Speedball Mike Bailey joins the show to talk about JetSpeed’s explosive rise in AEW and how his partnership with Kevin Knight became one of the most exciting duos in the tag division. We dive into AEW’s bold creative direction—from Texas Death Matches to EVP showdowns—and how it impacts rising stars like him. Speedball also shares his dream stadium for a JetSpeed moment, addresses the surge of top-tier Canadian talent in AEW, and previews his triple threat title match against The Hurt Syndicate and The Patriarchy this Saturday.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Battleground Podcast. You'll play for all these
and exclusive interviews with some of your favorite wrestlers abound
stop being.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Once tip you guys, welcome back into I Heardy's official
wrestling podcast, The Battleground Podcast. It is Battle from lone
start in ninety two to five Dallas for Worth Classic
Rock and ninety seven point one the Eagle and of
course ae W has taken over Dallas all this week
because you got it this weekend all in Texas and
it's gonna be a fun time. And speaking of fun times,
a guy who's been on our show before give it
(00:46):
up for Speedball.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Mike Bailey joined the show again Speedball. How are you doing, sir?
Just gave myself a hand. Yeah you are. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
You're adapting to American culture very very quickly.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
It looks like.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Let's kind of just jump right into it. Big things happening,
a lot of people talking about it. Jet Speed quickly
became a standout tag team in aew walk us through this.
How did the partnership with Kevin and I come about?
What makes the chemistry click so well? And whose idea
was it to pair you guys together?
Speaker 1 (01:19):
You know, just like all of the best things in
professional wrestling. It just kind of happened. We ended up
in a tag team together, and the chemistry was just there.
There were immediate sparks. He and I had wrestled before,
we'd had some great matches in the past, and we'd
never been on the same game before. And it turns out,
you know, it just works really well, and so we
(01:41):
When something like that happens, you just have to take
it and run with it. But I feel like beyond that,
Kevin and I have a very similar mindset when it
comes to professional wrestling. If you know my story, I've
spent my career traveling world wrestling is in as many
different countries as possible, trying to take the best things
out of every single style of professional wrestling. And Kevin Knight,
(02:04):
even though he started wrestling a long time after I did,
still has that same parkor of He started in America
and quickly made his way to New Japan for wrestling
where he really made his name. And I feel like
he's wrestled in Mexico and in a bunch of other
countries a long way, and just like myself, has really
forged this international style and I think that's what really
(02:25):
sets Jet Speed apartment.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, and you know there's this kind of trope in
wrestling of the thrown together tag team will there coexist
and you know all that kind of stuff, But like
this one seems legit, like it it seems like it
could be a real thing, Like you guys could be
a tag team moving forward. I mean, how does this
how do you think this is a little bit different
than that perception of other kind of thrown together tag teams.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Well, I think the idea of a thrown together tag
team is absolutely ridiculous. Because wrestlers have common objectives, they
end up being put together. I mean, it's a very
it's a very American notion to look at it and
thrown together tag team as a negative thing. In Japan,
if you look at all the the major promotions there,
they have a lot of wrestlers on contracts, so they
(03:10):
just end up making teams out of them. And a
long time tag de partner of mine, Mao from DDT
We're in Moonlight Expressed together for many years, won several
tag team championships together. That's how it started breaking a
throw together full on four and then we did a
very very cool dive together you know, we did the
both standing on the top rope shoulders shoulder, moon salt
(03:32):
together at the same time, and he's resident of DDT
who was in the match, was like, Oh, this, this
thrown together tag team works super well. Right. I feel
like I don't know of many like great tag teams
in the world, aside from like the Young Books or
Brothers who were literally thrown together at birth, right, Like,
(03:56):
I feel like every great tag team was thrown together
at some point, right, and if you just made it
work and became a tag team. So I don't know
how else did you create tag teams than by throwing
it exactly right, right right, good boy.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
As you know, AW is headlining Texas this week all
in Texas, and a lot of things that are happening
with this big show that's going down. You got the
Texas Death Match between Hangman and Moxley, the Stipulation tag
match with the EVPs as one of the rising stars
of ae W.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Do you think this recent bump in.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Storytelling is raising expectations for matches like yours?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
I think it's very hard for me to tell, right,
because I've only been in the company for just over
three months. I haven't been there for that long and
all I've seen from AW is a fantastic lockering all
working together to put on an amazing show through the
matches and through the stories and the long term storytelling
(04:56):
of building those relationships in between the wrestlers in front
of the audi and that's been amazing to see. I
can't speak for whether it was like that before or
whether it was that that is a reason for the success.
