Under the Ring – Syndication Server

The Warlord reflects on partnership with The Barbarian: ‘We’ve never once argued’

The Warlord says the Powers of Pain have been on the same page the entire time despite teaming together since 1987.

Imagine having someone as a partner or teammate for more than 35 years. Then imagine that you’re aligned so well that you’re on the same page that entire time.

The Warlord has that kind of bond with The Barbarian. As the Powers of Pain, the two men have been teaming since 1987, so you’d expect there would be some stories of disagreements or arguments on the road.

Not so, according to The Warlord. As he told Under the Ring host Phil Strum ahead of the Powers of Pain appearing at 80’s Wrestling Con 5 on May 5 in Morristown, NJ, their relationship has been one that’s allowed them to settle any differences of opinion without any strife.

“I love doing things with Barb, Barb’s my brother,” The Warlord said. “He’ll always be my brother. We’ve been together since 1987, I believe man. That’s what, 37 years now? That’s a long time.

“And you know what, the funny thing is, we’ve never once argued, we’ve never once fought, we’ve never once anything during that entire time. We always got along. We just work everything out together and make it work.”

While both The Warlord and The Barbarian are in their 60s, it hasn’t stopped them from occasional appearances as the Powers of Pain. They’ve teamed together five times since 2018, including each of the last two years.

The Warlord admitted he’s not sure how much longer that can go on, but as long as he feels he can still entertain the fans, he’s willing to give it a go.

“I don’t know how much longer,” he said. “Like I said, everything gets a little bit tougher now. I’m getting ready to have a birthday next week, so I’ll be turning another year older. That means a few more aches in the body and a little more arthritis, but as long as I can try still getting in the ring and still doing things that are giving the people a nice little show, I’m going to keep trying to do it.”

Listen to Strum’s full conversation with The Warlord above to hear his insight about the wrestling business in the ’80s and ’90s, or watch the video version of their talk on YouTube. And you can check out ticket info for 80’s Wrestling Con 5 before it hits Morristown, NJ on Saturday, May 4.

Mark Briscoe doesn’t think ROH World Championship ‘gets the credit it deserves’

Mark Briscoe says he almost quit after losing brother Jay, but resumed wrestling for AEW and ROH and is glad he did.

When Mark Briscoe tragically lost his brother Jay in a car accident early last year, his first thought was a simple one: “I’m never wrestling again.” But after a little time to reconsider and feeling it was what Jay would want him to do, Mark resumed wrestling as a singles competitor in AEW and Ring of Honor.

Now, Mark stands only a few days away from potentially becoming ROH World Champion if he can defeat Eddie Kingston, a longtime friend, at ROH Supercard of Honor April 5 in Philadelphia. It’s a title Jay held twice, in-between runs with Mark as one of the greatest tag teams of this century.

The Briscoes are as synonymous with Ring of Honor as any of the wrestlers who came through the company, both in its original incarnation and as a subsidiary of AEW, so it’s not hard to understand why holding its top prize would mean a lot to Mark. Yet as he told Under the Ring host Phil Strum, it’s a championship that still may not get its proper due.

“It’s mean a lot, man, it’d be cool,” Mark Briscoe said about the prospect of becoming ROH World Champion. “Ring of Honor, from 2002, and the stages and the ages and eras of Ring of Honor, it’s amazing.

“I don’t think the Ring of Honor world title gets the credit it deserves for its significance in the history of professional wrestling.”

It’s not hard to see where he’s coming from. Along with Kingston, the ROH World Championship has been held by an incredible array of talent that includes CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins (when he was known as Tyler Black), Bryan Danielson, Kevin Owens (as Kevin Steen), Samoa Joe and Adam Cole.

That’s a virtual who’s who of top stars across several different companies. While Mark has never been able to count himself among them during two-plus decades in the pro wrestling business — many of them in ROH — he might be able to come Friday night.

“Obviously, it’d be a total honor and it’d be really cool, especially after being here from day one,” Mark Briscoe said. “Singles gold has eluded me to this point, but you know, I’m feeling real good about this. I’m training hard, I got my mind right. You know, I’ve been watching tapes, I’ve been studying Eddie, I know Eddie. And I know he’s gonna try and bring it, but I got something for him.”

You can hear the entire interview between Strum and Mark Briscoe above, or check out the latest episode of Under the Ring on YouTube.

