Whether it's a parley on Sunday or a straight bet on the big game you get way more with that way must be 19 plus Ontario only play responsibly concerned about your gambling visit connects Ontario.ca Hey everybody This is waiting here as many of you know our own John Pollock is over in London right now ahead of AEW all-in We're today He had a chance to talk to several members of the roster including Kyle Fletcher speedball Mike Bailey will O'Mai and Gail My world and Kevin Knight you can watch these interviews over at youtube.com slash post wrestling But for those of you who prefer listening in audio form we have compiled all of them for you here in one podcast enjoy Alright, we are here with the AW international champion Kyle Fletcher Gainset for AEW is all in London event at Wembley Stadium this Sunday So and Kyle I want to go back to super card of honor 2024 in Philadelphia yourself and Lee Johnson. I remember being at the show Fantastic match, but my big takeaway was watching you at the press conference afterward where it really seemed that I was like Okay, this is certainly somebody to watch and I will Give myself a hat on the back of the ascension it seemed like here's a guy very confident in his skin and is just on the cusp of something
And here we are just like two and a half years later Tell me a bit about that role in ring of honor and and why that was like a pivotal period for you and maybe you know Getting your feet under you before sending an AW. No, it absolutely was that was kind of my first real singles run that I'd ever had Like when I moved to the UK in 2017 I was 18 year old and I was trusting to this tag team Which at the time was great for me. I was still figuring out life. I was still figuring out my career We obviously went through a lot of different things as a tag team got to AW as a tag team And then unfortunately that's gone hurt and then I was in this weird spot where I was brought in as a tag team So like they didn't really know how to use me as a singles guy yet I'd never really been a singles guy before so I wasn't I wasn't this fully fleshed out character So it was very it was very hard. Where do I fit in right at the time ring of honor was?
You know it was a place for me to find myself It was an opportunity and I took it as an opportunity and that's what I used it as I used it to grow I used it to like you said find my feet kind of find out who I was by myself and what works and I was able to try out a Lot of different things I was able to work with great competitors and I was I was afforded a little bit of freedom as well I was allowed to really you know find myself in the ring and that's where my confidence really started to grow in that period of Time I won the world television championship, which a very you know prestigious title held by a lot of different names over the years So that really felt like a big step up to me a big step forward and it really did give me confidence and throughout that time Yeah, I really started to grow into my own skin. It was very important for me I know you you've spoken a lot about you know Mark Davis's unfortunate injury, but he's you know he's back on track now He's doing great was it during the injury at all Did you guys ever have like a bit of a heart-to-heart about you know where are our careers gonna be going is you're on the sidelines And I'm now I've got this opportunity in front of me on my own It had to be you know, you're weighing these things it was definitely it was it was difficult at the time
It he wasn't on the road. He was he was at home So it felt like a conversation that we needed to have in person and we didn't get to have that conversation at the time Obviously we've had conversations since then but whilst this ascension was happening. He wasn't he wasn't around He wasn't on the road. I didn't want to I didn't want to text him I didn't want to just be like oh this is how I feel like it really did felt like he's my best friend in the whole world I think we really need to have that conversation in person So we didn't have a conversation and I think for a lot of that time I really did feel guilty I felt guilty that I was having this newfound success Whilst he was probably going through the toughest time in his life and as a friend that's really hard It's really hard to know that but he's he's incredible He's an incredible human being incredible wrestler and he has been nothing but supportive the whole time I've been nothing but supportive of him So yeah, I think whilst it was hard at the time I did feel a bit guilty it's our relationship now and has has just continued to grow over time It would also seem like it's something where both of you have now gone out on these great singles runs that you almost can just put a pin in Aussie open and if you guys revisit that it
Will be bigger now than it was at that time and that's always going to be there It should it should it be the right time? Yeah, absolutely. I think like you said both of our growth individually has been huge We've come so far individually So like you said whenever and if we revisit Aussie open it would be a totally different Aussie open But that the thought of that excites me because it we would just be you know people love those The open then I think we're a hundred times better now than we were then so I'm excited to see it I want to go back to Toronto last September obviously a very big night for you headlining a contentment page at all out So I mean I'm sure going into a lot of these pay-per-views your focus on the match This is a headlining spot It's you know, it's a very it's a very tall task on an AW show to close out And is that maybe one of the first times in your career that you're very vested as well in like the business performance of a show and being put in this situation Where hey, we're giving you the ball and placing this like hey, we want you to go run the play I imagine that had to be a big responsibility and you passed with flying colors Yeah, absolutely. It was it was by far the most pressure I'd ever put on myself Being the main event the world title of a pay-per-view
It's no it's no it's no it's all fast No, a lot of people get to that point ever in their career and being 26 years old at the time I really did feel like there was a big responsibility on my behalf and like like you said I think I passed with flying colors So that's all you can really ask for in terms of you know as we mentioned like the standard is so high for these AW pay-per-views And there are people that is watching a big Kyle Fletcher match and the Sunday is a perfect example with Ocada Nick Takeshia It's like people are buying these shows the expectation I'm gonna see the best show I've ever seen and is that something like you just revel in that that type of situation? Like just give me the runway and let me go But what is sort of that putting your mindset into preparing when the expectations are through the roof?
