If any of the quotes from the following podcasts or video interviews are used, please credit those sources and provide an H/T and link back to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
** 2022 NJPW Best of the Super Juniors tournament winner Hiromu Takahashi spoke to the official NJPW website about his tourney victory. He felt this year’s tournament was ‘tremendous’ as far as competition goes.
This is my third consecutive Best of the Super Juniors win, but it’s only in the last one-and a-half years, moreover, last year and the year before were held at the same time as the World Tag League, which was irregular. Of course, three consecutive championships is the result, but the impact of this year’s competition was tremendous.
Takahashi has been the winner of Best of the Super Juniors four times in the past five years. He does not think his accolade will be broken in the foreseeable future but thinks that from here on out, there could be streaks that may not be well received and touched on some of the reactions he’s gotten.
I don’t think this [BOSJ winning streak] will be surpassed for the time being. However, I think that from here on out, there will continue to be a series of undesired, ‘annoying consecutive championship wins’ (smiles).
Even with the three consecutive tournament wins, I have received such comments as far as I can see. I feel that from now on, it will be a battle against such things.
Nowadays, we live in the age of social networking, so such opinions are visible to the public, aren’t they? There are people who have the guts to go out of their way to post on official accounts so that the wrestlers can see them. I understand the stress of not being able to boo at the venue. However, I have noticed that there are many of them recently. I feel that there are a lot of slanderous comments in the name of ‘opinions’. I am surprised that they are still doing it.
** Ariel Helwani conducted an interview with Lance Storm and during their chat, Storm looked back on his experience with WWE as a producer. He assumes that he’d still be there if the COVID-19 pandemic did not occur. Storm recounted signing a three-year deal with WWE in 2019 and this year would have been his contract year.
I would imagine I’d still be with them [WWE if the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t happen] because I’m, again, I’m an all or nothing guy and it’s like, I made a commitment to go back there and do the job, I was doing the job. I think I was good at it and for the most part I enjoyed it. There was a lot of stress and things that annoyed me about the way it was but, with WWE and it was the same way as a wrestler, when you’re on that treadmill of just getting the job done, getting the job done, getting the — that you never have a chance to sit back and reflect and it’s like, you just — you do the job and it was the same thing when I was a wrestler. You’re just doing it and then when you actually leave the roster, you sit back and go, why the hell was I doing that? It was so busy and so stressful. But, I would have imagined I’d have finished up. I think we’re now at the point where I think I signed a three-year deal. I think it would be expiring now… Well I started 1st of December [2019] so yeah, I guess I’d be debating on whether I re-sign up or not.
Before Storm joined WWE, he reached out to Christopher Daniels, AEW Head of Talent Relations, to let Daniels know he was available. WWE’s offer came along and Storm opted to go with that. He clarified that he did not have any formal discussions with AEW.
I reached out to Christopher Daniels [while I was a free agent] and just said, ‘Hey, I’m interested in looking.’ But, again, the first time, WWE’s offer came in quick and was really good and I took it and this time, I was leaning towards IMPACT anyway and they came back with an offer that I liked so I never really talked to them.
While Storm was still an active member of the WWE roster, he wrote a weekly column on his website and there was one occasion when Vince McMahon praised his work. Storm wrote an article in the early 2000s about his stance on the legalization of marijuana in Canada and McMahon was in line with Storm’s point of view.
I don’t think so, no [there was no one who got mad at me for writing the articles]. Someone probably did, you know, but I think — I know Vince [McMahon] once actually pulled me aside and put over something I had wrote and I assume someone pointed it out to him. I can’t fathom that he had enough time to read my weekly column but, it was actually — and my stance has changed since — but it was when Canada was debating on legalizing marijuana and I’m like, ‘We’ve got DUI’s and everything. Do we really need another means by which to impair people?’ And it was, at the time, an anti-legalizing pot commentary and he pulled me aside and was, you know, super anti-pot and, ‘Good article! Really like it pal’ and yeah, so I was just like, he read this? And I’m assuming someone thought he would like it and suggest that he read it.
** NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Matt Cardona has undergone surgery for his torn bicep. He informed SEScoops that he’ll continue to appear at shows in non-physical roles along with doing signings and conventions.
I’ve been told three to five months. I’m obviously shooting for three months, but I don’t want to rush before I’m ready. I want to make sure that I’m 100% before I get in the ring. It’s not like I’m just taking this three or five-month vacation. I’m still making towns. Last weekend, I did two shows. I didn’t wrestle, but I made appearances and signed some autographs. I’ll continue to do that all summer long. Whether it be conventions or wrestling shows, NWA, IMPACT, GCW, I’m still going to be everywhere, just not lacing up those boots.
** On the latest Talk’n Shop podcast, Rocky Romero shared that he’s back in Japan to get his visa renewed.
Dude, I’ve been — where haven’t I been? That’s the real question. I popped over to IMPACT, saw each other [Rocky said to Karl Anderson], we saw each other on New Japan STRONG when you guys came through Philly which is gonna air this week so check that out and then been making appearances at AEW, getting beat up by FTR and Jeff Cobb and [Great] O-Khan and now getting ready for this big Chicago show [Forbidden Door] but I’m here in Japan, the only reason I’m here in Japan is to renew my visa. That’s the only reason I’m here… Honestly, I kind of planned it, it kind of worked out that way but I also kind of planned it on purpose to be able to have this week while my visa is being renewed because I knew you guys were gonna be here [for NJPW Dominion] so that we could hang out, pod, talk sh*t and to be honest, just drink beers.
** Before Joey Janela finished up with AEW, he had been working on-screen with Sonny Kiss. Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Candace Cordelia caught up with Sonny for an interview and she expressed that she misses Joey, Cody and Brandi Rhodes. Sonny went on to speak about how supportive Janela was of her.
Love Joey… So two of my very favorite people in the company are no longer there. That’s Joey Janela and also Cody Rhodes, and Brandi [Rhodes] of course. Brandi is queen bee, I love queen bee. It’s tough because, you know, I think that kind of definitely — Joey leaving, kind of definitely gave me a little bit of like a, okay, what’s happening? Because we had our long rivalry and we were kind of like in a marriage in our careers, whether we were a tag team or feuding, it was like a marriage. So, him leaving was like, okay, well, what about me? What’s gonna happen to me? It really, really does suck because he really pushed me to be great. He really, really wanted Sonny Kiss, the brand, to be well known, recognized, be a forced to be reckoned with, like tough. He really, really helped shape and mold the character that is ‘Beautiful Badass’. So ‘Beautiful Badass’ is kind of like the ‘Concrete Rose’ part two.
Sonny was featured on AEW’s ‘Who We Are: A Celebration of Excellence, Vol. 1’ album and hinted that she is working on her own album.
We got number ones. AEW’s album, the Black History Month album went number one in Norway I think or Sweden or something like that. Two number ones and my song is on there. It’s called ‘Whatcha Lookin’ At’ so shameless plug, featuring Brinson, a Christian rapper from Jacksonville. Yeah, so hell yeah.
And I may or may not currently be recording my album, you know?
** The Gunn Club (Austin & Colten Gunn) guest appeared on ‘Insight with Chris Van Vliet’. A conversation came up about trying to fill the shoes of Billy Gunn and Brian ‘Road Dogg’ James. Austin recounted his father saying that if they’re trying to fill the shoes of the New Age Outlaws, leave the business.
Austin: You don’t try to fill those shoes ever. That’s always one of those things that dad told us is like, it was never pushed on us. It was never, ‘You have to live up to this level.’ He was like, ‘If you have fun, I will teach you everything you know. If you are just trying to fill our shoes, then get out of the business.’ We still get super nervous before shows, but we just go out there and be ourselves.
Colten: I think if we are like, how are we going to fill the shoes of The New Age Outlaws? Then you lose sight of who you think you are. What makes you different? The more we are in front of a crowd, the more we find ourselves.
Austin shared that as he and Colten were growing up, Paul Wight was like an uncle to them. He told the story of when they were on a cruise ship and Wight defended them from the boat captain who wanted them out of a private pool.
