September 23, 2025 • 18 mins
Gates of Agony (Kaun & Toa Liona) open up on signing multi-year AEW contracts and what long-term stability means for their future in AEW. They reveal how their alliance with Ricochet really came together. The duo talks rivalries, The Hurt Syndicate, character development, and their championship goals.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Battleground Podcast and exclusive interviews with some
of your favorite wrestlers.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Stop being.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
What's up you guys, Welcome back into Iheartrady, is official
wrestling podcast at Battleground Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
And man, it is an exciting.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Week for ae W taking over Toronto and Uh, very
excited about our guest today.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Me and Eli have had conversations off the air.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
It's been exciting because we've talked about wanting to get
these guys.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
On and now we finally have them on the show.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
They are just as intimidating on TV as they are
endure now gates of agony?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
What is going on? Just don't kill us. I promise
we'll be good.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Taking a day off before the big show that on Saturday,
So trying to be cool. I know he's hurt a
little bit.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
So I had a banger last night. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Super excited to have you guys on the show. So
I kind of want to just jump right into this
real quick.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
It was made an announcement everybody talked about on the internet.
You guys have re upped with ae W.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
What sealed the deal and obviously what is the first
goal you want to check off under the new contracts.
Speaker 5 (01:28):
First, Yeah, I mean what sealed the deal honestly was
all of us.
Speaker 6 (01:34):
Both of us was different. So like what sealed the
deal for him was different than what sealed the deal.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
For me, and I've ring you mine a while ago,
and then both of ourselves was different, like for what
we needed, like for me as a family man, as
the you know, data four children, as the father of
a type one diabetic, like I had financial needs like
this is my first time in this big opportunity, and
to take advantage of that and the financial standpoint, I
(02:00):
had to really address that. And thankfully, like our brotherhood,
none of that I ever stood in the way. I
never looked at him like, hey, you need a hurry
of the sign like no, whatever happens happens. And I
think that's why we're in the spot where now is
because it organically became that he knew I cared about
him and that I didn't force him. I never once
asked him about, hey, you know, sign like never, So
(02:22):
I think that's why it worked out perfectly. And to
captivate on the signing and everything like that, what's next?
Speaker 6 (02:29):
Man work quest for gold?
Speaker 5 (02:31):
You know, I mean we saw that promo that that
riconstration shy, and we looked at it as another opportunity
for us to become undeniable and take that opportunity. And
we want to be champions in AW and we will
be champions in a death.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
I was more of I guess this decision I was
holding Honestly, I was holding out. I was holding out
to right before my contract ended, and I got a
phone call me and my girl hiking in the middle
of Seattle, like, uh, you to figure this out a
sap And we kind of just took this like five
hour hike to kind of just honestly go over what
I want to accomplish in this business. I gotta't have kids,
(03:07):
just gotta grow from the dog. How much time et
equity I want to put an AW. They invested in me,
and I really had to kind of check my ego
at some point too. It's because everybody wants to be
a world champion. I'm fairly new into the business maybe
nine years, but I have very high goals and aspirations
and we both, honestly we want to be at the top.
I said, Hey, they invested in me, I want to
(03:28):
invest in them. I actually had a couple of conversations
with Tony. I'm like, hey, I'm trying to be a
workhorse here. If y'all invest in me, I'm down to
he be here and be an aw guy. And honestly,
this is a new company and why not be these
guys that A can put their backs on and we
can be the tag teams. They're single stars of the future.
So I had that five hour hike and I was like,
(03:49):
you know what, I screamed at the top of the hike.
I said, yeah, I'm here, I'm locked in. And I
tried to k favorite to him for the last day
and somebody ruteing that geez, guys, come on.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
Generally, I generally never brought it up. I really did.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
I wanted what's best for him, so because I knew
if he did decide to that, because of all that,
like he's gonna be ready.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
You heard it.
Speaker 5 (04:10):
You heard what he just said right there, and man,
and the huge modelers face went like when brother, like
let up break before you got a chance to delbi.
So it was just it's just great, man, We're just
very we're feeling very happy and blessed, and like, you know,
it's a double edged sword. Having the confidence we have
and like our expectations, because when we don't reach those things,
(04:32):
we feel like we're being treated less than we really are,
when in reality, it's.