It's it's it's pressure and that's and that's what it is. I put so much, you know, it's external pressure But it's mostly internal pressure. I know the expectations I know what people are expecting. I know what I expect of myself is even bigger and better than than what other people think of me So yeah going into a match like this going into any pay-per-view But like all in especially this is I would say the biggest match in my career to date So the pressure just gets bigger every time and and I love that pressure because the pressure is the thing that gets me out of bed every morning It's the thing that makes me work as hard as I can every single day to be the best version of myself So I know without a shadow of doubt in my mind that I'm going to be the best version of Kyle Fletcher when the time comes You also have revisited the matches with us speedball Mike Bailey. What is it about speedball that really brings out that element of you?
It just seems like the two of you have a connection that you have in the interest in yeah It it's very hard to put my finger on as as I'm sure a lot of people that have felt that chemistry before it's hard to know Exactly what it is for some reason we just click I don't know if it's our Philosophies on wrestling if it's the way we view wrestling if it's you know who we are as performers our skill sets It's probably all of those things mixed together But I just know that every time we're in the ring together we create magic so every time we get the chance I just I'd get excited because I know he's gonna bring the best out of me final question I just want to ask you about your return from injury how things have held up and what that process was like for you Certainly a physical but also mental challenge of going through that that time on the sidelines but returning how it does not seem like you Have lost a step, but what was looking at hindsight what that process was like?
Yeah Yeah, like you said I haven't I don't feel like I've missed a step since coming back I think I was I was blessed that I was able to kind of ease my way back in like first match was a 10-man tag And then we had the big steel cage match up for a bit and all so I wasn't like I wasn't pushed to my limit straight away, which was nice It was good to kind of get my bearings a little bit which I'm very grateful for the process in general It was tough man. I was the T&T champion. I just won the trio's titles It really felt like this year was going to be my my year And then you know for it to be put put on hold very very early on it was hard to kind of grasp and and the hard part as well was I didn't end up having to have surgery which was awesome news, but because of that I didn't have a timeline they couldn't say like you will definitively be back by this time So every day that I was working I was just like just hoping for progress a little bit better a little bit better And that's I think that's honestly probably what made it happen so fast It was just every single day I was I will do everything I can to make sure I'm back as quickly as I can so every day I was you know rehabbing nutrition was still on point training was on point I could still train my upper body
I could still do you know I could still get on the bike and do my cardio so I knew exactly what I had to do to get back and that's what I did and and I have come back as the best version of me possible and Like you said having mr. Step and it's only out from here You think that goes back when you when you have a big promo segment big match Do you go back and watch your own work and that's and has that ever been a difficult process or just something that is come easily Because some of our owners just hate watching their own stuff. I mean I Do hate watching my stuff sometimes, but I think that is the most important time to watch it back because If you don't like it, then how can you expect fans to enjoy it and watch it and like it?
