 91 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 1: was a relative unknown for you know, the bulk of 92 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: wrestling fans throughout the world unless they've watched you know, 93 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: a little bit of PDBG, a little bit of a 94 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,119 Speaker 1: ring of honor. You know where I had popped up before, 95 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: Now I think, you know, in the worldwide, you know, 96 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: scene of pro wrestling. I've built my name up enough 97 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: to where you know, I showed up at AW in 98 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 1: that tournament and there was a hell of a pop 99 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 1: on my entrance. So you know, people people were, you know, 100 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 1: I was a recognizable name enough. And now I'm coming 101 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: in and you know, I've already established myself. I do 102 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: have to reintroduce myself to some AW fans that might 103 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: not know me, but it's far easier now if the 104 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: experience I have, you know, wrestling on television for the 105 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 1: past six years coming in, so I think I have 106 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: a leg up on a lot of people in that respect, 107 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: and you know, being thrown in the mix with you 108 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: know a lot of top guys right off the hop 109 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: and you know, I'm. 110 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 2: I'm ready for it and I'm hungry for it, and 111 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 2: that's exactly what I want. 112 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 4: Absolutely, Yeah, for sure. 113 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 3: You know one thing that a lot of US fans 114 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 3: were not expecting, was you aligning with Don Kalis, especially 115 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 3: after the beginnings of Maple Leaf Pro and everything that 116 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 3: took place in that first event. But what was that 117 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 3: turning point for you that made the aligance make sense? Okay, 118 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 3: maybe I shouldn't have said what I said back then 119 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 3: about Don at that thing. Let me align with him. 120 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 4: Now, you also faced to Ketsch at the first MLP event, 121 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 4: So a lot of kind of head scratching going on. 122 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 1: Well, you know, more than welcome to face to Kesha 123 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: any day of the week, even now as a member 124 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: of the Don Kallis family, because iron sharpens iron. You're 125 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: talking about one of the very best in the world. Yeah, 126 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: when it comes to Don, you know, no stranger to Don. 127 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: We work together in the past, you know, in CNA 128 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 1: and stuff, and he's you know, he's an acquired taste, 129 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: I'll say that, but he is a genius when it 130 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 1: comes to pro wrestling and coming into a new landscape, 131 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 1: you know, aw, you know, a lot of people are 132 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:23,719 Speaker 1: already established, a lot of people already in their groups 133 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 1: and stuff like that. I realized that I needed to 134 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: join forces with some people, you know, to really get ahead. 135 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,840 Speaker 1: And I think I made the best choice and I 136 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: think Don made the best choice because he's the one 137 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: that came to me and recruited me real fast. 138 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 2: And I jumped at the opportunity. 139 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: It was something I wanted, you know, even coming into AW, 140 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: I just never thought it might materialize at all, or 141 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:43,239 Speaker 1: even this past. 142 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 4: So is it kind of one of those situations where, 143 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 4: now that you've been involved with the family to a degree, 144 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 4: you kind of get why someone like the god of 145 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 4: pro wrestling, Kiney Omega wants to align with someone like it, 146 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 4: Like it's kind of clicking maybe behind the scenes. 147 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 1: So yeah, you look at the history of what Don's 148 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 1: done just in AW. You know, Kenny Omega the biggest 149 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: best wrestler in the company in my opinion, and you know, 150 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: the list goes down line. Will Osprey has been in 151 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: and out of that group, Kyle Fletcher. To see the 152 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: transformation he's made over the past you know, twelve to 153 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: eighteen months, yeah, to being now you know, undeniably one 154 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: of the very best wrestlers in the company, if not 155 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: the world. And then we've already talked about Takesha and 156 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: everybody else in the group. I think it's just a 157 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: layout for success. And when you look at you know, 158 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: AW and the stables and groups that are involved in 159 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: this company. I don't think any of them stack up 160 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: merely as well as the don Kallis family against anybody. 