Speaker 6 (04:37):
Whatever opportunity is available. It's live TV. A lot of
is A million, million, million, million.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
Dollar company like that has so much responsibility in the
grand scheme of things.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
You know, we're like, if you look at in the world,
we're just two specs in the universe. So like, if
you put that in perspective of wrestling business, like, yeah,
there's a lot of bigger things in play than what
we want out of this. So we understood did that,
but we didn't let that limit us. Right, We're looking
to break any limits or ever replaced on us.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
We're more than just heaters man, you know, we're we're
top stars, top future stars of the company, and we're
taking these opportunities to showcase that.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Well. No killer answers. Yeah, that was very very good,
Thank you for that.
Speaker 7 (05:20):
You know, when Ricochet came on the scene, there seemed
to be a you know, maybe a ground swell or
just internet buzz about him maybe joining with Heart Syndicate.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
You know, there's all these rumors going.
Speaker 7 (05:33):
Around and now you guys have aligned and it just
I don't know, on paper, it just seems incredible.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
How I guess.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Let's go to the beginning.
Speaker 7 (05:41):
I mean, how did you guys get linked up with Ricochet?
Was it like fifty percent organic, fifty percent pitch Like
it seems like you guys just look and sound and
jail very very well together.
Speaker 6 (05:53):
It was it was organic.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
You called back and look at the problems that he
was cutting. H would say things about certain groups and
there was a little teasus, but there was no decision making.
He was on commentary versus our jet speed match. That
was our open audition for us. Oh yeah, hey this
is the spot and we're taking that spot. This is
a t spot. We're taking this spot. And we literally
went out there and performed Hey, we're your guys now,
(06:16):
and it was just like that.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
Yeah, man, look when we saw those problems, man, we
took it as like, oh, there's a there's an opportunity
available and like this is what we've been busting our
asks to get to.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
And to be a lion with sowing as a star.
Speaker 6 (06:31):
That rickshet is.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Man, we knew like this can be our breakout moment. Yeah,
says individuals. But us as a team and us as
a group man at the same time, like, we know
we can help Bricochet accomplish what he wants.
Speaker 6 (06:44):
To accomplish out of this business, you know. So to
have it be UH in a sense where we're like
we're helping each other. It's not just we're not just
helping him, he's helping us. It goes both ways, all
the elevating one another. Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Does he also get mad that you guys have great
looking hair and he doesn't have any.
Speaker 6 (07:08):
Find to turn on his.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
You know, I used to be like Rikashet and then
I got a hair transplant.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
But that's neither here nor that I'm here talked about
Gates in Agony.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah, I'm shallow, you know. Coming off of September.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Remember to remember, UH featured a heavy night for the
tag scene for sure in a wh What did you
take away from that show about where Gates of Agony
fits into the next title cycle?
Speaker 6 (07:36):
Mm hm.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
At first, I honestly felt some type of way that
we weren't in one of these taxi mashes. I know
that he was gonna have a single match do double duty.
That part I'm trying to me in this ladder match too.
Speaker 6 (07:46):
Yeah, and uh, I think.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
We still have to get our run back with the
ops too because m vpharsiting that we were about to
be the next trial champions. We're about to go into
our quest for gold right there. So it's only a
matter of time. Man, we've this question for goal since
the ricochet has come here. And once we get through
the syndicate and we beat their eyes and move on
to the next thing, let's tim we want his gold.
Speaker 8 (08:08):
But that's Trio.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
The goal has never changed. The quest for gold is
in the right after. Uh.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
You know, we're the champions aw eats and we will
be set champions very soon.
Speaker 7 (08:20):
Yeah, speaking of September, remember do you remember, Tela, you
had a banger against the Bobby last yearly last night
the crouch out.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
And meats and all that stuff. Uh, you know, what's
it like.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
Being in in the ring with a powerhouse like that
one on one where you don't have you know, some
of like Bishop in the corner to kind of relieve
you from time toime?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Like what what's that mentality? Like?
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Man?
Speaker 5 (08:44):
For me, it's it's easier because I'm I'm on the
entire time. I'm Nick Gresser from from from bell rings
to the very end. So for me, it's easier to
be more present, you know. So, uh, the challenges for
the conditioning aspect, yeah, it's definitely different, but that's why
(09:05):
I trade.