Well, everyone's different obviously But if I if I'm going out there and I'm putting on it's something that I'm proud of and that should be the goal every time Like I want to put on my best performance possible. I want to make myself proud I want to do my absolute best with everything so that feedback that that personal like other people can give you feedback But until you watch it and make your own opinions and see it for yourself It's very hard to actually put that feedback into practice If I watch my match back and I go you know I I'm way more critical than any other person in the world will be of myself So I'm looking at the way the way my the way I move the way I look like how long I stay in a certain position How there's so many different things that no one would even think about that I can only get from watching my own stuff back So if I want to be the absolute best I want to be the best in the world That's it's just what I have to do even if I hate it well It's it's been really enjoyable watching that this whole rise and we're looking forward to Kyle Fletcher Because to Chicago and Connecticut to coming up this Sunday at all in London at Wembley Two editions of Rewind Away highlight the October menu at the post wrestling cafe We are going to be chatting about TNA lockdown featuring team angle against team cage and a legendary horrible blindfold
Match between the members of America's most wanted then we have a review of Summerslam 2001 featuring Steve Austin against Kurt Angle and the rock against Booker T reviews of TNA bound for glory Maple Lee pro wrestling's Northern Rising UFC 333 King of pro wrestling and we will roll the calls by Aria Manual on book club plus Pollock and Ting Tock and it is time for Nirvana the band the show the movie the review all of that At post wrestling cafe.com eight dollars a month supports post wrestling All right, we're here with speedball Mike Bailey ahead of a w all in London where he would be part of the casino gauntlet match And over a lot of people this is the big show of the year It's at Wembley, but I imagine you're in a unique spot where redemption was kind of that big show for you I'm sure that that meant a whole lot getting to wrestle at the Bell Center You had the big victory that had to be a real bucket list item last month That was absolutely incredible to be back home at the Bell Center Like of course right the stadium where I went to see professional wrestling growing up And it took me you know 20 years of my career to finally make it there to finally get a big match Not only big match, but also a huge win in the Bell Center and it's shocking to me I've been wrestling for 20 years, right and I have
Wrestling giant arenas in so many countries But the fact that this Sunday at Wembley even after 20 years even despite redemption will be the biggest crowd in front of which I've ever wrestled in the fact that my career is still still going up as I'm progressing in AW is absolutely incredible What was really something watching the redemption show is like you had this incredible performance The audience was all chanting for you Yeah, coming out of it So many people thought that it was your words at the press conference that really struck a chord with people and kind of getting the insight into Mike Bailey and the story like you do have quite quite a story that led into getting to wrestle at the Bell Center Did you get similar feedback to your appearance at a press conference? I mean, yes and no, I kind of always do but it's weird because it's so hard to write hit different segments of the Professional wrestling audience and I feel like there's a lot of you know people watch At different rates and I know that there is a large segment of the audience online I am very open with my career right I stream on twitch. I have a vlog every week I do a lot of interviews I try to talk to as many people and be as open as possible But of course AW has a much wider audience than I've ever had before and I am I'm always shocked for how long I've been saying
These things that people are still hearing them for the first time But I think it was just there was so much energy going into that moment that people were receptive and willing to hear it And I think those press conferences are always great. I think it was the first time that directly next to Tony Khan and in front of a lot of a lot of the media that was in that room are people that I know Personally and so it was just really easy for me to open up in that moment and and there was It was just a big moment, you know, it's it came through. It's very hard to describe. Yeah When when you talk about like your twitch stream and having that connection with your audience like has that what was the mindset when you kind of Had that philosophy and continuing it now because you do see a lot of performers as they gradually increase the demands become more and it's Like some people they don't want to be online. They don't want to be seeing what is being read about them But it seems like you've always kind of been like, you know putting yourself out there and engaging at a high level with all of your fans
And kept that connection. Yeah, and I think that's really the mindset that I come up with as a Canadian professional wrestler, right? And if you look at all the great Canadian pro wrestlers through history Like if you look at Chris Jericho if you look at Kenny Omega if you look at guys like that The story really is making it out of Canada going around the world to build up your name and then come back And that's what I had to face when I was banned from the US for five years I had to look ahead down the line knowing okay I won't be wrestling in the biggest market for professional wrestling for a very long time So how can I continue to build up my name to build up my brand to let people know who I am to still keep that connection with the American audience While I'm wrestling in Japan and in Mexico and in Europe and I think that The world of wrestling is connected through social media. I think it's a wonderful thing I think wrestlers are doing themselves a huge disservice By not leveraging leveraging it to their full advantage and Twitter for many many reasons is an awful awful place The algorithm is politically biased and ruined and most people on it are just Ragebaiting and bad and trolling and it's a terrible place like a gamification really it's like that's what it is
But you're playing with humans But it's like you're not you online are not the person on the other screen is not a human to you exactly and so many people are doing that And as a real human being with some level of notoriety I mean, I'm just a pro wrestler, right? I'm not a government account I have a responsibility to try to be positive to try to speak like a real human being and engage with other real human beings on there And I think that I have formed a place for myself within the Pro wrestling community beyond just what you see on TV and I think that has helped my career a lot I think the era of only being a pro wrestler 50 minutes a week on TV is gone and what people want when they see the show now any show that is beyond like you're fully playing a character Like a movie or series they wanted to be an interactive experience They want the engagement to continue once the show is over and I think a lot of people as you know because this is literally your line of Work, but when dynamite ends, right people seek out what do other people have to say they want to be in the conversation?