ROH Supercard of Honor is set to take place Friday, April 5 at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, and will be streamed live on HonorClub.

Becky Lynch says ‘it shouldn’t be a big deal’ to have women’s matches main event WrestleMania

Becky Lynch wants people to stop thinking about women’s wrestling in WWE any differently than wrestling in general.

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There’s no mistaking the fact that Becky Lynch is a women’s wrestling trailblazer. She’s won every title WWE has to offer, has become a mainstream star and recently added best-selling author to her CV thanks to the recent release of “The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl.”

She also notably became the first woman ever to win a main event at WrestleMania when she defeated Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey in the final bout at WrestleMania 35. It was a historic moment — but if Lynch has her way, it’s the kind of thing fans will soon take for granted.

During a stop on the Under the Ring podcast to discuss her book and her upcoming WrestleMania 40 match against Rhea Ripley, Lynch told host Phil Strum that what she wants most is for people to stop thinking about women’s wrestling as a separate thing: It’s all just wrestling.

“When it becomes too much like ‘look at this historical women’s whatever, insert x,’ it kind of starts to feel a little condescending,” Lynch said. “And I didn’t want that, I don’t want that in general. I just want to get opportunity based on the good work that I’ve done.”

Lynch added that when the WrestleMania 35 match came together, it was because the story they were telling earned the spot at the top of the biggest card of the year. Now her hope is that continues to be the case going forward.

“We always talk about women’s wrestling, women’s wrestling. It is wrestling, it’s just wrestling. You know what I mean? And it’s women in wrestling, but it’s wrestling, it’s not something different than, and we need to view it more as just wrestling. These are female stars and there are male stars, but they’re all just wrestlers and they’re all just stars.”

Lynch pointed out that things like Ripley appearing in the main event at Elimination Chamber, in her home country of Australia, simply made sense. It was a huge star in a market anxious to see her, so it shouldn’t be seen as anything other than that.

With the match order still not confirmed for WrestleMania 40, it’s possible that Lynch and Ripley could close out night 1. If that turns out to be the case, Lynch believes it will just be another logical choice for that spot, something that will stand on its own.

“I like that it’s not a big deal, and I want it to continue to not be a big deal, because it shouldn’t be a big deal. It should be a meritocracy, where your position is based on your merit, not on the gender.”

Check out Strum’s full conversation with The Man above, and look for her book, “The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl,” on sale wherever you get your books now.

Josh Barnett has spoken to CM Punk, Malakai Black about Bloodsport

Josh Barnett also threw out Chad Gable and even Bill Goldberg as possible fits for future Bloodsport cards.

When Shayna Baszler competes in Bloodsport X in Philadelphia during WrestleMania week, it will break a longstanding WWE prohibition against talent working outside the company. But Baszler isn’t the only big name Josh Barnett has spoken to about a potential Bloodsport appearance — in WWE or AEW.

Barnett appeared as a guest this week on Wrestling Junkie’s Under the Ring podcast with Phil Strum and shared some other names that are sure to raise some eyebrows among pro wrestling fans.

“I love giving people opportunity, and that’s a huge reason to do this,” Barnett said. “So if given the chance to bring other guys in, of course. I’ve spoken with Malakai Black now plenty of times about coming in to Bloodsport. I’ve spoken to CM Punk. It would be great to have Chad Gable or Bron Breakker or any number of people with amateur backgrounds.”

Barnett also put over NXT’s Charlie Dempsey as someone who’s caught his eye and would fit the Bloodsport mold.

“Charlie Dempsey, he’s out there showing catch-as-catch-can, and he spent the time abroad training for quite some time. And I’ve actually worked with him over distance for some years prior.

“But honestly, the kid’s been doing all his own work, because he really wants to be the type of wrestler that you think he is. It’s important to him, I can see.”

AEW’s Miro was another name that Barnett threw out as a potential fit. And Bill Goldberg is someone that he said “is like family to me.”

While the sky is pretty much the limit and Baszler certainly seems to have opened a door that was long shut and padlocked, Barnett says in the end, anyone be brings in has to want to be there as much as he’d like having them there.

“Whoever it is, they also have to really see this ring for what it is and what we’ve created and say, ‘That is something I gotta do.'”

Bloodsport X and the rest of the GCW Collective events during WrestleMania week can be seen live on TrillerTV+.

How did Josh Barnett get Shayna Baszler for Bloodsport? ‘Through my relationships with people there’

Another thing that Josh Barnett feels is important is that Bloodsport isn’t out to compete with WWE or anyone else.