161 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 4: So that makes sense. So let's talk maple Leaf Pro 162 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 4: Congratulations are becoming the new Maple Leaf champion. You know 163 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 4: that is a promotion, proudly bit built on Canadian wrestling 164 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 4: in tradition. 165 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 2: Obviously, how do you. 166 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 4: How do you plan to balance the responsibility of being 167 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,119 Speaker 4: their champion while also being attached to a controversial faction 168 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 4: like don Kallis And not to you know, throw this 169 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 4: out there, but if there was some sort of interaction 170 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 4: where it was the don Kallis family maybe pitted against 171 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 4: the Scott de More faction, do I mean, is it 172 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 4: gonna be one of those head versus heart type things. 173 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 2: Or like do you are you? 174 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 4: Are you just tried and true down the line with callous? 175 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 2: I mean, that's a real tough question. 176 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: The battle of head and heart is a really good 177 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: way to yeah, way to say it, because you know, 178 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:34,439 Speaker 1: my head's in the game, you know, with me and AW, 179 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:36,079 Speaker 1: you want to find success and stuff, and I know 180 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: that's going to go through don you know, he's going 181 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: to be integral in my climb in the ranks at AAW. 182 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: When it comes to MLP, you're talking about the heart 183 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:47,079 Speaker 1: of everything I've done for the past twenty years and 184 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: everything I want to continue to do with my career. 185 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: And that's, like I said, like prop up the Canadian 186 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: wrestling scene. I think MLP arriving in Canada is one 187 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: of the most important things that I've seen happen in 188 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: my entire career because, like I said, very. 189 00:08:59,040 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 2: Difficult for Canadians. 190 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: Noticed now Canadians have a homegrown promotion that it's going 191 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: out there and running these you know, amazing we sold out. 192 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 2: Make Belief Gardens, like completely insane. 193 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 1: I didn't think it was gonna happen, right, I knew 194 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: it would be a big show, but I didn't think 195 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: you'd be able to get that many people into that building. 196 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:19,719 Speaker 1: And you know, as of the day of at like 197 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 1: one pm uh in talking to Scott, he was like, 198 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: there's eighty tickets left on ticket Master right now for purchase, 199 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: and then like maybe an hour later it came up 200 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: and be. 201 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:28,719 Speaker 2: Like we're sold out. 202 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying, Like that, that's the kind 203 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 1: of stuff that like gave me goosebumps and got me 204 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 1: ready for the show. 205 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 2: But to balance it, you know, I hope that. 206 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 1: We don't have to have, you know, a thing where 207 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 1: there's a Scott de Moore versus don Kallis family or 208 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 1: anything like that, because at the end of the day, 209 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: I'm paying my bills with everything adw and the don 210 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 1: Kallis family, and that's the thing that's going to make 211 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: me find success. But it will be a tough decision 212 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:54,559 Speaker 1: if I have to come to that. 213 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 4: We figured it was a tough question. That's why we 214 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 4: asked you. 215 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 3: So now I want to I want to go back 216 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 3: to your debut in AEW your match against Hangman Page 217 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 3: in the own Hard Cup, very intense, closely contested. What 218 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 3: was it like stepping into the aw ring for the 219 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 3: first time against somebody like Hangman Adam Paige? And how 220 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 3: did that set your tone for your tenure here? Because 221 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 3: when that that music hit and your name comes across 222 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:25,199 Speaker 3: the screen, you hear that entire arena erupt. 223 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 1: Walk us through all that, Okay, Well, the days leading 224 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,560 Speaker 1: up to it, you know, I knew about four days prior, 225 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: I was traveling in a Boston top secret all this stuff, 226 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 1: and for the first time, and I gotta say a few. 227 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,439 Speaker 2: Years, like I am just a wreck, Like I am nervous. 