They want to engage and that is what I think I can offer people you talk about your your 20-year journey toward this And I'd be interested to hear your thought because it seems that for a lot of talents that if you're getting into the business now It's gonna be this arms race that you might be offered a contract within a year or two of starting And I wonder if you feel there's going to be less of the stories of those performers that are gonna go to Japan and Travel all over the world and spend their time at the at the independence before they're going and they're on national television It seems like that window is going to close and you're gonna be taking those big leaps very early on in your career Do you think that that is a trend? We're going to see more and more with these like with a w and a w and always looking for talent at maybe very early stages of their career Yes, and no ads and ebbs and flows it feels like it's heading that way, but I don't know how long that's gonna last right I think that a w has changed the wrestling landscape so much right and it's given so many A lot of opportunities to make a lot of money, but it's been extremely interesting seeing a lot of professors who literally debuted during the pandemic on a w Dark right that was their first match ever and I do think that
Being able to navigate the landscape is a skill that will never be lost as a professional wrestler And I feel like getting a shorter less money lower level contract and doing that for three years and moving on is the new Going to Japan for three years, but I mean it's funny I think this is my criticism of the pro wrestling world as a whole right and pro wrestling journalism There's a failure in data analysis. We don't collect enough data And I'm glad we have great people at a w that are trying to do that But there is a path for pro wrestlers to become successful right and I think right now it still looks a lot like Start where local close independent wrestling then travel usually like if you're an American specifically to Mexico or Japan Usually Mexico or England then eventually Japan then come back sign a lower level contract and then sign a nice real contract Right that's pretty much a path I was on except it took me an extra an extra five years and maybe even longer than a lot of people I think that's really very realistic and common path for a lot of people But I wish there was a lot more data collected on the people who signed to major companies within the last two or three years
What did it take for them to get there? And I mean of course there's the path where you just are a world champion at something or a professional athlete in a Another discipline, but that's a completely different thing than most what most pro wrestlers will have to go through Even if you like it like the highest level of professional wrestling, I'm not sure how many people For how many people that's what happened, but I think it's a I think you know as contracts become more and more available That is a very tempting path for younger wrestlers But I do think that developing your skill set in a wider sense is a more prudent route, right? I do think that the landscape is changing and that won't be that way forever or for very long and then it might go back to that Within the next few years. I don't know just as we wrap up here Obviously, it's a major boom that's going on in Mexico right now And you know you've been down there tell me a little bit about what is the secret sauce right now of arena Mexico I believe you're going back there in a couple of weeks Just tell me a little bit about the vibe there and especially those Friday night shows that it just seems it has become the hot Thing to do and they're on this unbelievable run of business. Yeah, I'm going back September 13th
It'll be speedball my Billy Mistico versus a them knowing Kevin Knight Which is an absolute dream match and those Friday night shows at enemy people are unlike absolutely anything else And I've had a great time going to them and I get the first hand experience I get the second hand experience every single time because they just got who my wife my wife was been going to do the commentary on my A w every other Friday always lets me know how incredible it is But I think it's just again Simmel is the oldest promotion in the world the kind of success that they're experiencing now doesn't happen overnight It's a very very long series of good decisions that it took many many years to build and they haven't always been this successful And I certainly do think that the relationship between same I and a w is a huge part of the recipe that makes you know a series of sold out shows that they've been having and I think that The kind of collaboration that we're seeing between a w cml new Japan ring of honor and all these promotions is Exactly what the wrestling world needed and I think that is the biggest change that we've seen over the last few years And it's something that has been needing to happen for 20 years last question
