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.
** Former ROH World Champion Homicide was the latest guest to speak to Piers Austin for an interview. There was a portion of the chat when he spoke about his friendship with CM Punk. He reflected on the video of Punk and Samoa Joe telling the story of Punk prank calling Gabe Sapolsky and pretending to be Homicide. That was the video during which Punk said ‘Kojima’ and ‘Lariat’.
Homicide was not upset about it and said the impersonation was funny and on point. When Punk returned to WWE, he texted him a congratulatory message and added that the wrestling world needed him back.
It was a shoot (story CM Punk told about pretending to be Homicide while on the phone with Gabe Sapolsky) and to me, it was like, f*ck, it is true (he laughed). I couldn’t get mad. It was true. It wasn’t one of those personal things, because to me, like I said, Punk is cool. I ain’t took it very badly. First of all, he’s shouting me out. Even though it’s an embarrassing shout out, but hey, I don’t care. But man, it was one of those, I can’t get mad because it’s true and to me, it wasn’t personal. He knows me. Now, it’s family, then we go personal. But, man he wasn’t — but yeah man, that shoot tape was funny and it’s true… Yeah, it’s amazing (Punk’s impersonation of me), because a lot of people like to do impressions but Punk, he got it down. He knows me (he laughed).
I was happy for him (seeing him back in WWE). I texted him, ‘Congratulations, welcome back,’ you know? I never believed these rumors, these things that I see on the internet. I just call you and I never tell you, ‘Is it true?’ Nah. I’ll tell you about the New York Yankees are better than Chicago Cubs or the pizza is better than your pizza. I say stupid sh*t but wrestling? I don’t. Came back and I told him, ‘Congratulations. I think the wrestling world needs you back.’ I know a lot of people got different opinions. F*ck ‘em, get out of here, this is our world. To me, in my opinion! He’s a great guy. He’s a good team. So many people say bad things about him. I never seen that. But hey man, it is what it is. That’s their story.
Further speaking about matters related to Punk, Homicide said he ‘kind of’ believes his comments that AEW President Tony Khan is a nice guy, but not a boss.
But Tony (Khan), look, I’m a friend of CM Punk. A lot of people always put — I don’t see it. I don’t, but I got close friends telling me. Alright, it is what it is. I’m minding my business. To me, Punk is a great guy. He made a comment that he’s not a boss. That he’s a great guy and mind you, when he said that, meaning he’s not aggressive like Vince McMahon, after the whole push that happened but, if you’re a boss, you need to be aggressive but it’s not about friendship, it’s about business. Nothing personal and I think Tony Khan is more friendly, more friends. He is a cool guy, he is but I don’t see him as a very aggressive boss. Maybe he is. I don’t know him very well, but the way I see it, he is a cool guy and what Punk said, I kind of believe it. He’s a cool guy, but he’s not a boss. Meaning, he’s not an aggressive human being. It’s hard to explain but he’s not that kind of guy.
Elsewhere in the chat, Homicide called Jon Moxley the Terry Funk of the current generation.
He’s (Terry Funk) my hero. I feel that Jon Moxley, to me, Moxley is the Funk of this generation. He really is. That’s a different story.
** There’s an interview that Alex McCarthy of Mail Sport did with Drew McIntyre. He thanked CM Punk for the segment that also included Seth Rollins on the 3/25 WWE Raw. He said it’s become something of a legendary segment.
I have to thank him (CM Punk) for that I guess (segment on 3/25 WWE Raw). One thing I can thank him for. If he’s got that microphone, you know he’s bringing his A-game and perhaps the first time we were in the ring together, he was still finding his feet being back in WWE. I think he realized – I know he realized, I could see it in his eyes – this isn’t the same Drew and I had his number the first time we were in the ring together, and I stomped his stupid little arm. The second time, I could see it in his eyes, right, I’m back, I’ve got all my guns loaded, and this is the CM Punk of old. And I knew I could either step up to his level or I can drown and I don’t belong at his level. So it was cool to have that opportunity to go back-and-forth and have people go, ‘Oh my God, this is insane.’ When you thought it couldn’t get any more insane, it kept escalating and escalating. You have to be quick on your feet and you have to know exactly who you are in this industry if you’re going to compete at the top level. So I can say thank you to him for showing in that segment, everybody that said, ‘Well, Drew just went toe-to-toe with Punk in his prime, on fire.’ And Seth (Rollins) also added to that segment in what has become something of a legendary segment. It’s all people talk to me about recently.