Speaker 6 (09:06):
You know, I trained to be in that spot.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
And you know, my conditioning and six man matches and
tag matches is great because of it, because I'm ready
for a singles match. So that opportunity to showcase that
was like, yeah, you know, we are not just tag guys.
Speaker 6 (09:22):
We are not just six man guys.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
And last night, you guys just got to saw what
I was capable of, you know, Like I mean, you
guys saw the truest match against the ops. Like I
was a fantasy him and Shabbatago total toe, Like I
would love to see a singles match with him and Shabbata.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
Him and Darren Garcia, Like just watch beat these guys.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
Who right right down, Like, because look at him, will
be him. Like we talked about technical wrestlers, He's the
biggest and strongest one out. It's not a little technical
wrestler that's bigger than him or stronger than him. Were
more explosive than him, Like so you know, in the
whole realm, of things like, yeah, we're He's the powers
of the technical wrestlers, So this is like, just wait
(10:01):
till he gets us another opportunity, just like I did,
or just like Brigochet did. We're three single stars that
will emerge out of this group, you know.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
So I'm just very excited for what's to come.
Speaker 7 (10:13):
And objectively, mister Conn, you look like you were three
D printed in a lab, so we don't hurt that
un hurt.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
So kind of shock.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
We have have an actually feu because it don't leave
you to mold I look like actual.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
Man.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
We should just next uh you know Tony and be like, hey,
uh we need that.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
That g O A two pack like right now.
Speaker 6 (10:33):
A sun long ever Google Saturday. We all need that
three pack.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Right right back after this weekend for sure.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Now, something that's really cool because when you look at it, uh,
with the fact of Tony owning both a e W
and r o H, you guys have been able to
keep you know, one foot in r o H while
pushing up the ae W card. What is the smartest
way to split that work that workload so each run
feeds the other.
Speaker 8 (11:00):
I will say we took the other foot out of
our wah, and we are done with our ah nice
graduated from that okay was to me even with Sun
Dring and Wanna before AW, that was always a stepping
stone to the next big thing.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Look at that brand and where people go from there
to the upper echelon. That's how we looked at it.
We're to get our reps. We're here to we can
come always tag champs cool. But now we are off
of ring the honor. We have graduated VI a bus
or ass three three and a half years while were there,
and now we are fixtiers on dynamite collision. We are
all elite, we are aw superstars.
Speaker 7 (11:32):
Yeah, killer killer, excellent answer. I want to do a
side question for mister con there. You currently are also
in possession of one of the absolutely best looking belts
on the planet, the Pan African World just Boria Championship Belt,
and as the Caucasian I still have to stay. It
is absolutely floors me how beautiful this belt is. Tell
(11:58):
me kind of like with the modern world and everything
going on, like what does that title mean for you individually?
Now kind of these you know trying times we're in
and stuff.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Well, honestly, email is cutting in promise this is my
birthright from where my father comes from, the small village
of bool And Cameroon. And I heard about this championship,
I'm like, this is this is mine, and people on
other podcasts it's like the stone cold belt, the broken
skull belt that was his, This Pan African one is mine. Well,
it's gonna take that from me. And I've told the
promoters like y'all can send me everywhere all over the
(12:27):
world and I'll go defend the championship and I will
retain and no one's taking that away from me. Yeah,
And you saw with the celebration that I had at
the last show with the drummers and the dance coming
to America with the flowers they blessed me as I
came to the ring. It was just way time do
something like that on AWT.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
I know, man, Yeah, what's capable is mind blowing for
what you're gonna see. Like we know, like all these
seas are gonna come to fruition, so we're seeing it's
just a taste, man, It's just.
Speaker 7 (12:58):
Yeah, it's it's been exciting seeing the ingredients, you know,
now that they're starting to be built up into it, it's.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Like, Okay, now we're cooking. No, that was a no
pun intend it. It's like.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
You know again AW this weekend. Lots of things happening
for sure. And one thing that a lot of US
fans have noticed with you guys on TV, there's been
a shift lately, not just in your record, but in
how you're being presented.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
You know, your promos, your entering.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Psychology, even you're you know, positioning on cards.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Let me ask you how intentional is that?