228 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: I'm feeling every which way possible, anxiety out the window 229 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: because you know, there's so much uncertainty. Like I didn't 230 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 1: know I knew I was traveling to Boston. I did 231 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: not know I was facing hangman Adam Page. I did 232 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 1: not know as loll card, like there was a possibility 233 00:10:57,360 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: that it could have been a swerve. You know, you're 234 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 1: making assumptions, but like radio silence for everybody, here's your 235 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: travel here's your hotel. 236 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:05,440 Speaker 4: You know, it's literally a wild card. 237 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly with everyone involved. 238 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:07,959 Speaker 4: Okay, got it. 239 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 2: I got it for me as well. 240 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:12,839 Speaker 1: And uh but like when I found out it was 241 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 1: a wildcard, when I arrived at the building and they 242 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:16,079 Speaker 1: stuck me in and hit me in a room and 243 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: stuff like that, and I was like, you know, You've 244 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,599 Speaker 1: already gone through these feelings of these possibilities of what 245 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 1: I'm going to be doing, and like it's just like, Okay, 246 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: I'm stepping foot in the ring with an established main 247 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: event guy, somebody who I think is the like the 248 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 1: best of the best homegrown champions that AW has built. 249 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:35,439 Speaker 1: When you're talking about through the tenure of the six 250 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: years of AW to be built from a guy that 251 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:40,439 Speaker 1: was in the elite that was kind of you know, 252 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: overlooked compared to the Bucks and Kenny Omega to making 253 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: this climb and finally, you know, winning the AW Championship 254 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 1: and doing all these amazing things, telling these amazing stories 255 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 1: with Swerve, Strickland and so on and so forth. I'm like, damn, 256 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: I get to go out there with you know, one 257 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:56,719 Speaker 1: of the best of the best, Miss Company Too, on 258 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: my debut, and we're going to see if I can hang. 259 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 2: And I think I went out there and I hung, 260 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 2: and you know, I. 261 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,439 Speaker 1: Didn't pull out the victory, but to lose to somebody 262 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 1: like hang that out on page ain't the worst thing 263 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: in the world and not a bad way to start. 264 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 2: So I was more than happy with it. 265 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: But the second my music hit, and you know, you've 266 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 1: heard wrestlers talk about are they gonna they're gonna know me, 267 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 1: they're gonna pop and all this stuff, and the greatest 268 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: of wrestlers have these same feelings. It's like having the 269 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: dream of your boots not being on in your music's playing, 270 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,079 Speaker 1: like it's just this thing that is synonymous through it 271 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 1: all pro wrestling. For wrestlers, the pop happened, nerves are 272 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: still there walk down the ring the second I stepped 273 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:33,439 Speaker 1: through the rope, so I was like, oh, I got this, 274 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: We're good. All the nerves washed away and we were 275 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: right back to business. 276 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 3: So nice. 277 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 4: Well, as far as you know, there's gonna be a 278 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 4: ton of questions about you know, fantasy bookings and all 279 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 4: this and whatnot. So the question we have around that 280 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 4: is just pertaining to aw talent that you have never faced, 281 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 4: never touched, never known, you know, training nothing. Who are 282 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:58,199 Speaker 4: maybe a couple of talents you're very eager to get 283 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:00,200 Speaker 4: in the ring with in aw. 284 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 2: Never faced Top three or Edge Jericho and Kenny Omega. 285 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:11,839 Speaker 4: Holy crap, how you just kind of lift off the 286 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 4: trifecta there, And it's kind of like, how has none 287 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 4: of those three ever happened? Like that's just what happened now, Yeah. 288 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: Canadian roofs and all these things, these interchangeable things, like 289 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: all those three are right at the top for me. 290 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 1: And if there's one that I have that's like I 291 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: don't want to match with him. I want like a 292 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:33,440 Speaker 1: six month story and several matches with that Swear strickly. 