I mean, as far as I'm concerned, I'm in the
four months I've been here, I have seen a rise
in the positivity from the audience around AW you and
(05:19):
I've seen the audiences get more and more into it,
more and more in the As far as I'm concerned,
it's because of me. It's because it's people like gents.
There are correlations, Yeah, there are correlations, right, correlation does
not imply causation that there could be a lot of
other things. And I mean that's that's probably you know,
(05:40):
correct that everything everyone in the company working together so
well is really the reason behind the reasons the recent success.
But I I can't really speak to a time before.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Spele right, I have a question I want to ask
before I forget. So the last time we we had
youhn it was before you're the three way with kiney Omega.
Can you describe to us what it feels like getting
a v trigger to the side of your head and
getting thrown out of the ring, Like how how do
you how do you get ready for that move when
(06:14):
he's just coming at you full steam with that that
knee like that.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
I mean, if you've ever been punched in the face,
right my regular shuman being, imagine that, except it's one
of the world's best athletes with its knee, with his
knee coming on the side face and asigned from just
the the hurt of the move itself, you can feel
your heart break and your dreams shatter and look right,
(06:42):
and it's.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Got to be extra painful coming from a fellow Canadian
as well, So it does.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Yeah, there's a part of me that feels betrayed. There's
a part of me that feels like, you know, we
we could have given more. But you know, I take
all my losses to heart. They are all learning experiences
and always look how can I get better from them?
And that was my first time ever challenging for an
a W championship. The next time would be against Okada
at double or Nothing and all in challenging for the
(07:10):
Tag Clue Championships. Third time I'm challenging for a title.
You're in a W and I'm not gonna let it
slip through my hands.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
And we're gonna put it out in the universe because
after Saturday there's gonna be a and new ae W
Tag Team Champions Jets Speed, So we're gonna put that
out in the universe because with those.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Kind of record, you can ask about it. We've got
a good track. It does sound really good.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
It does say Mike Bailey Tag Team Champion. That does
have a good bring to it. Sorry, MJF, Bobby and
Shelton and MVP. We're throwing that out the window. It's
gonna be this weekend new Tag Team Champions. Now, you
know what we mentioned Omega and Canadian Wrestling, and you
know a lot of fans have kind of joked about
(07:56):
ae W has too many Canadians and tops bought with
you Omega, Christian Jericho, Josh Alexander Oakland, what's your take
on the Canadian invasion of American Wrestling.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
I think it's the opposite. I don't think it's a
Canadian invasion. I think it's just the floodgates being open.
I think Canadians have had such a hard time breaking
into American wrestling, or I mean as a French Canadian,
the language barrier adds some extra difficulties in making your
name in American wrestling. There is, of course, a very
(08:34):
difficult to navigate border between the US. Yes, and I
think it's just right that right now there are so
many great Canadian wrestlers proving that they belonged with the
best wrestlers in the world in AW. And I still
think that there's a lot of work can be done
across professional wrestling as a whole in recognizing talent from
(08:55):
all around the world, not just Canada, but from outside
of the US. Yes, and there's lots of world class
performance that deserve to be in the US that aren't yet.
And I think AW has been doing a fantastic job
because looking at Canada, looking at the best Canadian wrestlers
and saying we need those guys here because they are
the world's best, regardless of which company you're from. And
(09:17):
I think AW coming to Mexico, which is one of
the biggest countries, it is the country in the world
with the richest history surrounding professional wrestlinger Lucha Libre. They've
done a great job celebrating the absolutely amazing Luca doors
that come from there, as well as Japanese Wrestling. AW
I think does a better job than any other company
(09:38):
right now promoting Japanese tyle talent like Ibushi and Okada
and yeah, absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Just hearing you talk, I'm like, I could just listen
to you talk. You're so articulate about all this stuff.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
That's that's awesome. So let's care a lot.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
I think about a lot and you do. Yes, it's
always good to hear the passion coming back like that.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
So so let's get through specifics. The Saturday, you are
challenging the Hurt Syndicate as well as the Patriarchy and
a triple feat match for the AW World Tag Team Championships.
