Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade Electrolytes, zero sugar, and vitamins. Propel hydrates better than water to help you get the most out of your workout and get back to your best self. What propels you? Propel with Gatorade Electrolytes. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another.
Wednesday episode of the No Contest Wrestling Podcast. I am the heel that you love to hate, O'Shea Jackson Jr. Hey. K. A.
Petty Guerrero, hey yo, it's me, it's me, it's the T. Double O, the J. I. Double G. Two Jiggy, T.
J. Jefferson. Ah, what's up, man? I know people who aren't used to that new intro that we do are like, "What is he?" Ladies and gentlemen, relax. C.
J. Like when I come in, hype. Yeah, we got to because we have to be hype because it's you know some sad news in the wrestling world, which we will get to. Yes, of course. How could we not?
Yeah, devastating news in the world of wrestling, but. We've got a guest who's oh here right now, so we'll get to we'll get to the guest, and then we'll we'll talk a little bit more about um you know the tragedy in the world of wrestling.
Now you don't have to wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 because Vice City is here, right here with us again. Please welcome Lola Vice to the program. Hey, hold on! Thanks for having me. Thanks for coming back.
Thank you for being here. Yeah, I guess I guess we didn't scare her off the first time. That's right, TJ. We didn't drop. But imagine scaring Lola Vice.
No, impossible. She'd beat your ass. I I seen the back fist in action. I don't want no parts of that. Exactly.
Now. From the last time we spoke to you, you have been quite, quite busy. You before you got to the main roster, though, you spent some time down there in AAA, AAA, if you will. Yes, yeah. Ethan Page corrected this one, right?
AAA, AAA.
So tell us about that time being told that you were going down there. What that meant to you, and you know all that good stuff. Yeah.
So. I was kind of in a weird time in NXT in that point, and I remember they came up to me and they're like, "Hey, we might send you to AAA. It might be like one match or potentially maybe two months." So the first thing I thought was like. Oh, this is fun! Like I've never wrestled outside of the WWE, and you know I didn't come from an indie background, so I've always wanted to see kind of how it is.
And this wasn't a time I am pretty sure before the company even announced that we had bought Triple H.
So I was kind of like the first one to go down there, and I remember when I went and I wrestled in Mexico. I fell in love, and I actually like I was like, "Oof, I don't want to stop working here. I love this," and I took it as an opportunity as like you know to. Grow as a performer, entertainer, but also to represent the company and help build the show. And I learned so much behind the scenes.
But yeah, one month ended up being one year of working AAA NXT live events. I flew over there every other weekend or more, and then it was honestly the best thing to happen to my career. TJ, imagine being told, "All right, we might have you go down there for like you know one match, or maybe two months, or for sixty days—crazy range." And then, yeah, you are down there for a year. Yeah, you are too hot down there. You are killing it.
I mean, that kind of happened to me once. My buddy was filming a movie in Louisiana, and I packed to go down there to hang out for five days, and then I ended up staying twenty eight days. Yeah, that's kind of how it was. I just stayed.
Now, talking, you know, as many superstars as we've spoken to, it seems like the reps is what you're really looking for. Yeah.
You know, when it comes to being in the squared circle, and you know, we've only seen NXT kind of be that avenue.
Now, do you see Triple Triple A? I keep I stop myself, but Triple A being kind of that second wave that people aren't paying attention to that you can go down there and. And and knock it out. Yeah, definitely. Like reps are so important in what we do, and like AAA is awesome because obviously the Mexican fans are incredible.
So you have so much fun wrestling there every single time. Like it makes it worth it. But also like it's big exposure. Like AAA is a huge show. It's grown so much, and um, it's definitely beneficial for the wrestlers to go down there.
Um, I know that AAA like they're staying true to AAA and what it. Always has been, which is what makes it so special. When they sprinkled in WWE wrestlers here and there, but definitely when I went there, I fell in love with it. I learned a completely different side to the business, and I had to grow a lot because it was like, oh, I speak Spanish, right?
So I go to Mexico, and Mexican Spanish is a little bit different, right? But it's completely different than calling a match in Spanish, having to talk in the ring in Spanish.
So I definitely had to learn that. I was in a position to lead, and then on top of that, teach. The Triple A, girls, the WWE psychology that we do.
So I definitely learned a lot, and it put me in a position to grow, and that's what happened. And eventually, it led up to me getting called up to the main roster. What would you say is the the biggest thing or the most important thing that you learned from your time there? Because you just said you're teaching the Triple A women the WWE NXT way, and yet you're still kind of fairly new at this.
So for you. That says a lot, right? That says a lot for them to trust you to do that, right? Yeah.
What would you say was the biggest thing that you learned? Biggest thing that Lola Vice gained from her time?
So a lot of time as wrestlers, when we're in the ring, like we hear the audience, but we don't really hear them, right? But when I was in Mexico, I learned to be in the moment and listen to crowd reaction and react based on the crowd, which is a big deal for me because, like you guys said, I'm still new. I'm only five years in. And it kind of like fast tracked my learning, you know. But also, like having the Undertaker there was a game changer for me.
He taught me everything. Yeah.
So what what what is he meant? Let's talk. Let's talk about him because obviously he's one of the most respected wrestlers of all time, and to know that he has his fingerprints all on what's going on down there. Yeah, yeah. What what is he meant to?
So I got there before the Undertaker even got there.
Okay, and so you told him what was going on when he got there. No, I just kind of like I just gave him a little bit of the rundown of like the way the girls work there and stuff like that, and he told. His vision for it, and every single time he would talk to me, I tried my best to make the life come to match. I mean, the match come to life, and also like Undertaker, so cool. Like he would just be in the ring with us all day, and like he would like show us how to do certain things and show the girls.
Like, cause he can't speak Spanish, but he would beat in the ring and like train with us and wrestle with us and. Dude, I just gained so much respect for him. Like, apart from him being iconic, just as a boss, he's unbelievable, incredible, and I'm just so grateful that he kept me there and gave me all those opportunities. And he gave me my first title in the WWE ever, because at that time in NXT, I had never gotten a title. And Taker, he believed in me and he saw my work ethic, and I'm just so grateful for him.
Can I just a Shay question? What a What do you call Undertaker? Do you call him Taker? Do you call him Mark? No, I call him.
I call him Taker. I do. No, no, I'm not there. Let me tell you a funny story. Here's the deal.
I'm not there. I think people are sick of hearing this story, man.
So I don't think say it. I don't think I heard it. I'm pretty sure you heard it.
Well, you don't need to hear this. All right, so we was at Fanatics Fest. Right, it's our it's our first time.
So we're like super excited to meet everybody. You know, we had a great time meeting. Triple H and and Stephanie McMahon, and you know we go through our day. We interview Ray Mysterio, like we're having the time of our lives, and then we get to the green room, and I see Undertaker in the corner, and I take you know I take my title over to him, and I'm talking to him because this was like my original favorite wrestler, you know.
So I talk to Taker, I get the the signature, and Taker makes his way over to TJ, and TJ goes, "Hey, how you doing, Mark?" Mark, Lola, are you in shock? Listen, I've been aware of this man since I was 15 years old, and I'm a lot older than 15 right now, right? I feel like I know him, and you know he'd been doing the podcast. You know the you know the curtain had been peeled back, so you know I'm trying to be chill with everybody. You comfortable?
I'm comfortable. I got too comfortable. I was like, "Yo, hey, what's up, Mark?" And I went, "Ooh." No, and I and I said, you know what? I said I apologize. I said I don't even know why I just said.
What did he say? How did he act? After I apologized, which he didn't ask for, I just he didn't ask for an apology or anything. But that was me right off the bat. He goes, well, he goes, I'm a little bit more calm about that nowadays than I would have been.
But I was just like, yo, what are you doing? I'm calling this man by his government name. Oh my god! But like I said, I felt like I knew him because I've been a Where of course my half of my life, so yeah, man. No, I got that.