Speaker 3 (13:31):
And do you feel that AW is pushing you more
into roles where you you know, are main headlining storylines
rather than reacting.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
And what are your thoughts on this?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Because again, like you said, you guys were here at ROH,
you're doing this. You're kind of on TV, you're off
TV now. It seems like just about every week you're
on TV.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
I think we have forced their hand and he his
touch on them before. We have been undeniable. Every time
we have an opportunity. We never look at it like
it's a day off. Even though rways match is we
get so serious Backstation Crow what no, Because every time
we go out there's an opportunity to knock out the
part and if we take a step back, they could
just pull us like that, So we have forced their
(14:11):
hand at it's not the decision that we are undeniable.
Every time we go out there, we come to the
back and tones like holy shit, yeah, no shit, bro,
we've been doing this. Look at Twitter, look at the
online social media stuff. Oh, we've been have stocks in
eight g away for years. Y'all should have had Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:29):
And that's the thing too, is like, yeah, we're very
intense guys, like in the opportunities we.
Speaker 6 (14:33):
Had called for that.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
But man, we can talk, we can do stuff like this,
like we are ready to put AW on our back
and take it to higher, higher and higher places, man like.
So for us to get this opportunity every week, and
we definitely feel that AW has and Tony Man has
seen what we've done, and it feels so like fulfilling
(14:58):
in a sense. We was like, man, all that hard work,
all those times we didn't take ring of honor off,
all those times that we could have just been pouting,
We worked harder, we doubled down, we worked even harder,
and for it to be noticed and re steves and
we're getting these opportunities because of that, man, is a
huge blessing and We're very grateful and we're taking these
(15:19):
opportunities and doing it all over again.
Speaker 6 (15:21):
Just give us or give us more, give us more,
and watch us leave the company.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Yeah, and like you said, I mean you could have
set there and you could have gone on social media
and complain because you're doing this or you're doing this.
But the fact that you set there, you you know,
you hustled your grind.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Now you're at the top where you need to be.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
The fan reaction, uh, people talking about you on social media,
getting on TV. That's got to show just how awesome
your work ethic is. And the fact that Tony is like,
holy shit, guys.
Speaker 6 (15:55):
Yeah, that's the thing man.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
Tony rewards people that work hard and showcase it on TV.
Speaker 6 (16:02):
That's one thing that I love and respect about twenty
And then I love it by aw Man. This is
where the best wrestle the cream. As I see that,
the cream always rises, man, it always.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Does, and our hard work will not go unnoticed. So
I love being aw because it's very transparent. The best
will thrive and the week will wither away. So we're
very happy to be where we're at today because that's
very easy. Always got work hard, easy that's what we
end up pay us.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
How as long as that check clears, we're good to go,
right Yeah, Yeah, I gotta tell you it's it's really
great to have you guys on the show. Really great
to see when you guys first got there, When me
and Eli were watching it, We're like.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Who the hell are these guys? Like what are rocket
to their back right now?
Speaker 3 (16:47):
And watching you guys go from roh to where you
are now, it is very incredible to see that trajectory path.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
And I'll tell you right now, we're calling it.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Within a year, your guys are gonna have a lot
of issues going through TSA because you're gonna have a
lot of gold with you.
Speaker 6 (17:04):
Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
A couple of weeks, You're not even gonna do a month.
We're gonna give it a couple of weeks, two weeks.
We're gonna see.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Some gold around g o A's tied shoulders or waists,
however you want to wear those.
Speaker 5 (17:14):
Belts, but you go shoulder, I think that's a stick
right now.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
So yeah, before we let you go, we always like
to have a little fun at the end. If you
could have somebody, anybody perform you guys out as your
entrance theme song.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Who are you picking to bring you to the ring?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
Just because I know that he likes wrestling, Denzel Curry.
I'm a huge fan of his. One of his music
videos too, he had like a wrestling ring in there.
I think the same thing like that. That would be
come Denzel Curry for sure.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Or hey, I mean he is in Nashville. We could
we could just make that that text real quick. You'd
be like, yo, So.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
Yeah for me, man, Like I would have to go
with my cousin man, my cousin Cameron Drew Deasy, you know,
I mean four or five four some barrier rap man,
just my my peoples and stuff like that. It would
be good to like here for what I listened to
as a kids growing up, you know.
Speaker 6 (18:16):
To like get a chance to like have that same
energy and answers would be great.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Yeah, solid well Gates Maggony Man, It's it's an honor
and I privilege to have you both here on the
show with us. Before we let you go, anything you
want to say to the fans watching or listening to
this right now.