And this is something that you know you can answer as a performer is you know the standard for the a w pay-per-views is so high But it's like the television is not that far off and you have recently had this unbelievable series over the last year with a Kyle Fletcher And many other names when you're going into a match like that like it's not just people have a high expectation It's like we are expecting one of the greatest matches of all time is it you know Is it still thrilling for you to have those scenarios or is it almost like man? It's like we've got a top ourselves that we have been able to achieve this magic can we do it again and continuing to do so It's like there's just such a high bar now Okay, so the part of the like wrestling discourse that I hate the most is the assumption that there is a downside to so many things The assumption that as a wrestler I am a tube of toothpaste and once all the toothpaste has been squeezed out We won't be able to put it back in and that is false I think a w is where the best wrestle and guys like me guys like how Fletcher were real fucking Hoopers and there is we're not too Faced to where toothpaste factories we will just keep getting better as we get opportunities and I think that's what you've seen with a w and Removing the mentality and I'm looking at the young bucks right now
Flashing on the poster, but I think they're a big part of it And they showed when it comes to independent wrestling because they did it for so many years even before a w started That wrestlers will keep getting just as good as you keep letting them and they just even till now again I I'm certain that they're matched with a coping cage on Sunday We'll be their best match ever and they've been putting on better and better and better matches even though 15 years ago people were saying they pushed the envelope too far and there's no going back and eventually there's going to be diminishing returns And there hasn't there hasn't been I feel like pro wrestling will be getting better and better and the idea of Going back to data and I was not talking about technology within pro wrestling right the information the data on how to have a good match The intelligent wrestlers just collect it and build upon it and that's why you see pro wrestling not only getting better in terms of matches Getting more exciting But I think what you see in a w is the combination of the matches getting more exciting on their own But also better stories than ever behind the matches and a way to make those
Matches that failed completely untenable ten years ago because the technology was in there But to be able to do those matches sustainably I think that is the combination that makes up all the wrestling I look forward to doing a follow-up with you on the data analysis of a pro wrestling I would love to chat with Mike Bailey some more maybe we'll get a wrestling omics spinoff with Mike Bailey But great that'd be awesome. That would be fantastic. I would love that We will have you on for sure he is gonna be competing in the casino gauntlet match Sunday at aEW all in London Don't bother here from post wrestling joined by a w women's champion will and I can go going into all in London on Sunday And will my first question is just your road toward Wembley It has been certainly a physical one for you and I know a lot of fans You've probably been asked several times today. What is the status of your hand and what exactly happened?
Well, she's broken I have to go again extra later today to figure out the severity of that because that would then inform just how guarded it has to be on Sunday Whether I'm able to get any kind of like wrist flexibility or just hands or if I'm gonna kind of have a situation like this where I'm just like a stomp So we'll see we'll see but the heart is good. She's full of love and passion and ready to fight There was a second Mercedes right Mercedes angry mean woman stomping on it throwing the title at it with a chair That part disheartening but not surprising. Yeah, is there you know The wrestler brain in you that you sustain an injury how quickly does it all but this will be great for this particular match Does your brain move towards that fairly quickly? Listen so again?
I was talking about wanting to get a little bit like wrist mobility But I did think about if they put me in like a full cast I'm like listen I know Brody King had a broken hand and he was clobbering people with that so if if that be the case Girls I do what you have to do. Yeah, that did come to mind a little a little wrist cast clobbering two years ago at Wembley You are on the pre-show teaming with Tomer here Eishi can you tell me a little bit about reflecting on where will I get was in 2024 and the process that you have gone in these two years We're turning as women women's champion. What has been kind of the growth for you over these past two years? I mean two years ago. I definitely had a sense of feeling defeated because I Had lost my tbs title one, but two I was you know feuding with my best friend And that even if you get to be on on the biggest show of the year and do get out there it does hurt your heart and A piece of me is like okay We gotta we gotta put on our big girl boots put on the show and strive for more and strive for more
I did and here I am sure of myself Friends friends in tow still the conglomeration big Tom, right? I got I got my Where's Oc's around here somewhere? I got my gone boys. We're gonna be there. I'm gonna be rooting for them and Stan Harley our beloved friends mind-sharing for me and hopefully all of the fans that when will you be cheering for me?
