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Purr Sessions Podcast, Big Cat in control
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Purr Sessions where the wrestling truth resides
I'm Samuel Matthews, this is Big Cat Tyler Adams
And welcome to the Purr Sessions
You forgot to mention a former Let's Wrestle champion
My mistake
I'll try and beat for that later, that's alright
That's alright
That'll come in time, we'll figure it out during training next time
Ruff you up a little bit
Yeah, no big deal
You get my credentials right, damn it
Right
My credential
Your one credential
Hey
So, we're really excited to have you
You're a guest that I've really wanted to have on for some time now
Your journey is very interesting to me from what I've been told
And I'm really excited to get into that
So, first off, tell us a little bit about yourself
Gosh, that's a hell of a question right there
A little about me?
Just give me two highlights, two highlights about Calvin Strange
Two highlights, handsome
Okay
And cunning
Handsome and cunning, alright
So, Calvin, we're gonna start off with this big question
What got you into wrestling?
Yeah, okay, that is the big question, isn't it?
My journey through getting into wrestling goes way back to the 90s
Just being a kid and wrestling was a...
It was the most popular thing really at the time
And my parents are not wrestling people, they're not fans
And so we didn't watch it in my house
But in the 90s, wrestling was so popular you didn't even need to watch it to know what was going on
You knew everyone, you knew DX
Everyone was doing crotch chops, everybody knows DX, everybody knows Stone Cold, everybody knows The Undertaker
I even knew Kane, and Kane and the whole...
Because kids would just talk about, that's Kane, this is brother
You burned down the house when they were kids, you know what I mean?
Like the parents died
So to me, pro wrestling was like comic books
And I often compare wrestling to comic books in that way
The whole consistent universe type thing
Persistent universe that continues and just builds on itself
And so it really kind of started as a little bit of a forbidden fruit in my life
This cool thing that I think I liked but I wasn't allowed to watch
And then right around the early 2000s I was able to really start watching wrestling regularly
And then I would say that era
Specifically the 2002, 2003 kind of SmackDown era
So in the ruthless aggression era roughly?
I would say that's when I first really started watching wrestling
That's really interesting because one thing that we've talked about a few times on here is our most influential eras
And it seems like the...
Early 2000s
Yeah, like even though everybody holds the attitude era in high regards
Right now it seems like everybody we talk to has been strongly influenced by the ruthless aggression era
Sure, well Matt, Sam
You're two years older than me, right? You're 35, I just turned 33
I don't know how old you are, big cat
I just turned 30 this year
So we're all sort of in the same era in that regard, right?
Our generation is the one who's sort of taking the reins
And when we were really fixating on wrestling and really gravitating towards it
We're just past the attitude era
And I think there's a lot of good to be had from both eras
From just about any era of wrestling
But what I love about ruthless aggression and that early
Specifically the early era, that 2002, 2003 was
I felt like watching SmackDown there was such an air of legitimacy
Behind the wrestlers and the choice of wrestlers that they had
With Guerrero, Benoit, Angle, Lesnar
Just those four guys alone were probably my four favorites at that time
And really, really strongly influenced the kind of wrestling that I like
You just answered two questions right there
Damn it, I'm flying through this
No, no, no, we have plenty
Another question was who was your most influential wrestlers
Because we all are influenced by people
We want to emulate those styles
And another one was what was your favorite style of wrestling?
Yeah, well that's the thing
My first favorite wrestler was The Undertaker
So when I was a kid, Taker is my favorite and then for years he's my favorite
Potentially my all time, I don't know
But it's interesting because his style is nothing that I ever want to emulate
It's nothing like your style
It's nothing like my style, I don't have his body type, I don't have his anything like that
But when I was kids, and we were kind of talking about this I think at training in terms of the audience
Not really knowing necessarily what's going on when it comes to chain and technical wrestling
But me and my friends, we loved the guys who seemed technical
And we didn't even put words to that, we didn't say I like the really technical wrestlers
It was just, we always found ourselves liking guys like Lance Storm
Where he was an actual, me and my friend, we loved watching him
And we didn't really know why, you know
And come to find out it's because I just really like really clean, cool technical wrestling
Speaking of Lance Storm, you trained with Lance Storm, right?
I trained with Lance Storm, yes
So how did that come to be?
Yeah, so I went to college for audio engineering
So I'm doing all that, but then I get out of college and it's not what I want to do, right?
It's not what I want to do for a living, it's what I like to do as a hobby
So I kind of float around for a bit and then get back into wrestling
Decide that I actually want to pursue it
So I had always had it in my head
Because when I wanted to be a wrestler when I was younger
I just didn't understand how to get into it, I didn't understand indie wrestling
I didn't go to my first indie wrestling show until like 2012
That was actually my first live wrestling show I'd ever been to
And so I didn't know how to get into the industry
So as far as I knew, the only thing you could do was travel and go to some well-renowned school
So I ended up learning about indie wrestling and everything
But I still was sort of holding onto that nugget of like
I want to get trained by someone really legitimate
I want to just be able to...
It's almost like I say it's like a college diploma
Anybody can learn what you learn in college on your own
But the little diploma that you hold up helps you get a job
Because you say like, yeah, there's proof that I learned it
And I was kind of like, I wanted to do that to just sort of be able to say that I learned it
The right way, quote unquote, and all that stuff
So I did a little bit of research and Lance Storm is one of the first ones that I found that had a school at the time
And I was already, like I said, I was already a fan of his from back in the day
And it just seemed like the right thing
So I priced it out and worked a job for a couple years
And lived with my parents and saved up a few thousand dollars or whatever
And then just went to Canada
Well, I got approved, of course, via email
And I was like, I'm going to go to the doorstep
It's like we're full
So tell us a little bit about your time training with Lance Storm
And what that was like compared to per se what we do at the dojo
And not that one way is wrong, one way is right
I just want to... we always stress that anytime we do these kind of comparisons
Resources are a real thing
Yeah
Take us through what a regular training day was like for you with Lance Storm
Yeah, so we train five days a week
And we trained I think about five hours a day
It was from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
And then when we were done, I'll go back to the actual training
But then when we were done, we would normally all head off to the gym
And then do our lifting and stuff like that
And then we'd all hang out and then rinse and repeat
The structure of the training, I mean
The whole structure of the training is basically what gave me the tools to be able to help pass on the knowledge
Because it was set up in almost a... because it was a three or three and a half month camp
So not that long
But the first month was almost all fundamentals
And then the second month was sort of teaching us the, you know, shine heat finish type stuff
And he still hadn't told us how a whole match goes together
So he was just sort of... first he's just showing us moves and chain and grappling
All the basics, bumping, all those basics for weeks and weeks
And then we start putting together segments, right?