I'll never let you forget. Yeah, I, I know we have we have people that watch our pod, Lola, who I've actually seen comments like, "You guys going to tell that Undertaker story every time?" And I guess apparently, yeah, listen, bro, we are. I don't read those comments, Lola. No, but a lot, a lot of us in AAA felt like that. Like the Undertaker's our boss.
Like he's here every single time we film. Like this is kind of crazy, you know. Like A lot of us were really nervous at first, and I know a lot of the wrestlers were like marking out and so they were so nervous and so cute. But he's so cool and he's so down to earth, and it's his show now. Look at what he's done with it; it's unbelievable.
Yeah, speaking of marking out. Exactly, it's me, Conan Man, Mark. But we mentioned another legendary name that you know whose name rings bells like Sunday at twelve o'clock, and that is Ray Mysterio. Oh yeah, how have you really been able to work with Ray at all? I know he's down there.
Like, and what are your impressions? And how is it working with that legend? I I don't know how he does what he does. He's like it's crazy to me. He's so cool too, so down to earth.
Like with my matches, when I ask him for feedback, like he's like say like stay true to yourself, still be Lola, and if you want to add like a little bit lucha here and there, do that. But the people love you here, and they love your style, so don't go away from that. But he's helped me a lot, and he's so much fun, and his commentary is great, and he's such a great. Addition to Triple A Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade electrolytes, zero sugar, and vitamins. Propel hydrates better than water to help you get the most out of your workout and get back to your best self.
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Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Yeah, I had to check on my guy after that Omar situation, bro. Like, make sure Ray was all right. Yeah, man. Dude, I'd be scared.
I'm like, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. I can't watch sometimes. I can't. Yeah, Ray was rough, bro. Yeah, Omar's is crazy.
Now, you did say that you got your first title down there. Talk to us about having that that mixed tag with a Aguana, Mister Aguana. See, this is funny, Lolo, because he and I, like I said, he just came in. We don't talk about this. Literally, everything that you're asking her, you're going down the list.
We got mystery, baby. Don't take his you can't take his questions. We can't do that. There are questions, Lolo. But yeah, mystery.
No, but like, who was going to tell me my career? I was going to go to Mexico and fall in love with an iguana. I never thought in my life that that was going to be part of my story, but it is, and it. Was and he's still over in Mexico, so I was like really grateful to be paired with him. And we did really good work together.
It was fun. Like for a year straight, my program was with Mister Iwana, so I'd get like the green gear and I would I would play the role. And you know, it's cool like having him too, because you know he's he's been wrestling for years and he knows the crowds in Mexico and what they like.
So I would ask him for advice and he would help me with the matches and then we would structure in the WWE way. But like we did magic together, and that was the beginning of AAA. And I was very sad it was over, but I knew it was for bigger and better. Absolutely. And speaking of bigger and better, you did end up getting some hardware back at home now.
You got the eventually. I did. Yeah, you got that that NXT Women's title, that elusive title, and talked to us about what it felt because you know you got you on breakout in twenty twenty three, and so to finally get that title, what did it feel like to hold it in your hands finally? Oh my god, like. I was like when I when I originally got told I was winning the title, like I just you know I am very emotional, so I just went to the bathroom and I just cried.
I cried, I cried because and I know I know it's cringy to cry, but like for me, like I'm so passionate about what I do, right?
So like in NXT, like my goal was always that title. Like I felt like I could do it, and um my character was worth it.
So I always had that goal in mind and. When it finally happened for me, because at one point I thought, I don't think this is ever gonna happen for me, you know. It's like you start doubting yourself and losing trust in yourself, and then, you know, I went to AAA and I put in the work over there, and they saw my work ethic, and then I was able to beat Jay Z Jane finally, and it was one of the best moments of my career. I'm standing the liver too, right? I'm standing the big show, you know.
On the big show, yeah. The in that NXT title, TJ, that's like the that's like an NCAA ring, bro. That's like a lot of people don't. Bianca didn't get one, you know. Yeah, that's true.
Becky had to go back to get her. Yeah, so like, yeah, and that was my thing. Like at one point, I was like, do I make peace with the fact that maybe I'll never get this title? But I'm like, no, like I really want it. I love NXT.
Like I, I'm a homegrown talent in NXT. Like I want this title, I'm gonna do everything I can to make that happen for myself. But I would literally, I'm not getting you go to sleep every single night thinking about Lola Vice side plates on that title, and I said that in my promo. But that's something I always envisioned, and I would try to manifest, manifest, and then I just had to go above and beyond and go to Triple A. But um, my journey's my journey, and maybe different for other people, but it was finally worth it, and that was a pivotal moment in my.
Career too, so. Last time you were on the show, Lolo, we talked about, and I told you that I'd seen you at the WrestleMania, I believe thirty-eight in Dallas at the Yellowstone Suite, and we brought that up. And I remember looking at you; I knew who you were from the Fight Game, and I remember thinking, "Man, like I think she should be doing this." And lo and behold, here we are today. But I think one thing we asked is, "What was what kind of made you decide to leave combat sports to jump into world wrestling?" I don't think we got the thought process behind that from you. Yeah, so let me explain this well because there's always so many different opinions on this, but I didn't grow up watching wrestling.
But I always knew I was going to end up there. Like my dad was a fight stunt actor in the movies, and I always knew I was born for sports entertainment and for entertainment. And I've been doing martial arts since I was very little. Right, my father was my instructor, but at the same time, you know, my mom had me in ballet and all these things. And I've always been who I am.
And when I went into MMA, it's because yes, I was passionate about fighting. Yes, my mom. I had leukemia. I wanted to get my family out of our situation, and there was a lot of money in MMA at the time. But I also thought to myself, "I go, this is a platform that's going to get me recognized by the WWE one day, and when I go into the WWE, I will have credibility and a different type of equity versus if I go into the Indies, right?
So MMA for me was, I am going to do this long enough until I feel like the WWE." Finds me, you know, and so I did MMA, and at that point, like I loved fighting, and I and I still love it and adore it, and sometimes I miss it for different reasons. But I know that what I'm doing right now is what I was born to do with my life. But in MMA, I did during COVID. No, no sports were on. Nothing but Bellator was doing a card in the Mohegan Sun, like and everybody in quarantine, like whatever.
So it was just the cage, and then very few people in there, and it was televised. And they asked me if I wanted to do it with like. Six seven weeks notice, and then I started cutting the weight. I was like, "Yeah, like of course." And then when I did that knockout on that dance, and thankfully, like people found me from that. That's what got my name known to the WWE.
And then I did another fight after that in Fort Lauderdale, and then that's when my manager at the time had told me, "Hey, WWE's asking if you want to come to WrestleMania and just watch it," you know. And and that time I was like, really now, and I always thought it was gonna be like when I was in my thirties, kind of like Ronda's journey. I never thought it was gonna be that sooner, that close in. And then when I went to WrestleMania, and I remember just being in that suite. I spoke to Hunter that day, and he was nothing but so loving and warming to me, like super nice.
And I just sat in that suite, and I watched WrestleMania, and I said, nothing gets bigger than this, and there's no other way that I'm gonna be able to represent my culture and where I'm from, and the martial arts my dad taught me as a little girl, and. I watched it and I said, "Wait, before I make a decision, I need to take a bump. I need to learn how to her bump. Like I need to see the physicality of wrestling compared to fighting my whole life." So I looked at it, I just got goosebumps, and I just knew. And then I went to this wrestling gym on North Miami, and they taught me how to take my first bump.
And from my first bump, I remember getting chills, and I just knew that this was what I was going to do for the rest of my life. That's what's up, boy! WWE, you sly devils! Taggermania, and I love the mania. Like I said, it's just so funny that, like, you know, sometimes I have a lot of stories, Lola, and sometimes people go, "Oh man, you making?" These up, but the fact of the matter is, she can verify that.