293 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: I think he's one of the best in the business 294 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 1: at you know, telling stories in that ring right now, 295 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: and I'm mentioning at the chance to get to face them. 296 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 2: I mean, caught me a little off guard. I fow. 297 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 3: Just I'm sitting here thinking of the stories that you 298 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,079 Speaker 3: and Swerve can tell, just because of you know, we've 299 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,199 Speaker 3: seen the past stories with you and TNA and impact, 300 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 3: and just thinking of how this could play out between 301 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 3: you and Swear, because you and Swear are both great 302 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 3: storytellers as well as great wrestlers, and you're. 303 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 2: Great on the mic. 304 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,559 Speaker 3: So just go ahead and uh, you know what, We'll 305 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 3: clip this, we'll send it to Tony and just be like, hey, 306 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 3: go ahead and get this started. I don't know when, 307 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 3: but maybe next Wednesday, after beach break, we can get 308 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 3: this started, please, Tony. 309 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 2: I mean, you're you're rushing things. I'm cool, wait a 310 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 2: little bit. 311 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 4: Yeah yeah, well I can. 312 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 1: Establish myself over the next six to twelve months and 313 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 1: when we're ready, when it's gonna pop off, it's gonna 314 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 1: be even better. 315 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 2: So yeah, let's not rush. Nothing good comes fast, all right. 316 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 4: That's that is that is very true. 317 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 3: Well, I know Uh, time is is a sensitive here 318 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 3: because you've got some other things to do, so before 319 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 3: we let you go. We always like to have a 320 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 3: little fun at the end of these shows. 321 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 4: And you know, if we were looking at uh at at. 322 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 3: Josh's workout playlist, Let's say we're scrolling through right and 323 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 3: all of a sudden, we're like, huh, didn't know that 324 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 3: Josh lifts waits to this song. What is that song 325 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 3: that's on your playlist that we're gonna be like, huh, 326 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 3: that's interesting. 327 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 2: Oh man, I live, I lift like all sorts of music. 328 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 4: Well, let's do the one that would ruin your tough 329 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 4: guy image. 330 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 2: The name of the artist is skipping my mind. But 331 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 2: hard to Love. 332 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: It's a country song really pops on every once in 333 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: a while. There, I'm a real Rice. Yeah, that's Lee Brice, 334 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:21,119 Speaker 1: Lee Brice. 335 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 2: I'm not even the country. Some romantic country every once 336 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 2: in a while. 337 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, man, some of the ballads in country or something. 338 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 3: Could you just imagine, Like you look over and Josh 339 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 3: has like got like four hundred pounds and he's just benching, 340 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 3: and all of a sudden, he's just like jamming out 341 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 3: to Lee Brice Hard to Love. 342 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, Lee Holmes or just something. 343 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 2: You know. 344 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's what we like that. You know, we talked 345 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 4: to somebody recently who was also Canadian and they also 346 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 4: liked country and it just you know, it's a global 347 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 4: thing now, but we're from Tennessee, so it's just kind 348 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 4: of strange people here. Yeah, here this stuff. 349 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: My father was a country artist his entire life before 350 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: he passed away, so I kind of grew up living 351 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 1: on country music. Although I didn't appreciate my teens, you know, 352 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: and my my adulthood, I really do appreciate a good 353 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 1: country songs. 354 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 4: That's awesome. 355 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 3: I understand that. Well, Josh, we just want to say 356 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 3: thank you for taking the time out and hanging out 357 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 3: with us and talking to us again. It's good to 358 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 3: catch up with you. I know, like we said at 359 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 3: the beginning, a lot of things have changed. It's the 360 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 3: last time we spoke, and we're super pumped to see 361 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 3: you in aw super excited to see that. Josh Alexander 362 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 3: is all elite. And before we let you go, is 363 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 3: there anything you want to say The people that are 364 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 3: watching or listening to this right now. 365 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 2: I mean, check out Beach Break this Wednesday. 366 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: Dublin Nuffin's coming up May twenty fifth, and you know, 367 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: just keep watching the don Kallis Family and aw and 368 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: we'll give you some good stuff.