We start learning about shine, we start learning about all that stuff
We start learning about heat, hope spots
And then we start learning about finishes, putting together a quick little finish
And then by the final month, he's showing us putting all that together
And then we ended up having a big... essentially for the last few weeks
It might have been the last two or three weeks
It was all like a big sort of like a round robin tournament where everybody wrestled everybody
Everybody had a match against everybody
We'd come in, we'd all wrestle our matches, they'd all get recorded
And then you all sit down, you know, with Lance Storm
And he just critiques your match
So in terms of having like thin and thick skin and stuff like that
That was good training because Storm's not gonna be a dick to you
But he's gonna tell you exactly what you're doing wrong
Right, right, absolutely
He's gonna crack a joke here or there
What year was that, by the way?
That was 2016, so that was September
September to November 2016
So you mentioned that it gives you the tools to be able to translate it to the dojo now
Sure
So what tools do you feel did that prepare you for?
Did you also ever see yourself in a coaching role like you are now?
Like, you know, you came back
I remember when you came back and we'll get back to your comeback
We'll get back to that
But you came in just training
Yeah, just part of the crew
You and Alexander Lee are two of my mentors in this industry
And I look to you for advice when it comes to wrestling
So did you ever see yourself in this position when you were in the school?
When you were coming out, did you feel like, hey, maybe I am gonna be a coach
Or did it just kind of happen and now you're here?
No, I have been helping some people train
Also, my whole family is teachers
So I think there's some sort of affinity there in terms of
I either have it in my genes or I just have picked it up through osmosis over the years
But my father is a gym teacher
My mother is a librarian and an English teacher
My sister is a child teacher
My grandmother was a teacher
My whole family is just full of teachers
And I've always said I had zero interest in teaching in any capacity
But when we were really making Let's Wrestle
I mean, I say we, I was a small part of that
But when Let's Wrestle was first becoming a thing
That's when I started helping out in terms of training some new people
Mac Daniels, that was his first day
In terms of showing them how to take a bump and run the ropes and stuff like that
I think when it comes to teaching the basics in particular
I think I have a pretty good handle on how to teach those things in particular
I think that's kind of mostly my strong suit
Is trying to get people more up to speed with everybody else
To try and get everybody more to the peer level
Where you can really start learning more and more
Coming back to it, I mean, I've been out for four years
Right, you took time off during COVID
Yeah
Right
Yes, yeah, my partner has a lot of health issues
And we were basically told, don't go outside
So we stayed inside and we didn't come outside until we got the A-OK from the doctors
Which took about four years
And then we start, I start slowly coming out
But when I was coming back
The last thing I was thinking was I'm going to come out and be like a teacher
And honestly the last thing that I was thinking was that someone was going to
Consider me a mentor in any way, shape or form
I'm coming back to this thinking
I have to, I got to come back and earn everybody's respect
Because whatever I was before
Like Let's Wrestle Champion
Maybe I was a guy who was around a lot in terms of setting up the ring and being there
Well for four years I haven't been that guy
So to me, the guys who have been here
Who have been setting up and tearing down the ring
Making the drives, doing the shows
And actually fostering this incredible
Really incredible like local wrestling community that we have right now in Maine
I wasn't there for any of that
So I was like, I'm coming back to it not expecting anything from anyone
That's why I was like, I just want to train
I just want to be one of the guys again
And just get in there and work
So you feel like you need to basically earn your spot back
Is what you're basically saying
Yeah, absolutely
And everybody's been really ridiculously kind to me
And I think that's a wrestling thing too in terms of
Respecting your elders or vets if you can even call me that
But you know, it's been great and everybody's been super cool basically
I was going to say, well you're kind of selling yourself short
Because you're a pretty nice guy
Yeah, you're 100% not giving yourself enough credit
Because like I said, I've had the great opportunity to
Really train with you since you came back
I've had that opportunity and I don't kid around when I call someone a mentor
But that's what you have bet
And you sell yourself short a lot of times even in your in-ring ability
Your timing is really, really good and timing is so important
Oh, thank you
Thank you
So I'm not surprised seeing you in a coaching role because of all these intangibles that you do have
And I'm sure it's humbling coming back with the love and adoration that you really have come back to
Yeah, it's, no truly, I mean
Now I have issues in terms of
When I go into a social situation I typically think everybody here fucking hates me
And even if the person is telling me that they like me
It's very hard for me sometimes to convince myself this person actually likes me
I feel you
And I think just about, we're all a bunch of just weirdos in wrestling
We're just a bunch of awkward dorks
Every time I get out of wrestling, out of training, I'm like, god I bet I was fucking annoying today
Yeah, exactly
Every time
I'll tell you a funny story
So I literally had myself convinced at one time
That everybody was protecting me in the wrestling business
Because I was absolutely god-awful
But they just, because I'm a nice person they just wanted me around
So that they weren't telling me the truth
Like I had myself convinced that just like, people just enjoyed having me around
But I was an absolute dogshit wrestler
But I understand
It's such a convoluted scenario we build for ourselves too
Like, you're so convinced of all these plot points
Absolutely
And it's like, it's one of those humbling things when you can convince yourself
Man, nobody even is fucking thinking about me
You know what I mean?
It's like, yeah, it's so funny
But that's, you guys know exactly where I'm coming from
So coming back to it again
It's sort of like, I'm not expecting anything from anyone
If anything, I'm thinking people are gonna go, this fucking old guy
He's showing up, he hasn't been here for four years
And now he just wants to pick up where he left off
He doesn't want to have to work for it
I mean, Ring Wars
I mean
I'm just saying, have you ever worked for the promotion?