Like, yeah, she was there, and I saw her there, and and it's and that's why I think I took a liking to you as in your career and following it because I almost feel like you know, like an indie band, people like to jump in and say like, oh, I was listening to somebody before they blew up, and for me, it's almost like oh, I got to see her like the day she was at WrestleMania. That's pretty dope to me, and that made you one of my favorites, and you know, I'll continue to be one of our. Favorite series. I think there's a TMZ video too of me like the first time I got in the ring and I was like trying to run ropes. I had no idea what I was doing, but there's a video of that.
And sometimes, like when I have doubted myself in the past, I go back to that and I'm like, look at where you are now. You know, like you can't stop. Like you need to keep going forward. And then I got my title, and then now I'm on the main roster, and it's just kind of crazy how everything's happened. Titles, because you've had a few now.
Yeah, you know. Yes, too. Yes, absolutely. Heavy around the house. Yeah.
So I mean, just from just from listening to you, you know, manifesting is a big part of your life. You set a goal early in your mind, and it got to you before you before you knew it. You say that you had no signs of working with Mr. Iguana, but you're from Florida. This iguanas everywhere.
Yeah, right. It's awesome. Work with iguanas now. You're going. It's a Money in the Bank.
Yeah, that. Yes, and that's another thing. Like the first WWE show I ever went to was Money in the Bank when Liv, uh, won. And there's a video of me there too. And I remember looking at that like, oh my god.
I'm gonna be here one day, and my first pay per view on the main roster is Money in the Bank. That's wild. Yeah, that's great. Yeah.
Now, if I if if I'm not mistaken, TJ, we were there for her very first ladder match. Yeah.
And now you go again with these ladders. How are you feeling? Remember when I looked, reached the barricade to make sure you were okay, and you were like, "No, I'm not okay." Yes. Lola, please be okay. It's so much fun.
My thing is that. I'm not very acrobatic, right? I'm a grounded fighter. I'm a grounded wrestler.
So going up the ladder is a little scary because of the heights and because it, when you go up, it like moves because the ring is bouncy. That terrifies me. But in the moment with adrenaline, you do it. And when you want to win the briefcase, you'll do anything um to make it. You know.
Yeah, we're down for a lot of lowlers first. Yeah, man. Hey, we we will be there for it, and we're gonna be there probably. Yeah, in New Orleans.
So Matt, if she wins money, you they're gonna have to they're gonna have to you are gonna have to find me everywhere, you know, just to be your love. I'll make that briefcase pink and blue for you.
Now, yeah, because people at home they're always be like, "Man, why won't they climb that ladder faster?" Like, "Come on, come on, get up there!" And I'm like, "Bro, you all know how this works. It's not that easy." But now you are up on the main roster. You've been there for for. A little bit now. What is the the biggest difference that you found being in the main roster as opposed to being in NXT?
Um. It's not that there's a big difference. I just feel like I could be more myself now, you know. And I also feel like I'm like so prepared now and have so much experience that I feel like I belong there, you know. And I feel like because of I was able to get so much experience with Triple A too.
I'm just really enjoying it. Like I'm really not going into the stressed or nervous. I'm like, no, you're prepared. They put you in the position because they know. You could handle it, and you're ready for this.
So that's been my mentality going into everything I've done since I've been called up to Raw, and I love Raw so much. It's awesome. It's an incredible show, and I was so happy when they told me I was going to Raw.
So happy, so excited, and it's on Netflix. And you're one of the few people who like there was a build up. Yeah, Lola Vices. Yeah, not everybody gets that. You know what I mean.
So there's three, four weeks. It was like, oh, Lola Vices. Oh. How dope! How dope did that make you feel?
No, I'm I'm so grateful because like I went through it in NXT. Like it took me a long time to get to where I was, and even something as simple as knowing like Hunter's vision for me is what I always saw for myself, and the vignettes I feel like came out incredible, and it's the perfect balance between um and a like a feminine woman and someone that could also be an ass kicker and. That's truly who I am at a core, and Lola Vice is just that, just more amplified.
So the Vignettes meant a lot to me because they were the first showing of my character on Netflix, and I was just like the only thing that was kind of scary about that was that I was not wrestling for those for that month, and I'm used to wrestling so much that it was making me a little anxious. But then I took that time to like reset. Uh, heal my body, get myself together, uh, get creative again, and um, just take care of things that I hadn't been able to for a while because I was just working so much between NXT and AAA.
So it was a good uh month break. At the same time, I missed wrestling, but I knew it was necessary because for everything that's gonna come now in my career. Yeah, give yourself mind, body, and soul a little time to heal up. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I I definitely needed it because I was go go go non.
Stop, and it kind of forced me to like, hey. You're getting called up now. Take care of yourself because there's a lot coming your way, and you have to be ready for that. And you are ready for that.
Now I know, you know, there's got to be a whole locker room full of NXT talent that's wondering, you know, when am I going to get that call? When am I going to get that call? Right now, just hearing you speak, it seems that you have so much confidence in yourself now that you know you're not really nervous about anything. You kind of just go with the flow. Do you feel like first of all, take us through what it felt like to finally get the call, and then also, do you think it could have happened at any other time but right now, with how confident you are yourself?
So I go back and forth on this because I do, I do believe like if I got called up a year ago, like I would have adapted to the pressure like I've done my whole life, like I could do it. But was I that prepared that I am now to be able to perform the way I do? I don't know, you know, but I know I could have done it, and it would have been good. But I feel like now it's going to be great, and I think they always say like timing, you know, timing, timing, timing. But I do feel like this was the perfect time for Lola Vice.
I feel like I did everything I could do in NXT. I feel like I gave as much as I could to AAA, and this is my time now to invest that on Monday Night Raw. That's what's up.
Now we we we talked about her first. A lot, TJ, during this interview, but someone we haven't mentioned yet. She finally got Roxanne's ass. Finally got it. Finally got it.
For those who don't watch NXT, this has been going on for years, you know. And so she she got the pin on Roxanne. You got this tag match coming up on Monday. I was so torn that match. Two of my favorite, two NXTW favorites, two of my personal favorites.
I just was. It was like for me watching the Clippers and the Sixers play basketball. Yeah, that's a terrible basketball. Yeah, yes it is. Oh my god!
Forget I said that. But talk to us as you go into this tag match on Monday, you and Soul versus Roxanne and Raquel. Yeah, you know, I know Roxanne and Money in the Bank too, and we've had our issues in NXT, and obviously they followed me to the main roster, and I was finally able to knock her out. And I think after Monday, she learns that there is nobody like Low Device, you know, and. When it comes to Monday, this tag match number one, I'm super excited.
Tag was so we've done that also in NXT. I always go like this, like a little surfer, but it's against you know Rook. We're we're all in the money in the bank, and Rook Sale has the Intercontinental Championship, so. It's there's a lot of beef there. There's a lot of beef.
I think it's going to be incredible.
So and I're going to show out, and we're going to show them why we're the best.
So here at NCW, Lola, we we ask the hard hitting questions, the questions that most people don't ask or think to ask.
So, you know, we're we're the podcast who I sat here and I looked at Stephanie Vakare. Over a year ago, I said you do this move in NXT that everyone goes crazy for, but no one has a name for it. And I had a list of names, and she said, "Well, Matt Bloom calls it Devil's Kiss." And I was like, "All right, was that what you want to call it?" And she said, "Yeah." And from that moment on, that move had a name.
Now you have a move that you do in the middle of the ring that sends the crowd to the frenzy, makes Booker T go, "Gotta ask: Is does that move have a name, or should we come up with a name? What I mean, what?" What do you call that? Because it's the move and then the chapter. You need to help me. You need to help me come up with.
I've never, I've never even thought about like naming it, but I think I need help. Like I don't know. Like I know my submission is vice grip, and then the back fist. We're going between three and five, and the MIA. Like it's still not established, but I think you should come up with the booty bump name.
You should. All right, because you know, Joe TJ is on the case. Joe Joe Test called. That and I was like, it's kind of funny, but you know what? And I, you know, I'm apologizing.
I would normally have a list of names, but I just thought about it. It's okay. But I'm gonna hit you up, New Orleans. You better have an answer for me, though. Oh yeah, that's good.