Josh Barnett has made enough friendships, training and business contacts within the pro wrestling industry to last several lifetimes. So when he asks about something that’s previously been unthinkable — like getting a current WWE superstar to work on one of his Bloodsport shows — people consider it.

That’s relevant in a big way right now as Barnett revealed that Shayna Baszler, who he trained to make the jump from MMA to pro wrestling, will compete on his upcoming Bloodsport X card in Philadelphia on April 4. It’s a huge deal as WWE has famously prohibited talent from working on outside shows, but as Barnett told Under the Ring host Phil Strum, there was no secret to making it happen other than the connections he’s made over the years.

“I guess the easiest way to describe it is just through my relationships with people there,” Barnett said. “That’s really what it comes down to. With anybody, when speaking with a promotion, you’re always going to want a … If you’re going to do anything outside of it, you want a certain level of trust and consideration given to you, and it’s hard to lend your toys out when there’s so much money put into them and the product itself.

“Of course, we see cross-promotion happening out there in the world of wrestling, but it’s really a big deal when you think about all the different things involved in it and the value of some of the athletes that are going back and forth. But fortunately, through relationships I’ve cultivated over the years, something like having Shayna Baszler at GCW Bloodsport is … it’s a reality now.”

Barnett also added that it helps that he’s not out to compete with any promotions with Bloodsport, but simply give talent another way to shine.

“I try to create this show as a neutral body, as something that stands alone and apart from all the rest of pro wrestling’s politics and ratings wars and so on and so forth. We’re not out there thinking about competing with anyone else but ourselves, and being capable of making the absolute best shows in the spirit of how I am trying to build Bloodsport to be. That’s it.”

Listen to Strum’s full conversation with Barnett above for many more insights from the Warmaster. Tickets for Bloodsport X, including Baszler’s match with Masha Slamovich, are sold out, but the event can be seen live along with the rest of the GCW Collective events during WrestleMania week on TrillerTV+.

Bayley on current Damage CTRL roster: ‘I just think it’s insane’

Bayley told Under the Ring why it was important to her to assemble an all-women faction in WWE.

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When Bayley first gathered Dakota Kai and IYO SKY to form Damage CTRL, it was already a formidable group. It’s only gotten bigger and badder since then.

While Kai is still working her way back from injury, SKY is now the WWE Women’s Champion. And in November, Kairi Sane and Asuka joined the team as well, making Damage CTRL without a doubt the most powerful all-women’s faction in WWE history.

In the world of WWE storylines, Bayley’s position as leader seems a bit tenuous. But whether she’s fated to be drummed out soon or sticks around for the long haul, she told Phil Strum on the Under the Ring podcast that she recognizes exactly how special this lineup is.

“I mean, I love it — I don’t just like it, I love it,” Bayley said. “I was actually thinking about this a few days ago. I was going to make this big old sappy post about it, but I’ll just share it here. I just think it’s insane, the group of women that I have in this group, in this faction. It started out with IYO and Dakota, obviously, and it’s two women that you didn’t get to see on the main show. And they’ve already shown what they can do, especially IYO, being the champion right now.”

Bayley recalled meeting Asuka for the first time after seeing her wrestle years ago in SHIMMER and being amazed by her even back then, and called her “one of the most influential women in wrestling.”

She had equally complimentary things to say about Sane, concluding that she felt “so grateful” for this version of Damage CTRL to have come together.

Bayley also talked about the importance of the size of the group, noting that for the longest time, it was common to only see one or two women wrestlers on any given WWE show.

“The cool thing about having an all women’s faction is that we don’t all have to have a match,” Bayley said. “You saw IYO vs. Michin, for example [on the Jan. 5 episode of SmackDown], and we didn’t all have a match but we were all there, we all appeared.

“So automatically you get five women on the show where you would just get two otherwise, and I think that’s more empowering, and it’s more … something for the NXT girls, at least, to look up to, and it’s something that I have always dreamt about.”

“I was happy with the three of us, but to have four or more was my ultimate goal, so this has been just a dream come true,” she added.

Listen to Strum’s full conversation with Bayley above to hear her talk about her iconic NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn match with Sasha Banks, getting advice from Stone Cold Steve Austin and Dusty Rhodes, and how she came into her own during the WWE’s ThunderDome era. And be sure to check out the Under the Ring YouTube channel to watch this episode and many others with guests from throughout the world of pro wrestling.