I feel great It is it feels like I've climbed a mountain and now I just want to scream yes Yeah, how about the evolution for the women within a w over this same period over these two years? Do you feel the division is in a good place? Where do you feel things are right now in terms of like the roster the depth? It has as well. I think it's better than ever I won this championship from somebody who had a very quick ascent within this company when you look at tecla I don't like her but I can't take away that she's added so much to the division in the short amount of time You look at the champions the tag champs right now divine dominion. They've only been here within the past two years
I want to say lean across even within within this calendar year 2026 and immediately have both made an impact So when you look at the roster, we've had growing evolving becoming better new additions Harley Cameron someone I was able to make history with and be the first ever tag champs with to see her growth and how where she started to Who she's turning to is beautiful and I think everybody back there wants it Everybody knows that the names all elite and are trying to prove it and they're trying to push for every minute of time that we're given and every promo every Anything we all want it. We're all pushing for it and even even the people we don't like there's a level of respect I want to ask you about last month. It was after the redemption show in in Montreal You got to speak at the press conference What was the feedback you got because it felt like a very very open very honest and sometimes performers don't want to be so so open and honest But it seemed like you really connected with a lot of people with some of your comments that you made and you know
Getting a chance to see other layers of yourself and what you go through as a performer. There's highs lows for every performer I mean honestly, I think That's that's been been the thing with me from day one I think the reason I'm able to make the connection with fans that I do is because I am authentic I I've never tried to be somebody else. I will say that I started my name. Sorry. I'm easily distracted Very a very true portrayal of myself. I think Willow as like as a character of course
There's like a little extra layer a little extra happiness whatever but ultimately it is me through and through So sometimes I hurt my feeling a little bit more when people are like shit so annoying, but at the end of the day I am away. I can't change it. I'm gonna go with it and Unfortunately, I mean I'm human and sometimes I get the sad's real bad You think that generally those are the performers that are connecting more like this is an industry that sometimes it is Eliminate all the weaknesses and I think for some fans it's looking at those those are endearing qualities that do connect with people on a different level in You know this modern age of course like like you said I think pro wrestlers There's constantly the comparison to be like where are we alive superheroes? We have no weaknesses We have one grip tonight and it is when our shoulders are on the mat But I think our weaknesses are so much more than just a physical fighting kind of like low point We have emotional vulnerabilities. I think that one Helps us tell stories better, right? That's that's part of what we're doing but two it's
It affects everything in life. It shapes the day It shapes the match it shapes your interactions from person to person and like I said for crowd connection to be so important to me I don't I don't want to give people the idea that I am sunshine rainbow is a hundred percent of the time I think truly what will own nightingales message is is that life is hard things will be shitty But find something some shred of hope to push you forward because you're gonna lose But sometimes you'll win and that that is that is the main takeaway that I I hope people get and I hope that's what the connection is And that's why I'll be vulnerable when I have to be one final question I would be remiss not to bring up Mercedes-Manay and the match obviously the two of you have really become this defining rivalry for the 8w women's division Can you tell me a little bit about how these matches have shaped willo night and gale and what you have taken from them because I think it's It's very hard to be discussing either of your careers without the intersection point This has become one of those feuds that have been you know It's now a big deal and willow and Mercedes are paired together. Yes, I think
Mercedes brought up a very interesting point Right after I won the championship and she interrupted my celebration She was like you would not be here without me And I think that is something she truly believes and I will give it to her that at the point in my career where we first wrestled I was not 100% sure of myself. I did not have the Statuary that I do now right I didn't have all the accomplishments that I do now That might have at that point been a launching pad for me to get more attention for more opportunities to come my way But I truly believe I would have had those opportunities come my way one way or another Ultimately, I am willow nightingale I am the person standing in front of you right now and I would have got here one way or another She just happened to be how it happened but the timeline was set for me to be world champion no matter what I believe it. I knew it was gonna come to me and it did we're looking forward to it willo nightingale going on going on this sunday Aw all in London against Mercedes money It's john Pollack and Davey portman here representing post wrestling getting set for all in london and we are joined by TBS champion my world and my first of all