What is your strategy heading into this high stakes match,
because I mean, it's it's it's hard enough to plan
for two other people, but now you have the other
team involved. I mean, how much of a different dynamic
(10:24):
does that add to the to a match like this?
Speaker 1 (10:27):
So the dynamic has changed rapidly. We've been going back
and forth with the Hurt Syndicon for a long time,
and to throw in the Patriarchy, who like bring a
different kind of strategyans you know what I mean. I
feel like Kevin and I are new tag team. We're
both relatively new to a down and we've got on
(10:50):
the side of the hurt syndicket. You've got MJF as
well and MVP, who they will certainly be watching around
Kipsavian and shanea way will with the Patriarchy. So not
only are we not only are the odds against us,
but we're literally outnumbered in this. But I mean, Kevin
and I are both the same. We've made our careers,
(11:13):
We've been successful as underdogs many many years now, and
the best thing we can do is just surprise people.
So it's going to be go out there, give it
everything we've got in shock the world.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
And become new tag team champions after this Saturday at
A have you all in Texas?
Speaker 3 (11:31):
You know, the incredible thing is that when you guys win,
you'll have you'll have the same title that Sting had,
which I don't know if you're a Sting guy, but
that that would be incredible for me to be in
the same win in just him.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You know what I'm saying. I wasn't a huge stink
fan until a W until he came here, and then
I went back and started looking at everything. I didn't
have WCW on television growing up, I didn't have access
to it. Had to go back and doing a deep
dive on and I mean, I'm a huge fan now
(12:03):
and it doesn't mean a lot. Yeah, Yeah, that's that's awesome.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
When you can kind of go back and you know,
fill in maybe your blind spots or something you're not
as versed in, and you know, just finding all the
gyms that that's out there, it's just incredible.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Now I want to go back for a little bit
because you said you've been in AW for a couple
of months. Uh, you know, no surprise. You had a
monstrous career in TNA impact when you left there.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
What was it?
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Because I saw all the dirt sheets, Mike Bailey's going here,
Mike Bailey's going there. What was it that finally made
you say, Mike Bailey is going to be all elie?
What was it that made you gravitate towards ae W
among other suitors that were wanting you out there.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Part of me hate that it became the catch line
a catchphrase for A but I came to A because
it's where the best wrestling and I've been in Maring.
It was a lot of the world's best wrestling that
had just recently signed here. And seeing guys like We'll Osprey, Ricochet,
Kenny Omega, Takeshta, people that I've considered the best progrestler
(13:12):
in the world for a long time, and seeing how
they were not just not just you know, wrestling in aaly,
but absolutely thriving, putting on some of the best mathive
of their ear fully unrestrained by television cameras, not having
to do because again, this is kind of the perception,
or at least it had been for someone like myself,
(13:34):
who wasn't independent wrestler for almost, you know, for like
sixteen years before signing on. And I've seen a lot
of people do their best work in Japan and in
independent wrestling and then get signed and be restrained on television,
be forced to do things that are you know, supposedly
more palatable to greater audiences, but are still not as
(13:57):
good as their best matches. But to watch them go
one to aw and still have the same kinds of
amazing matches that we're having an independent wrestling, but better
in front of a larger audience and with a fully built,
month long story behind it. Then just adds to the
match and doesn't take anything away from it, which has
(14:18):
the difficult thing to do. That really made me want
to join AD. Yeah, that's a great answer.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Whatever the tide that's been turning this year for for
aw I mean you see it in the crowds, you
see it in the presentation, you see it in the performances,
and it's almost been just kind of like a head
in the sand, just just buckle down, just move forward.
Just you know, it doesn't seem like the some of
the outside stuff is kind of penetrating the armor this year,
(14:48):
and I mean it's been I I think I've watched
every Dynamite this year so far, you know, and before
it was kind of we got to a point where
you know, maybe skip an episode here and there, but
I mean it is really you can tell there's been
a lot of attention turned on the product this year.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
So yeah, it's been exciting to watch so awesome.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Yeah, I have a question about your your your fandom
and your you know, geekiness and all that kind of stuff.
