Tommy Dreamer on trying to grow House of Hardcore
Donald Wood of Ring Rust Radio passed along this interview with former Tommy Dreamer discussing the growth of House of Hardcore and why he didn’t sign a new deal with WWE.
On trying to grow his House of Hardcore promotion:
“My ultimate goal is television. I’m working very, very hard to make that happen. The landscape of your viewing pleasure has definitely changed. Whether most of it’s on the Internet or most of it’s on your phone, showing my product or being able to display my product to a larger landscape is the ultimate goal. I have had offers from television companies already; big companies. I’m not a publicly traded company. I don’t even know if I am with TNA anymore, but my parents don’t own an oil company. This is my money from all my years of hard work, and I have two beautiful daughters that I eventually have to put through college and this is my life savings invested in this. A lot of people want to go and make the mistake of thinking if we are on television, television productions costs alone will put me out of business within three months and then I am a failure. I would need a network or somebody behind me to continue the train rolling.”
Why he didn’t sign a contract offer from WWE:
“I love WWE, I love everyone there, I love TNA, Ring of Honor, and Lucha Underground. I just watched Last Battle with Tommy Rich and Buzz Sawyer and for 28 minutes I was a kid again and I love that feeling. The reason why I went back to WWE last year and the beginning of this year, I wasn’t under contract and I said I would basically do the same thing I did, but I just couldn’t sign a contract with them. Then they said I needed to sign a contract and I told them I just couldn’t do that. I have commitments to certain charities and events already booked for 2017 and I just can’t sign. Would I love to? Yes, I would absolutely love to work for every single company. Seven days a week and 24 hours a day for any company, but unfortunately that doesn’t happen.”
Cody Rhodes talks about working the independent scene
The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling passed along this interview with former WWE star Cody Rhodes talking about working the independent scene and his upcoming ROH debut.
On working the independent wrestling scene:
“It’s exceeded expectations. What I’ve noticed at some of the independent brands that I’ve found myself competing at and with people on the list is there have been a lot of eyes, especially in this day of social media where everything you do can be out there if you want it to be, there have been a lot of eyes on each match. More than just the intimate crowd that are there that evening, a lot of nay-sayers as well as the folks that are supporting this and are kind of rallying behind this either or tend to want to know what happened each night of the independent run and I’m sure at VIP Wrestling in my match with Chris Hero, my match with Brian Fury and at WrestlePro with Pat Buck and back to Evolve with Johnny Wrestling, Drew Galloway and all of those matches are getting a spotlight and if that is because of me I am pretty happy about that and I like the pressure that also comes with that because you have to deliver. That is the best thing ever, pleasing a fan and shutting up a critic. That is the best thing in the world is to do that and the only way to do that is to deliver.”
On his upcoming Ring of Honor debut:
“On my radar no doubt for Final Battle is the biggest thing for me. It is my WrestleMania this year. They are both exceptional events and with Final Battle being Ring of Honor’s biggest and it’s my first opportunity to go the Hammerstein Ballroom. My time in ROH is not going to be limited to one show as far as not just doing Final Battle, taking my money and leaving. I road the roads with Daniel Bryan, Cesaro, Kevin (Owens), guys that were ‘ROH guys’ and to be able to share the link now to say I’m going to be in ROH and I’ll know all about the Code of Honor and be in a company with I’d consider to be some elite guys like Dalton Castle, The Young Bucks, Adam Cole, Warbeard Hanson, Dijak, Christopher Daniels..I am an over-sharer so I could just sit here and say everyone’s name but I am very excited about joining their roster and the matchups that are going to happen. Like we said with the list, Adam Cole is at the very top of it. It is isn’t numbered, it isn’t prioritized but if I put your name on the top that means you were the first person I thought about so that is the one. That is the one thing I want and in wrestling sometimes you need to know and that is the one I need to know.”