That's a good amount of time. This is a lot of. That's a lot. That's a good amount of time, man. All right, bro.
You just gave me homework. I like coming up with names for moves, so this is going to be fun. You know, absolutely, man. But we, you know, you know, thank you for your time. I'm, you know, want to keep it too much longer, but I want to show you something real quick and get your thoughts on this.
Oh yeah, what what would you tell that little girl there? About her future, you see the baby hairs. The baby hairs are all. Number one, I look the same when I do the same fighting scenes. But I would tell that little girl that you're right about yourself.
To keep believing in yourself and don't let anyone tell you what you can or you can't do. Because when I was very young, like that, I remember looking myself in the mirror and I told myself, "You were born to do something big with your life." And um. I'm so grateful that I kept following my dreams and my passion, and I've always been undeniably myself. Whether it was in MMA or here in the WWE, I've always been who I am, and hopefully, I could keep inspiring young girls who came from Miami like me. And I come from family immigrants.
We came from nothing, but if I was able to do something with my life, so can you. As long as she didn't teach Jada Parker how to drive. Jada, oh my God, Jada and I, Jada and I started together. I'm, I'm everything aside. I'm so happy for her, and it's seeing her on Raw.
Like I'm, I'm just so happy. We literally started together. Um, we were in the same class at the PC. I love that girl. I'm so proud of her, and I'm, um, so grateful that um we were able to make it here together.
You're proud of her. She, she, I was about to say slaughter. Did you teach her how to drive?
Well, well, but when you really know Jada, that's who she is, and you just gotta love her for who she is, you know. Like, oh, she's crazy. Oh, we know, we know. After after the first WrestleMania in Vegas, we were at the the after party at Grumman's Beach, and you know she had been on the show, and then she thought I was talking trash a little bit, so she started taking her earrings off, and I was like, Oh no, oh no, problems, Miss Parker. Yeah, but I was about to get it.
So she's been threatening us ever since. Yeah.
As a friend, I would call if I get into a fight at the club, like Jamie and we did that with you, right? We asked you about your bar fight question before. Has that changed though? Would you would you change your bar fight question? I can't remember the answers off the top, but I think I think I just said Miss Parker, right?
Yeah, she's for sure. Oh yeah, she on mine. My God, so want to thank you. Want to wish you luck going not only into Monday, but of course, going into Money in the Bank. Stay confident.
Yourself, keep on manifesting because it seems to be working. Stay healthy. That's thank you. Yes, I always try to take care of myself the best I can, and thank you guys for having me and following my journey because you saw me from the beginning. Oh yeah, like you said, and just know I'm very passionate about what I do.
But um, I'm gonna keep going and I'm gonna make it happen for my city, baby. Do you have any? You have any words for the other five women? We we only know four right now, right?
So there's one five women. But do you have? Words. Yeah, for this. Yeah, they're not even gonna be able to make it to the top of the ladder because I'm gonna knock them out or put them to sleep before they could get to it.
Such an aggressive way to talk to coworkers. Talk about a hostile work environment, man. Lola, thank you so much, and and much power to you. We'll see you next time, and also we'll work on New Orleans. We'll work on those names, and uh, yes, we'll definitely, we'll definitely have something.
Oh yes, you better. Thank you, Lola. Bye, you guys. Bye, yo, man. And not her giving you.
A creative liberty, man. I got a lot of pressure, but not. But if I got pressure, that means you got pressure. This is NCW. This ain't just like me.
This is now us. I can rely on the almanac. That's why you my tag team partner. All right.
So if any you guys have any, first of all, let's give it up for Lola Vice. Lola Vice, everybody. You know, like I mean, goddamn, she wasn't here for a long. She was here for a good time, not a long time, and great interview. Like her.
Her stock is just gonna continue to rise, and if you guys have any ideas for the name, go ahead and hit us up on social media. But yeah, man, that was it was awesome. Really looking forward to see where the future takes her, and to be there for so many of her first is kind of cool too. Yeah, exactly, and that's uh, that's why we keep trying to tell y'all, y'all better start paying attention to that NXT roster, man.
Some free TV. Why wouldn't you? My God, come on. I mean, it's so simple. You got Vince Russo.
Talking about, I had no idea who Jada Parker was. Jada Parker was in a Royal Rumble, right? What are you talking about? And I don't know if you saw. I responded to your tweet, and I was like, "If you've seen one episode of No Contest Wrestling, then you know who Jada Parker is." Yeah, stop.
Just one. Pick one. And literally say goodbye to her every episode. Yeah, but um, that was fun. But this really isn't.
It's no secret to anybody in the wrestling world that we lost somebody who was, you know, a major influence to many superstars and a great friend to a lot of superstars. Most of the people that he was able to interact with, known as Pack in AEW, Neville in WWE, but known to all as Ben Saddler. Yeah, you know. We do too many of these as wrestling fans, you know. We we lose too many of our stars.
Could you imagine if the NFL, NBA, MLB, hockey had a list of legends that were gone far too soon in their lives? You know, that would be. Beyond tragic, and and this is beyond tragic to lose. And I'm just going to call him by his government name. I'm going to call him Ben because that's how all his friends knew him.
To to lose him hours after all out after he and Andrade kicked off the show with a banger match, and then he ended the show during the Will Osprey John Moxley main event, and The next thing you know, on Saturday afternoon, you're getting these tweets and these notifications. AEW is saddened to announce the passing of Benjamin Sadlerly. I sat there and I looked at my phone. I'm watching football, and I was like, "This is such a bad joke." And then you start digging, and you're like, "Oh man, this is this is not a joke. This is real." And it's so hard to really.
Wrap your head around this, Shea, because there are times when you hear of someone passing, right, and you see a video of them, and you can look back and you go, "Ooh, yeah, yeah." He he looked off, or she looked off, or something looked right. There was no indication, and as you can see, the the outpouring of just messages, condolences from friends of of Ben. It's just so hard to to wrap your mind around that a man who looks like he was in perfect health, perfect condition, who went out and performed at the highest possible level, just hours before he passed, it's it's kind of hard. It's kind of hard to believe. And then when you really find out that we talked about the losing of Andy Williams, the butcher, a few weeks ago, then you find out that Ben was on his way to a service to Andy Williams when he.
Unfortunately, passed away. That just so there are people at Andy Williams' the butcher's service who are getting notifications that Ben passed away while they're there at his service. I man, yeah. And when you look on Ben's Twitter, his last post was "He and Andy." He and Andy holding hands, like that is. Is I got goosebumps right now, dude.
It's just we still don't know cause of death. Obviously, you know, for to respect the the privacy of the family. But it is unfortunate. It it sent me into the same type of shock I had when I found out Bray passed. Yeah, it was like a no way.
That's not true. You know, I. Got you know I I got a call from you, and I looked at my phone. I was like, "Oh man, TJ hit me." And then when you know when you pop up your notifications of missed, it started to hit me. And I called you back.
Like, there's no way, you know. And I I talked to Swerve. Um, called Swerve. Right after I spoke to you, and he spoke about how everybody was still in shock. You know, nobody had any answers.
Obviously, Ricochet. He had spoke to Ricochet, and Ricochet was going through it pretty heavy. And he and I believe he and Osprey have a match tonight. Tonight, dedicated to the memory of Ben and. It is unreal when you just saw, yeah.
That's just watched you. Didn't see a moment where I was like, "Oh, like maybe like." There's nothing that made me feel like something was off.
Something was off, and you know, even talking to Swerve, he said, "Dude, we were in the back. We're all just talking. We're all like." And and you know Swerve's words to me were that when a wrestler like you know feels something like we talk about it, they talk about it. You know that it's just something that they do after matches. He said he didn't say a thing.
Man, there was there was no indication from those on either side of the curtain that there was anything wrong after the match. And when you watch it. Everything went so smooth. It was I rewatched it like after I heard the news. It went so smooth.