Is there anything that you like from a fan standpoint
that you have not incorporated into anything wrestling gear related
that you may be.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Like, Okay, well now I'm in aw I want to
try this. I want to incorporate this. Oh my god,
there is so much. I have so many ideas for
gears and and different things different TV shows that I
would like to incorporate into pro wrestling, But I feel
like the time needs to be right for a lot
of those, like the ballot room gear that I were
(15:43):
at Double or Nothing. I can't just straight up go
out there and cosplay right, right, even though I think
that'd be awesome, that'd be great, But there's still the
you know, the cards and the joker tying still works
with Double or Nothing, which is kind of the team
the theme of the event. So it's all kind of
has to make sense that that's the hard part is
I am I am a complete nerd. I will go
(16:07):
very very deep into things that I love, and I
can't wear a costume that only ten people will be
really right, but well know, it kind of has to
appeal to a greater honest and it also has to
make sense for what I'm doing at the event specifically
(16:28):
and add on to it and not take away. It
still has this connect. Again, I am very passionate about
so many things. It's kind of hard to it's I mean,
it's a pleasure. And the thing that's great about a
w's extremely large audience is that it does get appreciated.
I was kind of worried when I wore the Glenn
(16:51):
the Frog from con Trigger costume that like people wouldn't
really know, but but they really did, and a large
group of people were really that I were a costume,
you know, representing what is a lot of people's favorite
character from it from a video game that is extremely beloved. Right.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Yeah, It's just so awesome seeing people, you know, bring
their passion into their other passion and you know, Will
Ospray with his Assassin's creed stuff and all that. It's
just really cool seeing that incorporated on the displays and stuff.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
That's a great thing that AW does for all of this.
It lets us expand our like what we like to
the audience. And everyone who wrestles for AW is a
complete human being, right, Will Ospray has had a life
before AW. He exists outside of the awe. He has passions.
(17:43):
He's a fully formed human being. He doesn't just live
in his fifteen minutes slot on television once a week.
All everything that makes Will Lostpring will lost, anything that
makes speedball, my Binley, you get to see condensed on television.
But it's still there. We don't try to hide it,
negate it. Right. Yeah, absolutely, and that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
I know time is coming up short for us. We're
gonna wrap this interview up here shortly. You got a
couple more questions, you know, one thing that AW has
done here recently has sold through all the big venues
when you think about it, Wimbley soon, Wimbley again, globe life,
Where do you hope.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
AW takes you next?
Speaker 2 (18:25):
And what would be your dream stadium setting for you know, jet.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Speed to explode on a global platform. You know, there
are so many I think Class Bell in Laval is
literally ten minutes from the house where I grew up.
Oh wow, And I know that I have a lot
of supporters over in Laval, Moncheal, over in Quebec. Right,
there's a lot of people that have been wanting to
(18:52):
see me succeed for a very long time and It's
always nice when they get to perform there, but to
perform in my hometown AW would be absolutely amazing. But
I am also a big supporter of the global expansion
of AW. I've never wrestled in the Tokyo Nome, but
to wrestle for a w in the Tokyo Doome would
(19:12):
be absolute dream and true. I also want to go
to new countries. I want to see AW in South America.
I think AW in Brazil would make record numbers old
be an absolutely amazing event. And Brazil because again, it's
a country with a rich, rich history when it comes
to perhapsal wrestling that not a lot of people know about.
(19:33):
And I think it makes sense for promotion like AW
that celebrate different cultures and throw wrestling all around the
world to go to a place like Brazil that doesn't
get as many big wrestling shows. Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
And the fandoms over there is just fanatical, I mean,
especially since they don't get it on a regular basis.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
So I mean, we saw it in Australia last year.
I think an absolutely amazing event that I didn't get
to do part of because I wasn't working here yet.
But a w grant Slam was a huge It's an
a great example of what AW can't accomplish international. Yes,
absolutely for sure.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Last question before we let you go, because we always
like to ask this to our guests. If we were
to look at Mike Bailey's playlist right now, we scrolled
through it and we stumble across a song that surprises
us as Ah, we didn't think Mike Bailey listens to this.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
What's that song on your playlist? Oh boy, Mike playlist
is a whole nest. It flows across so many different genres.
I'll be here while by three to eleven, which if
you know three eleven. I don't know that they're a
good band, but they have a lot of really enjoyable songs.
(20:51):
But I am musically, I am all over the place.
I think that one song is the one that would
stand out. What's this doing there?
Speaker 2 (21:02):
That's a that's a pretty solid jam right there?
