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.
** Jimmy Traina welcomed AEW World Champion MJF onto the SI Media podcast. MJF said he does not consider himself a locker room leader. He looks at Bryan Danielson, Eddie Kingston, Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho and Dax Harwood in that light and explained why he does put himself in that slot.
Do I consider myself a locker room leader? No. When I think of locker room leaders, I think of people who are unabashedly willing to stand in front of the entire locker room and say, ‘Here’s what we need to do.’ When I think of that, I think of guys like (Bryan) Danielson, like (Jon) Moxley, like Eddie Kingston, Dax (Harwood) honestly as much as me and him butt heads. Chris Jericho. These are the guys who are not afraid to stand in front of everybody and say, ‘Hey, this is the way it’s meant to be done’ and when I say that, I mean that in a positive way. I don’t feel it’s my place to do that but I am more and I do — I give advice when I am asked of it and frankly, I’m asked for it a lot. But I’m not afraid to give advice because I know I’ve earned the right to do so. But no, I wouldn’t consider myself a locker room leader.
MJF is credited as an executive producer of The Iron Claw film and he plays the role of Lance Von Erich. At a screening of the movie, MJF and John Cena took a photo together. He stated that Cena loves what he’s doing in AEW and MJF said he loved everything Cena has done in the business.
We’re two guys that are both massive fans of each other’s work. He loves what I’m doing in AEW, I obviously love everything that he’s done in professional wrestling as a whole. He’s a — easily, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and I believe that — literally, I am a Hall of Famer but I believe that I am also soon-to-be a first-ballot professional wrestling Hall of Famer as well and we exchanged pleasantries and we talked and discussed about, you know, how we’re fans of each other’s work and I told him straight up, I find him to be an absolute inspiration. What he’s been able to do with Make-A-Wish with all these kids and also what he’s been able to do, completely transcend outside the professional wrestling sport and landscape is something that I’ve begun to do as well and I’m really proud of that and I don’t think I’d be able to do that without following the footsteps of these major giants in professional wrestling history like him, like Batista, like The Rock. If it’s not for these guys, they wouldn’t take me seriously as an actor.
As the conversation was ongoing, CM Punk was brought up and MJF stated that their program in AEW is the greatest feud of the modern era of wrestling. He’s not upset that Punk’s run in AEW did not work out because if Punk is happy, he’s happy for him.
I’ll just say it, it’s the greatest feud of the modern era was me versus CM Punk, I think. Yeah, and that happened on AEW television.
No (I was not sad Punk’s AEW run didn’t work out). I was happy for him because listen, if he’s happy, I’m happy. I think he’s a hell of a talent and at the end of the day, it’s a business and for some reason with wrestling, it’s looked at differently from any other sport. Listen, I see guys get traded to different teams all the time. That’s just life. So he did what he felt was best for him and the company did what they felt was best for the company. So, I just hope he’s happy. Wish him the best of luck.
** While being interviewed by WrestlePurists, Lio Rush reflected on his history in Ring of Honor and stated that he could see himself being back under the ROH umbrella.
That (2016) Ring of Honor Top Prospect tournament, that filled me with so much confidence. I feel like that was the first time where I was trusted in a position to really shine the way that I did and being in front of that crowd and that audience and wrestling the guys that I wrestled, you know, at that age, only being a year in, that is a very nostalgic time period for me… When I hear ‘Ring of Honor’, it always reminds me of me being such a hungry wrestler because during that time period of 2015, 2016, that roster was insane and me coming in, being as young as I was and being able to wrestle some of those guys, like The Young Bucks, like Adam Cole, Jay Lethal, teaming with Jay White, it was amazing… And I can see myself there. It would be pretty cool. I think it would almost be like a little fresh start, but with some history and I think it’ll be some cool history that a lot of people really didn’t know. So, yeah, I could see myself being back in Ring of Honor.
** Kia Stevens (Awesome Kong) and Gail Kim’s rivalry in TNA became a topic of conversation during IMPACT/TNA President Scott D’Amore’s appearance on Busted Open Radio. He feels it’s not a stretch to say that without Kim and Stevens’ rivalry, women’s wrestling might not be where it is today.
