1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to the battle Ground Podcast. This 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: is a podcast all about professional wrestling. Join Battle and 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: Eli as a breakdown what's going on in the world 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: of professional wrestling with special guests, including some of your 5 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 1: favorite wrestling superstars. 6 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 2: You never know who's. 7 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: Gonna stop by now making their way to the microphone. 8 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: Give it up for the greatest podcast team in the world, 9 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: Battle and Eli. 10 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 2: It is such an honor to have this gout in 11 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 2: the show. 12 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 3: Like twenty nineteen is already a big year for him, 13 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 3: twenty twenty is gonna be even bigger and he's coming 14 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 3: off a very big, huge win. Joining us on the 15 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 3: show right now, Lance archer Man. 16 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 2: How you doing. I'm good man, I am good. Thank 17 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 2: you so much for coming on the show today. 18 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 4: No problem, man. 19 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 3: We're gonna talk about the match later in the show, 20 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 3: but I want to kind of just get go back 21 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 3: to the very beginning. 22 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 2: Tell us a little bit about your background and upbringing. 23 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 4: You mean, I was born and raised in Texas, a 24 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 4: little town called hern Texas. It's out near Brian College 25 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 4: Station where Texas A and M is at. And you know, 26 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,279 Speaker 4: growing up, I wanted to play football. It wasn't really 27 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 4: wrestling wasn't really my first love or anything like that, 28 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 4: you know, so I wanted to play ball. It's a 29 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 4: very big Texas thing. And I tried, you know, played 30 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 4: through high school, tried for a few years in college, 31 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 4: and then you know, it just didn't really work out. 32 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 4: And that's kind of when I kind of gravitated towards wrestling. 33 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 4: I was always kind of a big fan from about 34 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,040 Speaker 4: my freshman sophomore year in high school on into you know, 35 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 4: college years and stuff like that. And there was a 36 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 4: gentleman who owned a nightclub that I was working at 37 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 4: in Austin, Texas, knew I was a big fan of wrestling, 38 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 4: knew I wasn't playing ball anymore, and knew a guy 39 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 4: that started a wrestling school in Austin, Texas and made 40 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 4: the introduction. And as they say, the rest is history. 41 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 3: It seems like we've talked to several wrestlers before, and 42 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 3: it's always kind of like, you know, they did sports, 43 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 3: and it's always the full circle is that they were 44 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 3: at a bar working and then that's how they became wrestlers. 45 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 4: There's a lot of bouncers here, and I. 46 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 3: Think that's a good thing, and you kind of mentioned 47 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 3: how you got into wrestling, and you know, I want 48 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 3: to know at your wrestling school, who all did you 49 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 3: train with while you were there? 50 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 4: Nobody you would know, Nobody the guy who the guy 51 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 4: that it was literally is like three of us. There 52 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 4: was the guy who kind of trained me. His name 53 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 4: was Solo Fai Tala. And then another guy named Jason Baker, 54 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 4: who was just another one of the independent wrestlers that wrestled, 55 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 4: you know, with this organization in school. And I literally 56 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 4: drove from San Marcus, Texas up to North Austin was, 57 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 4: you know, forty five minutes an hour drive each way. 58 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 4: Excuse me about you know, three or four times a 59 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 4: week depending on you know, what was available between school 60 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 4: and work and all that stuff. And me and Jason 61 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 4: just kicked the crap out of each other and Solo 62 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 4: kind of taught us the basics, you know, and you know, 63 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 4: so it was a very simple, uh start to the business. 64 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 4: Solo had actually kind of he'd been around the business, 65 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 4: but he was trained a little bit by Ivan Putsky 66 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 4: because Ivan actually was the original head trainer for the school. 67 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 4: Was that. But by the time I got there, Ivan 68 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 4: and Scott and the Pudskis had all left the place 69 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 4: because they did a disagreement with the guy who owned 70 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 4: the place. So, like I said, there was literally just me, 71 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,959 Speaker 4: Solo and my friend Jason. We just kicked the crap 72 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 4: out of each other on a daily basis and kind 73 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 4: of went from there. 74 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 2: Now did you count it? 75 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 3: Was it kind of self taught to you know, just 76 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 3: three of you or did you how did how did that. 77 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 2: All play out? 78 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 4: Well? Like I said, Solo had been around the wrestling 79 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:29,679 Speaker 4: business for a while, so it wasn't like he had 80 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 4: just started himself. Jason had been trending for a little bit, 81 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 4: you know, with Ivan and Scott and them guys, and 82 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 4: then you know, now with us and whatnot. And but 83 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 4: I kind of got most of my real education on 84 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 4: the road. I started traveling pretty early and was traveling 85 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 4: with a bunch of a group of guys that had 86 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 4: actually gone through Sean Michael's wrestling academy out of San Antonio, Texas, 87 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 4: you know, and they had a much more extensive training 88 00:03:56,240 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 4: background from Sean and Rudy Boy Goenzalz and Paul Diamond 89 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 4: and guys like that that were running Seawn's school at 90 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 4: the time. So, you know, my education was kind of 91 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 4: through them, through the guys that I was on the 92 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 4: road with and whatnot, and a lot of the guys 93 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 4: that I was actually getting in the ring with and wrestling, 94 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 4: you know, that had been around the business for obviously 95 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:18,919 Speaker 4: at the time, a lot longer than I had, you know, 96 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 4: kind of teaching me on the fly. So that's kind 97 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 4: of where my real education came from. Like I said, 98 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 4: Solo gave me a real good basic knowledge. You know, 99 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 4: here's how to do this, Here's how to do this, 100 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 4: Here's how to do it safely. Here's how not to 101 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 4: murder somebody in the middle of the ring, you know, 102 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 4: stuff of that nature. But then I started learning the 103 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 4: psychology the business and understanding the whys and why not 104 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 4: for the business more on the road and who I 105 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 4: was working with and the guys out of Shawn school Man. 106 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 3: Sounds like you had an amazing upbringing when it came 107 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 3: to wrestling skills, right. 