Speaker 1 (21:04):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Well, Mike, uh again, it's an honor and privilege to
have you back here on the show.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
We're looking forward.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
To hearing uh, you know them saying from Justin Roberts
and you AW World, have you our tag team champions,
Jess be Man, It's an honor and privilege.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Thank you so much. I'm sure we will here. Thank
you guys so much. I'll see you guys through the television,
hopefully live at all, in this Saturday
Welcome to the Battleground Podcast. You'll play for all these
and exclusive interviews with some of your favorite wrestlers abound
stop being.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Once tip you guys, welcome back into I Heardy's official
wrestling podcast, The Battleground Podcast. It is Battle from lone
start in ninety two to five Dallas for Worth Classic
Rock and ninety seven point one the Eagle and of
course ae W has taken over Dallas all this week
because you got it this weekend all in Texas and
it's gonna be a fun time. And speaking of fun times,
a guy who's been on our show before give it
(00:46):
up for Speedball.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Mike Bailey joined the show again Speedball. How are you doing, sir?
Just gave myself a hand. Yeah you are. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
You're adapting to American culture very very quickly.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
It looks like.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Let's kind of just jump right into it. Big things happening,
a lot of people talking about it. Jet Speed quickly
became a standout tag team in aew walk us through this.
How did the partnership with Kevin and I come about?
What makes the chemistry click so well? And whose idea
was it to pair you guys together?
Speaker 1 (01:19):
You know, just like all of the best things in
professional wrestling. It just kind of happened. We ended up
in a tag team together, and the chemistry was just there.
There were immediate sparks. He and I had wrestled before,
we'd had some great matches in the past, and we'd
never been on the same game before. And it turns out,
you know, it just works really well, and so we
(01:41):
When something like that happens, you just have to take
it and run with it. But I feel like beyond that,
Kevin and I have a very similar mindset when it
comes to professional wrestling. If you know my story, I've
spent my career traveling world wrestling is in as many
different countries as possible, trying to take the best things
out of every single style of professional wrestling. And Kevin Knight,
(02:04):
even though he started wrestling a long time after I did,
still has that same parkor of He started in America
and quickly made his way to New Japan for wrestling
where he really made his name. And I feel like
he's wrestled in Mexico and in a bunch of other
countries a long way, and just like myself, has really
forged this international style and I think that's what really
(02:25):
sets Jet Speed apartment.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, and you know there's this kind of trope in
wrestling of the thrown together tag team will there coexist
and you know all that kind of stuff, But like
this one seems legit, like it it seems like it
could be a real thing, Like you guys could be
a tag team moving forward. I mean, how does this
how do you think this is a little bit different
than that perception of other kind of thrown together tag teams.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Well, I think the idea of a thrown together tag
team is absolutely ridiculous. Because wrestlers have common objectives, they
end up being put together. I mean, it's a very
it's a very American notion to look at it and
thrown together tag team as a negative thing. In Japan,
if you look at all the the major promotions there,
they have a lot of wrestlers on contracts, so they
(03:10):
just end up making teams out of them. And a
long time tag de partner of mine, Mao from DDT
We're in Moonlight Expressed together for many years, won several
tag team championships together. That's how it started breaking a
throw together full on four and then we did a
very very cool dive together you know, we did the
both standing on the top rope shoulders shoulder, moon salt
(03:32):
together at the same time, and he's resident of DDT
who was in the match, was like, Oh, this, this
thrown together tag team works super well. Right. I feel
like I don't know of many like great tag teams
in the world, aside from like the Young Books or
Brothers who were literally thrown together at birth, right, Like,
(03:56):
I feel like every great tag team was thrown together
at some point, right, and if you just made it
work and became a tag team. So I don't know
how else did you create tag teams than by throwing
it exactly right, right right, good boy.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
As you know, AW is headlining Texas this week all
in Texas, and a lot of things that are happening
with this big show that's going down. You got the
Texas Death Match between Hangman and Moxley, the Stipulation tag
match with the EVPs as one of the rising stars
of ae W.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Do you think this recent bump in.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Storytelling is raising expectations for matches like yours?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
I think it's very hard for me to tell, right,
because I've only been in the company for just over
three months. I haven't been there for that long and
all I've seen from AW is a fantastic lockering all
working together to put on an amazing show through the
matches and through the stories and the long term storytelling
(04:56):
of building those relationships in between the wrestlers in front
of the audi and that's been amazing to see. I
can't speak for whether it was like that before or
whether it was that that is a reason for the success.