It's technically a new promotion so
For Ring Wars? No
No
You were, you're being, I don't know if this will be out by the time
Oh right
But you were picked by MEW
Yes
You represent MEW
Yeah
Are you excited for Ring Wars?
I'm super excited for Ring Wars
I've been very excited for every show I've had
And I've been also, so far
Every show I have had since I've been back has been like a fair show
Or some kind of like smaller show
Now, you know
I didn't know anything about Ring Wars
I haven't even looked into it very much at all
As far as representing them
I'm stoked for that, you know
Because like we said, I mean I haven't been a Let's Wrestle guy for about four years
So, you know, I've only wrestled in Limitless on very limited occasions
In very small capacities
So
I'm more than happy to represent this company
And I'm just happy that there's more companies to work for in the area
I mean that's a huge thing
I'm sure that's a big culture shock almost
You know, because pre-pandemic I don't believe there was many promotions
No
And now that you're back you have MEW, MPW, Let's, Limitless, there's Crown
There's AWA
Like there's all these different promotions
How do you feel about that especially in Maine?
Where everything is like two, three hours away
It's so good because like Maine has a reputation in wrestling anyway
Which you guys may or may not know about
It kind of goes far back
And I don't think the reputation is really the way it was
Like it was
You know, I'm sure you guys have talked to Mr. Alexander Lee about those old classic days
But it's just incredible really
I mean truly there was a couple places to work here
I don't know how
Well, one of them I don't even think is a wrestling promotion anymore
So I guess it doesn't matter
But there was Avalanche Pro Wrestling was a thing
And they were like up in Presque Isle
And let's see there was
And I mean
Not the greatest, it's a hell of a drive too
So it's just
It was very
It could be very depressing quite frankly
Maine wrestling could be quite depressing
That's why Limitless first of all
When Limitless came around
Which was I was what 2015
So the year before I decided to start wrestling again
I mean when I saw that there was a
A flyer for a local show that was going to be in Orono
And Chris Hero was going to be there
I mean I was just like what?
It was a big deal to me because
In those early 2000s when I was on a lot of wrestling forums and stuff
Ring of Honor was huge
Which is another big influence for my wrestling style
But a lot of that Ring of Honor stuff I've had to go back to and watch now
Because again in Maine
In the early 2000s Ring of Honor isn't airing
In Maine so
But Chris Hero is an indie legend of course
So that was a huge deal and also I just didn't see names like that get brought up around here
In other promotions
That's when I met Randy that was my first seminar
That was my first wrestling training really
Was that show with Chris Hero
Wow
Yeah it was awesome
It was incredible
And then that's what makes me realize like what is going on here
Is there like real wrestling happening around here?
You know
So yeah
It's really changed the entire culture from my understanding of wrestling
Everything
And then I have wanted to say this too to some of the trainees and stuff
Or just the locker room in general
Is that I just
And not that anybody's acting ungrateful but I hope people are very grateful
For the dojo was not a thing you know
We made that a thing
We've talked about how the training used to be on the podcast
Really harsh
Before the dojo
It was two hours you were paying a big amount of money and
You still had to set up the ring and all that for a show
Yeah IWE
IWE
Yeah it was
It wasn't even a class it was
You set up the ring hours before the show and
You get some training and other guys who are also trying to learn how to train
Yeah and that's why I did a few of those
I had already signed up for Storms but I wanted to get some ring experience
So I started doing IWE running hard cam and then yeah setting up
And getting a little bit of training and let me tell you I don't know
Did you guys ever take a bump in Bertha?
No
I'm sure you heard stories
I was supposed to
I was supposed to I originally
You locked down?
Yeah I did
Oh wow 2012
2012 originally I was going to start
Wow
And I couldn't afford it
At the time I didn't have a car
Because at the time they were doing
I think there was a
I think there was like a 2 or 3 classes that were free
That you could do it my brother was my brother originally did it
And he only lasted 2 classes because he said that fucking ring sucks
Originally 2012 was going to do it and then
The price for a year for training was way out of my price range
So I kind of put that on the back burner for a long time
And then I finally got my kicked myself in the gear around before COVID hit
To actually start doing wrestling because I've been wanting to do it for a long time
But it's just like when I hit 24 it was
Either you're going to go into MMA or you're going to do
Because I had a wrestling career I had a wrestling background for school
From 3rd grade to freshman in high school
Wow that's cool
That's awesome
Yeah it was I got my ass kicked
I got my ass kicked for the majority of that
I don't think I won any matches until I hit
But you did it that whole time
I did it the whole time
I think that counts for something
And then either 8th grade or freshman year I was pretty close to undefeated in my weight class for the longest time
Dang
That's when I actually started taking it serious
Injured?
