411 Wrestling Interviews Podcast

Impact X-Division Champion Willie Mack talks about being in his first Impact singles title run, who influenced his in-ring style, who he's looking forward to facing as champion and a possible match with Tessa Blanchard, Moose naming himself the "real World Champion," and more. 0:00: Intro, Larry Csonka tribute 3:48: On how it feels to be in his first Impact singles title run, being part of the title's lineage 4:46: On Impact's new era since moving to AXS TV 5:15: On Johnny Swinger and Chris Bey attacking on Impact, his plan for them 6:38: On his ring style, who influenced him and doing agile moves with his style 8:24: On Moose labelling himself the "real World Champion" 9:11: On wrestling being the only real weekly live entertainment in the pandemic, working without crowds 12:08: On missing live crowds, adjusting to working empty arenas 12:37: On who he's looking forward to defend the title against, a possible champion vs. champion match with Tessa Blanchard 13:38: On his favorite match he's seen and his fav

MLW's Dominic Garrini talks about coming from Brazilian jiu-jitsu to pro wrestling, why MLW was the right place for him, teaming with Tom Lawler, a possible run at the MLW Tag Team Titles, dealing with MLW's shutdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic, main eventing the famous 2300 Arena and much more. 0:00: Introduction 2:30: On making the leap from Brazilian jiu-jitsu to pro wrestling 5:34: On training under Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae 6:12: On why MLW was the right fit for him, working to reinvent himself in 2018 and 2019 9:02: On MLW attracting talent with MMA and grappling experience like him 10:34: On his MLW debut against Ariel Dominguez and coming in in his BJJ gear in order to make a statement of who he is 11:42: On setting out to bring something different to the ring, bringing a shoot style back into wrestling 15:03: On teaming with Tom Lawlor at AAA vs. MLW Super Series right before the COVID-19 shutdown 17:05: On being dealing with stuck in a holding pattern due to the pandemic, MLW being on a hot str

MLW star Logan Creed discusses why MLW was the right place for him to sign and turning down a WWE tryout, how MLW is handling the hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, how the pandemic will affect wrestling going forward, MLW's partnership with AAA, his love of Marvel comics, getting involved with the new horror film Dead By Midnight, breaking away from the Dynasty, and much more. 0:00: Introduction 1:55: On his name being inspired by Marvel Comics' Wolverine and Sabretooth 3:10: On when he became a fan of wrestling and watching NWA growing up 4:07: On what his gear and look being inspired by Sting and Ultimate Warrior 5:15: On developing his in-ring style, finding a balance between his size and speed, pushing his limits in the ring 7:24: On joining MLW and why it was the best choice for him at the time, being offered a WWE tryout and why he turned it down 9:20: On his development in MLW from joining the Dynasty to striking out on his own 10:23: On how Court Bauer is continuing to expand the brand MLW d

AEW announcer and WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross discusses his new memoir Under the Black Hat: My Life in the WWE and Beyond, leaving WWE and going to AEW, why Steve Austin turning heel at WrestleMania X-Seven was a mistake, AEW and WWE holding shows during the COVID-19 pandemic, his thoughts on the cinematic matches at WrestleMania 36, the Revival's WWE release and how they would fit in AEW, finding the balance between in-ring product and entertainment aspects of wrestling plus much more. 0:00: Introduction 0:41: On writing his new memoir Under the Black Hat: My Life in the WWE and Beyond and what the book covers 3:06: On when the process of writing the book began 4:06: On his relationship with Vince McMahon, staying friends even with his going to AEW and why he left WWE 6:35: On his memories of WrestleMania X-Seven, Steve Austin turning heel and how Undertaker vs. Triple H was booked 8:53: On if Austin's heel turn falling short influenced WWE to keep John Cena & Roman Reigns as babyfaces, why Cena stayed babyf

MLW Star Holliday discusses the Dynasty's victories and winning over the "consumers" at MLW vs. AAA Super Series, the group's feud with Mance Warner, what it's like to become the faces of MLW, his plans to turn Major League into Dynasty League Wrestling, if he would be open to adding more members to the Dynasty, his tips for social distancing and much more. 0:00: Introduction 1:07: On how the Dynasty is handling MLW's shutdown amid the coronavirus pandemic 1:56: On the Dynasty's successful title defenses at AAA vs. MLW Super Series 3:02: On MLW and Savio Vega's claims he stole the Caribbean Heavyweight Championship 3:36: On Mance Warner spitting beer in his face and costing him a win against Blue Meanie on MLW: Fusion, Warner being jealous of the Dynasty 7:07: On Warner's challenge to MJF to an Empty Arena Loser Leaves Town challenge, what MJF thinks of Warner 7:45: On what's next for the Dynasty, potentially setting their sights on MLW Heavyweight Title 8:45: On how it feels like to be turning into the face