Speaker 6 (18:30):
Tune in Saturday. Man. And that's not a request, that's
a demand.
Welcome to the Battleground Podcast and exclusive interviews with some
of your favorite wrestlers.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Stop being.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
What's up you guys, Welcome back into Iheartrady, is official
wrestling podcast at Battleground Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
And man, it is an exciting.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Week for ae W taking over Toronto and Uh, very
excited about our guest today.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Me and Eli have had conversations off the air.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
It's been exciting because we've talked about wanting to get
these guys.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
On and now we finally have them on the show.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
They are just as intimidating on TV as they are
endure now gates of agony?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
What is going on? Just don't kill us. I promise
we'll be good.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Taking a day off before the big show that on Saturday,
So trying to be cool. I know he's hurt a
little bit.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
So I had a banger last night. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Super excited to have you guys on the show. So
I kind of want to just jump right into this
real quick.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
It was made an announcement everybody talked about on the internet.
You guys have re upped with ae W.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
What sealed the deal and obviously what is the first
goal you want to check off under the new contracts.
Speaker 5 (01:28):
First, Yeah, I mean what sealed the deal honestly was
all of us.
Speaker 6 (01:34):
Both of us was different. So like what sealed the
deal for him was different than what sealed the deal.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
For me, and I've ring you mine a while ago,
and then both of ourselves was different, like for what
we needed, like for me as a family man, as
the you know, data four children, as the father of
a type one diabetic, like I had financial needs like
this is my first time in this big opportunity, and
to take advantage of that and the financial standpoint, I
(02:00):
had to really address that. And thankfully, like our brotherhood,
none of that I ever stood in the way. I
never looked at him like, hey, you need a hurry
of the sign like no, whatever happens happens. And I
think that's why we're in the spot where now is
because it organically became that he knew I cared about
him and that I didn't force him. I never once
asked him about, hey, you know, sign like never, So
(02:22):
I think that's why it worked out perfectly. And to
captivate on the signing and everything like that, what's next?
Speaker 6 (02:29):
Man work quest for gold?
Speaker 5 (02:31):
You know, I mean we saw that promo that that
riconstration shy, and we looked at it as another opportunity
for us to become undeniable and take that opportunity. And
we want to be champions in AW and we will
be champions in a death.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
I was more of I guess this decision I was
holding Honestly, I was holding out. I was holding out
to right before my contract ended, and I got a
phone call me and my girl hiking in the middle
of Seattle, like, uh, you to figure this out a
sap And we kind of just took this like five
hour hike to kind of just honestly go over what
I want to accomplish in this business. I gotta't have kids,
(03:07):
just gotta grow from the dog. How much time et
equity I want to put an AW. They invested in me,
and I really had to kind of check my ego
at some point too. It's because everybody wants to be
a world champion. I'm fairly new into the business maybe
nine years, but I have very high goals and aspirations
and we both, honestly we want to be at the top.
I said, Hey, they invested in me, I want to
(03:28):
invest in them. I actually had a couple of conversations
with Tony. I'm like, hey, I'm trying to be a
workhorse here. If y'all invest in me, I'm down to
he be here and be an aw guy. And honestly,
this is a new company and why not be these
guys that A can put their backs on and we
can be the tag teams. They're single stars of the future.
So I had that five hour hike and I was like,
(03:49):
you know what, I screamed at the top of the hike.
I said, yeah, I'm here, I'm locked in. And I
tried to k favorite to him for the last day
and somebody ruteing that geez, guys, come on.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
Generally, I generally never brought it up. I really did.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
I wanted what's best for him, so because I knew
if he did decide to that, because of all that,
like he's gonna be ready.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
You heard it.
Speaker 5 (04:10):
You heard what he just said right there, and man,
and the huge modelers face went like when brother, like
let up break before you got a chance to delbi.
So it was just it's just great, man, We're just
very we're feeling very happy and blessed, and like, you know,
it's a double edged sword. Having the confidence we have
and like our expectations, because when we don't reach those things,
(04:32):
we feel like we're being treated less than we really are,
when in reality, it's.