Yeah I had a match with a guy who he was jacked
He was jacked like
He's like are you sure you're supposed to be here? You look like you're supposed to be already graduated
He's got like a receding hairline already
Yeah he was a big dude and he had a very good technique of holding your hand
Gripping your hand the whole time
So you couldn't do anything so he had control the whole time
Man what a dick
He gripped my hand so hard he sprayed my hand
Jesus Christ
Yeah
Right in the farmer
Our safe worker
Yeah dude stiff
It started then
You guys need to talk more
You guys gotta talk more
And then the funny thing is the next match because I told my mom's a nurse which is hilarious in this story
I'm like mom it's hurting really bad I don't know what's going on
She goes oh we'll put some ice on it whatever and I'm like it sucks it sucks really bad
She goes oh I'm pretty sure it's fine
And the next match the guy was seeing this holding my hand his coach told him to grow for it
And I told him I said and I looked at him like dude you do it you're not gonna like the outcome
And sure enough he grabbed it and this is the time where slamming was allowed
I picked him up and slammed that motherfucker
Oh my god
And it was a very quick match
Nice alright justice was served
The next day because the whole time I'm like mom I'm not feeling this ice pack on my hand
This is a huge problem she goes oh just sleep it off I'll be fine
I wake up and it's like this big
Oh god
We should go to the doctor she goes yeah we probably should
And it was a sprain
Yeah he sprained the guy literally held my hand so hard that he sprained my hand
Squeezed your tendons together some shit like what the hell
Alright we're gonna get into some fun questions
Before we get into the fun questions though do we want to
You talked about mac daniels that you did a little bit with mac daniels
Do you want to watch a little rematch with mac daniels before
Oh sure yeah yeah throw it on
We just have one question before we watch that
Okay go for it
Is calvin strange back full time or are we part time basis right now
I would say right this second I'm part time
But the things are in motion essentially in terms of getting my acts together
Getting my life together a little bit and making a little bit of more of a push to come back more regularly
So it's been like an engine that hasn't been turned on in four years
It's just been like a lot of starting and stopping and a lot of just trying to get things flowing back right
So that I don't come back and everything blows up in my face
But yeah so the idea is to come back full
Perfect the hardest thing about wrestling isn't even the wrestling it's balancing everything else around wrestling
But I'm excited to hear that we are going to be gearing towards a full calvin strange return
You should be seeing a lot more of me that is the plan barring any unforeseen circumstances
Yeah
Alright let's watch this match
I apologize for the little lag here first
Look at that hair
Oh yes that's the classic hair
A product of the limitless dojo and actually someone who's trained a little bit under classic Calvin strange
A little bouncy
Gonna be a very interesting dynamic in this matchup to see how much mac daniel truly knows and how much Calvin strange knows about mac daniel
In this we're just right here we're just I mean you guys know this but I can't help but commentate when I watch it matches
But we're just messing around here
Should be able to see a young
G what the big out crisis here
Is this panic at the dojo
No this was I don't know this was just back
We used to just do dojo tapings the day after a let's wrestle show
So yeah we would do from we would do we would do the let's wrestle show
And then next day at like noon
We come in and do this
I'm not doing too bad here I usually hate watching myself rattle
I'm pretty impressed that guy is going somewhere
But
As he sends the champ now if I do remember something about this match I do have a very long shine here because I'm still champion at this point
Shoulder bicep and
I'm not used to working baby either actually you know I'm deep into doing heal stuff here but
Max more was more comfortable doing heal
From the main attraction
Max would put a stick around but he's pulling it out
Now it's Calvin Strangely looking her way out as he backs it into the ropes
I'm very low
I think it turned the map dog down a little bit maybe
Off the ropes comes Daniels
There we go that's a little easier
Bang
Yeah, Mac, he's doing yeah right there actually if you rewind that that was a fun little thing I remember throwing in here that
You don't always see which is if you go further back I hit him with the
Yeah, yeah, I had him with one he goes over I hit him with another he slightly trips and then I hit him with the third and then he actually goes down
And as you notice all the wrestlers are now popping because because nobody goes down from actually goes down from a
From a drop down right yeah I say I always like those little things that make the wrestlers kind of kind of pop a bit because they're not expecting it you know
I mean we get so comfortable doing certain things in our matches
Because it's what we're comfortable with and what we know
Yeah, there's some wrestlers right now who really need to change things up because you can kind of call how their match is going to go before
Right
They even wrestle
I gotta work on that really bad
I mean I gotta work on some more creative cutoffs and stuff like that so that's something we can work on in practice at some point
So but it absolutely like doing things that aren't necessarily the normal is super beneficial
That was dope
Not bad
Little missile drop kick
And he is puckin' Mac Daniels
You gonna bring back that missile drop kick?
I'll take it
In a variation actually yes I've been working on a variation
You both can take it
There's not much I don't like
I still gotta work on coming down on my like doing head bumps like pile drivers and stuff I've never taken a pile driver
Sure
That's the next thing I need to do
Yeah I need to take more too honestly
Making sure Mac Daniels knows who's in charge of this contest and now Calvin
Just way way in him
He's flying the shit out of him Mac
Here comes Calvin
Oh
From Mac Daniels who hooks Calvin center of the ring into the spine
That's the I died way too hard there
He may have actually hit me pretty hard that I can't remember
It looked a little stiff
I think he might have hit me a little hard and I might have actually been winded a little bit
I can't remember
There's a couple times here that they've looked a few stiff shots that you've taken
I gave him a few
We didn't mind being snug with each other
I was gonna say I think the dojo thing is hit hard apologize after
Yeah yeah right exactly especially when it's a live setting right
Make it believable
I'd rather you look good and hurt me
He's a limitless wrestler wherever he goes
Every single match I've ever done
So there's that backing away I wish he just wouldn't back away just as far right there
But this is a very early Mac Daniels you gotta understand
Yeah
I mean he still hadn't had a whole lot of matches
What we're taught like part of that like basic is that big wide cell
Right
You know to create space and to create time and create you know not to be quick
So it is a different thing when you're now transitioning into matches and you're like
Well it doesn't make sense that I'm taking a stroll through the park right now
Right
Or Alexander Lee when you circle up he fucking hates that you know
If we're doing a real fight we wouldn't fucking circle up we're just going at each other
I get what he's saying with that is that there's a way to do the circle to make it look less like more wrestling shit
You know it's like you gotta make the circle but make it look a little interesting
Right
Or don't do it at all
And here comes Calvin
That was so low
Yeah a little low
Some of us say Jeepers Creepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers
Now you know it's a big match
And they got crowds standing Jeepers Creepers
Recently defeating Scott Wilde and Danger Kid
Two guys who were pillars of limitless wrestling throughout the first few years
And now L he can become the Let's Wrestle Champion
And there's no reason if he walks out here today as the Let's Wrestle Champion
That he can't be considered for limitless wrestling action full time
And that's what everyone in Let's Wrestle is striving for
Yeah I haven't watched this match in a long time
Another Lariat
Now I'm not dying
Yeah yeah yeah
There's some selling
And I like doing this right crawl up using the guys legs
Create that kind of visual
Let them look way better
Talking for a minute
Jobbreaker where are we going with this
Weak Lariat
I'm gassed
I can tell I'm fucking gassed
Bad pump kick
Oh angle slam
That was good
Gotta hit some of those now
Yeah I gotta bring that back
I love being blown up it's like oh my god this fucking sucks
Are we done yet
That's when you're getting your cardio
That's when you're getting your best cardio
It's like fuck off for a minute
I was doing a Fujiwara arm bar as a finish
So I think that's what we're teasing right there