108 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 4: I don't know if you want to call it amazing 109 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 4: or just you know, lucky. 110 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:54,799 Speaker 3: I mean the fact that I'm just kind of looking 111 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 3: at over some of the stats and I mean it's 112 00:04:57,839 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 3: you are up there in the top, my man. 113 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 4: Well, thank you appreciate what I. 114 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 2: Kind of want to know our guest right now, Lance 115 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 2: Archer's on the phone with us. 116 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 5: So you were signed with Tana dren arguably their greatest period, 117 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 5: you know, the early two thousands, mid two thousands. What 118 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 5: is your overall impression of working there during that time 119 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 5: period and would you ever return to the company if 120 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 5: the door was open. 121 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 4: You know, when I was there, like you said, it 122 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 4: was a good time in DNA's history or impact history, 123 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 4: whatever you want to call it. And you know, it 124 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 4: was a time when a lot of first were happening, 125 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 4: a lot of positives that were happening, a lot of 126 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 4: moving forward things that were happening, you know, very quickly. 127 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 4: You know, I started when we were still just the 128 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 4: Asylum days, the Wednesday night weekly pay per view they 129 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 4: were doing on into the first you know, Impact papings 130 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 4: on Fox Sports Network, you know, onto the first Spike, 131 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 4: the two hours Bike, the monthly pay per views, the 132 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 4: first bound for Glory is the first lockdowns. Everything that 133 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 4: was kind of happening on the first that aspect was 134 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 4: really fun and a lot of cool stuff, and you know, 135 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:07,119 Speaker 4: the business really didn't have any real competition at the times. 136 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 4: The fans were watching TNA trying to see what they 137 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 4: were going to do. Some of the homegrown talent from 138 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 4: the Mini browns aj styles, you know, the abyssiness guys 139 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 4: like that, you know, Bobby Rude, who's you know, doing 140 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 4: pretty well over in ww right now, you know, and 141 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 4: those are the guys that the wrestling world were kind 142 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,279 Speaker 4: of watching and paying attention to. The only downside that 143 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 4: I always say that existed back then was, you know, 144 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 4: every time that TNA took a step forward, they took 145 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 4: a step back from their homegrown original talent. They would 146 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 4: always go, oh, well, now we're going to two hours 147 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 4: on Spike, so we have to rely on guys that 148 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 4: have made a name in the business. And I don't 149 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 4: take anything away from the guys that made a name 150 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 4: in the business, but you know, it was just always 151 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 4: us guys that kind of help them get to that 152 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 4: point that they were kind of shuffling to the back 153 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 4: of the lane, you know, like, oh wait, we'll get 154 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 4: back to you. And some they did and some they didn't, 155 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 4: you know, and it was just that was the thing 156 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 4: that I didn't like about those times, was you know, 157 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 4: when this company would take a step forward, they would 158 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 4: take a step back from the talent to have actually 159 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 4: gotten them to that point. And as far as what 160 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 4: I ever go back, it's wrestling. It's the business, it's entertainment. 161 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 4: You never say never, you know. I think there are 162 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 4: some guys out there that get really mad about things 163 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 4: and say, oh, I'll never do that, I'll never go there, 164 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 4: I'll never work with that guy or girl, blah blah blah. 165 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 4: And I never say that because you just never know 166 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 4: what's going to happen. You never know what's going to change. 167 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 4: Right now, I'm extremely happy where I am New Japan 168 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 4: for wrestling, So I have no plan to go back 169 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,119 Speaker 4: to Impact. I'm not reaching out to Impact. No one's 170 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 4: reaching out from there to me trying to get me 171 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 4: to come back. It's that's another question. But you know, 172 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 4: you just never know in this business, and so to 173 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 4: say no it would be silly. So I'll never say never, 174 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 4: and you never know, right And we'll. 175 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 3: Talk about New Japan here later in the show. But 176 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 3: one thing I do want to talk about. You kind 177 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 3: of talked about some of the things that you didn't like. 178 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 3: What was I guess the highlight of your time there. 179 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 3: What was the thing that you took away that you 180 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 3: liked the most, oh man. 181 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 4: I mean, there were so many highlights. I was there 182 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 4: for a good five years. Apart of, like I said, 183 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 4: all the different growing periods that existed in TNA, all 184 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 4: the different guys and girls that I got to work with, 185 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 4: you know, Frank Utharian and Christopher Daniels, who has one 186 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 4: of the greatest minds in my opinion, you know in 187 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 4: the business who are still working for AE W. S. Day. 188 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 4: And Montie Brown who essentially became like a brother to 189 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 4: me in life. I still talk to him this day, 190 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 4: you know, even though he's not in the business and 191 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:36,959 Speaker 4: stuff like that. You know, the people that I met, 192 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 4: the information that I learned from guys ranging from Terry 193 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 4: Taylor's to Shane Douglas's, Jerry Lynz to Jeff Jarrett's, to mean, 194 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 4: you name it that came through those doors. To the 195 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 4: guys that I got to work with. You know, one 196 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 4: of my favorite matches that I've ever had in my career, 197 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 4: I was with Abyss and it was at Sacrifice two 198 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 4: thousand and five, you know, and like I said, that 199 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 4: kind of dates me, but it's one of those things 200 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 4: that it's one of my most memorable matches to date 201 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,319 Speaker 4: in TNA for sure. And in my career absolutely so, 202 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,319 Speaker 4: so many cool memories from so many cool people and 203 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 4: so many different ways, you know, traveling with the company 204 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:17,679 Speaker 4: and getting to see the world. You know, because I 205 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 4: was working with TNA and stuff like that, it provided 206 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 4: me a jumping off point that may or may not 207 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 4: have had otherwise. So you know, I said, there's some 208 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:27,959 Speaker 4: stuff I didn't like it, but there were a lot 209 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 4: more goods than bads for sure. 210 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:32,560 Speaker 3: Right our guest, right now, Lance Archer is on the 211 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 3: phone with us, just looking at the statue. Like, like 212 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,839 Speaker 3: I said earlier, an amazing career. Twenty nineteen is big 213 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 3: for you. Right now in twenty twenty is gonna get 214 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 3: even bigger. I'm just gonna go ahead and say that 215 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 3: right now, can I Can I just go ahead and put. 216 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 2: That out there in the universe. 