I mean, as far as I'm concerned, I'm in the
four months I've been here, I have seen a rise
in the positivity from the audience around AW you and
(05:19):
I've seen the audiences get more and more into it,
more and more in the As far as I'm concerned,
it's because of me. It's because it's people like gents.
There are correlations, Yeah, there are correlations, right, correlation does
not imply causation that there could be a lot of
other things. And I mean that's that's probably you know,
(05:40):
correct that everything everyone in the company working together so
well is really the reason behind the reasons the recent success.
But I I can't really speak to a time before.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Spele right, I have a question I want to ask
before I forget. So the last time we we had
youhn it was before you're the three way with kiney Omega.
Can you describe to us what it feels like getting
a v trigger to the side of your head and
getting thrown out of the ring, Like how how do
you how do you get ready for that move when
(06:14):
he's just coming at you full steam with that that
knee like that.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
I mean, if you've ever been punched in the face,
right my regular shuman being, imagine that, except it's one
of the world's best athletes with its knee, with his
knee coming on the side face and asigned from just
the the hurt of the move itself, you can feel
your heart break and your dreams shatter and look right,
(06:42):
and it's.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Got to be extra painful coming from a fellow Canadian
as well, So it does.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Yeah, there's a part of me that feels betrayed. There's
a part of me that feels like, you know, we
we could have given more. But you know, I take
all my losses to heart. They are all learning experiences
and always look how can I get better from them?
And that was my first time ever challenging for an
a W championship. The next time would be against Okada
at double or Nothing and all in challenging for the
(07:10):
Tag Clue Championships. Third time I'm challenging for a title.
You're in a W and I'm not gonna let it
slip through my hands.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
And we're gonna put it out in the universe because
after Saturday there's gonna be a and new ae W
Tag Team Champions Jets Speed, So we're gonna put that
out in the universe because with those.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Kind of record, you can ask about it. We've got
a good track. It does sound really good.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
It does say Mike Bailey Tag Team Champion. That does
have a good bring to it. Sorry, MJF, Bobby and
Shelton and MVP. We're throwing that out the window. It's
gonna be this weekend new Tag Team Champions. Now, you
know what we mentioned Omega and Canadian Wrestling, and you
know a lot of fans have kind of joked about
(07:56):
ae W has too many Canadians and tops bought with
you Omega, Christian Jericho, Josh Alexander Oakland, what's your take
on the Canadian invasion of American Wrestling.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
I think it's the opposite. I don't think it's a
Canadian invasion. I think it's just the floodgates being open.
I think Canadians have had such a hard time breaking
into American wrestling, or I mean as a French Canadian,
the language barrier adds some extra difficulties in making your
name in American wrestling. There is, of course, a very
(08:34):
difficult to navigate border between the US. Yes, and I
think it's just right that right now there are so
many great Canadian wrestlers proving that they belonged with the
best wrestlers in the world in AW. And I still
think that there's a lot of work can be done
across professional wrestling as a whole in recognizing talent from
(08:55):
all around the world, not just Canada, but from outside
of the US. Yes, and there's lots of world class
performance that deserve to be in the US that aren't yet.
And I think AW has been doing a fantastic job
because looking at Canada, looking at the best Canadian wrestlers
and saying we need those guys here because they are
the world's best, regardless of which company you're from. And
(09:17):
I think AW coming to Mexico, which is one of
the biggest countries, it is the country in the world
with the richest history surrounding professional wrestlinger Lucha Libre. They've
done a great job celebrating the absolutely amazing Luca doors
that come from there, as well as Japanese Wrestling. AW
I think does a better job than any other company
(09:38):
right now promoting Japanese tyle talent like Ibushi and Okada
and yeah, absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Just hearing you talk, I'm like, I could just listen
to you talk. You're so articulate about all this stuff.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
That's that's awesome. So let's care a lot.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
I think about a lot and you do. Yes, it's
always good to hear the passion coming back like that.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
So so let's get through specifics. The Saturday, you are
challenging the Hurt Syndicate as well as the Patriarchy and
a triple feat match for the AW World Tag Team Championships.
What is your strategy heading into this high stakes match,
because I mean, it's it's it's hard enough to plan
for two other people, but now you have the other
team involved. I mean, how much of a different dynamic
(10:24):
does that add to the to a match like this?