Dark Side of the Ring producer Evan Husney talks about the reaction to the season two premiere, taking a different approach to the Chris Benoit episode, working with Martha Hart on the upcoming Owen Hart episode, if they have any ideas for season three episodes and more. 0:00: Introduction 0:15: On his reaction to the response to the Chris Benoit-focused season premiere 1:16: On how important it was to get Daniel Benoit and Sandra Toffoloni's story told in the Benoit episode 2:18: On the episode's different approach to the Benoit story 3:53: On the presentation having a different feel in season two, making the Benoit episode feel more intimate 5:18: On if David Benoit's sister and mother not being in the episode 6:18: On not making the docuseries a hitpiece on professional wrestling while still taking an honest look at the industry 9:49: On whether they had any episodes that didn't come together for season two that they're considering for a possible third season 11:41: On getting Martha Hart to agree to work

AEW star Chris Jericho discusses his involvement in season two of Dark Side of the Ring, the season premiere episode on Chris Benoit, his match with Jon Moxley at AEW Revolution and more 0:00: Introduction 0:51: On being brought on for the episode and whether he had any reservations doing it 2:18: On the episode's different approach to the Benoit story 3:25: On Benoit's importance to his own career and Benoit matches not being included in WWE retrospectives 5:04: On Chris and Nancy Benoit's family members participating in the episode and telling their story and bringing them together 9:29: On narrating the rest of season two's episodes, being a fan of the show's first season 10:24: On Dark Side of the Ring tapping into wrestling history and shedding a new light on wrestling stories 12:43: On losing the AEW Championship at AEW Revolution to Jon Moxley, Moxley being one of AEW's early big stars

TNA Hall of Famer Gail Kim discusses her Kayfabe project with Christy Hemme and Lita that you can support via Kickstarter, winning the WWE Women's Championship in her debut match, whether the TNA Knockouts paved the way for the Women's evolution in WWE, ending her career on her own terms, her storyline with the Bella Twins and Daniel Bryan, whether she would accept a WWE Hall of Fame induction and much more. 0:00: Introduction 0:56: On the premise of Kayfabe, the uniqueness of the project being wrestling told from a women's perspective 3:14: On the stories being told and how it's scripted with writers, whether the stories are coming from Kim, Hemme and Lita's lives 5:00: On the production team for the show including Chavo Guerrero, Dave Sehadi and more 6:23: On Kim's WWE Women's Championship win in her debut for the company, her reaction and why she has mixed emotions about it 9:14: On whether what she and Awesome Kong did in TNA with the Knockouts paved the way for WWE's Women's evolution 12:47: On her retu

MLW star Alexander Hammerstone discusses his match with Laredo Kid at the AAA vs. MLW Super Series on Friday, the Dynasty's feud with Mance Warner, rumors of a new MLW TV deal, how he reinvented himself, the Dynasty's goals for 2020 and more. 0:00: Introduction 0:17: On his match against Laredo Kid and representing MLW on the card against AAA 2:21: On if there's extra pressure for the match by being in Mexico for his title 3:52: On whether it's more important for him to win the match for MLW or to retain his title 4:40: On how the Dynasty fits together as a group, their chemistry as an alliance, and Medina joining the group 7:15: On the Dynasty's feud with Mance Warner and if Warner is a bad example for pro wrestling 10:58: On being the sole MLW National Openweight Champion thus far 12:30: On who he credits for bringing the Dynasty together 13:15: On how he's reinvented himself and initially feeling pressure to be a certain type of character, being inspired by Fight Club 16:40: On if Richard is making sure h

MLW star Mance Warner discusses his rivalry with Dynasty and a possible shot at Alexander Hammerstone's MLW Openweight Title, his many matches and rivalry with Nick Gage, wrestling Jerry Lawler in GameChanger Wrestling, how to prepare for a barbed wire match, hardcore wrestling being misunderstood and much more. 0:00: Introduction 1:35: On how he's been liking his run in MLW so far 2:23: On Dynasty starting a war with him and how he'll react, wanting a shot at Alexander Hammerstone's MLW Openweight Title 3:52: On his current status with MLW 4:10: On fans having more variety in wrestling than ever 5:29: On his hardcore, rougher style being misunderstood by some fans and hardcore wrestlers being underrated as workers 7:58: On fans being able to speak their opinions and his connection with the fanbase 10:08: On his match with Jerry Lawler at GCW's 2 Cups Stuffed last year 12:07: On being a storyteller in the ring as opposed to just doing moves in the ring 13:10: On being a lifelong fan of wrestling, who he loo