217 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 4: That's my plan. That's my plan. 218 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 3: That is our plan on the show is twenty twenty 219 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 3: is going to be another bigger year for Lance Archer. 220 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 3: So you worked with Vince and WWE in two thousand 221 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 3: and nine, twenty ten, what was it? Like, I guess, 222 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 3: and I'm doing finger quotes which nobody gets see. Reaching 223 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 3: the top of the mountain and working for Vince because 224 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:07,079 Speaker 3: a lot of people think the WW is the top right. 225 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 4: Right, Well, I never got any more close to the 226 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 4: top of the mountain working there. You know. It's one 227 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 4: of those things, like again, I try to look at 228 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 4: most of what I've done in my career on the positives. 229 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 4: You know, I could be one of those guys who's 230 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 4: bitter and pissy and says the most negative things about 231 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 4: companies and the people and the places they've been and 232 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 4: stuff like that. My time at WWE was not a 233 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 4: very good one. It wasn't a very successful one at all. 234 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 4: But I again, I got to meet people that I'm 235 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 4: still friends with today. I got to be a part 236 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 4: of that Colum learn I can't even say the word 237 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 4: the company, that big company that is WWE. I got 238 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 4: to travel the country in the world a little bit 239 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 4: with WWE. I got to be a part of one 240 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 4: WrestleMania you know, actually, you know, laced up the boots, 241 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 4: walk down the ramp and had a match where it 242 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 4: was a pre show battle loyal you know, and at 243 00:10:57,679 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 4: the time you didn't have the network where everybody could 244 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 4: watch it, so it's just ended up on the DVD 245 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 4: and for the live audience. But I still got to 246 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 4: do those things. And again, you know, there's a lot 247 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 4: of guys and girls that have got to do those things, 248 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 4: but there's a lot more that haven't and never will. 249 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 4: So I just try to look at the positives, you know, 250 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:17,199 Speaker 4: getting to learn from guys like doctor Thoma Pritchard and 251 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 4: and you know Steve Kern and Norman Smiley down in 252 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,559 Speaker 4: Florida at FCW at the time, to being on the 253 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 4: road and working with the arn Anderson's and Finley's. You know, 254 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 4: guys like that, uh Dean Malinkos that helped me out 255 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 4: tremendously at my time on the road with the company, 256 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 4: you know. So I just try to remember all the 257 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 4: goods and positives and the things I learned and take 258 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 4: it for a grain of salt, even though it wasn't 259 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 4: a very successful time. 260 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 5: So how did you get involved with New Japan? Would 261 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 5: what would you tell the average fan is the biggest 262 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 5: difference between Japanese pro wrestling and American pro wrestling. 263 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 4: Okay, So as far as how I got involved with NAN, 264 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 4: you know, I was lucky enough, like I said, and 265 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 4: this is what was one of the good parts about 266 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 4: being in TNA was that I got to go around 267 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 4: the world because I was with DNA, and one of 268 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 4: the places I got to go in like two thousand 269 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 4: and seven was Japan and I was working for smaller 270 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 4: independent companies and things like that. And then I did 271 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:16,199 Speaker 4: a tour with All Japan back in two thousand and 272 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:20,479 Speaker 4: nine right before I started with WWE, and those opportunities 273 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 4: came about because of my time with TNA. Now fast 274 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 4: forward to my time ending with WWE. Well, I wanted 275 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 4: to go back to Japan, and All Japan before I 276 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 4: had even gone went to WWE had expressed an interest 277 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 4: of having me a part of the company on more 278 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 4: of a full time basis back in two thousand and nine. 279 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 4: So fast forward to twenty eleven, I just kind of 280 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 4: reached out to the same people that had been helping 281 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 4: me get into Japan and do all the you know, 282 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 4: things that are necessary, the translations and whatnot, and they 283 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 4: actually reached out to All Japan, and All Japan at 284 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,440 Speaker 4: first were on board, but they were trying to offer 285 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 4: me less of money at first, and then you know, 286 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 4: we did agree on a financial situation, but then they 287 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 4: backed out saying they weren't going to bring as many 288 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 4: foreigners in so on and so forth. And when that happened, 289 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 4: I asked the gentleman who was helping me out at 290 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 4: the time if he would reach out to New Japan 291 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:10,560 Speaker 4: and just see if there was interest, and he did 292 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 4: and there was. And the cool part about the business, 293 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 4: and I tell guys and girls all the time that 294 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 4: the relationships you make in this business, the people that 295 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 4: are around It's like, you know, most of the people 296 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 4: like working backstage at AW Right now are people who've 297 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 4: been around the business forever. So they are probably people 298 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 4: that you've met and worked with. And you know, everybody 299 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 4: sees that AW as this new and amazing company and 300 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 4: it is, but the people that are helping that company 301 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 4: grow and become something special behind the scenes are people 302 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 4: that have been in this business for a long time. 303 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 4: So the same kind of scenario happened for me going 304 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 4: into New Japans. All they knew at first was that 305 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 4: I was some WWE guy, I was a big guy, 306 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 4: and I was wanting to have a chance for New Japan. 307 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 4: So they were going to give me a one shot chance. 