Gail (Kim) and I to this day sometimes joke that-that was truly magic (Gail & Awesome Kong’s rivalry in TNA). What Kong and her were able to do and that formation of the Knockouts division, I think it’s safe to say — I don’t think it’s overstating it to say that without that rivalry between Gail and Kong, women’s wrestling might not be where it is today because it needed — we were going out there, we were putting on some good matches, other people were but that captured people’s imagination. Kong was so big and impressive and intimidating and the way that Gail just fought from underneath and refused to quit against all the odds, I mean I think that captured the imaginations of people all throughout the wrestling world and it showed exactly what women’s wrestling can be which is, you know, some of the greatest wrestling out there in the entire world.
** Samoa Joe weighed in on the Texas Death Match between Swerve Strickland and Hangman Adam Page from AEW Full Gear while speaking to Adrian Hernandez. He said he has high standards and the match exceeded his expectations, but he was not surprised by Hangman and Swerve’s collective performance.
For me, it’s funny, I’m not surprised (at what Swerve Strickland & Hangman Page did at AEW Full Gear), especially when it comes to those two individuals and these are two guys who, undoubtedly, are in their prime right now and they’re looking to make their mark on the world, they’re looking to give everything they have to the fans and and paint a very violent and crazy picture in the process and watching the match, it did not surprise me at all. Both men have been tremendously dedicated to the program leading up and wanting to give the best to the fans and the match that was delivered, it exceeded expectations and mine were pretty high. So, it’s a testament to both those gentlemen to go out there and perform and deliver in that environment.
** IMPACT Wrestling held their 2023 Hall of Fame ceremony prior to the Bound For Glory pay-per-view and one of the inductees was Traci Brooks. Doing the honors of inducting Brooks was fellow Hall of Famer, Gail Kim. While Kim was doing a virtual signing for RDP Promotions, she expressed how happy she is that Traci now has that accolade on her résumé.
It was very cool to see (Traci Brooks get inducted into IMPACT/TNA Hall of Fame). I wish we had enough time to just say our thoughts because we were on a time constraint. But of course, like I said in my speech, it was like full circle. Being able to induct her and I can’t believe 24 years later… It feels like it went by so fast. I was thrilled.
** On December 18th, El Desperado released a stylebook. He told Nippon TV NEWS how the stylebook came to be. Both SANADA and Hiromu Takahashi have released one and it was suggested that Desperado put one out. He was not big on the idea and continuously turned it down. He then decided to ask what he thought would never happen which is getting an interview with musician TOSHI-LOW for the book. The interview was arranged and then Desperado agreed to do the book.
First, ‘The stylebook, SANADA released it, Hiromu Takahashi released it, how about Desperado?’ And, ‘I don’t like it,’ was the first conversation. And then, ‘For example, don’t you like to go fishing or build a bonfire? You can do that with company money.’ ‘It’s fine. I’ll do those things with my own money.’ I flatly refused everything, saying, ‘No, no, no,’ and finally, I (was) asked, ‘Is there anyone you’d like to talk to?’ I thought that I could just say the impossible and it would be okay, so I said, ‘Well, I’d be happy to have a conversation with TOSHI-LOW.’ I didn’t think that they would ever say yes, but they said, ‘We have arranged an interview with him.’ After refusing so many requests, if TOSHI-LOW said yes, then I had no choice!
** Kenny Omega versus Naomichi Marufuji from July 2010 for DDT Pro-Wrestling:
** Syuri shared a photo that she took with Asuka.
** Dragongate is hosting a match between Shingo Takagi and Masaaki Mochizuki for Mochizuki’s 30th Anniversary Show.
** All Japan Pro Wrestling is putting their support behind Unagi Sakaya’s event on January 7th at Korakuen Hall. The full card has been revealed.
** Cultaholic Wrestling spoke to Claudio Castagnoli to promote AEW All In 2024.
** Longtime wrestling seamstress, Sandra Gray, guest appeared on Busted Open Radio.
** Joining ABEMA’s live broadcast of Pro Wrestling NOAH ‘The New Year 2024’ will be Keiji Muto, mixed martial artist Takeru Segawa and actress Rina Matsuki.
** December 19th birthdays: ‘Mean’ Gene Okerlund.
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.