Speaker 6 (04:37):
Whatever opportunity is available. It's live TV. A lot of
is A million, million, million, million.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
Dollar company like that has so much responsibility in the
grand scheme of things.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
You know, we're like, if you look at in the world,
we're just two specs in the universe. So like, if
you put that in perspective of wrestling business, like, yeah,
there's a lot of bigger things in play than what
we want out of this. So we understood did that,
but we didn't let that limit us. Right, We're looking
to break any limits or ever replaced on us.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
We're more than just heaters man, you know, we're we're
top stars, top future stars of the company, and we're
taking these opportunities to showcase that.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Well. No killer answers. Yeah, that was very very good,
Thank you for that.
Speaker 7 (05:20):
You know, when Ricochet came on the scene, there seemed
to be a you know, maybe a ground swell or
just internet buzz about him maybe joining with Heart Syndicate.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
You know, there's all these rumors going.
Speaker 7 (05:33):
Around and now you guys have aligned and it just
I don't know, on paper, it just seems incredible.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
How I guess.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Let's go to the beginning.
Speaker 7 (05:41):
I mean, how did you guys get linked up with Ricochet?
Was it like fifty percent organic, fifty percent pitch Like
it seems like you guys just look and sound and
jail very very well together.
Speaker 6 (05:53):
It was it was organic.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
You called back and look at the problems that he
was cutting. H would say things about certain groups and
there was a little teasus, but there was no decision making.
He was on commentary versus our jet speed match. That
was our open audition for us. Oh yeah, hey this
is the spot and we're taking that spot. This is
a t spot. We're taking this spot. And we literally
went out there and performed Hey, we're your guys now,
(06:16):
and it was just like that.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
Yeah, man, look when we saw those problems, man, we
took it as like, oh, there's a there's an opportunity
available and like this is what we've been busting our
asks to get to.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
And to be a lion with sowing as a star.
Speaker 6 (06:31):
That rickshet is.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Man, we knew like this can be our breakout moment. Yeah,
says individuals. But us as a team and us as
a group man at the same time, like, we know
we can help Bricochet accomplish what he wants.
Speaker 6 (06:44):
To accomplish out of this business, you know. So to
have it be UH in a sense where we're like
we're helping each other. It's not just we're not just
helping him, he's helping us. It goes both ways, all
the elevating one another. Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Does he also get mad that you guys have great
looking hair and he doesn't have any.
Speaker 6 (07:08):
Find to turn on his.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
You know, I used to be like Rikashet and then
I got a hair transplant.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
But that's neither here nor that I'm here talked about
Gates in Agony.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah, I'm shallow, you know. Coming off of September.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Remember to remember, UH featured a heavy night for the
tag scene for sure in a wh What did you
take away from that show about where Gates of Agony
fits into the next title cycle?
Speaker 6 (07:36):
Mm hm.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
At first, I honestly felt some type of way that
we weren't in one of these taxi mashes. I know
that he was gonna have a single match do double duty.
That part I'm trying to me in this ladder match too.
Speaker 6 (07:46):
Yeah, and uh, I think.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
We still have to get our run back with the
ops too because m vpharsiting that we were about to
be the next trial champions. We're about to go into
our quest for gold right there. So it's only a
matter of time. Man, we've this question for goal since
the ricochet has come here. And once we get through
the syndicate and we beat their eyes and move on
to the next thing, let's tim we want his gold.
Speaker 8 (08:08):
But that's Trio.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
The goal has never changed. The quest for gold is
in the right after. Uh.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
You know, we're the champions aw eats and we will
be set champions very soon.
Speaker 7 (08:20):
Yeah, speaking of September, remember do you remember, Tela, you
had a banger against the Bobby last yearly last night
the crouch out.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
And meats and all that stuff. Uh, you know, what's
it like.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
Being in in the ring with a powerhouse like that
one on one where you don't have you know, some
of like Bishop in the corner to kind of relieve
you from time toime?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Like what what's that mentality? Like?
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Man?
Speaker 5 (08:44):
For me, it's it's easier because I'm I'm on the
entire time. I'm Nick Gresser from from from bell rings
to the very end. So for me, it's easier to
be more present, you know. So, uh, the challenges for
the conditioning aspect, yeah, it's definitely different, but that's why
(09:05):
I trade.
Speaker 6 (09:06):
You know, I trained to be in that spot.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
And you know, my conditioning and six man matches and
tag matches is great because of it, because I'm ready
for a singles match. So that opportunity to showcase that
was like, yeah, you know, we are not just tag guys.