Oh and then this thing that's right
This might be
Like a little reverse Shenin wizard into sort of like a disarmor kind of thing
That was dope I liked that
So that might that knee to the back thing that might make a return to
I could have given it more I was being selfish in this match
You're the champ
I was the champion I was up against this new fucking good looking guy
Looks like he's gonna get signed tomorrow I gotta make myself look good you know
Not bad not bad I enjoyed that better
I have a lot of trouble especially at the time had a lot of trouble watching
Watching my own stuff back
Was that match like fresh out of land storm
No no that's this had to have been a year or two after
I had already been fairly weathered by this one
It's still fairly fresh but I just mean in terms of
I've had at least a year and a half to two years of doing
Wrestling matches you know
Several disciplines I was champ so you know
By that point I would by the point that I was champ I would no longer consider myself
Excuse me I wouldn't have considered myself fresh out of training
But Mac was Mac was I would call Mac fresh out of training in that match
Yep yep yep
All right so what is the worst bump that you've ever taken
Yeah this one actually I thought of when we were talking about at the last show
When you brought this up
No it's well it's a bump it's not exactly a bump but so
IWE wrestling in Fairfield so back at the building that that lets us running
Yep right now and I don't even remember who I'm tagging with
Weirdly I legitimately can't think of who I'm tagging with but I'm tagging against the
Middlesex Express do you guys know who they are
I'm not familiar
Okay I wasn't sure if they do anything up here anymore
Two cool guys but one of them Stephen Lust
I know Stephen Lust
You know Stephen Lust okay perfect great so you know Stephen Lust so
I'll put him on the spot
So he gives me a snap there I'm sitting in the middle of the ring
And I'll say too I've only been wrestling for like probably six months at this point
Okay
And he hits the rope it's it's so simple he hits the ropes comes back and stomps me
And he stomps me right in the throat really hard so hard that for I would say five to
Ten seconds I was sort of thinking I'm gonna die in the ring and come to find out you can
Actually get something messed up there if you get hit in your neck a little too hard
There is something that can go the wrong way and then the air will no longer be able to
Come in and it felt like that for like ten seconds I mean I was down I couldn't talk
Or anything and I actually couldn't I actually couldn't sing for like two years
It like literally it like literally my like voice registry dropped for like a year and
Then for like another year after that I couldn't hit certain like high notes because I sang
And so like it was just like it was absolutely brutal so he hits the ropes he came back and
I think he snapped near me too close or something I think I was just snapping there just too
Close and he hit me boom and I just went over and like it's like getting the wind knocked
Out of you but then your throat such a weird feeling you just can't breathe for like five
Seconds and you're just like in those five seconds you're like am I never gonna breathe
Again you know like you just have no idea it was five seconds last forever and then
You slowly start breathing again okay I think I'm good I think I'm good and then you're
Like I'm alright but that was honestly that was the scariest scariest bump that I've that
I've taken scariest like yeah just something so simple that yeah do all the time and like
Every injury I've ever had has always been from something like stupid and small it's
Never been from something big and cool I mean Mike when I had my last match with McCarthy
In the start first like 60 seconds of the match he suplexes me out of the ring to the
Floor and that didn't hurt as much as getting kicked in the throat did that didn't hurt as
Much as getting kicked in the throat yeah so listen to Ghostface Killer and Protect Your
Neck. Protect your neck? What's the worst bump that you've seen?
The worst bump that I've seen oh my god well is it bumps in person or is it just things
That we've seen online or whatever you would like?
God the worst bump that I ever have seen that has to be that guy did like a double moon
Salt or a double shooting star glass I mean directly I mean perpendicular with the bat
I mean he and it sounds like a gunshot when he hits I think I know what you're talking
About because it was everywhere because he then kicked out or like got him shoulder up
Yeah and you could see his opponent like he ended up breaking his skull
It was the grossest it was disgusting I mean it's terrifying it's like almost chilling
To watch that clip well it's obviously chilling because the audience goes completely silent
I mean there's a pin drop silence in there I mean people are wondering if this guy literally
Died in front of them and then the guy comes over and he gets kicked out
This is the craziest this is the nastiest bump I've ever seen in my life I don't know
If anything I hope nothing ever tops this
I'm assuming you're talking about this one right here
Yeah this is gotta be it
I'm like nervous to watch it
Yeah this is rough
This is unbelievable
Look everyone's cheering everyone's clapping everyone's making noise
You're about to hear them go completely silent
Even prayed
I don't know how he's dead
Dead silent
Yeah I don't know how he's not dead or paralyzed from that
And then one two three four
Dead silent
Yeah they're just like dude it's done let it go
Yeah don't
Someone started to freaking clap yeah not half of them
Yeah
I mean I can't I cannot think of a worse I can't think of a worse bump
If you can call it a bump
The only one that like comes to mind was the other one that we talked about here
Where the girl got scorpion right at let's
Oh yeah sure yeah that was right before
The only other one yeah
Yeah that and I didn't see that because I was talking over my match with Jossie
Oh no shit
Because we were in the main and so we're downstairs there's two more matches left
That match then Davey and and Masha slam a bitch
And and then it's us in the main so we're sitting there talking and then yeah we we heard about what happens
We eventually see her come through or whatever not dead but I just remember Randy Randy essentially
Hyping us up before the match and coming over and saying
I don't know what the fuck you guys have to do but you get that audience back into this
Because they are they are mortified right now
Like I had never seen that and just seeing her literally scorpion herself was oh
Oh man I don't man I mean I don't think she wrestles anymore I don't think that was the thing that stopped but
I mean I wouldn't blame her
I wouldn't blame her either
What do you got here
This is a my first match with a with Mr. Aiden Agro
Now this you want to talk about fresh training
Oh this is the DDT
Now that this match that match that's fresh out of training Calvin
Especially if you see me wearing those orange tights
If you see me wearing those orange tights that's like I don't know what I'm doing yet
Like I'm out of training I think I know what I'm doing and then the moment I'm there
Well maybe next pair sessions will watch a old school Calvin match and we'll give our critiques
That would be funny my first match is on YouTube
Okay
So
Make it a point that we're gonna watch that
Yeah
Alright so I know your time is is is limited and we don't want to keep you too long
And I know big cats got stuff going on as well
So I got three more questions for you and
Sure lay them on me
What's your favorite title belt of all time
Ooh so we're just going for aesthetic or are we going for everything or
Whatever no it's your choice
Like for me my favorite title belt of all time is the big gold
Sure
That title just
Great choice
It's just the one that resonated with me I always wanted to hold that belt
Sure
People who wore that belt are some of my favorites so it's just that's my favorite belt of all time
Good choice
What's yours
I would have to say if if someone was putting a gun to my head and forced me to pick my favorite title
I would say it would be the the controversial and I've gotten in an argument with Alec Price over this before
Okay
Undisputed championship the original WWE undisputed championship aka the one that became the Smackdown championship for a short period of time until John Cena turned it into the spinner I believe
Yeah yeah yeah yeah um
So
Chris Jericho held it for a while right
Well Jericho was the first undisputed but he never had the actual belt because when he had it it was still the two titles it was the big gold and then it was the the whatever you call it the attitude as era like eagle belts
Like the Stone Cold belt
You're talking about
Let me share my screen
I think the first person to have the actual belt might have been Hulk Hogan
Because Triple H then beat Jericho at eight resume 18 and he only held it for a month and then Hulk Hogan run it from that's the one. And that doesn't show the whole belt because the one of the things I like about is I like all the plates on the sides.