Austin: We didn’t see Road Dogg as much unless we went to the shows. We maybe saw Big Show more, he gave us our first PlayStation and XBOX at Christmas, at the same time. He was like, ‘I have a little present for you, it’s in my trunk.’ He opened it and it was an XBOX with five games, PS2 with five games and he goes, ‘Merry Christmas.’ I think he was the closest one to an uncle. We were on a wrestling cruise one time for Disney, and me and Colten were getting too crowded in the adults pool. There was like a captain’s pool, very private. Big Show took us over there so we could have some privacy. The boat captain comes out and starts yelling, ‘Those kids, you need to get the hell out of this pool!’ Big Show was in the water and have you ever seen those workout videos where the guy jumps out of the water and onto the thing? That’s exactly what he did, as heavy as he was and he grabbed the captain by the collar and says, ‘If you ever talk to them like that again, I will throw you over this boat and I will drive us home.’ The fear in that man’s eyes, dude I can’t even imagine! I would poop my pants.
** As CyberFight Festival inches closer, CyberFight President Sanshiro Takagi is continuing to make the media rounds and he chatted with Kakuto Log. He talked about how Tokyo Joshi Pro is further establishing itself and does not see a reason for the promotion to cross paths with STARDOM.
I think that Tokyo Women’s Pro-Wrestling has become even more of a ‘one and only.’ Of course, I don’t mean that in a bad way. STARDOM has come out and has become the mainstay of women’s professional wrestling, but I think that is why we are on the same side and will never cross paths. There is no need for us to cross paths, and I think the Tokyo Women’s worldview is refreshing to watch. It is refreshing to see the world of Tokyo Joshi Pro, even from my own sordid viewpoint. It’s heart-warming.
The topic of attendance numbers for promotions under the CyberFight banner was discussed. Takagi mentioned the idea of DDT Pro having a permanent event venue.
I wonder how it should be done… I think DDT should be held at a permanent venue like RIZIN LANDMARK. I don’t know about NOAH though (laughs).
** Coming out their California debut, All Elite Wrestling was profiled by AP News. The outlet talked with several members of the talent roster including Britt Baker, who stated that Dynamite was her ‘Performance Center’ and she was thrown into a sink or swim situation.
It’s very empowering that I was able to have all this growth on live television. Dynamite was my Performance Center. I knew I was brand new and learning, there was something that was going to be trial and error and some things I was going to fail at, but that’s what made me who I am today. It was very much I was thrown into a sink or swim situation. And I wouldn’t change anything for me.
** JONAH shared on the Complex Unsanctioned show that after his tribute to the late Bam Bam Bigelow at NXT TakeOver XXX, Bam Bam’s son reached out to him and expressed his gratitude to JONAH for the tribute.
I mean, I was heavily inspired with what I do now by guys like Bam Bam Bigelow, Vader, some of those big men that were not only big men but were agile as we were talking about. Guys that could move and I always loved his, you know, the flames that he had on his gear, especially when he incorporated the purple in there for WrestleMania 11 so, when I had my first ever [NXT] TakeOver which was TakeOver XXX, I was like, ‘I wanna get Bam Bam Bigelow-inspired gear’ and I went to Shawn Michaels and Triple H because they’re running the show and I said, ‘Hey, this is what I’m thinking of doing. Is it okay?’ Just in case. You never know the legalities and stuff like that and they’re like, ‘Yeah, go for it.’ So I got the gear made, I had a custom jacket made through NERDS Clothing. They actually made the flame jacket, and then Bam Bam Bigelow’s son actually reached out to me and said what an honor it was that I paid respect to his father and I was really happy about that. You know, it wasn’t just something for me as a fan to do — that his family actually saw it and thought it was cool.
** At WWE Backlash 2006, Mickie James and Trish Stratus wrestled and Stratus dislocated her shoulder during the bout. They discussed that match together on Busted Open Radio and James said she still beats herself up over the injury Trish suffered.
Stratus: I had dislocated my shoulder [in] a match with Mickie [at WWE Backlash 2006], remember?
James: I’ll never forget it, no. I’ll never forget it.
