On March 28th, the Pro Wrestling Post was able to participate in an IMPACT Wrestling Press Pass with Joey Ryan. Co-editor and correspondent Brandi Wagner was able to ask Joey a few questions on this occasion.
Brandi Wagner: Hey Joey, this is Brandi with the Pro Wrestling Post, how are you?
Joey Ryan: I’m doing well, how are you?
BW: Doing good, kind of living the wrestler life myself, I’m traveling to go to the (PCW ULTRA) Wrestle Summit, so if you hear anything in the background, I’m sorry.
Joey Ryan: That’s alright, I’m sitting on a porch in Kansas City, with rain, with rain in the background and cars driving in the background.
BW: You said on Twitter that you wanted your character to have an oral fixation, and not everyone allows smoking in the building, so what made you decide on lollipops?
Joey Ryan: Well, so I would, before the lollipop I was doing, and I think I mentioned it in the tweet that you are talking about; I would smoke a cigarette to the ring on a lot of independent shows. It just helped with the sleazy look.
I think I gave IMPACT the credit for telling me, when I was IMPACT they told me, but I think the first people, I think Wrestling Society X, the MTV show I was on, I think they mentioned it too, about not having a lit cigarette near the pyro because it might accidentally set it off. But I think when I brought it back up to IMPACT, they were like, they kind of sat down and explained it to me, if you accidentally set off the pyro it could like, it could mortally wound you.
I was like alright, understood, I won’t have the lit cigarette. I mean, I guess some wrestlers, I think even IMPACT had Jeff Hardy smoke a cigarette and Big Show used to do it in WCW. So, I think if they especially gear it towards, if they turn off all the pyro. But I don’t think, at least, in my juncture at IMPACT, they were willing to make special arrangements for me. But anyway, I like the idea of my character kind of wanting, you know having like an oral fixation because I think it just helped the sleazy look.
So, I switched to the lollipops because obviously, they aren’t, they’re not going to start a fire, and they’re not going to set pyro off. And then through that, it just became different ways to play with it and use it. And then it actually became part of my finishing move now, so it’s kind of fun to see it evolve and again it was an idea. On the surface, it was just an idea, and then through time, it evolved into something different.
BW: That’s awesome. So, who on the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts roster would you like to have an intergender match with in the future?
JR: I just had one with Jordynne Grace in Australia, which was really fun. You know I got this one with Tessa coming up, I’ve wrestled Taya a few times, I’m trying to think of, trying to think of any first-time matches that I wouldn’t mind. I’ve teamed with Kiera Hogan a couple of times before; I’ve never wrestled her.
Man, The Knockouts roster is pretty deep, I wrestled Rosemary one time, so yeah, again through the years, I’ve had at least a match, whether it’s teaming or against, with most of the Knockouts. Madison Rayne just came back; I don’t think I’ve ever done anything with her. So yeah, I mean, maybe that one if I’m going for a first-time match. I’ve had the pleasure in my long, my many, many years of professional wrestling, not to make myself sound old, but I’ve had the pleasure of working with a lot of the current Knockouts.
BW: That’s awesome. So, what is different about IMPACT Wrestling, the company, compared to when you were there the first time?
JR: From what I understand, it’s a completely different office. It’s completely different, you know, helm at the ship so to speak. I enjoyed my time in IMPACT. Everyone, you know, everyone, because of the way I was cut, you know everyone thinks that I must have, or even the way my character was brought in, people think that I must be at odds and ends with the office.
But when I was there, Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan were there in the office, and obviously Bruce Prichard, and I got along with everyone, Dixie Carter, I got along with her great. Obviously, what they had in mind then didn’t really work for the company long term. And none of those, I don’t think any of those people are, well I know that none of them are with the company currently. And so, from what I understand from talking to friends is that it’s a completely different environment there.
So that’s kind of, that’s a little bit exciting too. You know, I did the one Twitch, IMPACT Twitch show last year that I spoke of earlier, and I got to see a little bit of that, that office at work. I’m kind of excited here to do this United We Stand show, to kind of see how it’s run and see how different it’s run from the IMPACT I remember.
BW: That’s awesome, I’m glad to hear that. One last question, I know you’re an Angels fan, and you’re a fan of Disneyland. Do you have any other hobbies outside of wrestling?
JR: Well, I mean I watch baseball a lot. Angels are my team, but I’ll watch any baseball. I even was trying to go, it’s raining now so I don’t know if that’s going to affect the game but, even before the show tonight in Kansas City, I was trying to get the guy to take me to the Royals, today’s opening day.
So I’ll watch any baseball, really, there’s quite a lot of it. Most people (don’t) know this, but each team plays 162 games a year, so there’s a lot to follow if you’re following it, it keeps you petty occupied. But when I’m not doing that, you know, I’m pretty casual. I mean, I do like to go to theme parks, I’m a theme park guy, Disney is number 1 for me. Universal is good, or Six Flags I like too.
Or just going to see concerts, bands I like to play, I do that a lot, watch a lot of movies, I’m into theater and TV and stuff. So, I keep it pretty casual, I’m not some crazy extreme skydiver or anything, you know I don’t have anything too, too crazy, you know, I don’t parkour or anything like that. So, I’m just pretty casual.
BW: Awesome, thank you so much Joey, I’ll see you sometime down the road.
JR: Thank you.
Overall this was a good experience hearing a little bit more of the person behind the larger than life character of Joey Ryan. IMPACT Media Calls are free, fun and informative. If you’re interested in more coverage and participation in calls like this, please let us know and we will give it to you! We here at the Pro Wrestling Post want to give you the kind of content you want to see.