308 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 4: They asked me to come out to Philadelphia in twenty eleven, 309 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 4: and they were doing a very small East Coast tour. 310 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 4: They did two shows in New York, wanted Philadelphia, and 311 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:01,319 Speaker 4: they wanted me to him out of Philly and kind 312 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 4: of do my introduction to the company and kind of 313 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 4: helped set up the storyline that that was going to 314 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 4: introduce me to the show that I was going to 315 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 4: do in Osaka, Japan and June of twenty eleven. And 316 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 4: then when I got to the building, people started realizing 317 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 4: they'd already met me, and I started realizing I'd already 318 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 4: met a lot of these people and knew them from different, 319 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 4: you know, periods working in All Japan. Kojima was a 320 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 4: guy that was in All Japan at the time when 321 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 4: I was at All Japan. Minora Suzuki, who I've been 322 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 4: you know, associated with my entire time in Japan as 323 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 4: a guy. He was the guy I had my very 324 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 4: first match against him in Japan, you know, at the 325 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 4: small independent company. He was the triple Crown champion at 326 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 4: All Jagam when I was there. Tiger A, toy uh 327 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 4: In Tanahashi and Tiger Mask and those guys had come 328 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 4: to TNA a few times and I met them and 329 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 4: talked to them, so you know that the associations all 330 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 4: of a sudden were there and it went from Oh, 331 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 4: you're just some random guy we didn't know and we 332 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 4: just thought was going to come get a try out, 333 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 4: to we know who you are, we like you, so 334 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 4: can you just go ahead and stay for an extra 335 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 4: two weeks and do this other tour? And then it 336 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 4: turned into you're going to be in my first g one, 337 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 4: which was back in twenty eleven, and so on and 338 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 4: so forth, and like I said, those relationships I may 339 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 4: help open the doors to a much more extensive relationship 340 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 4: with New Japan than just they had no idea who 341 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 4: it was type situation. So that's kind of how it 342 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 4: got started. And you know, luckily it's been eight and 343 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 4: a half or eight plus years of working with in 344 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 4: my opinion, one of the best companies in the world. 345 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 4: And then your second part to your question was how 346 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 4: would I explain to the average fan of the general 347 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 4: fan about New Japan for wrestling. New Japan for wrestling 348 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 4: is pro wrestling, so there's not a whole lot difference 349 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 4: in that aspect, But what we do is our wrestling 350 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 4: is more sports oriented. It's more based on who are 351 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 4: the champions and who are the challengers. There's a lot 352 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 4: of groups that tie everybody together in New Japan, Like 353 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 4: we have Suzuki Goon that I've been a part of 354 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 4: the whole time. You have the Chaos Group. You obviously 355 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 4: have Bullet Club, which pretty much every wrestling fan knows 356 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 4: about at this point, right, you know, so you've got 357 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 4: several factions that exist in Japanese wrestling. And then, like 358 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 4: I said, most all the matches and bouts are kind 359 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 4: of centered around championships. You know, who are the tag champions, 360 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 4: who are the challengers, who's the never champion, who's his challenger? 361 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 4: And myself is the US champion, Who's going to be 362 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 4: my next challenger? I see highyweight, so on and so forth, 363 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 4: and that's kind of where the storylines are based. And 364 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 4: you know, like I said, it's a very fast paced, 365 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 4: very hard hitting, you know, strong style as a word 366 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 4: that you used to describe Japanese wrestling, and I think 367 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 4: that's something you very much see. But it's kind of 368 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 4: a twenty nineteen version of a strong style, which is 369 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 4: cool again, and it just feels like a sport. And 370 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 4: you know, the fan base is another thing that when 371 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 4: you watch Japanese wrestling, especially in Japan, the way the 372 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 4: fans act and react towards thing. They still see wrestling 373 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 4: as more of a fight. You know, we're called fighters, 374 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 4: and the whole thing is called a game. It's not 375 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 4: called a show and stuff like that, you know, and 376 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 4: their respect level for the fighters that are in the 377 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 4: ring and the performances we're doing is so high. You know, 378 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,680 Speaker 4: Guys can be put in submissions and they can fight 379 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:24,639 Speaker 4: to get to that rope, and they get to that rope, 380 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:27,920 Speaker 4: and people applaud that, they appreciate that, they understand how 381 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 4: hard it is to do that. And that's one of 382 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 4: the biggest differences of your just watching it on TV, 383 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 4: especially when you're watching the Japanese wrestling happening in Japan. 384 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 4: And then, like I said, as far as the event 385 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:40,719 Speaker 4: is concerned and the fighters and the show is concerned, 386 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,359 Speaker 4: like I said, it's just really more centered around the 387 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 4: champions and the challengers and stuff like that. So, like 388 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 4: I said, much more sport oriented. 389 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,639 Speaker 2: Right our guest on the phone right now, Lance Archer. 390 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 3: So obviously, the pro wrestling world kind of turned upside 391 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 3: down earlier this year with the elite not re signing 392 00:17:57,480 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 3: their respected deals and of course breaking away to form 393 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 3: aw Now while ROH has kind of struggled since this happened. 394 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 3: You know, New Japan seems to be bigger, stronger than ever, 395 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:11,719 Speaker 3: especially with the announcement of New Japan America. What do 396 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 3: you think has been the biggest difference these companies have 397 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 3: made in the post? I guess doing finger quotes aw 398 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,120 Speaker 3: fallout that has led them to their current states. 399 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 4: I can't really speak on Ring of Honor because I've 400 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 4: only worked there a handful of times and it's kind 401 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 4: of been under the New Japan, New Japan banner, New 402 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:34,919 Speaker 4: Japan itself. You know, we're are our company, but you know, 403 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:39,199 Speaker 4: Bullet Club is an original New Japan product. So you 404 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,919 Speaker 4: know the growth of Bullet Club and that's what a 405 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 4: lot of the Elite guys were a part of, and 406 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 4: they created the elite for themselves, which was very smart 407 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 4: on their part, but they were a part of the 408 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:52,639 Speaker 4: Bullet Club. You know that that was something that New 409 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 4: Japan created. And then it also has so many stars 410 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:02,360 Speaker 4: and they've done it an amazing job of just continuing 411 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:07,400 Speaker 4: to create new and good stars, accepted stars and wanted 412 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:10,159 Speaker 4: stars by the fan base and things like that. And 413 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 4: you know, their financial growth, especially in Japan, like I said, 414 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 4: they just showed their biggest profit ever in the company's history, 415 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 4: and it's been around since nineteen seventy two. These things 416 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 4: all helped contribute to New Japan continuing to grow to 417 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 4: go more worldwide. You know, we just did an East 418 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 4: coast tour where we did the Boston area, Lowell, Massachusetts, 419 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 4: the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, and the ECW Arena 420 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 4: in Philadelphia, and all three events smaller events, but they 421 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 4: were all sold out. So the fan base is there 422 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 4: and they understand it, and they enjoyed the product. And 423 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 4: like I said, we as far as New Japan concerned, 424 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 4: we weren't based on the elite and their popularity. They 425 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 4: were absolutely a part of the popularity of New Japan 426 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 4: because of who they are and what they can do. 427 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 4: You can't take anything away from each and every one 428 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,680 Speaker 4: of those guys that were part of that group, the elite, 429 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:05,919 Speaker 4: but the company, you know, wasn't based on them. It 430 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,679 Speaker 4: was based on them as a part of the Bullet 431 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,159 Speaker 4: Club and Sukigoon and Chaos and the Okada's and the 432 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 4: Tanahashi's and the Bushies and now the Jay Whites and 433 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:19,359 Speaker 4: you know, myself and God is a tag Team, so 434 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:21,200 Speaker 4: and so forth. IM and I can just keep naming 435 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:23,959 Speaker 4: different groups and people and stuff like that down the 436 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 4: line that were the stars and helped the company grow. 437 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 4: So we weren't just one faction of guys that helped 438 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 4: make the business for the whole company great. We had 439 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,560 Speaker 4: them as a part of the whole company, and the 440 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,440 Speaker 4: whole company was just doing amazingly well. So when they 441 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 4: chose to leave and do what they're doing, which I think, 442 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 4: personally I think is an amazing thing for the business 443 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 4: as a whole. I'm loving the fact that they took 444 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 4: you know, the All In event and they created all 445 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 4: Elite Wrestling and it's doing so well. It does nothing 446 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 4: but create good opportunities in the business as a whole 447 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 4: for everybody that's part of it. But as far as 448 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 4: New Japan's concerned, like I said, we weren't ending on 449 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:06,719 Speaker 4: them to be a part of New Japan for New 450 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 4: Japan to be successful. So when they chose to go 451 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 4: and do their own thing, yes, we lost the Elite 452 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,480 Speaker 4: and we lost a big part of the company, but 453 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 4: there were so many good guys and good factions and 454 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 4: good stories. And again, because our stuff is based around 455 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 4: championships and not just one person or one group. The 456 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 4: company was able to thrive, and I think that's why 457 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 4: it's still doing so well and people still enjoy New 458 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 4: Japan for Wrestling and are searching up New Japan for Wrestling. 459 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 4: That g won Climax Tournament, which I'm sure you're going 460 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:40,160 Speaker 4: to ask questions about here soon, is still the biggest 461 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 4: singles tournament in all of professional wrestling. Everybody and their 462 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 4: mom was paying attention to it when it was going 463 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 4: on this year. So it's like, like I said, I 464 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 4: can go on and on about it, and I probably 465 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 4: gone on way too long. The Elite were an amazing 466 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 4: essential part of New Japan for Wrestling, but when they left, 467 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 4: they weren't the stable hold of the company. The company 468 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:04,560 Speaker 4: had so many working, good fashions and fashions that were 469 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 4: helping the company grow that when they left and chose 470 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 4: to do their own thing, it didn't hurt the company. 471 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 3: Right, And it's like you said, it's just getting stronger 472 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 3: and stronger, and you know, it's the talent on the 473 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 3: rosters phenomenal. Of course, then they announced that New Japan 474 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 3: is setting up shop in America as well, So with 475 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,439 Speaker 3: you being the US champ. Are you kind of the 476 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 3: face of the America brand or the American brand or 477 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 3: how is this going to work? 478 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 4: That's how I see it. Anyway, I don't know, you know, 479 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 4: like I said, you know, I've just been a part 480 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 4: of the company, and I knew that they had plans 481 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 4: to do more in the US, but I didn't know 482 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 4: it was to this extent that they were going to 483 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 4: kind of create its own brand New Japan and America 484 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 4: and Joa, you know. And I think it's just in 485 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 4: the earliest stages. You know, these shows coming up here 486 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 4: in San Jose and Los Angeles in November, November ninth 487 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:58,960 Speaker 4: and eleventh are kind of the kicking off point for this. 488 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 4: You know, they were already that were planned and we're 489 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 4: going to be happening. But now it's kind of under 490 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 4: the in Joa banner, which is still a part of 491 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 4: New Japan. So it's not like it's its own company 492 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 4: per se. It's a part of New Japan. It's just 493 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,159 Speaker 4: it's the office branch that's here in America. And I 494 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:16,919 Speaker 4: think there are a lot more plans to do a 495 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 4: lot more things here on the state side, which is 496 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:24,439 Speaker 4: why in Joa is starting to exist because it's you know, 497 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:27,240 Speaker 4: before we would just do a couple shows here or 498 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:29,679 Speaker 4: one show there, one show there, where I think in 499 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 4: the future you're going to start to see a lot 500 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 4: more shows happening, show tours in the States coinciding with 501 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 4: tours that are happening in Japan at the same time, 502 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,679 Speaker 4: in comparison to you know, a tour happening in Japan 503 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 4: and then when it's over, they come and do a 504 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:45,679 Speaker 4: couple of shows in States and then we go back 505 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 4: to Japan. You'll see wrestlers coming over to the States 506 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,159 Speaker 4: and doing tours over here while a tour is actually 507 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 4: happening in Japan at the same time. So it's just 508 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 4: expanding and growing and getting better, and hopefully the fan 509 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,120 Speaker 4: base just continues to support it. If they do, more 510 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 4: places will be gone to. You know, it'll just keep 511 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:06,879 Speaker 4: getting bigger and better. And and there's some cool events 512 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 4: that are happening on the horizon that I can't say, 513 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:11,880 Speaker 4: you know, but it's going to be a cool, cool 514 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,640 Speaker 4: scenario seeing that. And yes, like you said, I am 515 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 4: the US Champion New Japan of America. I am their face, 516 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 4: i am their ace, I'm the murder Hawk Monster, and 517 