By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Insight With Chris Van Vliet with guest Billy Gunn
Host: Chris Van Vliet
Podcast available via Podcasts.Apple.com
On not being a part of the DX reunion on Raw 25: “Yeah, it was just a miscommunication. It was trying to get [there] and believe you me, I get it. I work for a completely different company. If I can do it, fine. If I can’t, I get it, I’m not gonna [be mad]. I spent the majority of my life doing that company and being a part of it. So of course, they want me to be there. But if the company that I’m with now has some issues of what they need and what they want, and if it doesn’t work out, then I can’t go, I can’t be mad about it. You know what I mean? And was I upset? Yeah, cuz I want to hang out with the guys and relive that moment as much as you can. But if it doesn’t work for the company that pays me then I’m not gonna go.”
On Will Ospreay: “I don’t know what it is about that kid. I love him, I tell everybody that’s my retirement match. When I retire it’s me and Will, and he just said on some media scrum that he’s in AEW to retire me. [I love it] Because his work really isn’t me, it’s so opposite of me. But I love him, he’s good, he’s very energetic. Just the stuff he does is amazing. He’s so athletic and could do so much stuff. But he has charisma with it and he’s very good at that. I love that, I don’t know, I just love that kid.”
On potential retirement: “I wish I knew, I don’t feel too bad. But a lot of it is the way that I take care of myself. I mean, yeah, do I wake up and everything until I get moving? Yeah. I just found out I have two stress fractures in my back, but they don’t stop me from doing what I do, it doesn’t hinder me. But I can still do what I do at a pretty good level. I mean, I’m not gonna go out there and go 25 minutes with Will [Ospreay], that ain’t happening. But do I still have equity in the company? Can I still bring something? Damn right I can, because the minute I step out there those people go nuts and they start saying my name.
“So as long as I bring value and it’s not, you know, if I go out there and they go, Oh, God really? The first time I hear that I’ll quit. But as long as I can do something to help The Acclaimed or help the company or help my kids. Yeah, I’ll stay around. There’s no reason I can’t. I have no problem just being The Acclaimed’s sidekick. I love it. Because I get to run around, talk to people, act like a goofball, interact when I want to and work every now and then. When I work it’s nothing crazy.
“My kids asked me that they go ‘Did you just take a triple powerbomb? What are you thinking?!’ I went ‘I thought it would help the match.’ [They go] ‘Okay, don’t ever do that again!’ I said okay. Well, I thought in my head it did. But as long as I can do that and I feel good and it’s not a struggle. The only thing that is a struggle is flying these days. Because I hate it. Yeah, but I mean, as long as I’m still having fun in doing what I do, and I can bring something to help I’m in, I’m good.”
The shape he maintains at his age is just crazy. I know it was “enhanced” but doesn’t change the fact he’s still in the gym (unlike a lot of fat f$%ks out there who sit on the computer all day and type negative crap).
I also get why he didn’t make the DX reunion but as he said it was scheduling, and if it was the other way around the same dumb asses who say “OMG AEW SUCKS FOR NOT FIGURING OUT HOW TO LET HIM GO!’ would say, “YEAH, WWE WAS RIGHT TO NOT LET HIM GO!”.
If I’m Ospreay, that’s insanely flattering to think that a guy who has been doing this for a long time and been at the top for a long time wants me to be his last match.
I don’t think it’s a good choice, but still very flattering