Gerald Brisco on Triple H’s rise to WWE head of creative: ‘I always knew that Paul would a lifer in the business’

Even while stuck with a “funky gimmick,” Triple H had what it took to lead a company like WWE, says Gerald Brisco.

There’s little debate that WWE is on a roll at the moment, racking up new attendance and financial records at a furious pace while enjoying widespread critical acclaim as well. Paul “Triple H” Levesque deserves a lot of the credit, ushering in this new era in what could have been a turbulent time as WWE merged with UFC to form TKO.

While his Hall of Fame career trajectory and marriage into the McMahon family makes his rise seem obvious now, it sure didn’t seem that way in the mid-90s when Levesque was trying to get his “Connecticut Blueblood” gimmick over without a ton of success.

Yet even then, the seeds for his future leadership roles were being planted if you knew where to look. And one person who was in position to do so was Gerald Brisco, who explained what he saw to Under the Ring host Phil Strum during their recent chat.

“The intelligence that he had … Not only the intelligence that he had but you watch him in the locker room,” Brisco said. “How they either become a follower, a guy who gets left behind, or how they become a leader. And Paul immediately became that leader, even though he wasn’t a top guy at the time, even though he had a funky gimmick, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, and he took that gimmick and he grew with the gimmick.”

Brisco credited Levesque for not only his ability to understand the dynamics of the roster but also the lessons he learned from Killer Kowalski, who prepared him for life both in and out of the ring. That made him a good bet to succeed over the long run.

“I always knew that Paul would be a lifer in the business, in what role … I never dreamed that he would marry the boss’ daughter,” Brisco added while laughing. “But I always knew that he would be a guy like a Pat Patterson or a Gerald Brisco who was in the business forever in some way.”

You can check out Sturm’s full conversation with Brisco above, which includes fascinating stories about his work as a talent scout and how he helped discover Hulk Hogan. And you can find this and more episodes of Under the Ring on YouTube as well.

Gunther on a Brock Lesnar showdown: ‘It’s definitely a match I want to have’

Gunther also told Under the Ring that chasing a world championship is the “next logical step” for him in WWE.

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As the longest reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion of all time, Gunther has successfully defended his title against challengers of all sizes and styles. But even the Ring General has potential opponents he might use as a measuring stick, and there’s one in particular he’d like to face.

That would be the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar. Though Gunther has been in hard-hitting, matches against Sheamus, Drew McIntyre and others, fans of straightforward, physical wrestling would salivate over a Gunther vs. Lesnar bout.

As Gunther told Under the Ring host Phil Strum, he agrees with them and would love to test himself against his own “Final Boss.”

“You never really know what you get with Brock, I would say, but it’s definitely a match I want to have, I want to do,” Gunther said. “I feel like Brock is somebody that I kind of like class as … It may be my personal End Boss. Maybe that’s the guy that at one point I have to step in the ring to validate myself, if that makes sense.”

Gunther talked about further challenges other than Lesnar as well, noting that even his Intercontinental Championship reign would someday end and that chasing one of WWE’s world titles would be the “next logical step.” He mentioned that while either Seth Rollins or Roman Reigns would present formidable challenges, he thought Rollins would be a better mesh of styles and that he is “more similar to Roman.”

Check out Strum’s full discussion with Gunther above to hear more on:

His upcoming Survivor Series: WarGames match against The Miz, and how their clash of styles and backgrounds will be compelling
What makes his Intercontinental Championship run so special
How he’s adjusted to living in the U.S. and wrestling for WWE
The best part about being raised in Austria, and what the people there get about work/life balance that he feels some cultures around the world haven’t grasped
Why he doesn’t stop to consider his accomplishments as he goes
Who he’s looked to for guidance or advice

Under the Ring releases new episodes every week, usually on Monday, with Strum utilizing contacts gleaned from years of pro wrestling fandom and coverage to have an in-depth conversation with a wrestler or other notable personality. Recent guests have included AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, legendary former WCW champion Lex Luger, and PWInsider’s Mike Johnson.

To make sure you don’t miss an episode, subscribe to Under the Ring on Apple Podcasts or your podcast provider of choice, or check out the Under the Ring YouTube channel to see all of the interviews in video form.

AEW champ Orange Cassidy says people who don’t ‘get’ him are choosing not to

Orange Cassidy also talked about learning from Jake “The Snake” Roberts during his time in AEW.