Yeah.
It was this. It was kind of funny. The little things that kids fixate on and think are so cool but we were all talking about how there are five plates on the side of it like one side has three and one side has two.
And that just to us made it seem like it was more valuable.
Yep. And, and we knew the implications behind the belt the whole undisputed champion thing was like new. And it just seems like such a big deal like oh my god they're. These guys are the truly greatest champions of all time because they're the WCW champion and the WWF champion.
So that belt. And then it was like that belt, just the way it looked on specifically the way that belt looked on Brock Lesnar. Yeah, just like, look so good around his waist, and just like that's my champion that's that was like my era.
That was the belt that I was like I want to be that champion you know, want to be on the speed so I'd have to put that in there. I'd have to put in honorable mentions for.
I would say big gold definitely on there.
I would say the attitude era, not stone colds custom belt but the one that he's sort of known for having. Yep. And then, few others I do like a lot of belts, European title, love it.
The tag team titles from the late 90s early 2000s. Typically the ones that you saw like the TLC teams fighting over. Absolutely love those because they're like huge they're like really big looking.
Try to think is there any others, I don't want to leave anything indie belts that like catch your eye. Any indie belt well the very beautiful limitless wrestling belt of course that was like just incredible seeing the pictures of that first time.
When that got made. It was just like shocking.
But other than that I can't think of the way any indie belt looks besides the limitless title so absolutely throw any in there, unfortunately.
All right, this one is going to be interesting. Okay.
You get to book a dream match for yourself.
Again, anybody. Oh god.
Who you wrestling.
Oh,
anybody in their prime, and I can wrestle them. And I'm also going to put the caveat that I'm also in some sort of athletic prime in this match so I can actually go toe to toe with the personal because this may seem strange maybe, but the first person that comes to my head is
Shelton Benjamin.
God that'd be a fantastic match. So he is one of my faves.
The whole world's greatest tag team team angle all that shit.
Absolutely loved them when I was younger.
He was my favorite he was my favorite like wrestler in the world for a long time like around like kind of the early 2010s.
I was like, where's Shelton that man like that guy was the best he was in New Japan and stuff and and Ring of Honor and everything.
I just think he's literally one of the best wrestlers to ever do it. You know like bar none.
And, yeah, I don't know, I think, I think it would either be him or Eddie Guerrero.
But I think the Shelton Benjamin is a little bit more of an interesting choice because I don't know if everybody picks him. Right. But I just think he's phenomenal in every way.
And if they if the super kick heard around the world doesn't tell people on the fact that he can put on main event caliber matches, you know, going to get the calf kicker around the world.
I would love that. I got it needs some work and I got to stretch the groin a little bit more because it was a little sore afterwards. But I'm sure that is the as the goal.
I can hit a springboard crossbar you can fucking hit me with that. How about that? Exactly. Perfect. Hell, yeah.
All right. So any indie wrestlers right now that you're really wanting to get in the ring with?
Yeah, you guys. I appreciate you have. I have gotten in the ring. I have gotten in the ring with you. But I as all been limited in fairly limited capacity.
So I one of the first things I wanted to do was sort of like have my list of like all the trainees.
Like, OK, I want to wrestle every single one of these guys. I mean, like I want to part of that coming back to things like I want to see where they're at. I want to see where I'm at.
I want to just get to know everybody and get that rapport. I could tell you how our match is going to go.
I'm going to get pissed because you're going to turn the fuck out of me and I'm going to get and then I'm just going to start throwing you around.
I got this shit fucking. Yeah. Hey, that's the story. Yeah, it works.
Yeah, I want to get back in there with Channing Thomas because we have had a history.
We've had we've had a few matches together back when he wasn't shit and we had a lot of fun. So I want to run that back a little bit. Hopefully, I want to wrestle.
He has the title. That's true. So there's one thing there has to be some sort of, you know, old.
I mean, I know the company is only five years old, but there has to be some obscure.
Let's wrestle law that allows me to challenge him as a former champion.
You know, with the with the limitless title, just, you know, it might as well be tacked on there.
You know, hey, I'm not going to say one way or the other.
Channing Thomas, I really want to wrestle him again, but he may be shooting for bigger and better things by this point.
I want to get in there with Danny Miles, who was on a recent limitless show, and he gave me a little seminar in the really, really early days before I'd even started going to IWE.
And he's just a really cool guy. And then when you watch him like this, the last limitless show that he was on, he's just so good.