Speaker 6 (09:22):
We are not just six man guys.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
And last night, you guys just got to saw what
I was capable of, you know, Like I mean, you
guys saw the truest match against the ops. Like I
was a fantasy him and Shabbatago total toe, Like I
would love to see a singles match with him and Shabbata.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
Him and Darren Garcia, Like just watch beat these guys.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
Who right right down, Like, because look at him, will
be him. Like we talked about technical wrestlers, He's the
biggest and strongest one out. It's not a little technical
wrestler that's bigger than him or stronger than him. Were
more explosive than him, Like so you know, in the
whole realm, of things like, yeah, we're He's the powers
of the technical wrestlers, So this is like, just wait
(10:01):
till he gets us another opportunity, just like I did,
or just like Brigochet did. We're three single stars that
will emerge out of this group, you know.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
So I'm just very excited for what's to come.
Speaker 7 (10:13):
And objectively, mister Conn, you look like you were three
D printed in a lab, so we don't hurt that
un hurt.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
So kind of shock.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
We have have an actually feu because it don't leave
you to mold I look like actual.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
Man.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
We should just next uh you know Tony and be like, hey,
uh we need that.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
That g O A two pack like right now.
Speaker 6 (10:33):
A sun long ever Google Saturday. We all need that
three pack.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Right right back after this weekend for sure.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Now, something that's really cool because when you look at it, uh,
with the fact of Tony owning both a e W
and r o H, you guys have been able to
keep you know, one foot in r o H while
pushing up the ae W card. What is the smartest
way to split that work that workload so each run
feeds the other.
Speaker 8 (11:00):
I will say we took the other foot out of
our wah, and we are done with our ah nice
graduated from that okay was to me even with Sun
Dring and Wanna before AW, that was always a stepping
stone to the next big thing.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Look at that brand and where people go from there
to the upper echelon. That's how we looked at it.
We're to get our reps. We're here to we can
come always tag champs cool. But now we are off
of ring the honor. We have graduated VI a bus
or ass three three and a half years while were there,
and now we are fixtiers on dynamite collision. We are
all elite, we are aw superstars.
Speaker 7 (11:32):
Yeah, killer killer, excellent answer. I want to do a
side question for mister con there. You currently are also
in possession of one of the absolutely best looking belts
on the planet, the Pan African World just Boria Championship Belt,
and as the Caucasian I still have to stay. It
is absolutely floors me how beautiful this belt is. Tell
(11:58):
me kind of like with the modern world and everything
going on, like what does that title mean for you individually?
Now kind of these you know trying times we're in
and stuff.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Well, honestly, email is cutting in promise this is my
birthright from where my father comes from, the small village
of bool And Cameroon. And I heard about this championship,
I'm like, this is this is mine, and people on
other podcasts it's like the stone cold belt, the broken
skull belt that was his, This Pan African one is mine. Well,
it's gonna take that from me. And I've told the
promoters like y'all can send me everywhere all over the
(12:27):
world and I'll go defend the championship and I will
retain and no one's taking that away from me. Yeah,
And you saw with the celebration that I had at
the last show with the drummers and the dance coming
to America with the flowers they blessed me as I
came to the ring. It was just way time do
something like that on AWT.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
I know, man, Yeah, what's capable is mind blowing for
what you're gonna see. Like we know, like all these
seas are gonna come to fruition, so we're seeing it's
just a taste, man, It's just.
Speaker 7 (12:58):
Yeah, it's it's been exciting seeing the ingredients, you know,
now that they're starting to be built up into it, it's.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Like, Okay, now we're cooking. No, that was a no
pun intend it. It's like.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
You know again AW this weekend. Lots of things happening
for sure. And one thing that a lot of US
fans have noticed with you guys on TV, there's been
a shift lately, not just in your record, but in
how you're being presented.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
You know, your promos, your entering.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Psychology, even you're you know, positioning on cards.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Let me ask you how intentional is that?
Speaker 3 (13:31):
And do you feel that AW is pushing you more
into roles where you you know, are main headlining storylines
rather than reacting.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
And what are your thoughts on this?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Because again, like you said, you guys were here at ROH,
you're doing this. You're kind of on TV, you're off
TV now. It seems like just about every week you're
on TV.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
I think we have forced their hand and he his
touch on them before. We have been undeniable. Every time
we have an opportunity. We never look at it like
it's a day off. Even though rways match is we
get so serious Backstation Crow what no, Because every time
we go out there's an opportunity to knock out the
part and if we take a step back, they could
just pull us like that, So we have forced their
(14:11):
hand at it's not the decision that we are undeniable.