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What is Orange Cassidy all about? That depends on who you ask.

A number of pro wrestling fans would immediately bring up his incredible run with the AEW International Championship (a title he won for the second time ), where he took on a dizzying number and variety of challengers seemingly every week.

But others can’t look past his slacker persona and some of the comedic flourishes he peppers throughout his presentation. As Cassidy told Under the Ring host Phil Strum during their recent discussion, that’s on them, not him.

“The idea that someone says they don’t understand me or they don’t get me … that’s an active choice,” Cassidy said. “I think they choose not to. I think they completely understand what is happening.

“Why do I have to explain myself to people, right? I feel that I am going to put out the art that I’m going to do, and if you don’t like it or if you don’t understand it, that’s fine, that’s your thing.”

Cassidy noted that when it comes to art forms like painting or sculpting, observers don’t ask the artist to stand and explain what they were doing.

“And I do hold professional wrestling to that standard,” he added. “And I think it should be, and I think we all should be.”

Listen to Cassidy’s full chat with Strum above to hear more from him on:

Why “it’s not fun to wrestle Jon Moxley”
How he feels looking back on his first International Championship run, and which opponents and matches stand out the most in retrospect
What he’s learned from Jake “The Snake” Roberts
Whether or not his on-camera persona is him turned up (or down)
Which of his early career mentors wouldn’t mind getting a public shoutout
How “Jane” by Jefferson Starship became his theme song
His best advice for up and coming wrestlers
Which indie promotion had the best locker room he’s ever experienced prior to joining AEW

Under the Ring drops new episodes every week, with Strum utilizing contacts gleaned from years of pro wrestling fandom and coverage to have an in-depth conversation with a wrestler or other notable personality. Recent guests have included legendary former WCW champion Lex Luger, PWInsider’s Mike Johnson, and Impact Wrestling star and women’s wrestling all-time great Mickie James.

Lex Luger blew off Sting the first time they met, is grateful the Icon gave him a 2nd chance

Lex Luger said he lived up to his eventual nickname of “The Narcissist” when he first met Sting.

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Pro wrestling history is full of memorable duos, but Lex Luger and Sting are right up there with any of them. It’s hard to imagine one without the other, even now with the former long retired and the latter headed that way soon, as their careers are so closely intertwined.

Their relationship extends beyond the ring as well, as the two men are close friends, united through decades of common experiences, and in more recent years, through their shared faith. Luger has expressed his gratitude that Sting has stuck with him through some of his darkest moments over the years.

Yet as he told Under the Ring host Phil Strum, their friendship almost never got off the ground thanks to Luger’s own cockiness during their first meeting.

“We’re best of friends to this day, he’s a special guy and a special friend, but we did not hit it off the first time we talked,” Luger said. “He was asking me about my nutrition on the road, and I blew him off. .. Because he came from a bodybuilding background. And I didn’t look up; it was after a match and I was unlacing my boots. I didn’t look at him, I thought I was a big deal with the Four Horsemen, and I said, ‘Stolis and peanut M&M’s.’ I eyeballed him and he walked away shaking his head.

“But we ended up seeing each other downstairs on the road at the hotels, like having breakfast and stuff, and we’d sit at separate tables. Finally we’d have breakfast together, finally we started going to the gym together, palling around. Over time, we just became best of friends, so thank goodness he gave me a second chance from our initial intro and conversation.”

Check out Luger’s full chat with Strum above to learn more about:

What it’s been like for Luger to start his new podcast, “Lex Expressed,” with Ad Free Shows
Why he enjoys interacting with wrestling fans so much these days after not understanding them during his in-ring career
How he maintains such a positive attitude, and why he feels like he’s been “streamlined and redefined” in life
What happened with Bruiser Brody in their infamous 1987 Steel Cage match
How Hiro Matsuda and Ric Flair were responsible for turning him into a wrestler, then a star
What it was like being part of the Four Horsemen — and why he didn’t know who any of them were at first besides Flair
And much more

Under the Ring drops new episodes every week, with Strum utilizing contacts gleaned from years of pro wrestling fandom and coverage to have an in-depth conversation with a wrestler or other notable personality. Recent guests have included PWInsider’s Mike Johnson, Impact Wrestling star and women’s wrestling all-time great Mickie James, and Wrestling Junkie managing editor Nick Tylwalk.