Select Portions: Liv Morgan, Kevin Owens, Manders, CMFTR, Bill/Cage

- In addition to Ethan Page announcing AEW Big Buddies program, we’re told there was a surprise meet and greet with CMFTR. Ricky Starks and Scorpio Sky also met some of those that were there.

- There were a lot of people impressed with Brian Cage and Big Bill backstage at AEW Rampage when they teamed together. We were told they were very excited to be teaming together.

- Liv Morgan’s is also legitimately injured, working with a shoulder injury this past week.

- The injury to Kevin Owens is a legitimate rib injury. We still have not been told if he’ll miss any time on TV.

- Shawn Michaels is hosting an NXT Great American Bash media call Thursday.

1 Called Manders spoke with The Spotlight

- Says he wasn’t supposed to be in SCI in 2022, but Trish Adora missed her flight and he was in and wrestled Masha Slamovich.

Calls the southeast his home away from home. Says Marko Stunt winning the Action Future Showcase tournament was a big rise for the scene and then Marko being signed by AEW gave it more prestige.

Says he was going to be the SUP Champion if it wasn’t for the pandemic. Calls the pandemic a low point and knows it was a low point for everyone.

Teddy King was supposed to win Action Future Showcase in 2019.

Met Nathan Frazer at Black & Brave and hit it off with him due to similar mindset.

Every veteran, from his trainer Seth Rollins to Second Gear Crew, has told him to “just keep going.”

Got close with SGC in AIW. Says Eddie Kingston was around and they bonded with him. Says like Eddie, they weren’t the first pick, but they just kept pushing forward. Compares it to Bone Street Krew.

Credits SUP for getting bookings in GCW and Beyond.

Says time and money healed relationship between Mance and MLW. Says MLW saw value in SGC alongside Mance and wanted to bring them in. Has a great time in MLW.

Thinks there can be too much wrestling on some nights. “I’m booked at all these places, and now I have to pick one?”

Says MLW has a good core group and doesn’t rely on just bringing in names, but says it was cool to have John Morrison and Karrion Kross on the show. “It was wild working with John Morrison. He’s a strange cat, but I dig it.”

Has a spot with RSP where Raven interfered and they couldn’t hit Raven. “It was like a rule, but also for the spot.” Praises Raven’s longevity and diversity. Says Raven has given him great advice when it comes to wrestling and life.

Says he didn’t have a speech ready for SCI win, even though he knew he was going to win. Doesn’t like having bullet points for matches.

Would love to be part of GCW in Japan show, but hasn’t heard anything about it yet. Does have international plans that fans will hear about in the next month. Calls Korakuen Hall his Madison Square Garden.

Would like to wrestle Jun Kasai and Jon Moxley

“Jon Moxley is at the top of wrestling and he thinks like us.” Says you pick up “breadcrumbs” from Moxley at shows. Sami Callihan told him he almost booked Manders vs. Moxley. Says Moxley took a liking to him and remember him from Black & Brave.

Was supposed to wrestle Eddie Kingston at AIW before Eddie signed with AEW.

Ran into issues with MLW War Chamber in New York because of the NYSAC because you couldn’t do too many crazy spots or bleed. Two people bled and NYSAC wasn’t happy.

Says “Jeff Jarrett was being Jeff Jarrett” when asked about Jarrett vs. Effy at GCW Hammerstein.

Pitched Jimmy Lloyd to Court Bauer and MLW. Says Court didn’t know who Jimmy was and Jimmy got the biggest pop of the night. “Jimmy Lloyd in Philly is most over person in the world.”

“If GCW is a religion. Nick Gage is our Jesus Christ.”

Steve Austin and Sting were his favorite wrestlers growing up

Says he met Austin at WrestleMania in Dallas. Was backstage with George Kittle, who he played football with at Iowa. Austin gave him advice to “keep going.” Says Austin was just having coffee at catering.

Was not clued in to what Kittle was doing at WrestleMania 39. Said Kittle kept going to the “bathroom.” Kittle finally told him what was going on, Manders thought he was screwing with him. Drank with Pat McAfee after the show.