Like as far as a performer, what a great last match. You know, there there was no awkwardness to it. And for he even came out like you said, even came out for the main event. And this dude used to do things that were insane. The man that gravity gravity forgot about that man because you know he down in NXT he was in that one of the early NXT champions.
Yes, I had to laugh about this because I remember something happened that the entire IWC, where we were all one of the few times that everybody was in on this together. Do you remember when he was getting called up, and there were rumors that they were going to try to make him out to be like a Mighty Mouse type? I don't know if you recall that, but that was going around. And let me tell you something: to a man, to a woman, everybody was like, "Hell no!" Like this dude is too good to have some whack gimmick put on him. And then remember him coming out?
I think his first. Match was against Curtis Axel, and he came out, and I think everybody was so relieved. Yeah, I remember he had this purple robe on. I believe it was purple, but it was like no real goofy gimmick, and was like, yeah, good. He doesn't need that.
And you know, I think back, all the NXT work was amazing, right? Yeah, he gets up on the roster. One match that comes to mind is that Seth Rollins match from twenty fourteen, where if you were to rank The top two counts of all time. This would be in the bottom level, meaning like five, four, three, two, one of the greatest two counts, near threes of all time. This match that he had with Seth Rollins, and he he was just smooth with it.
I can remember putting on Twitter once, the Red Arrow. He never. Ever missed it? He was never off, right? You know how hard it is to hit a move where you spin like that and hit it perfectly every single time.
He hit it perfectly every single time, man. Like he was so good. And I think back too, like it almost makes me sad that we didn't talk enough about him, yeah on on this on this podcast. But you know, everyone. Everyone that talks about him, everyone that works with him or had work with him, had nothing but the highest praise.
You know, the highest amount of love, the highest amount of respect for Ben. And so it it hurts to watch these people. You know, I watched Eddie Kingston, man. I watched his video, and I hope somebody is is really watching Eddie and and you know putting an arm around his shoulder because I know he's hurting. I haven't seen Sami Zayn yet, and I wanted to say, like, I hope somebody.
Is doing a wellness check on Sammy because those two were so close. He was so close with so many people, and you just see the outpouring of respect and just sadness of someone that forty years old leaving us way, way, way too soon, man. Yeah, I, yeah, forty, man. You know, I got a friend of mine. It's lovely Lavo.
She just turned forty. Like literally today is her birthday, and that's way too young. Yeah, that's way too young. And we know it ain't ballet. We know that accidents happen.
You know the the long list of of. Wrestlers who have lost it due to you know accidents in the ring or or just health issues, and I didn't see any of that. And I'm I hate that I want to know so bad because it's really none of my business. But like I gotta know it and. It's so unfortunate.
We are you see things like obviously all the the tweets that have gone out. The Rock doing a video where you know him saying his AEW name too. Like that was it's one of the few moments where there were no lines. You know, like it's just it's so it's such a. Kind of a nice feeling, you know.
Kind of a nice feeling to see the community, the wrestlers, and everybody all agree on one thing, and it just speaks to what an amazing person Ben must have been to to know. Yeah, and our condolences goes out to his his family, his loved ones, Natalie. I mean, his wife was overseas when she found out. You know, back at home, like that flight has to be the the hardest ever. It's insane.
Yeah, it's insane. And and I and I spoke earlier about like, could you imagine if other sports had this? On Monday, I came and I was talking to our producer Don Bowie, and I was trying to relate. Like, I was like, imagine if I was going to give an example of someone who played football. On Sunday and then Monday, but I didn't even want to put anyone's name, even just to kind of paint a picture.
I didn't want to put that out in the out there to even name somebody, man, because it just it's still so hard to to wrap your your mind around, and and it happens far too often in the world of professional wrestling, and it happens far too often to men and women who are under sixty years old, under forty years old, like. It's a tough business. It's brutal. It's hard on the body. You know, it's hard on the mind, hard on soul.
But um, yeah. You know, I think back and I look, and one of the things I thought about instantly was Death Triangle with Hey Penta Ray Phoenix because I thought in AW Death Triangle was as ill of a trio as it got. Yeah.
Like and and Pac was the first pack. I'm sorry, was the first one who I. Yeah, he was the first AEW performer to hold two titles at the same time. You know, the Mid Atlantic Championship—I think that was the name back in the day—and the Trios Championship. You know, he, um, yeah, everything about the guy, man—he incredibly fit, incredibly smooth in the ring.
Just everything he did was concise and just—I never really saw. You know, everyone likes to talk about botches. I can't ever remember a time where the dude. Watched anything? He was just—he don't miss.
He was—he was amazing in the ring. And then you know, your heart goes out to especially like you know Marina Shafir and Lance Archer, who went out and did matches the next day. Yeah, and having to perform with that heavy on their heart and soul, man. And it's just, ah, it's just—it's awful to see someone go, you know. And it was—it was great to see Bailey with the band, yeah, arm band as well.
But you know we obviously send our condolences, but we it's good to get a word in from somebody as well. I reached out. To a an old friend of ours because I know he he was hurting as well and I know that he and Ben have a history together in the ring so we uh wanted to welcome our brother our guy real one Eric I'm gonna call you by the government name and wanna thank you for joining us here today first and foremost thank you for having me thank you for having me today you know obviously this is Last second, you know, being able to come out here and I'm just so thankful for people like you guys. I'm proud of you also, TJ. You know, you guys, you guys are giving us a voice in this business, pro wrestling, and as you can see with this tragic news, how much pro wrestling means to so many people.
And we lost one of the the greats. In the history of our business, a trailblazer—the man that gravity forgot—I'll never forget him. Known in the WWE as Adrian Neville, known in AEW as Pac, and known to friends and family as Ben Satterley, Benjamin was 40 years old, and tragically. We lost Ben way too soon, and I just posted on Instagram a picture his wife sent me today, and that's what I want to just say the most is that if there's anything right now that you know, there's like people. They want to speculate, or what?
They think they know the cause of death. Look, guys, I'm a fatalist, and when it's your time, it's your time, okay. And the guy was taken away too soon, but that's because God needed him.
So he's with the Lord now. And all I can say is that he, before he was a wrestler, before he was anything, he was a son, and and he was a husband. And he loved his wife Natalie truly more than anything in this entire world. And so, anyone who thinks any health Ben was the most health conscious human I ever met. He he he never ever ever did anything but the right thing.
And sometimes life ain't fair, and and things happen. You know that you can't explain in this life. And I think back to a time I met a kid named Tyler Blanchett and his mother Melissa. She's probably gonna listen to this interview. I stay in touch with Melissa.
Tyler was 19 years old and he had a brain tumor. And I got a phone call a few years ago saying that there was a fan of mine, and he was he was he was going to be taking his last breath. And if I could make it to Boston, that would be amazing. And I flew up to Boston on a moment's notice, and I met a kid named Tyler Blanchett, and and that kid, man, he was 19, and his family had to watch him go, and his mother still wonders why.
So. Pro wrestling brings so much joy to people, and to think that that kid—one of the last things that he ever wanted to do—was meet a certified G and a bona fide stud, right? I'm Eric, man. I'm just Eric, and and I've gotten the opportunity to meet the most incredible people in the world through the business of pro wrestling, and it touches people's hearts in ways that are incomprehensible. And my best friend Ben.
Was a living, breathing testament to what what pro wrestling can do for people. Man, right now he passed, and an entire world is coming together to express their condolences and say prayers for his wife, Natalie. And that's all you could hope for. In this lifetime, is how you can be spoken about when you're gone, and the legacy that Ben is leaving behind is, is is nobody wants to see it happen. Nobody wants this for anybody.
But it warms my heart so much to know what an impact he had on people, and especially the people that were closest to him that got to know the man, not the character, not the wrestler, the human being. Benjamin Ben Satterley was one of the funniest, most soft-spoken, humble, modest human beings you'd ever meet in your life, and he never, ever, one time, for one second. Realized how great he was, and that was the worst part about it. Propel Fitness Water with Gatorade Electrolytes, zero sugar, and vitamins. Propel hydrates better than water to help you get the most out of your workout and get back to your best self.