I mean, like in terms of dudes who have the movements down and the I don't know, just the cadence of wrestling like that guy just he hasn't made.
I just think he's a little he's like dynamite kid, you know, like of of New England. So I really want to get back in with Danny Miles.
Trying to think any others off the top of my head.
I really should be writing down, writing down a list, but I guess that's the only two I can think of off the top of my head.
You are on my list of people I want to wrestle. So we'll have to figure out a way to make this work.
Yeah, we got to stop being both hated at the same time.
You know, I was trying to find it, but the but Jim Cornett actually put out a video.
I don't know if somebody got it for a I can't remember what it is when you asked like a celebrity, whatever to say.
I can't remember what it's called when you pay money for a celebrity to say something.
Oh, cameo. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
He had one that he said, fuck you, chanting Thomas.
Like, oh, really? That's funny.
That's yeah, there you go. Well, on his way.
The last question is going to be on the same vein of dream matches is a dream match that you would love to see two wrestlers in their prime.
Go at it anywhere, any place. It doesn't matter the company.
It can be Indy versus W.W. like whatever you want.
What is a dream match you want to see?
I'm thinking hard about this one. It's a big question.
I know who one of the participants is. I'm just trying to think of who his opponent would be.
It's going to be.
Drumroll.
Kurt Angle. I don't have my sound effect board where I would do it.
It's going to be Kurt Angle versus.
Brian Danielson.
That'd be a hell of a match.
I mean, I know it's not.
I don't think it's that creative of a choice because I think it's a dream match that people like talk about.
But you know who I personally would prefer to see over Brian Danielson in that spot though against Kurt Angle?
I'm sorry. I thought I thought you were asking me this question.
That's interesting. I'm giving you my hot take.
You calm down. I didn't I didn't hear any segment music.
Two seconds. I didn't hear any segment music. How do I know this is a hot take?
Because that's how I say it.
You give me two seconds. Yeah, he's got.
There's the segment music.
There it is.
No, I love that pick for me because I'm just not a huge Brian Danielson fan.
Just not a big Brian Danielson fan. I know I'm probably wrong.
I don't get it.
Zach Sabre Jr.
Who was at that first Limitless show? He was the guy who wrestled Chris Hero.
Oh, no shit. Yeah, it was Chris Hero and Zach Sabre Jr.
Zach Sabre Jr. is amazing. Don't get me wrong.
Absolutely nothing wrong with that with that choice.
However, I will argue that I bet you have not seen Brian Danielson from Ring of Honor.
Have you?
I saw some of his stuff. For me, what it honestly is, is I'm not a fan as a general rule of like the underdog character.
Then you didn't see Daniel Bryan Bryan Danielson in Ring of Honor because he's not an underdog.
Okay.
Bryan Danielson was a dominant champion. Nobody could beat him.
It didn't matter how big he was. It had nothing to do with his size.
That was sort of at a time in Ring of Honor where all other companies were about size and stuff.
Ring of Honor was really not about that.
Bryan Danielson, 5'9", and he was the dominant champion of Ring of Honor for well over a year.
He just creamed everyone and he was a douche. He was mean about it and he hit people really hard.
If I could recommend you watch something to maybe change your stance on that, I would watch one of my favorite matches of all time.
Bryan Danielson versus Kenta in Ring of Honor.
It's such a good match. One of my favorites, truly one of my favorites.
I would argue that you might be able to see where I'm coming from with Bryan Danielson over Zack Sabre Jr.
At least at the time. I think Sabre's angle is obvious.
America, England, 100% would be an all-time classic.
Now, are we talking perk angle?
I think this would be a perk angle situation actually.
Now, that's not the angle that I watched the most of.
I know it's not a healthier angle, but I don't think angle was necessarily much healthier when I was watching him in WWE.
I think he was still doing that shit.
Perk angle, I almost picked just because his build was a little bit smaller.
He wasn't as gassed. I think him and Bryan Danielson would have matched up better.
Also, they were wrestling right around the same time.
I think all that stuff, I think the whole perk angle thing, that's all happening while Bryan Danielson is bringing him on a champ.
It's kind of sad that it never happened, honestly, because I truly believe they would have had an all-time classic,
especially looking forward to the future with what Bryan Danielson would accomplish going on.
Watch some of his old stuff if you want more of an idea of him not just doing the yes movement type underdog story,
because I totally get that, but his matches were awesome.
It just never clicked with me.
Granted, it was hard because you don't really get a lot of the story just watching a match, per se, like the character development a lot of the times.
Sure.
I've watched matches, but now that you explained the story, I'm going to go back and watch this Kenta match,
because in my mind, Daniel Bryan or Bryan Danielson was still underdog.
Underdog stuff. In Ring of Honor, he was the hated champion for a long time.
Like, douchebag, hits people hard, is mean, and does those types of hits that makes the crowd go,
whoo! Because no one could tell if he's actually being mean or is this real or fake.
Good shit, I highly recommend it. I think you'll like it, especially the technical brawling aspect.
There's a lot of that. There's a lot of getting the guy in the hold and then beating him in the face.
The audience used to chant when Bryan Danielson would come out to a match or whatever, people would chant,
you're going to get your fucking head kicked in. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
I'm going to have to do some research now.
Yeah, do some research. And also just watch that early 2000s Ring of Honor shit, because it's like the best.
It's the best. Love that era, that whole era, whether it's the, whether it was the SmackDown that I grew up watching
or as the Ring of Honor that was happening where I didn't know it was happening.
To me, that is the golden era of wrestling. That's when all the best wrestlers came out.
You got some highlights.
Yeah.
Man, this match is so, I watched this match a lot. Like once I decided I was going to be a wrestler
and then I started looking at more wrestlers with physiques closer to mine with styles that I felt that I could actually replicate.
You know, these were two guys that I was really watching. And this match in particular, I watched several, several times.
It's just a crazy, crazy good match. Just look at the, in terms of the stuff that we drill, look at the ring positioning.
Like it's just crazy how fast they go and how precise they are.
And they're in the right spot almost every single time.
Yeah, yeah. And then Kenta doesn't speak English, you know. I think this is long before Kenta actually started learning to speak English.