** Joining the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast for an extensive conversation was former WWE Creative Director and employee, Debra Jaswaye. She claims that she gave the late Joan Laurer her on-screen name, Chyna. Jaswaye said she adored her. She remembers doing a photoshoot with the women’s roster and Laurer was being difficult to work with. Jaswaye said this was around the time when things were coming out regarding Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque and Stephanie McMahon’s relationship.
Chyna. Actually, I named Chyna. We got a late-night call. I was with an Art Director. It was after hours and I think they were gonna be on that night and we took out a book of baby names, celebrity baby names and just went through the whole list and Chyna, who’s actually Chynna Phillips. I don’t know if you would know the Mamas & the Papas. But, it was like, ‘What do you think of the name Chyna? It’s strong, it’s beautiful’ and they went with it. So, I adored Chyna and I was fortunate, I worked on a photoshoot with her and Hunter and it was my campaign I designed and they had just kind of come out as a tag team and if you recall, there was like a steam train, like a locomotive train behind them and it was just about this force coming at you, not to be stopped and Chyna had just sort of redid her look, her face and I just thought she looked stunning and I was just so proud and I’m so happy for her and her and Hunter, they were having their moment and I was really happy to be part of seeing her shine and being able to bring a pay-per-view campaign with them together and then, unfortunately, we saw where that went and how the soap opera of it all became reality. I remember being backstage, we were on the road and we had to do a photoshoot for the Divas. It was gonna be a huge banner on Times Square and if you’ve ever seen this, some days they do this in men’s bathrooms where women will be kind of pointing down, pose, and that’s what this was. The Divas were gonna be doing a shoot. They were gonna be featured in Times Square looking down and pointing however. So, the only one that didn’t wanna cooperate at that shoot was Chyna and I think she had just become a champion and she was a diva, she wanted her own dressing room and she was being really, really a pain in the ass but it was her moment. But, it was the same time that it was coming out about Stephanie (McMahon) and Hunter and that whole thing was breaking down and we all knew it and it was like so high school, mean girl stuff and I just remember Chyna being in her faux dressing room. It was probably like an extra bathroom and she didn’t wanna come out and it was like, we have to do this shoot and she was being a diva, but she was also dealing with a tremendous amount of emotional heartbreak. I can only imagine what it was like. So, any time I would see Chyna, whether it was like, you know, I think it was the opening for The World, someone said, ‘Oh, you know, she always had a puss on her face. She always looked pissed off.’ Well, can you blame her? She’s carrying a lot and she’s working in the company where she has to face the people that kind of broke her heart. But sure as hell, she had an engagement ring on when I saw her when we were filming the Super Bowl commercial and we were in a scene that was taking place in the lobby and I remember her, she had somebody in (a) hold. Her legs were wrapped around their neck or something and in-between takes, we were laughing and I saw her ring so, who knows? It’s very sad, but, that’s just another casualty of business that can eat you up alive and it’s unfortunate.
Jaswaye remembers the transition from WWF to WWE. WWF could no longer be used anywhere and there was an edict from Linda McMahon that there would be big trouble ahead if it happened in addition to a fine.
One thing that was huge is because of the legal ramifications, we could not use WWF anywhere so we had to literally take that off of everything. All of our old videos and I remember it was an edict from Linda McMahon that if we used it, we were fined and we were in a lot of trouble. So I mean, the fear of God was put into all of us to cover everything we did and make sure that there was no WWF logos on the signs, in the audience, on anything, on t-shirts, we had to scrub it all. So that was a very busy time for all of us to acclimate to that but, we made the best of it because it really was a good way to launch ourselves seriously as an entertainment company so, getting the F out was a great idea so, but yeah, it was dangerous to let something slip that had a WWF logo on it.
** Joseann Offerman shared that she wrote a song about her late husband, Windham Rotunda a.k.a. Bray Wyatt. She’s hoping to record it soon.
** A video of Zak Knight returning to the U.K. to surprise his children.
** Joining Ashley Garrett of FOX Carolina News was WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest.
** All Japan Pro Wrestling is hosting a charity wrestling event on June 10th to raise funds for those affected by the 2024 Noto earthquake. The charity show is taking place in Nanao, Japan.
** To promote AEW’s show in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in July, Chris Jericho spoke to Global News.
** NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi was profiled by BEST TiMES.
** Episode #355 of Straight Talk Wrestling features a chat with Kevin Blackwood.
** May 14th birthdays: Leon White (Vader).
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.