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Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. He was just so humble that he could never ever take any credit for how amazing he actually was, and how many. And I just got a text message from another guy, a buddy, and he texted me. I haven't heard from him in a while. His name is Kevin.
Kevin was like, "Hey, man." I wanted to just share this story with you. I met Ben a few years ago, a couple of times, and I had my ten-year-old son with me, and he was a huge fan of him. And he was standing across the room, and he just didn't have the courage to say hello. And Ben noticed, and he got down on his level and spoke to him for ten minutes. That when the cameras were off, guys, when no one was watching.
That man had the greatest character of any human I've ever met, and whether you believe in God or you believe in this religion or that religion, I refuse to believe that there's a place for people like him. You know, it doesn't matter what you believe at the end of the day. I believe that that man is. Is is is gone because he had to go to a better place. God needed him, and and my Lord and Savior is Jesus Christ.
And you know, I I pray that you know Ben got to see him at the Pearly Gates. And when I was in the WWE. I met Ben because I got put in a room with another wrestler who was from England, and he was my roommate. And that's how it goes when you get signed in the WWE. My first contract in the company was for six hundred dollars a week, and I never wrestled before in my entire life.
And in a world of pro wrestling. Where there's politics, where there's people with these incredible abilities that have made a name for themselves around the world. Could you imagine that I'd never heard of New Japan or Noah or Dragon Gate? I'd never heard of AAA. I only knew the WWF.
I'm from New Jersey, and I grew up right across the greatest city in the world, watching Madison Square Garden, and all I knew was WWE. I didn't shy away from that fact at all, but I was so humbled to be around some of the greatest wrestlers on the entire planet, and when Ben came to the WWE. I had only been there for three or four months.
Now you could imagine I had no friends. I didn't know anyone. Nobody wanted to be my friend because I could talk shit better than anyone, and and I cut promos. God forbid this guy becomes a wrestler, and he's one of us.
So I was always an outsider, right? Imagine this man, who's getting his ass kissed by the world. When he walks through the door, he's the most talented man we have on the roster. The day he shows up, he's the best worker we got, and he didn't want to talk about wrestling. And he dug the fact that I didn't pretend to know shit that I didn't know, and that I wasn't afraid to ask questions, and that I genuinely really loved pro wrestling.
I really grew up wanting to do this, and I just didn't know. I didn't know what New Japan was, bro. They didn't talk about that shit where I grew up, bro.
So when I meet this kid, and we bond over. The first day I meet him, he comes to my apartment. The very first day he lands in Tampa, I pick him up from the airport. Never having met this man in my life, he he moves to to to Tampa, and he knows my roommate named Ozzie Cherry, who was from England by way of Africa, and he was like the first Obafemi. To be fair, anybody who was there knows Ozzie Cherry and his gimmick.
So Ozzy introduces me to Ben. Ben comes over to my house, and to be fucking honest with you, brother, the first thing that we said was, "Bro, I wish we could smoke weed, man." And we're getting piss tested, and we're two guys who are mad as shit that we can't smoke weed. But I come to find out that he loves this new album that came out. By a brand new artist in 2013 named Kendrick Lamar. Oh, really?
So now Neville tells me he wishes he smoked weed, but he can't. He loves Kendrick Lamar, and he wants me to hear this new album because all I heard at that time was Money Trees, and I was like, "Yeah, this is fire." So now we're listening to New Kid, Bad City, and I'm driving him to/from every single show all over NXT, and he's having matches. By the time Sami Zayn gets there, and Sami Zayn is wrestling with Neville, you know, Neville and I, he knew that like he didn't. He imagine everybody probably wanted to be a mark for this kid. I didn't think about it at the time.
Now in retrospect, like everybody probably wanted to offer him his card. He got a kick out of me. He got a kick out of the fact I didn't pretend. I didn't know what was going on. Yeah.
So he he opened his arms and he didn't judge me. And he didn't. And he didn't have to. He didn't have to at all. That's who he was.
He just. He, he, you know, I, I didn't know nothing. I had no matches under my belt, and here I am driving him after he just gets done tearing it up with Sami Zayn. Man, I owe everything in this world to Ben, because without him, there's no end zone. I don't, I don't, I don't have the thoughts, the ideas, the conversations, the pro wrestling knowledge, the reasoning, the the the fucking psychology of what it is that we do.
Why didn't you do that in the match, Ben? Oh, you accelerated here. Oh, what? Oh, the false.
Okay, like I didn't even understand what a false finish was. I didn't. Understand what a mark was. I didn't know what k five meant. I didn't understand what it meant to get shit canned when you're in the ring, or to get you know, take an inside out bump.
This terminology I never heard in my fucking life. I I never wrestled before, and here comes the best wrestler in the world, and he just became my best friend, bro, and. We traveled for seven years up and down the road. Yeah, brother, talk to us about those because I've seen you post pictures and and for years of you guys being out on the road and hanging out. What's it like?
And you know, you know, my car when I first hit the road for the first time in the WWE. You know you're fucking green, and you get a rental car, and you're going to pay for the rental car, okay? Because you're not on the main roster salary yet. You're in NXT, so when you know that you get a free rental car from the company, it's it's common courtesy to ask any of the boys if they want to hop in.
Well, I didn't even have to ask anybody because before I even hit the road for my first road loop. Windham and Neville were like, we're hopping in with you. We know you got a free car, bitch. And and and man, I was the wheel man. Um, a lot of the times, Neville, Neville, sweet boy Ben, bro, sat in the back seat.
Windham drove. I drove. Big Country, Braun Strowman, Fandango. That was a rotating cast of five guys that you would probably never imagine were all together. You could obviously imagine Braun and Wyndham were together a lot, but to man, to listen to, you know, there was dialogue also in the NXT days.
Listening to to Neville go back and forth with Sami Zayn was like, it was they were like brothers, bro. They probably, you know, like. They're the type of best friends that would drive together if they had to, type shit, because they're such best friends, and they just they take it, they can stir the pot with each other. Like I've never seen anybody stir the pot with Ben, but people had so much fun with Ben because he was the sweetest, nicest guy in the world, and Sammy Zayn and Kevin Owens, and and. And Wyndham would just, oh man, Wyndham Wyndham was wasn't you know he didn't with Ben he just got a kick out of Ben Wyndham has the greatest laugh of all time and um man you know the the car I had I was just texting talking to Fandango I got a call when I get off the phone I can't believe we haven't spoken yet but um.
I didn't know much when I got on the road, but Neville had been up there for just a little while, and Fandango had been there for what felt like an eternity. And he was a veteran, and and I was a crazy guy, and I would go out drinking and partying. And Neville would always go back to his hotel room every time. Yeah.
And all he wanted to do was save his money and get home to his wife. And God bless him because he's the last three hundred day Iron Man to ever work in a in a pro wrestling company. It'll never happen again. It won't because. When Vince owned the company before COVID hit, there were live events scheduled during 2018.
When they had the draft in 2017, you split brands. You have SmackDown. You have Raw, right?
Well, Neville was on Cruiserweights, so he did Raw live events on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday Night Raw. He featured all the Cruiserweights and got those boys up on TV, and he held that title for like a. Year, man, and then he would go on to SmackDown on Tuesday, and I would fly home, and I would be like, "All right, buddy, have fun," and I'd leave him with the rental car. He'd always have to get the car because he'd have to keep driving, and I'd figure out my way to the airport on Monday after Raw. And literally, you talk about I'm driving around with him, and I'm watching him do the craziest work schedule in the history of our business.
And him and Rich Swan are having some of the greatest pro wrestling matches on the planet at that time on the WWE tours. The cruiserweight title is defended, and the cruiserweight title at that time that it was being defended. The reason why it was probably being defended on on Monday Night Raw. Live events was because Neville had it, yeah, and he carried that company. Two hundred and five live got its own show on the WWE network, and.