So these guys are just wrestling, you know.
Right.
So, I mean, I'm sure they have certain things that they can talk out and stuff before the match, but I'm sure by and large, you know, I've never wrestled someone that I don't speak the language of.
Boosh!
That's what I like about that.
You gotta love Kenta.
I was a huge fan of his, even when he was Hideo Tommy.
Oh, sure.
But it just, it sucked so much that it just...
He got a raw deal. He got a raw deal.
He shouldn't have been in there with like new guys.
Look at those kicks, dude.
Look at that. Picture perfect. Bang.
I mean, I just can't picture a world where him and Angle don't have a match of the night.
Right.
Especially this era. I mean, and that's the thing.
Oh yeah, he missed right there.
And then he goes back and does it because they chant, you fucked up. And he's like, I fucked up. And he does the big jumping on their knees thing and then says, I never fuck up.
And everyone says, yeah, it's good stuff.
This is a good recap of the match. They do everything.
Back boom. Catch, catch, bang, suplex. Off the ropes. They're running. They're just constantly.
So many kicks.
Beautiful.
Unreal.
Bang.
Right into the armbar.
To the rope.
The backflip.
Under.
Oh, under again. Catch. See, I'm going to be throwing more.
That was sick.
That's an old Lance Storm move and I'm going to be throwing that in my repertoire too for that one legged Boston crab.
Those forearms.
Oh yeah, they beat the shit out of each other.
Headbutt. Into the, into the feet.
Drop kick off the springboard.
Trading.
Oh yeah.
Oh.
Bang.
Bang. Wow.
Hey, fishermen. I mean, they like move. They did like every move.
It almost looks like too much, but when you watch the match, it doesn't feel like.
It doesn't feel like a high real. I mean, what? I mean, the highlight reel is seven minutes long. I think that's crazy.
The match probably when 30 have not.
I think it's close to 30. Yeah, I thought 30. I think it's quite a long match. Perfect catch of that discus.
It's just like everything. They just do everything. It's just so fun.
And the crowd is just going crazy. We're not listening to it here, but the crowd is just.
That's why. Yeah.
Oh, bang.
That always such a scary bomb.
Yeah, that's what I mean. I almost slapped that on you when we were messing around the other day because I had your arms in it.
I was like in a weird position, so I didn't do it.
Oh, perfect bump. Oh, oh, oh, he caught him.
He. The original GTS. Yeah.
Put on the rope.
Just can't kill him.
I mean, I'm not saying I'm ever going to be able to, but this is the caliber of wrestling we're all shooting for.
This is what I want to be able to do.
I think as long as you're always in the pursuit of greatness, you'll always get a little bit better.
So shoot for something great and just keep shooting for it.
I don't even remember this fucking match ends.
There's the elbows as we're talking about the brawling technical type stuff.
I'm a lot of those and goes for the mutilation, but he reverses it into the pen, almost get that still has the arms hooked.
Butterfly or dragon. I can't remember what that's called.
I think it's a dragon right into the cattle and always getting out of that time.
Oh, my gosh. He didn't tap elbows.
And again, my God, there's even more intense than I remember.
All right. All right. I'll give it to you.
All right. There you go.
That's the Brian Danielson that I'm thinking of.
Now I want to go back and watch that match.
Yeah, you do. Yeah, you do.
It used to be on YouTube, so I hope you can still find it because it is.
I'm going to make that like my thing tonight after I just built a damn crib.
Nice. There you go.
Build the crib. Have a beer. Watch that match.
That was three hours building the crib. It was fun.
It's always fun. I put it together backwards.
I had to do the whole thing apart.
I don't understand why they have to make these damn things so cryptid.
You need a friggin hieroglyphics degree to be able to understand how you have to put it together.
It's a fucking nightmare. It's a mess.
It's a mess. So I don't build cribs. So I don't got kids.
I don't blame you.
Calvin, that's all we have. Thank you so much for coming on.
It's been an absolute pleasure.
We would love to have you on a live show at some point.
I know your schedule is all over the place and it's difficult.
But we can make it work.
Yeah, we would love to have you on again.
Yes, definitely.
This is an open invitation for you to come on whenever you're available.
Wow. Thank you.
Absolutely. So do you have any socials or anything like that you want to plug or anything you want to plug before we call it a show?
Yeah, I guess I'll plug.
I mean, I'm not really on the social media a whole lot no more.
But I do think I'm going to become a little more active on my Instagram.
So that's going to be your pal, Cal 302.
That's on Instagram.
Again, I'm not really active right the second.
But once I'm back in the swing of things, I'm probably going to be there more or less.
I have a Twitter. Yes, I still call it Twitter.
I don't know how much longer I'm going to be using that, but it is at Calvin's range.
Yeah, that's it. That's it.
I know a couple of shows you want to promote.
Yeah.
Yeah, we got I got M.E.W.
I'll be honest, I'm not sure where the show is yet.
No one's told me, but I got M.E.W. coming up.
That's in Franklin.
Franklin, there we go. Thank you.
September 4.
7th.
It's my birthday.
Oh, hey, look at that. So you got a birthday show too.
Just like I had one.
I was supposed to be there, but I won't be there.
Yeah, there's the surprise.
So I should be there for the next three M.E.W. shows at the start of each month.
And then but I'm going to be trying to get on to some more bills here and there.
So that's all I got to plug.
But I appreciate you guys have me on.
I appreciate you guys being so cool to me, like I said, in terms of coming back to the wrestling world and having such a warm welcome and being being just pretty much considered one of the one of the family again.
So yeah, absolutely. Appreciate it.
Appreciate you guys having me on here.
Thank you for coming on.
I'll let you do your outros.
All right.
Outros. Yeah, the outro thing.
Well, thank you guys again for watching.
Like Sam said in the beginning, this will be a like when we need it the most will be posted.
But this will be on Patreon for any members only who want to see this before anybody else.
So thank you again, Calvin, for jumping on with us.
And we'll see you sometime in the future and class or, you know, in the ring with each other. Absolutely.
Absolutely.
I haven't.
You.