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 4: I will kill them all. 518 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 3: Does that mean since we're talking about I don't know, 519 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 3: you can't say anything about future events? Can we can 520 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,439 Speaker 3: we throw a Nashville data in there? Can can you 521 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 3: make that happen? Since you're you're the face, is that 522 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 3: what we're gonna call it? 523 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:36,639 Speaker 4: You know, we already did a Nashville right, and it 524 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,120 Speaker 4: was actually it was amazing. It was one of the things, 525 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 4: like I remember doing that tour. Nashville was the last 526 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 4: show that was even added to the tour, and that 527 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 4: was the unfortunate tour where we were able to have 528 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:48,679 Speaker 4: any of the Japanese talents come over because all the 529 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 4: visa situations. But the Nashville show was probably the best 530 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 4: of all those shows that we did on that tour, 531 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 4: which was really cool. Yeah, I'm sure, I'm sure we 532 00:24:57,640 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 4: will be back to Nashville. 533 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:01,400 Speaker 3: And I will tell you this as a wrestling fan 534 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:03,960 Speaker 3: of the however many years that we won't say on 535 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:07,239 Speaker 3: the radio that I've been that was by far one 536 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 3: of the best shows I have seen in a very 537 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 3: long time. 538 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 2: And I go to a lot of wrestling shows, right, 539 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:14,160 Speaker 2: it's just crazy. 540 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:15,920 Speaker 3: But one thing we like to talk about on the 541 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 3: show is how great of a time it is to 542 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 3: be a wrestling fan because you have so many choices 543 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 3: to choose from. And one thing I kind of want 544 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 3: to talk about is that you are a two time 545 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 3: NWA World Tag Team Champion. What are your thoughts on 546 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 3: the resurgence of the NWA and have you checked out 547 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 3: NWA Power and if so, what are your thoughts on 548 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 3: the old school studio show. 549 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:38,640 Speaker 4: Well, just to clarify, I'm actually four times. 550 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 3: Four times, so I'm gonna have to yell at our 551 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 3: interns for coming up with some of these facts. 552 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 4: Okay, Well, well we're talking in wat and A with 553 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 4: Kid Cash we held about twice, and then two times 554 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:53,119 Speaker 4: with Baby Boy Smith as Killer Lead Squad under the 555 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 4: new Japan banner. So four times four times. You know, 556 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 4: it's one of the it's so interesting. Yes, I have 557 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 4: checked it out. You know, I'm one of my good 558 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:02,199 Speaker 4: good friends. One of my best friends you know, in 559 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 4: the business to this day is Tim Storm. So I'm 560 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 4: extremely happy that you know, a that he got to 561 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,159 Speaker 4: be the NWA champ when he did, and that the 562 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 4: company when it was taken over a bout billion them 563 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 4: that they didn't just you know, push him out, that 564 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:16,919 Speaker 4: they used him and tell the story with him, and 565 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 4: they're still using him today because I think he's considering, 566 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:22,679 Speaker 4: you know, how long he's been in the business. He 567 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:24,960 Speaker 4: looks the best he's ever been. The fact that he's 568 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:28,159 Speaker 4: still working with n W A you know. Ricky Stars 569 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 4: is another kid that they just kind of signed on, 570 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 4: and he's a phenomenal talent, you know. So there's so 571 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:37,120 Speaker 4: many guys and girls that are there. James Storm, who 572 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 4: I just randomly ran into the other day at lax Twit. Yeah, 573 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 4: he and I've been friends for a long time, you know, 574 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:46,919 Speaker 4: so it's cool to see them, and it's cool to 575 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:50,480 Speaker 4: see that the positive reviews that it's getting, considering it's 576 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 4: such a different idea of a product, you know, it's 577 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 4: kind of, like I said, it's going back to an 578 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 4: old school feel, which is kind of fun to see 579 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 4: things like that be accepted by twenty nineteen modern day 580 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 4: wrestling fans, Like I'm using the Iron Claw and people 581 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 4: are accepting it as a part of twenty nineteen per wrestling, 582 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 4: which is fun. And then to see, like you said, 583 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:15,480 Speaker 4: NWA Power doing so well in a studio setting and 584 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 4: the way they're doing it and the wrestling and everything 585 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 4: kind of being accepted by twenty nineteen wrestling fans. It's 586 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 4: fun to see and I hope they continue to succeed 587 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:28,160 Speaker 4: because again, like AW, like New Japan Pro Wrestling, if 588 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 4: the NWA continues to grow, then that just provides more 589 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 4: opportunities for the wrestlers and it provides more diversity in 590 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:38,199 Speaker 4: the wrestling world for the wrestling fan. It's like, do 591 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 4: I want to watch you know, Mega Production, crazy over 592 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:45,960 Speaker 4: the top you know show, and I can watch we 593 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 4: do I want to watch them just straightforward good wrestling, 594 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 4: you know on AAW. Do I want to watch NXT, 595 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 4: which has some of the greatest young stars in the 596 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 4: business coming up today? And do I want to watch 597 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 4: New Japan Pro Wrestling strong style wrestling with guys who 598 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:04,680 Speaker 4: don't live in this area and I will only see 599 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 4: once in a while and so on and so forth. 600 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:09,399 Speaker 4: And then now you have NWA Power, which is, you know, 601 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 4: the NWA brand, the most historic brand in the business 602 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:17,639 Speaker 4: ever and it's still kind of thriving in twenty nineteen. 603 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 4: So it's just really cool to see that there's so 604 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 4: many different cool avenues as a wrestler and as a 605 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 4: wrestling fan to both watch and be a part of man. 606 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 2: It is. 607 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 3: Like we've said numerous times, it is a great time 608 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 3: to be a wrestling fan, and. 609 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 2: We saved this question for last. 610 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 5: Yeah, you recently defeated Juice Robinson for the IWGP United 611 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 5: States Championship, which is you know, a battle and I 612 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 5: are a big belt fans, so that's one of the 613 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 5: most gorgeous belts in all wrestling. Take us through this. 614 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 5: When did you find out you were going over? What 615 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 5: did you think of the match looking back on it? 616 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 5: And what is being the champion for New Japan mean 617 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 5: to you? 618 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 4: Going over? What are you talking about? I just won. 619 00:28:54,000 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 4: I just fought and I won, you know, as they was, 620 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 4: So that whole weekend was a crazy weekend because of 621 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 4: the typhoon that unfortunately hit Japan. It was, you know, 622 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 4: the worst one in fifty years. You know, the New 623 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 4: Japan Dojo which is probably going to have to be 624 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 4: rebuilt because one of the levees and the rivers that 625 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 4: was about six blocks away broke and put about a 626 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 4: waste high level where the water in the dojo. So 627 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:25,720 Speaker 4: you know that that country and area was going through 628 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 4: some crazy stuff. You know, not all of Japan was 629 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 4: hit that hard. A lot of places just had really 630 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 4: bad storms and no damage, but any place kind of 631 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 4: near some of the rivers that broke the levees and whatnot, 632 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 4: they saw some bad damage. Anyway, that whole weekend was 633 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 4: pretty crazy. I was actually supposed to go out to Japan. 