Stratus: Yeah, the corner, right? We were doing the ten punches in the corner. We were doing it for weeks, we were doing it in the corner. On the road, it was getting great reactions and then we did it on this pay-per-view match and we were like this and then I was taking the tumble outside, I looked down like, oh man, who put those ring steps there? Great, and then I just tried to put my arm down to try to, you know, divert myself from landing on the stairs but in the meantime, my arm stayed this way, my body went that way and then I was like, ‘Oh! There’s my arm.’
James: You can go back and watch it. It was brutal and I felt like such an idiot. I still beat myself up because I go like, why did we pick the corner with the stairs in it? But that was the corner, obviously television, you block certain things and then you get there in the moment and as you — you know what we’re talking about?… And it was just — I remember watching it happen and rolling back in and then, ‘What are we gonna do?’ And I just tried to get on her, right? So I tried to get on you and I’m like, this is not — this is no good.
** Matt Hardy was a guest on ‘Drinks With Johnny’. When Matt looks at the talent in AEW, he thinks Wardlow could be someone that might crossover into the mainstream and explained why he thinks that.
I just feel like the world has changed where pro wrestling is like, not necessarily a mainstream thing right now. Hopefully one day, there will be some star that comes along that has mainstream appeal like a Rock or a Stone Cold or a [Hulk] Hogan. I feel like Wardlow is a guy who might have that possibility here at AEW. I think he’s very special. He’s a good-looking dude, chicks love him, he’s super athletic and talented but like, you have a guy like that and hopefully that does elevate the view of a company and kind of their status where they can grow and become more mainstream or whatever but, wrestling has its niche and those fans are always gonna be loyal and I don’t think they’re gonna — you know, they’re not gonna leave.
** During the Q&A portion of Jay Lethal’s AEW Unrestricted episode, he was asked about his former manager in Ring of Honor, Truth Martini. Lethal stays in contact with Martini and when it comes to the possibility of them reuniting on-screen, Lethal said you never know what could happen.
I have stayed in contact with Truth Martini. In fact, his birthday was the other day, May 8th, which is [the] same birthday as my brother so it’s hard to forget his birthday and it falls on Mother’s Day many times as well but as to will I ever see him manage me again? That, I don’t know. I had a great time when Truth Martini was my manager. I loved having a manager. I just think that in my opinion, some people who have managers — I gotta be careful how I say this — but you’ve got to be willing to let your manager carry the ball and sometimes, it’s a tough thing for a wrestler to want to do, putting so much faith into your manager and I put so much faith into Truth Martini when we were together. If you watch any of our matches, he is just as involved and he’s as big a part of the match as I am in the ring so, I really love the having the manager dynamic and now I have a manager that’s over seven feet tall [Satnam Singh]. He can’t move like Truth Martini could but it’s definitely gonna be interesting and Sonjay [Dutt’s] out there too so, yeah. I’m not sure if the cards will ever bring me and Truth Martini back together. Hopefully, fingers crossed, you never know.
** There is a feature on the GQ website about HOOK, in which he states that his goal is to become AEW World Champion.
** LMTOnline has a feature story up about Laredo, Texas’ own Roxanne Perez winning the NXT Women’s Breakout tournament.
** To promote Miz & Mrs., The Miz and Maryse chatted with PopCulture.com.
** Ultimo Dragon applied to trademark his ring name.
** At Ganbare Pro Wrestling’s June 7th event, Minoru Suzuki appeared and took out Shuichiro Katsumura. They are scheduled to go one-on-one at Ganbare’s July 10th show.
** Xavier Woods and Tyler Breeze’s latest Battle of the Brands video:
** FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio hosted ‘Pro Wrestling Night’ and brought Kevin Nash in for meet-and-greets.
** IMPACT Wrestling was profiled by ‘Nashville Scene’ and Eric Young gave comments to the publication.
** Prior to the 6/8 AEW Dynamite, Thunder Rosa appeared on ‘The Game on 1350 KMAN’.
If any of the quotes from the following podcasts or video interviews are used, please credit those sources and provide an H/T and link back to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