Speaker 1 (10:27):
So the dynamic has changed rapidly. We've been going back
and forth with the Hurt Syndicon for a long time,
and to throw in the Patriarchy, who like bring a
different kind of strategyans you know what I mean. I
feel like Kevin and I are new tag team. We're
both relatively new to a down and we've got on
(10:50):
the side of the hurt syndicket. You've got MJF as
well and MVP, who they will certainly be watching around
Kipsavian and shanea way will with the Patriarchy. So not
only are we not only are the odds against us,
but we're literally outnumbered in this. But I mean, Kevin
and I are both the same. We've made our careers,
(11:13):
We've been successful as underdogs many many years now, and
the best thing we can do is just surprise people.
So it's going to be go out there, give it
everything we've got in shock the world.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
And become new tag team champions after this Saturday at
A have you all in Texas?
Speaker 3 (11:31):
You know, the incredible thing is that when you guys win,
you'll have you'll have the same title that Sting had,
which I don't know if you're a Sting guy, but
that that would be incredible for me to be in
the same win in just him.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You know what I'm saying. I wasn't a huge stink
fan until a W until he came here, and then
I went back and started looking at everything. I didn't
have WCW on television growing up, I didn't have access
to it. Had to go back and doing a deep
dive on and I mean, I'm a huge fan now
(12:03):
and it doesn't mean a lot. Yeah, Yeah, that's that's awesome.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
When you can kind of go back and you know,
fill in maybe your blind spots or something you're not
as versed in, and you know, just finding all the
gyms that that's out there, it's just incredible.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Now I want to go back for a little bit
because you said you've been in AW for a couple
of months. Uh, you know, no surprise. You had a
monstrous career in TNA impact when you left there.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
What was it?
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Because I saw all the dirt sheets, Mike Bailey's going here,
Mike Bailey's going there. What was it that finally made
you say, Mike Bailey is going to be all elie?
What was it that made you gravitate towards ae W
among other suitors that were wanting you out there.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Part of me hate that it became the catch line
a catchphrase for A but I came to A because
it's where the best wrestling and I've been in Maring.
It was a lot of the world's best wrestling that
had just recently signed here. And seeing guys like We'll Osprey, Ricochet,
Kenny Omega, Takeshta, people that I've considered the best progrestler
(13:12):
in the world for a long time, and seeing how
they were not just not just you know, wrestling in aaly,
but absolutely thriving, putting on some of the best mathive
of their ear fully unrestrained by television cameras, not having
to do because again, this is kind of the perception,
or at least it had been for someone like myself,
(13:34):
who wasn't independent wrestler for almost, you know, for like
sixteen years before signing on. And I've seen a lot
of people do their best work in Japan and in
independent wrestling and then get signed and be restrained on television,
be forced to do things that are you know, supposedly
more palatable to greater audiences, but are still not as
(13:57):
good as their best matches. But to watch them go
one to aw and still have the same kinds of
amazing matches that we're having an independent wrestling, but better
in front of a larger audience and with a fully built,
month long story behind it. Then just adds to the
match and doesn't take anything away from it, which has
(14:18):
the difficult thing to do. That really made me want
to join AD. Yeah, that's a great answer.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Whatever the tide that's been turning this year for for
aw I mean you see it in the crowds, you
see it in the presentation, you see it in the performances,
and it's almost been just kind of like a head
in the sand, just just buckle down, just move forward.
Just you know, it doesn't seem like the some of
the outside stuff is kind of penetrating the armor this year,
(14:48):
and I mean it's been I I think I've watched
every Dynamite this year so far, you know, and before
it was kind of we got to a point where
you know, maybe skip an episode here and there, but
I mean it is really you can tell there's been
a lot of attention turned on the product this year.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
So yeah, it's been exciting to watch so awesome.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Yeah, I have a question about your your your fandom
and your you know, geekiness and all that kind of stuff.