MLW star "Filthy" Tom Lawlor discusses his match with Killer Kross at MLW: Fightland this weekend, the talent roster in MLW, Court Bauer giving him freedom in his creative work, King Mo's arrival in MLW, the trend of MMA fighters transitioning to professional wrestling and more. 0:00: Introduction 0:19: On his match with Killer Kross at MLW Fightland this weekend, being the veteran in MLW against Kross 2:36: On whether his MMA background makes him overpowered for any opponent in MLW 3:42: On making his own history in the 2300 Arena 5:12: On whether the match is a new start for him before heading back to the Heavyweight Title 6:14: On the level of talent on the roster in MLW, why he re-signed with the company 8:54: On Court Bauer's success guiding MLW and allowing talent freedom to do what they want, how much of his promos are scripted 12:17: On not being retired from MMA yet, being offered fights and willingness to take a fight 13:29: On King Mo joining MLW and wanting to face him in the ring 14:25: On the

NJPW star Lance Archer discusses his Texas Deathmatch with Jon Moxley at Wrestle Kingdom 14, his successful singles run over 2019, his runs in TNA and WWE, working with Vince Russo, his match with Abyss at TNA Sacrifice 2005, his "Murder Hawk Monster" gimmick, why now is the hottest time in the wrestling industry and more. 0:00: Introduction 0:23: On how he's feeling heading into his match with Moxley and the Texas Deathmatch stipulation 2:10: On winning the title after Moxley was stripped of the title, if he's been looking forward to facing Moxley 4:25: On his success in 2019 and how he feels about his breakout singles run in NJPW 6:45: On NJPW losing the Elite to AEW and if he felt pressure to step up and fill the void 10:54: On whether 2019 felt like a clean slate for him 12:00: On his run in the G1 Climax, his match with Will Ospreay to open the tournament and how the night felt to him 16:17: On the difference in NJPW's promo and storytelling style as opposed to that of WWE and other companies 19:12: On

AEW Executive Vice President Cody speaks with media about his World Championship match with Chris Jericho at AEW Full Gear, Dynamite's performance in the ratings and where to grow the audience from here, devoting more time to the women's division, the possibility of a secondary title, the lessons learned from the first several weeks of Dynamite and more. 0:00: Introduction 1:35: On the differences between working a full-time schedule with AEW as opposed to the lead-up 3:42: On his promo on Dynamite and the positive response that it received 6:49: On how important his match at Full Gear is to him 9:46: On bringing in what he learned from his past work in terms of production 12:43: On the possibility of a secondary championship 15:15: On when the rankings system will debut 16:20: On good feedback he's gotten from fans and separating constructive criticism from non-constructive criticism 19:50: On plans to give more time to the women's division 22:30: On his biggest lesson in terms of production and the biggest

WOW - Women of Wrestling star Jungle Grrrl discusses becoming the #1 contender to Tessa Blanchard's championship, what the title match means to her, AXS TV being bought by Anthem and possible crossover with Impact Wrestling, WOW's influence on the rise of women's wrestling, how her wrestling journey began and more. 0:00 - Introduction 0:35 - On being the #1 contender to Tessa Blanchard's championship 1:11 - On whether it's more important for her to beat Blanchard or win the title, what she thinks of Blanchard 2:55 - On Lioness and Lana Star getting involved in her match, whether she's looking at payback against them 5:28 - On the Beast potentially looking for revenge against her, potentially giving the Beast a title shot if she wins it 6:16 - On wrestling without boots on and what advantage it gives her 8:57 - On AXS TV being bought by Anthem and whether it changes anything for WOW 11:17 - On a possible crossover between WOW and Impact's Knockouts division 13:19 - On WOW's perseverance over the years and how

Impact Wrestling Executive Vice President Scott D'Amore talks about Impact's new TV deal with AXS TV and the stability it brings, being replaced by Vince Russo in 2006 and his relationship with Russo, the Team Canada stable, doing more co-promotional work and more. 0:00 - Introduction 2:52 - On Impact's new TV deal and the company surviving through difficult times 5:59 - On the company getting more stability through AXS TV and seeing their long-term plans come to fruition 9:30 - On the decision to put the TNA World title on Jeff Jarrett in 2006 12:49 - On the decision to bring in Vince Russo to replace him in creative in 2006, his relationship with Russo 14:40 - On Team Canada stable and it being a breakthrough for Bobby Roode, Petey Williams, and Eric Young 24:49 - On if co-promotional efforts will continue in the new era