We're speaking with you several days out from Wembley. We do expect to see you on on sunday What would be the ideal situation for you on sunday? I mean obviously ideal would be defending my TBS championship But at this point I've seen the stadium on the position. I would do it. Whatever it is I'm ready for something whatever match it is just throw me in there Now my I spoke to him on shiel at the press of that and you mentioned about wanting to face a thinner again She's your mentor. Yeah
How was she as a mentor and what kind of advice has she given you that sticks with you today? Um her advice was always like I said The opportunities are gonna come so just take everyone and like make the most of it basically Which I feel like I have so far So it was a lot of that she just always gave a lot of motivation of like confidence in myself and just every opportunity use it to your advantage basically How how have you processed the last couple of months for yourself where you really like jettison tier of course coming through the oh and heart cup tournament Have you been able to kind of like take an ability to look back at this process And how have you handled it mentally with a lot being put on your shoulders these last few months? You know that's honestly mentally it was hard at first because of course it happened right after you know My brother passed and um a lot of stuff was kind of like numb to me like I'm wrestling my idol and I was very excited of course But it's like I didn't everything could settle in what was happening. I made it to the final like beat of the you know I'm wrestling my idol so a lot of stuff kind of like took a while to settle in um I did finally like cry about it here in makeup because I was just reflecting on everything that's happened like wow I'm here at Wembley stadium last year all in and texas I was in the audience of an extra watching in Dallas Arlington
Um, so it's very very much like something I've had to like adapt to adapt to being champion Um, but it's been such a great a great few months. So I'm very excited. Yeah, like it must be crazy It's sort of your ascension in the last year. Yeah, um, I don't know how much you've traveled before like I'm I'm a londoner I went to school looking at the arch of wenpey say so for me to be here into the new year is pretty cool Yeah, but have you been a london before and no I have it's my first time And honestly the whole time on the plane. I was like, I can't believe I'm going to london I can't believe I'm going to london it's so cool. You're up in general because I'm in Scotland too
But like it's the coolest thing ever um never expected me obviously to be here Maybe wrestling in wenbey stadium too. So yeah, it's just been like mind-blowing experience for me so far As you went through the grieving process with your brother it was you know throwing yourself into wrestling at the time was it a bit of Therapy for yourself to sort of you know, this is how I'm gonna honor my brother is by going out there performing because it's you know It's it's quite a lot when you're grieving and it's also a very public story very very much so exactly that honestly um Like I said, I came in on Wednesday and we found out Sunday Well, it's kind of like Saturday night Sunday morning at 2am and from that 2am So like Wednesday by the airport out of my family We were all like in a living room like on top sleeping there like all just together So it definitely was like a pretty fresh air to get away because I just I'm the type of person My I guess my grief is like I at least for him didn't want to think about it Like um, I just need to get away from it. Um, so definitely deep dive dove right into work and Channel it towards As soon as I got there like everybody was so like loving company Tony has been amazing Um since that happened and then they also had all these like resources for me like mental health resources like for me
And also my family that they extended it too. So it's just been the best like I don't know if anywhere else would have like been open So loving as a w has been so definitely definitely was one of those things that where I had to like just dive in and make myself busy I've been on the road every week since so it's been it's been grief now You seem someone you know, you've seen a set you take every opportunity as they come and you have seen ways prepared for those opportunities Do you have anything special plan whether that's gearwise tribute wise or anything like that? If you are defending that championship at Wembley on Sunday, um, I do have to add it still but I do have something uh trivialized for my brother Um, I guess I can say that yeah if if I was okay, but Um, I did hear Tony say something so you know fingers crossed we might um but I do have something small tribute for him in my I'm like robe coat And now, you know, let's think of the positives as well. Yeah, you won that title on your birthday. Yeah, also happened to be my co-hosts birthday So I'm out Braden in Montreal. I'm sure there was some celebrating. Yeah, uh, I'm also a bartender
So I know about cocktails. I'm sure we probably had a few cocktails. I'll call it. No, I'll call it Maybe if we were to have a mya world cocktail something that sums you up What would it be and what would we call it? Okay? Well, here's my thing. I am actually I hate sipping alcohol
So I am more of a shop person, but I do love shirley temples. So it had to be something like a short temple with some alcohol mix It maybe like some tequila, but short temple are my thing. No, I'm alcohol. I do drink them You know what I mean? But surely something with a short temple with some tequila. So like a dirty shirley dirty. Sure. We don't
I'm fucking doing. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. I mean, I'm my attire is right there. Oh, that's good. That was that was good. Wait, what's in that?