Is there anything that you like from a fan standpoint
that you have not incorporated into anything wrestling gear related
that you may be.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Like, Okay, well now I'm in aw I want to
try this. I want to incorporate this. Oh my god,
there is so much. I have so many ideas for
gears and and different things different TV shows that I
would like to incorporate into pro wrestling, But I feel
like the time needs to be right for a lot
of those, like the ballot room gear that I were
(15:43):
at Double or Nothing. I can't just straight up go
out there and cosplay right, right, even though I think
that'd be awesome, that'd be great, But there's still the
you know, the cards and the joker tying still works
with Double or Nothing, which is kind of the team
the theme of the event. So it's all kind of
has to make sense that that's the hard part is
I am I am a complete nerd. I will go
(16:07):
very very deep into things that I love, and I
can't wear a costume that only ten people will be
really right, but well know, it kind of has to
appeal to a greater honest and it also has to
make sense for what I'm doing at the event specifically
(16:28):
and add on to it and not take away. It
still has this connect. Again, I am very passionate about
so many things. It's kind of hard to it's I mean,
it's a pleasure. And the thing that's great about a
w's extremely large audience is that it does get appreciated.
I was kind of worried when I wore the Glenn
(16:51):
the Frog from con Trigger costume that like people wouldn't
really know, but but they really did, and a large
group of people were really that I were a costume,
you know, representing what is a lot of people's favorite
character from it from a video game that is extremely beloved. Right.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Yeah, It's just so awesome seeing people, you know, bring
their passion into their other passion and you know, Will
Ospray with his Assassin's creed stuff and all that. It's
just really cool seeing that incorporated on the displays and stuff.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
That's a great thing that AW does for all of this.
It lets us expand our like what we like to
the audience. And everyone who wrestles for AW is a
complete human being, right, Will Ospray has had a life
before AW. He exists outside of the awe. He has passions.
(17:43):
He's a fully formed human being. He doesn't just live
in his fifteen minutes slot on television once a week.
All everything that makes Will Lostpring will lost, anything that
makes speedball, my Binley, you get to see condensed on television.
But it's still there. We don't try to hide it,
negate it. Right. Yeah, absolutely, and that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
I know time is coming up short for us. We're
gonna wrap this interview up here shortly. You got a
couple more questions, you know, one thing that AW has
done here recently has sold through all the big venues
when you think about it, Wimbley soon, Wimbley again, globe life,
Where do you hope.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
AW takes you next?
Speaker 2 (18:25):
And what would be your dream stadium setting for you know, jet.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Speed to explode on a global platform. You know, there
are so many I think Class Bell in Laval is
literally ten minutes from the house where I grew up.
Oh wow, And I know that I have a lot
of supporters over in Laval, Moncheal, over in Quebec. Right,
there's a lot of people that have been wanting to
(18:52):
see me succeed for a very long time and It's
always nice when they get to perform there, but to
perform in my hometown AW would be absolutely amazing. But
I am also a big supporter of the global expansion
of AW. I've never wrestled in the Tokyo Nome, but
to wrestle for a w in the Tokyo Doome would
(19:12):
be absolute dream and true. I also want to go
to new countries. I want to see AW in South America.
I think AW in Brazil would make record numbers old
be an absolutely amazing event. And Brazil because again, it's
a country with a rich, rich history when it comes
to perhapsal wrestling that not a lot of people know about.
(19:33):
And I think it makes sense for promotion like AW
that celebrate different cultures and throw wrestling all around the
world to go to a place like Brazil that doesn't
get as many big wrestling shows. Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
And the fandoms over there is just fanatical, I mean,
especially since they don't get it on a regular basis.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
So I mean, we saw it in Australia last year.
I think an absolutely amazing event that I didn't get
to do part of because I wasn't working here yet.
But a w grant Slam was a huge It's an
a great example of what AW can't accomplish international. Yes,
absolutely for sure.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Last question before we let you go, because we always
like to ask this to our guests. If we were
to look at Mike Bailey's playlist right now, we scrolled
through it and we stumble across a song that surprises
us as Ah, we didn't think Mike Bailey listens to this.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
What's that song on your playlist? Oh boy, Mike playlist
is a whole nest. It flows across so many different genres.
I'll be here while by three to eleven, which if
you know three eleven. I don't know that they're a
good band, but they have a lot of really enjoyable songs.
(20:51):
But I am musically, I am all over the place.
I think that one song is the one that would
stand out. What's this doing there?
Speaker 2 (21:02):
That's a that's a pretty solid jam right there?
Speaker 1 (21:04):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Well, Mike, uh again, it's an honor and privilege to
have you back here on the show.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
We're looking forward.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
To hearing uh, you know them saying from Justin Roberts
and you AW World, have you our tag team champions,
Jess be Man, It's an honor and privilege.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Thank you so much. I'm sure we will here. Thank
you guys so much. I'll see you guys through the television,
hopefully live at all, in this Saturday
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