Neville became the champion and put in a 300-day work year, and because of COVID and everything that happened after that, I don't think anybody will ever have to do it again. And the reason why he was doing it, obviously, he exited the company. He left. He lost the title to me, and then he left, and that was it. And coup de grace.
That was, you know, probably the most unappreciated run in the history of pro wrestling, and I didn't get to see a lot of Ben's work in AEW. But I know I'll never forget the first time he wrestled Kenny Omega. Was the first time I ever saw Kenny Omega wrestle. I didn't I didn't know who Kenny Omega was. I didn't watch.
W anything but WWE in my life. I never watched anything but WWE. To this day, I don't watch anything but WWE. There is nothing but New York City. There is nothing but WrestleMania for a guy like me.
And then, I watched AEW boot up, and a lot of my good friends at that time were starting to work with that company. And I will give credit where credit's due. The first. Match that I watched was Kenny Omega versus Pac. Just because he is my best buddy, and here it is, and that was unbelieveable.
And and you know, I don't need to see Kenny Omega and his matches to know how good he is, really, because like I've I've heard, I've seen clips, and I get it. It's like I get it. You know what I mean? Like I don't. Like the guy's unbelievable.
I book my best friends was Adrian Neville, so I get it when somebody's great this shit.
So I I was excited to see two great wrestlers wrestle, but more importantly, my best friend Neville getting to work this getting to work this guy that people talked about so highly, and it was unbelievable. It was an unbelievable match that. The next thing I watched Orange Cassidy versus Neville versus Pac at that time, and those were it. That was the only AEW I watched until this is where I want to give credit where credit's due. Until Luke Harper passed away, my buddy Brody Lee, John Hubbard, and.
When John passed, Tony Khan put on a show for John. I wrote Tony Khan a letter when he put on that show, just to thank him for what he did. I don't know if he ever got that letter. I gave it to someone who's around him, so there's a chance he got it. But the way he honored my my late friend John Huber at the time, I thought was just absolute class.
It was unbelievable. And tonight, I'll be tuning into AEW. Where he honors Ben Satterley, who's just 24 hours before he passed away, doing exactly what he loved to do, and you know, I think that I think that Neville went out the way that Neville should have went out. He went out on top of his game. Never getting young, only the never getting old.
Only the good die young, and that man was as good as any man I've ever met. And and that's what this is, bro. Life is just a high spot, bro. And nobody ran a high spot better than Neville. And I'm just gonna miss him more than anything in this world.
And. Eric, one thing one thing I want to ask you about is you know you talked about the the this I broke this out this cruiserweight belt which you know you and he Rich Swan like you said you guys really were the guys who who made this cruiserweight thing happen but you know the the story going around is that like he left because he had to lose to you which and people thought that maybe there was beef between you guys but clearly that was a business decision but like. You know the boys are the boys, right? I think that. Look, and I just I love him too much to try to speak on what he, you know, thought of me or anything like that or what he did when he left.
But he's a private human being, man. He really, really, really was.
So I'm never going to speak on his feelings about what he did. I'll tell you this: he loved, loved. The locker room of the cruiserweight today, including myself, myself included. He was our leader. He was the king of the cruiserweights, and he was the heartbeat of that locker room in the cruiserweight division.
And I'll tell you. You know, I don't want to speak on him and what what I think happened. I just think that Ben worked his ass off and deserved to be in the main event of Monday Night Raw. He deserved to be wrestling Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. And look, man, he's the greatest cruiserweight.
Of all time, he's forever the king of the cruiserweights, and he left and he dropped the title to me, his best friend in the world, and I think that should say enough about how he felt about us. And just know that everything he did, he did. For his wife, Natalie, and so imagine he put in a three hundred day work year. He was tired, and he saved his money, and he busted his ass harder than any wrestler in the world for a year. But do you think that that's not a silver lining?
That's not the light at the end of the tunnel because when a guy works three hundred days in a year, he's going to make money every night that he works, and all those nights that he worked, where we did, he made money, and that was what he wanted to do. Was Make money and take it back to England to his wife, and that's exactly what he did. He walked out. He dropped the title to his best friend in the world, and he went to his wife with all that money from 300 days on the road that he just put in for a year, and it'll probably be the most. Underappreciated title reign and work year in the history of pro wrestling, and I hope people go back and they watch his two hundred five live run, his matches, and remember he was doing it.
Five six nights a week, also that he can get home to a woman right now who needs our prayers. Yeah, yeah. I I was just about to say, you see, so many people online refer to him as the king of the cruiserweights, and you know, there's a there's always going to be that division between the fans of WWE, the fans of AEW. But for the first time in a that I can remember, it's all blurred right now. Yeah, you know, and that we were just speaking on how powerful of a person you got to be, where you know there's a truce in the in the war because you know he he touched so many people.
Yeah, yeah, he touched so many people. Just speak on you know just a little bit more about just the the powerful human being. That Ben was to make everyone feel taken care of the way that he did as King of the Cruiserweights. Yeah, Eric, what would you say? Because when you hear stories of someone is so loved and so respected, it's like, well, really what what did they do to draw all these people?
What did he like? What did he do? He didn't have to do anything. He didn't. He didn't.
He didn't have to do anything, and he didn't. He just was himself. He was just genuine. That's who he was. And look, it.
You could say whatever you want about me, but I was a motherfucking me. All right.
Yeah, Ben. Was the sweetest man you've ever met, and that was why it was such a unique friendship. He would—he didn't want to go out drinking with me, womanizing, trying to get late every night. He wanted to go back to his fucking hotel room and go to bed, and so that he could wake up and catch his flight in the morning and go see his wife, like. There was, but why was he my best friend, bro?
I don't fucking know. He's a kid from Newcastle. Why did he love reggae music? I don't know. I don't have answers.
I don't know why he. Why wouldn't when people are bad mouthing me or saying his bad things or, or or the internet or whatever it is. Ben was just solid, bro. He was just—he was just—he didn't care like what other people thought of you. If he liked you, which he liked everyone, it was just—it, you know.
And heard he like Wu Tang Clan too. What more did you ask for, man? I heard he liked the Wu Tang Clan too. Oh yeah, bro. That's another thing, bro.
Like, think about it. I have a Wu Tang tattoo on my arm, so yeah. He loved he man. Me and Ben listened to Thirty Six Chambers on the road so often. He loved the album.
He loved everything that Wu Tang did, but me particularly, that was the middle ground where we met. Where I was like, yeah, like like run this.
So. We listened to a lot of music. He put me onto a lot of reggae. I would kill for his login for some of his playlists. I might have to reach out to his wife and just say, if you need credit card info, take that account over.
I'd be happy to. The amount of of Reggae music man, he knew about it all, and it was funny because I introduced him to a guy named DJ Genie. DJ Genie was around in our Orlando years, and he was really good buddies with, and still to this day, and his DJ Collie Buds, right? Oh yeah, Collie Buds. Kali, I introduced Ben to Genie, and and and imagine like I'm I'm I'm down to go to the festival.
I'm down to go with the reggae shit and go hang out with homies and and have a beer and and and smoke a joint. But at the time we couldn't smoke weed, right? There was there was no smoking, but uh, but um. At those in those younger crazy days, man, we we we. I bend.
Imagine I am at the nightclub. Like you see that seven foot tall guy over there? Yeah, that's my tag team partner. We're the WWE. All right, we need to get in there.
We need bottle service. We need all on the house. You know what I mean? Like I'm walking in. I'm walking into every bar nightclub, telling everybody who I am.
This is 2013. I ain't been Enzo Morea but for a week. Dog, you know, and and here I am telling everybody this shit, trying to get in, finessing in and out of nightclubs, bars, and clubs. And here's Ben, who could just shoot a DM to probably the biggest reggae rasta star in the world, and go, you know, link with these people or meet them or you know, like use his celebrity to get something in reward, right? Not in a billion years would he ever.
He's buying tickets for the. You know, it could be. Hey, somebody shoots Neville a DM like, "Hey, I'm your biggest fan in the world." He'd be like, "Thank you, mate." He'll buy tickets for the front row and spend thousands of dollars to that person's concert because he doesn't want to ask them for tickets. You know, like it's just. Type guy, and so I introduce him to Genie and Ben.