It's wrong, but we can do tequila. Okay. Yeah, yeah, well, we look forward to uh, whatever your involvement is I think many are expecting you on the card on sunday my world the tbs champion and thanks so much for chatting with us. Thank y'all It's john paulicare from post wrestling and we are here with tnt champion kevin night as we get set for all in london happening at wembley stadium falls Count anywhere match with darby allen and right off the bat kevin d expectation level is so high for this match Tell us a little bit about you as a performer going into a match like this of when you are starting to put together ideas and Meeting those very lucky expectations right right right right I love that question because I train every single day whether I'm in a gym whether I'm performing in front of 100 people or 500 people whatever the case may be I put the same exact effort into that that I do that I'm going to do at wembley So I perform I train in a gym like i'm in front of 50,000 people I perform like i'm in front of nobody Um, and i'm gonna get the same exact energy that I do then that i'm gonna do at sunday So darby if and when he pulls up he's gonna get the best version of the jet Well, tell us about this version of the jet moving over to the don kallis family and this villain role that you had been in
What kind of um elements have come out of yourself over these last number of months that you've been discovering since the breakup of jet speed What is this process been like for you? I feel like i'm just letting loose and having fun having fun You know when we first got here in adw it's a lot of um doing a big man party matches going against the young books Um doing the money matches and I got a lot of bread and as you can see we blamed out the TNT title We got a nice little watch but now it's time to get serious and when things get more serious You honestly just have more fun So the jet has been doing his big one this time around and uh, I just been letting people see the real side of me to be honest In july you headlined the redemption paypreview with kenny omega How far out did you get the the news that you would be headlining the show and tell me just about your mindset of going in There was no higher standard in pro wrestling these days than an a w paypreview It's a huge expectation level and it was a big sign of confidence placing you in that mean event It definitely was um, I'm not too sure how far notice I got um to get the main event But like I said, I'll work every single day like I am in the main event So whether it was I get the notice the day before six months ahead. I'm going to be ready
You know you stay ready so you don't got to get ready and an adw paper event AEW main event on a paper view is like the highest up-reseaging get in today's wrestling world and going against somebody like the wrestling god Kenny Omega somebody that I watched a lot um when I first started it was like I already knew what I was getting myself into So I just couldn't wait to prove not only prove that I belong but proved I can dominate and be in a main event spot for years to come What are some of the unique features of Kenny Omega that makes him sort of like a one-of-one? What are some of the things just as a performer that maybe the audience doesn't quite comprehend that you know makes him in that unique space? It's the little things it's the little things that Kenny Omega does it's his facial expressions It's his uh, it's his uh snap that he has on everything that he does It's just how unique he does every single little move and you know what you're gonna get out of Kenny You know he's gonna get the v trigger the one-wing angel a couple of uh suit plexus or whatever But it's just the emotion and how he sets up his moves and just the facial expressions afterwards beforehand Um, you just see it on his face He's like a method actor out there. He's not just a wrestler. He's really feeling what he's doing
And I really took that and understood that um early on in my career and tried to emulate that and um, I think you can see that in our match at redemption How have you felt in uh, you know, obviously there's there's the in-ring component that you know, you really checked that box off But you're being given a lot more speaking opportunities on television now How have you found you know with that added responsibility where it's like go out and and sell the match? How have you felt about that process? Yes, definitely been a process It's just like conducting a match You know you have your beginning your middle your end and the only way that you can get better at it The only way that you can improve is just doing it over and over and over again And it's a different type of process, you know, I'm not physically putting my body at risk But now I have to mentally prepare even more now I have to listen to the crowd to see if they're chanting at me I have to be cognizant of the cameras. I have to know that my time cues and everything I have to enunciate every single word and then it's just really a challenge of getting better with every single rep More wrap up with this is you know, the be team It certainly just grabbed a lot of people you guys gained a lot of momentum and it seems that despite the breakup Like that is something you guys can certainly revisit as opponents as a reunion down the day
Tell me a bit about just how you look at that in the rear view of where jet speed got you to this position And the audience having like there is this innate connection now with yourself and speedball That is you know, always something that can be revisited. It's always something that can be revisited and I can't wait for us to do it Me personally, um, I've already beaten speedball Mike Bailey when he tried to challenge for my coveted TNT championship Um, but me and speedball have a lot of history and he knows me better than anybody in that locker room So man, whenever we came into a w it was like we were both hungry And uh, that's what I respect about him as a performer as a person is that we always push each other so I can't wait to do my best work against people Mike Well, congratulations on the run that you were on and we look forward to the falls down anywhere match happening at Wembley stadium with Kevin Knight and Darby out and those are just some of the interviews that were conducted today in media day as you may have heard Davey portman of poison ron I was also present here in addition to speaking to my world He also had a chance to interview to maso chava and orange Cassidy Which you can find right now on the poison ron a youtube or podcast feed of course you can continue to follow john through his audio updates at post Wrestling cafe.com where he has detailed a very lengthy and very stressful first day over in London so far and those will continue through at the rest of the week
On sunday sometime. I want to say around nine or ten p.m. Eastern time john and I will be doing our a w all in London post show live on youtube.com Slash post wrestling those of you who prefer listening on podcast will get it at some point after that But most of you probably listen on Monday morning. That's perfectly fine too. It'll be right there waiting for you So till then talk to you guys tonight for rewind us back down