Every time we go out there, we come to the
back and tones like holy shit, yeah, no shit, bro,
we've been doing this. Look at Twitter, look at the
online social media stuff. Oh, we've been have stocks in
eight g away for years. Y'all should have had Yeah.
Speaker 5 (14:29):
And that's the thing too, is like, yeah, we're very
intense guys, like in the opportunities we.
Speaker 6 (14:33):
Had called for that.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
But man, we can talk, we can do stuff like this,
like we are ready to put AW on our back
and take it to higher, higher and higher places, man like.
So for us to get this opportunity every week, and
we definitely feel that AW has and Tony Man has
seen what we've done, and it feels so like fulfilling
(14:58):
in a sense. We was like, man, all that hard work,
all those times we didn't take ring of honor off,
all those times that we could have just been pouting,
We worked harder, we doubled down, we worked even harder,
and for it to be noticed and re steves and
we're getting these opportunities because of that, man, is a
huge blessing and We're very grateful and we're taking these
(15:19):
opportunities and doing it all over again.
Speaker 6 (15:21):
Just give us or give us more, give us more,
and watch us leave the company.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Yeah, and like you said, I mean you could have
set there and you could have gone on social media
and complain because you're doing this or you're doing this.
But the fact that you set there, you you know,
you hustled your grind.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Now you're at the top where you need to be.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
The fan reaction, uh, people talking about you on social media,
getting on TV. That's got to show just how awesome
your work ethic is. And the fact that Tony is like,
holy shit, guys.
Speaker 6 (15:55):
Yeah, that's the thing man.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
Tony rewards people that work hard and showcase it on TV.
Speaker 6 (16:02):
That's one thing that I love and respect about twenty
And then I love it by aw Man. This is
where the best wrestle the cream. As I see that,
the cream always rises, man, it always.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Does, and our hard work will not go unnoticed. So
I love being aw because it's very transparent. The best
will thrive and the week will wither away. So we're
very happy to be where we're at today because that's
very easy. Always got work hard, easy that's what we
end up pay us.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
How as long as that check clears, we're good to go,
right Yeah, Yeah, I gotta tell you it's it's really
great to have you guys on the show. Really great
to see when you guys first got there, When me
and Eli were watching it, We're like.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Who the hell are these guys? Like what are rocket
to their back right now?
Speaker 3 (16:47):
And watching you guys go from roh to where you
are now, it is very incredible to see that trajectory path.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
And I'll tell you right now, we're calling it.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Within a year, your guys are gonna have a lot
of issues going through TSA because you're gonna have a
lot of gold with you.
Speaker 6 (17:04):
Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
A couple of weeks, You're not even gonna do a month.
We're gonna give it a couple of weeks, two weeks.
We're gonna see.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Some gold around g o A's tied shoulders or waists,
however you want to wear those.
Speaker 5 (17:14):
Belts, but you go shoulder, I think that's a stick
right now.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
So yeah, before we let you go, we always like
to have a little fun at the end. If you
could have somebody, anybody perform you guys out as your
entrance theme song.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Who are you picking to bring you to the ring?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
Just because I know that he likes wrestling, Denzel Curry.
I'm a huge fan of his. One of his music
videos too, he had like a wrestling ring in there.
I think the same thing like that. That would be
come Denzel Curry for sure.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Or hey, I mean he is in Nashville. We could
we could just make that that text real quick. You'd
be like, yo, So.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
Yeah for me, man, Like I would have to go
with my cousin man, my cousin Cameron Drew Deasy, you know,
I mean four or five four some barrier rap man,
just my my peoples and stuff like that. It would
be good to like here for what I listened to
as a kids growing up, you know.
Speaker 6 (18:16):
To like get a chance to like have that same
energy and answers would be great.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Yeah, solid well Gates Maggony Man, It's it's an honor
and I privilege to have you both here on the
show with us. Before we let you go, anything you
want to say to the fans watching or listening to
this right now.
Speaker 6 (18:30):
Tune in Saturday. Man. And that's not a request, that's
a demand.
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