634 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 4: I had a six man match already scheduled, you know, 635 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,480 Speaker 4: Juice was supposed to be fighting John Moxley for the 636 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 4: title and all that stuff, and I was supposed to 637 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 4: leave on Friday, which gets me out to Japan on Saturday. Well, 638 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 4: they knew the typhoon was coming, and they were like, 639 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 4: can you just wait till Saturday, fly out and get 640 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:01,920 Speaker 4: here on Sunday because the way that it was being predicted, 641 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 4: it was going to be past Japan by a Sunday, 642 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 4: so you had no problem. So I literally literally got 643 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 4: to the airport at like five o'clock in the morning, 644 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 4: getting ready to catch my you know, seven am flight 645 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 4: to Tokyo or well, I had a seven am flight 646 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 4: to LA and then a LA to Tokyo flight, and 647 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 4: as I arrived at the airport, they canceled my Tokyo flight, 648 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 4: you know, and I was communicating with people in Japan 649 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 4: who you know, were dealing with the middle of a 650 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 4: typhoon and trying to communicate with all the different wrestlers 651 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 4: that were going through the same scenario over here, myself, 652 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 4: Jay White, Kevin Kelly, obviously Mocksley. You had Zach Zach 653 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 4: Saiber Junior over in England. You know, I didn't know, 654 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 4: but you know, like well Allspray was down in Australia. 655 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 4: We were all dealing with flying internationally into Japan, which 656 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 4: just wasn't happening, and everything got shut down, and so 657 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 4: like where everybody scrambling trying to find flights, and now 658 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:02,400 Speaker 4: you have all the cancer flights trying to jump on 659 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:04,840 Speaker 4: the next days flights that were already full and blah 660 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:07,520 Speaker 4: blah blah. You know, Delta, which is the airline I 661 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:10,440 Speaker 4: flight with, just for the longest time just couldn't find anything. 662 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 4: They were just like nope, nope, nope, everything's full. Doesn't 663 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 4: matter where you try to go through Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, 664 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 4: at Seattle or wherever you were looking to go. Nothing 665 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 4: was available, and so it almost looked like that I 666 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 4: wasn't going to be able to make it, and we 667 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 4: were actually trying to find a flight through like on 668 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:32,960 Speaker 4: China airlines through Korea into Tokyo blah blah blah. 669 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:33,280 Speaker 3: Man. 670 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:36,160 Speaker 4: So like I literally was like, Okay, I can do 671 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 4: that flight, but I have to get to LA. So 672 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 4: I called Delta one last time, you know, just trying 673 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 4: to get to LA. You know, I was just going 674 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:47,280 Speaker 4: to call and say, I know there's no flights to Tokyo, 675 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 4: but can I just get to LA. And the lady 676 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 4: I spoke with went, oh, I could put you on 677 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:55,320 Speaker 4: this Minneapolis flight to Tokyo that gets you into Tokyo 678 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 4: and at airport at like one for five pm on Monday, 679 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 4: which the show's at five o'clock on that Monday. 680 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 2: Right there. 681 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, I was like, yes, absolutely, throw me on that. 682 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 4: And then I started communicating with the other guys and 683 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 4: it's like keep calling them because things are popping up, 684 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 4: and a lot of the guys did get on flights, 685 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 4: like Moxley and Zach Seberg were the two that just 686 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 4: couldn't weren't able to find something what. Ultimately that played 687 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:26,800 Speaker 4: to my favorite because, like I said, I was going 688 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 4: out there for a six man match with Moxley not 689 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 4: being able to make it. When I landed, I was 690 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 4: informed that my match had changed to a title match 691 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 4: fighting Juice Robinson. You know, Juice had already been there 692 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 4: because he's moving to Japan, so he'd already been in 693 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 4: the Japan. So it wasn't until I landed at about 694 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 4: one point forty five two o'clock, after I got through customs, 695 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:52,320 Speaker 4: that I was informed that now my six man match, 696 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 4: you know, US versus L I J was now not 697 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:56,640 Speaker 4: going to happen and I was going to have a 698 00:32:56,680 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 4: singles title match with Juice Robinson, you know, and so 699 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 4: my whole mindset had to change. You know, it went 700 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:06,080 Speaker 4: from okay, six man funness, you know, what can we do? 701 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 4: Tag stuff, Suzuki jun stuff, blah blah blah, to okay, 702 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,360 Speaker 4: this is my chance at a title. And you know, 703 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:15,240 Speaker 4: as I got to the building and everything started to unfold, 704 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:17,680 Speaker 4: you know, just the realization of what it really was 705 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:20,160 Speaker 4: going to be just kept going and growing and whatnot. 706 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 4: And then going into the match, you know, it was 707 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 4: one of the guys there said, you know, taking chicken 708 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,959 Speaker 4: turning a chicken salad, you know, and it was one 709 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:31,040 Speaker 4: of those things where you know, Juice and I went 710 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 4: out there and you know, people were expecting him and Mox. 711 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 4: Mox is the champion but you know, New Japan has 712 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 4: a history. If the champion can't make a scheduled title match, 713 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:41,840 Speaker 4: they're still going to be a title match. It's just 714 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 4: the unfortunate part for the champion, because I know a 715 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 4: lot of people were upset that Max was stripped of 716 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 4: the title because he couldn't make it because of the weather. 717 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,000 Speaker 4: But that's just happened to Japan Works and stuff there. 