Impact Wrestling's Jimmy Jacobs talks about Impact heading to AXS TV, possible co-promotional efforts, his frustrations while working in WWE, working with Gabe Sapolsky in ROH, whether rumors about Vince McMahon are true, WWE putting NXT opposite AEW on Wednesday and more. 0:00 - Introduction 2:53 - On his "Ballad of Lacey" song and storyline in ROH 4:18 - On Seth Rollins coming up with the Age of the Fall name and how the angle was booked 5:35 - On working with Gabe Sapolsky 6:50 - Talk about CM Punk possibly doing WWE Backstage and his relationship with Punk 8:40 - On if he was frustrated while working in WWE 9:30 - On rumors that Vince McMahon tears up scripts for Raw and starts over from scratch 10:26 - On scripted vs. unscripted promos 13:30 - On what happens when he sneezes in front of Vince McMahon 15:03 - On WWE putting NXT opposite AEW on Wednesday 15:46 - On whether WWE was looking for an excuse to fire him and if he was asked to join AEW 20:14 - On Impact moving to AXS TV and possible co-promotion

WOW - Women of Wrestling founder David McLane talks about the promotion's second season, the status of a possible third season, WOW's relationship with AXS TV, the rise of women's wrestling, what Tessa Blanchard and Teal Piper are bringing to WOW, the options that wrestling fans have these days and more. Introduction (0:00) On how it feels coming back for a second season on AXS TV (0:28) On the WOW Tag Team Championship Series (3:23) His reflections on how far WOW has come since its founding (4:14) On the rise of women's wrestling and how it fits his vision for what women's wrestling could be (6:01) On Tessa Blanchard and why she's one of the best in the world (8:27) On bringing in Teal Piper and her role in WOW - Women of Wrestling (10:41) On the status of a potential third season (13:07) On the possibility of taking WOW on the road to tour (14:48) On WOW's relationship with AXS TV (15:55) On the myriad options that wrestling fans have now (17:03) On whether AXS TV has any equity in WOW (16:58) On where to

WOW - Women Of Wrestling star Teal Piper talks about growing up as the daughter of the great Roddy Piper, signing with WOW and why she got into the industry, the evolution of women's wrestling and what WOW is doing for women in the industry, her thoughts on Tessa Blanchard and more. Introduction (0:00) On how she ended up signed with WOW - Women Of Wrestling (0:36) On why she decided to make the leap into pro wrestling and if she'd considered it before (1:13) On when she realized her father was a wrestling star and a heel (2:32) On if she watched any wrestling when she was young and becoming more of a fan as she got older (4:03) On what AXS TV and WOW are doing for women's wrestling (6:55) On Tessa Blanchard and her accomplishments in the industry so far (8:23) On what makes wrestling so unique in how it connects with fans (9:28) On the weight of her father's legacy and if she feels the pressure of it when trying to walk her own path (10:45) On the evolution of women's wrestling and women getting more opport

FITE TV CEO Mike Weber talks about this weekend's Starrcast III, how CM Punk's panel came together and whether Punk will be making any big announcements, working with NJPW, how AEW's debut on TNT will affect FITE's relationship with the promotion, the future of Starrcast and more. Introduction (0:00) On his anticipation level for Starrcast III and other upcoming shows (0:45) On how involved FITE is in putting together panels and the like at Starrcast (2:21) On Sean Mooney, Tony Schiavone and Davey Crockett's involvement at Starrcast II (4:32) On how CM Punk's panel at Starrcast III came together (5:58) On if he thinks Punk will be making an announcement of some kind at Starrcast (8:46) On whether this could be FITE TV's biggest weekend to date (10:36) On why people are still interested in CM Punk despite his being away from wrestling for years (11:28) On Conrad Thompson's plans for the future of Starrcast (13:18) On whether FITE TV is interested in having a greater role in Starrcast (15:52) What it's been li

MLW star and executive producer Salina de la Renta talks about the growth of the company, working behind the scenes in MLW as an executive producer, the development of her on-screen character, how she got inspired to get into the business, MLW's working relationship with Pro Wrestling NOAH, whether she's looking to get in the ring and more. Introduction (0:00) On the inspiration for her on-screen persona in MLW (0:46) On her where her promo style comes from (2:15) On where she started her wrestling training and wanting to get into the business after seeing Total Divas (4:03) On her experience in MLW thus far (6:36) On progressing as an on-screen character to working as an executive producer for the company (7:47) On MLW's working relationship with Pro Wrestling NOAH and what NOAH talent she may want to work with (10:01) On if she's interested in getting into the ring for MLW and the status of her knee injury (11:15) On working with Pentagon Jr. (12:15) On professional wrestling as a form of performance art