You know he's so modest, he doesn't want to say who he who he is or where he's what. And Genie is marking out because he knows who Ben is. He's like, "Bro, come with me, come with me." He introduced them to everyone, right? Reggae. I've never seen Ben so happy in my life, and like.
Bro, you could have done that yourself. You know what I'm saying? That wasn't the style. He just had that asshole friend like me who would make sure it got done right. Every Yin need a Yang, man.
Yeah, for sure, for sure, man. Um, yeah, brother. He was uh, he was a love. He was a joy, and man, he was a good time. And you know, he was just.
A very humble, modest guy. When we got done with shows, man, me and Neville, we drove up together a lot. We sat and we talked to every fan, and he was, he he had such a huge responsibility, especially in those early days in NXT, being the champion, being the last match, being the last guy to leave, fucking sign autographs for all the kids after the show, and just make sure you you were present and. Man, he never, ever, ever shied away from from from a from a hug, a hello, a how you doing, a handshake with a fan that you know, an autograph. He was just.
The the world didn't deserve his ass, but you know his wife deserved him, and it just sucks for Natalie, dude. I just it's all he cared about was her, and they were soulmates. Like like if you ever see a couple that you're like, damn man, like like you know what I mean? Like that they were they were they were it they were that couple, man.
Well, you man, I appreciate you hopping on with us, brother. I know. Thank you, man. You could tell just from the stories and your passion about him, and from what everyone else says. I want to say the first time I ever saw him wrestle was in the Orlando Armory, and I'll never forget he stepped off the second rope and just did like a four double four fifty to the outside, and like double stop the guy who was bent over and landed on his feet, and.
To that point, I had been in NXT for about four or five, maybe six months, right before I ever saw Neville work in person. I never saw anything like that shit before, and I probably never never see it again after. Man, the way that guy moved—he was like Banwa, Dynamite, kid, snappy with the with the you know. The finesse of a Billy Kidman, and and just you know, you know what he wrestled like. He wrestled like Pac.
He wrestled like nobody else ever did before him, and nobody ever will after. That's it, right there, man.
Well said, brother.
Well said, man. Thank you so much for your time. Yeah, man. I know this is tough. Know it's tough on everybody, but appreciate you just shining a little bit more light on him, man.
And just God bless you and all his friends. And man, just be strong, Eric. Be strong, brother. Thank you, guys. I appreciate it, and I know Ben's wife does too, guys.
So keep her and your prayers, please. Absolutely, absolutely. Thank you, Eric. Thank you, Eric. Man, yeah, I can't stand watching people cry, man.
It's especially because you know, like I've I've had what five, six funerals within the last what two years, and I know it is rough for people who were in arm's reach of Ben. I can only imagine what Natalie is going through, but. He will be remembered through what seems like the entire wrestling community, along with its stars, and and then that's how you live forever. Also, you know, you think about what Eric just said, man. Like he's in a in a car at one point with Bray Wyatt, who I just said this reminded me.
You know what I mean? And it's just like, man.
So you've lost two people. Two tragic losses like that—it's just ah, I can't understand. He was—he was shook up, and and and I felt it. We all felt to to be in his shoes. There's no way, like, just sitting in there.
I probably have dreams of being in that passenger seat again. You know, Windham driving and Ben in the back seat, like the knowledge that he got. Oh man, just chills, goosebumps. We know today wasn't exactly the recap episode that you guys are are used to having from us, but times are sometimes you got to call an audible, and especially for somebody as special as as Ben. And well, you know that that to expect that from us as as fans of N C W.
Anyway, not to interrupt. You know, you said something a while ago. You said by the time you get to a hundred episodes, someone once told us that you should know what type of podcast we are. I think that we are the type of podcast. The recap is is one thing, but we're more about getting to know these performers because you can get a recap from anyone, absolutely.
And I'll be honest with you, people probably recap better than I show recap. Yeah, but to get to know The Lola Vices and her stories, and to get to feel the raw, real emotion of Enzo, you know, and and just trying to put together his words for a friend, a coworker, yeah, someone who you've lived just spent this time with to to try to put that together to. Dig deep down into like the soul of that person. I think that's really where we excel more so than like a recap or something. Just getting to know these people and and you know getting to hear their stories.
So it was. You know, my heart goes out, Eric. My heart goes out to everyone, like you said, his wife, Ben's wife, Natalie, all of his coworkers. I know that one thing AEW does. I know, and we this wasn't to make an AEW WWE thing.
Like, like we said, you know, Eric was saying he didn't watch AEW, but that's we're not here to. Yeah, that's not. Crap on either promotion. He did so he didn't see the things he did in AEW. I'm here to tell you, bro.
Do yourself a favor and go check because I can tell you specifically. Orange Cassidy. I looked at Orange Cassidy as just okay. What is this? He's a comedy.
I love Orange Cassidy. Yeah, but I mean, he was a comedy wrestler. I'm like, I'm not. Am I buying this? And then I got to see him wrestle.
Fuck. Yeah.
A bastard. Fuck. And it was at that moment after they had some really great matches where I was like, "Oh, Orange Cassidy can go and hold him back for the rest of us." I never thought that until he got in the ring with Ben, freshly squeezed. You know what I'm saying? Ben kind of made watching Ben wrestle him made me go, "Oh, okay, this dude is legit." Because I know this man's legit.
And you hung with him. Oh, Orange Cassidy! You are the real deal. You are more than just a comic wrestler. And so, if he wouldn't have had those matches with Ben, I don't think I ever would have thought differently of Orange Cassidy.
He did that. Just comes to show you. How Ben elevated everyone, and like I said, the the man was so smooth in everything he did, and like I said, truly tragic, and our hearts and our love goes go out to everyone who. There has, I don't think there has been a dynamite that I have been most excited for than to get in the car and go home and watch this one tonight, and also. You know, shout it out, my friend.
Earlier on her birthday, shout out to Swerve; it's his birthday. Happy birthday, Swerve! You know, I know, I know. It's got to be a hard day at work for him on his birthday. This is the last thing he's even thinking about, and it's his birthday, you know.
But I am excited to watch Dynamite. You know, this will be probably out in the middle or after Dynamite is done, but it's definitely going to be one to watch. We here at MCW send our condolences to Natalie and all friends and family of Ben Saddler. He will be remembered, and that is how you live forever. Yeah, man, and just shout out to everyone who's going to be on that show tonight.
Like I said, Ricochet and Osprey are going. They're gonna tear, bro, that place. I don't know where they are at tonight, but they're gonna tear shit up. They stretch it right now, yeah, man.
So, oh man, just totally gone. Aw, they they do these tributes. First of all, having to do as many as they do is just heartbreaking. But they do them better than anyone else.
So, yeah, it's gonna be special, man. Yeah, thank you, thank you, Benjamin. Thank you, Ben, for everything you did, and um. If you want to watch us, we'll go ahead and give you this stuff to follow us. Follow what we do here at No Contest.
Go to YouTube, look at the Rich Eisen Show YouTube page, or just simply type in No Contest Wrestling. You'll get to see every episode from episode one to this one, which is 104. To follow us on socials, you can go to Twitter slash X. We're at Villers No Contest Wrestling. On Instagram, we're at No Contest Wrestling Podcast.
On TikTok, we're at No Cont. Test Wrestling Pod, of course. O'Shea Jackson Jr. on Instagram and Twitter. I'm TJ Jefferson, and for your airgate, wherever you listen to your pods, you can go to the ESPN app, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, wherever you listen.
Just type in "No Contest Wrestling," you'll find us. And make sure to like, subscribe, share, tell a friend. On behalf of my podcast partner, O'Shea Jackson Jr. For my man TJ Jefferson, make sure you guys. Hug your loved ones.
Have a good day. Actually, I think today they should just have a good day. Have a good day. Ah, bye, Miss Parker. Bye, Miss Parker.
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