718 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 4: It's one of their major shows. They're not going to 719 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 4: take the title match away from their fans. We still 720 00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 4: had a completely sold out full house, even though the 721 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:03,240 Speaker 4: day before they had this crazy typhoon, you know, And 722 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 4: so you know, Juice and I went out there and 723 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:08,040 Speaker 4: still had a no DQ match, and we both went 724 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:11,040 Speaker 4: through tables and hit with chairs and moves and stuff 725 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:13,799 Speaker 4: on chairs, and in the end bashed his head into 726 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:15,799 Speaker 4: the chairs and finished him off with the claw and 727 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 4: became the new US champion. You know, it's not my 728 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:20,719 Speaker 4: fault that Max couldn't make it, but it damn sure 729 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 4: is my fault I became the champion. 730 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:26,480 Speaker 3: So was there any a little what did you feel 731 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:28,719 Speaker 3: a little bit more pressure when they said, Hey, we're 732 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:29,759 Speaker 3: taking you out of this match. 733 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:31,040 Speaker 2: You're going to the title match. 734 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:34,879 Speaker 4: Good right, Yeah, absolutely, I mean it's pressure, but it's 735 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:38,399 Speaker 4: it's man after nineteen years in this business and with 736 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:41,240 Speaker 4: what I went through in the G One, and especially 737 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:44,279 Speaker 4: my desire to continue to show the wrestling world that 738 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:47,880 Speaker 4: after nineteen plus years, eight plus years with New Japan, 739 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:51,719 Speaker 4: you know, being seen as just a tag guy and 740 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,480 Speaker 4: now not being in the tag team that you know, 741 00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:56,879 Speaker 4: I know there's a lot of amazing talents out there, 742 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:58,920 Speaker 4: but damn it, I'm one of those amazing talents. And 743 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:00,880 Speaker 4: it was just like I said, the pressure was on, 744 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 4: but the pressure was on in a good way where 745 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:05,160 Speaker 4: I was ready to show the world that I absolutely 746 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:08,279 Speaker 4: belong in that title picture and more. You know, my 747 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:11,719 Speaker 4: goal is not to just stop at the US Championship. 748 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:14,239 Speaker 4: My goal is to be IC champion. My goal is 749 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 4: to be heavyweight champion. My goal is to continue to 750 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:21,120 Speaker 4: show the naysayers around the wrestling world that they were 751 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:23,560 Speaker 4: wrong about what they thought I was and should absolutely 752 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 4: be paying attention to who I am and what I'm 753 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 4: going to be. Like you said, my twenty twenty my 754 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 4: plan is to kick ass and keep taking names and 755 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:33,640 Speaker 4: keep showing the world that Lancearche or the Murder Hawk monster. 756 00:35:33,680 --> 00:35:36,800 Speaker 4: The American cycle is not somebody you can overlook. 757 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 3: Right most definitely, And I mean, right there, you have 758 00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:41,799 Speaker 3: that belt. Twenty twenty, it's going to get bigger. We've 759 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:42,799 Speaker 3: already established this. 760 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:43,479 Speaker 2: You're the guy. 761 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:46,160 Speaker 3: That's what we're saying in our book for our show. 762 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:49,200 Speaker 3: You are the guy to look for. 763 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:49,279 Speaker 2: For the remainder of the year. 764 00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:51,880 Speaker 3: And it's the fact that they put that belt on you, 765 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:54,239 Speaker 3: Like we've talked about shows that they have faith in you, 766 00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:56,280 Speaker 3: and I mean, let's just be honest. 767 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:58,400 Speaker 2: That is literally the most prettiest belt. Like, do you 768 00:35:58,400 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 2: have it hanging on the wall somewhere in your house. 769 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:02,399 Speaker 4: It's on the staircase right now. 770 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:05,239 Speaker 3: It's on the staircase. So here's here's what the plan is. 771 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:07,919 Speaker 3: Next time you come through Nashville. You got to bring 772 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 3: the belt in. The studio is wide open, and we 773 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:11,160 Speaker 3: will have you back on the show. 774 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:11,680 Speaker 2: Is that cool? 775 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:13,319 Speaker 4: Sounds good? Man? 776 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:13,800 Speaker 2: Awesome? 777 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:16,120 Speaker 3: One one more thing before we let you hop off 778 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:18,719 Speaker 3: the phone. Is there anything else? I know we talked 779 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:21,240 Speaker 3: about a couple of the shows coming up in November. 780 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:22,759 Speaker 3: Is there any other shows that you want to kind 781 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 3: of push and let all the fans out there know 782 00:36:24,719 --> 00:36:26,719 Speaker 3: where You're going to be next where they could see you, 783 00:36:26,719 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 3: where they can find you on social media. 784 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 4: Right, you know, as far as State Side's concerned. And 785 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:34,520 Speaker 4: I've got a real busy schedule with New Japan coming up. 786 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:37,160 Speaker 4: Like you said, we have those two shows November ninth 787 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:41,480 Speaker 4: and eleventh in San Jose and Los Angeles. Yeah, you know, 788 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:46,520 Speaker 4: State said, Iowa show in Texas this weekend. Where else 789 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:49,359 Speaker 4: am I going to be the tag lead coming up 790 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 4: in November? So keep watching, you know, New Japan World 791 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:53,840 Speaker 4: and Access TV for the shows that are going to 792 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:55,040 Speaker 4: show up on there are the matches that are going 793 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:58,160 Speaker 4: to show up on there. I'll be at Warrior Wrestling 794 00:36:58,200 --> 00:37:02,480 Speaker 4: in Chicago on December tenth, and then, you know, my 795 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:04,600 Speaker 4: plan is just to get ready for the Tokyo Dome 796 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 4: because that's kind of the big thing. Obviously. We've got 797 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,960 Speaker 4: two Tokyo Domes January fourth and fifth, and then the 798 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,719 Speaker 4: big New Year's Dash on January sixth. Ioye the city, 799 00:37:13,880 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 4: so a lot of things going on there. If they 800 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:17,840 Speaker 4: want to hit me up on Twitter at Lance Hoyt. 801 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:23,279 Speaker 4: Instagram is at Lance Underscore Hoyt. Facebook is just Lance Hoyt. 802 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:25,920 Speaker 4: You know, I keep everything under my real name and 803 00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:28,160 Speaker 4: hit me up. Say something cool, I'll say something back, 804 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 4: Say something stupid, and I'll ignore you. There it is. 805 00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 3: That is the best thing to do on social media 806 00:37:32,239 --> 00:37:36,320 Speaker 3: now because everybody think they're a keyboard warrior. So yeah, got. 807 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:38,439 Speaker 2: Of love those kind of people, right right. 808 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,160 Speaker 3: Our guests, So the show today, Lance archer Man, I 809 00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:43,680 Speaker 3: just want to say that it's such an honor to 810 00:37:43,719 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 3: have you on the show with us today. 811 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:46,719 Speaker 4: Thank you, man. I appreciate having me on. Give me 812 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:47,440 Speaker 4: a little bit time. 813 00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:48,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, thanks so much, man. 814 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 4: We appreciate the enpirement. 815 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:53,440 Speaker 2: We hope you enjoyed this week's episode of Battleground. Make 816 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:55,960 Speaker 2: sure you give it five stars and leave a nice review. 817 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:58,759 Speaker 4: If you want to stay up today, follow them at 818 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:07,560 Speaker 4: Battleground Podcast Instagram.