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DAVEY RICHARDS DISCUSSES OPERA CUP, TOM LAWLER, SIGNING WITH MLW, POTENTIALLY ENTERING AZTECA UNDERGROUND & MORE

By Mike Johnson on 2021-09-22 13:07:00

I sat down with MLW's Davey Richards yesterday to discuss the debut of MLW Fusion: Alpha tonight as well as the promotion's Fightland event in Philadelphia, which will air as a special on Vice TV on Thursday 10/7.  Here are some highlights:

Deciding to sign with the promotion:

"It was a very organic fit, their way of mine with my way of thinking, how wrestling should be presented, which is, you know, everyone knows me, I think a blessing as a sport first and foremost. So they're very in line with that. So I'm able to, it was meant to be."

The Opera Cup:

"I think that speaks very highly of [MLW] honoring tradition wrestling.  It's stacked to say the least. So the cool thing about it is any person could win that tournament and no one will be surprised like there is no underdog and, uh, yeah, of course it's really not giving me an easy time and I'm definitely earning my paycheck. I got Tom Lawler the first round. So I'll be, I'll be a little sore after that one, but I look forward to it. Tom's an excellent competitor. And I look forward to the challenge.  I'm very familiar. I've actually seen a lot of Tom's stuff and yeah, we are very, very similar.  You know, me and him were compared to each other in the last I checked him out. He is an excellent athlete. It may be the only wrestler uglier than me. So we match on multiple levels."

Talents he wants to work with in MLW:

"I just, I don't know who, I mean, everyone, I mean, honestly, that's a cop out answer, but it's the true answer, you know, like, do I want to get a ring with Jacob Fatu?  Absolutely!   Alex Hammerstone? Absolutely!  Myron Reed to Tajiri to Alex, Shelley, TJP, Richard Holliday. I mean, there's all these greats and I want to get a tag partner and go get in the ring with the Von Erichs.  So there's always just absolutely incredible talents there, from all walks of life, all styles and that's how you become the best, putting yourself in all these unfamiliar waters and seeing if you sink or swim."

His Desire to wrestle Tajiri:

"Absolutely. Yeah.  My style, no surprise, has been very influenced by Japanese wrestling. I'd love to go back to Japan. So, to test myself against anyone, you know, who's obviously well versed in that style, especially Tajiri, who has been so influential, that would be an absolute honor."

His Interest in sliding over to the Azteca Underground side of MLW:

"Those guys are too good. I don't know how I, you know, I've got to be hones.  I'm, I'm a technical wrestler.  I'm a striker and I'm a submission guy. Lucha is like origami to me. Those guys are talented. They're so talented. I graduated with a degree in biological science top of my class, you know, I've done all this crazy stuff. I get submission wrestling.   Yet, still, to this day, I have no clue how they fricking do what they do, man. It's like calculus to me. So, I don't know how well I would do there. I'm definitely open for the challenge, but man, I bet they could make me look foolish really quick, but those guys deserve all the respect in the world because man, that stuff is not easy, man.  I mean, just the time in balance and agility.  Oh man, it's great to watch, but, I don't know how good old DR would do in that environment."

Tickets are now on sale for the 10/2 MLW return to Philadelphia at www.MLW2300.com.

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