Brian Pillman Jr. has been making waves in Major League Wrestling (MLW) part of the new Hart Foundation faction.
Ahead of next week’s MLW double header at the Melrose Ballroom in NYC, Pillman appeared on the Talkamania podcast this week to discuss training at Lance Storm’s wrestling academy, the Hart Foundation being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and more
Here are some highlights from Pillman’s chat with Talkamania host Dezmino, followed by an audio embed of the interview.
Facing Rich Swann & MJF Next Week In MLW
Brian Pillman Jr. will be in action next Thursday at MLW Rise of the Renegades and the following night for Battle Riot II. As he prepares for one of the biggest weekends of his wrestling career, his top priority has been getting back into peak physical shape after a couple injuries derailed his progress.
“The biggest thing just getting ready for the weekend, is getting back in tip top shape. If I am completely honest, I kind of let myself get out of the ultimate shape I was in.
I started off my career in very, very good shape but as you all know, the struggles of the road can be very, very trying and trying to eat right and diet and do all these things, while still bumping on the mat and taking blows to the head and stuff like that, is really hard on your body.
I have had 2 injuries since I started my career, already and you know, I don’t think that’s due to my lack of any safety precautions. I like to think I’m a pretty safe guy out there in the ring but that’s just because of the large amount of workload and the demand for my matches and the demand for me to be booked every single weekend. And you know, you’re going to make mistakes and things are going to happen, but I’m very motivated. Motivated by the Full Gear Challenge that the AEW has proposed. So I decided I am not going to show up to WrestleMania in anything less than my best shape. Especially with two high level opponents.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman operating at a very high level and of course Rich Swann, ex-WWE, you’ve seen what he can do. You just go to be in real good shape when you go into the ring with these guys. You got to be in very good condition so you don’t get blown up and embarrassed out there.”
Being Part of the new Hart Foundation
Pillman is part of the new Hart Foundation faction, along with Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Teddy Hart. The group is arguably one of the top acts in MLW and Pillman says they came about almost due to necessity.
“Well you know, we had to do what we had to do. It was an organic union and we united against the evil that we were facing. We all had a common goal in mind and that was to rid the geezers of the business, rid those guys, those old schools guys that keep latching on. You know, they are latching on to young talent, trying to stay in the business.
Its like, how many times do they retire? They always retire because it gets a big pop, then they come back and then they retire again. It gets old and honestly its disrespectful to us guys that are trying to make a name for ourselves. You know, theres only so many spots on a card and when a guy like Kevin Sullivan or Tommy Dreamer takes up a spot on a card, its really just a spit in the face to the guys like the New Hart Foundation, who are still trying to get by.”
Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart Joining The WWE Hall of Fame
“That’s a big deal, yea. I think its great timing, you know, its good timing because not only are we doing our thing, but also you know, Natalya is doing her thing. Who knows, maybe TJ comes back to the ring in some wonderful, beautiful fashion. He has been trying to heal himself up for many years now.
I think it’s great. You know, everybody is like “Your Dad should be in and Owen and everybody else that was in the 97 Hart Foundation,” but in my opinion it doesn’t really matter because we all know what their contributions are. We all know that the hall of fame is more or less symbolic and it’s just a way to honor people even more than they already are. So, it’s not like I don’t realize that my father is remembered for what he’s done, obviously he is. Otherwise I wouldn’t have had such an amazing support system coming into the business, you know what Im saying?
So It doesn’t affect me at all if he’s put in the Hall of Fame or not and I don’t think he would have cared either, had he been here today.”
All Elite Wrestling & Cody Rhodes
Pillman says right now he’s scheduled to appear at Starrcast during Double or Nothing weekend in Las Vegas. He suspects AEW will want to use him for the pay-per-view.
“Well I think I’ll know more in Vegas, because I’ll be down here in Vegas. So far I’m confirmed for Starrcast, which is the main meet and greet but I don’t know 100%, but I would venture they would like to use me on the show, if they are going to be flying me down there for the meet and greet.”
When asked if he knows Cody Rhodes, Pillman said he met him early in his career and had a great talk with Cody about what it means to be a second generation wrestler.
“Its funny, I actually I got very lucky to meet Cody while I was in Canada training with Lance. So there was a pro wrestling show in Calgary known as PWA (the Prairie Wrestling Alliance) and they have a very high level wrestler there, who actually had a short ride in NXT as well. His name is Michael Blais and they brought in Cody Rhodes to wrestle him for the title and Cody brought in a great draw and did a lot for the company and Brandi was there.
I got to sit down and I actually had a conversation with Cody about you know, what to expect to coming into the business as a legacy and we sat down on the floor and talked for like a good 20-30 minutes, you know he was very, very generous with his time for me.”
