1 00:00:01,239 --> 00:00:05,156 [Announcer shouting] 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,725 [Crowd cheering] 3 00:00:08,768 --> 00:00:10,770 MVP: I'm a pro wrestler, 4 00:00:10,814 --> 00:00:13,121 and I've abused my body in different ways. 5 00:00:14,513 --> 00:00:16,733 I haven't been very kind to myself over the years. 6 00:00:16,776 --> 00:00:20,345 [Cheering] 7 00:00:20,389 --> 00:00:22,173 I will beat the shit out of my body 8 00:00:22,217 --> 00:00:24,045 for entertainment, you know? 9 00:00:25,872 --> 00:00:27,396 But I feel it, you know, 10 00:00:27,439 --> 00:00:30,703 and I know that cumulative damage is taking its toll. 11 00:00:34,707 --> 00:00:37,101 Physically my body is telling me, 12 00:00:37,145 --> 00:00:38,624 "You ain't gonna be doing this shit too much longer." 13 00:00:38,668 --> 00:00:40,104 [Laughing] 14 00:00:40,148 --> 00:00:41,671 [Groaning] 15 00:00:41,714 --> 00:00:43,368 I recognize it for what it is, you know. 16 00:00:43,412 --> 00:00:45,414 This world is coming to an end. 17 00:00:45,457 --> 00:00:47,807 Eventually I'm gonna have to hit this exit ramp. 18 00:00:47,851 --> 00:00:49,809 [Cheering] 19 00:00:49,853 --> 00:00:52,769 NNOUNCER: Callihan is very well known all around the world. 20 00:00:52,812 --> 00:00:54,727 He is a freaking nut. 21 00:00:54,771 --> 00:00:57,295 When you think about wrestling, like it's fucking stupid. 22 00:00:57,339 --> 00:00:59,863 [Cheering] 23 00:00:59,906 --> 00:01:01,604 MVP: Wrestling's changing, 24 00:01:01,647 --> 00:01:04,172 and it's not the business that I came into. 25 00:01:04,215 --> 00:01:07,131 Like everything else, wrestling must evolve. 26 00:01:07,175 --> 00:01:09,873 You started with the Model T Ford, 27 00:01:09,916 --> 00:01:11,527 and now you have Teslas... 28 00:01:11,570 --> 00:01:13,398 Whoa! Stricklin knew it was coming! 29 00:01:13,442 --> 00:01:14,399 Bugattis... 30 00:01:14,443 --> 00:01:16,140 Oh! 31 00:01:16,184 --> 00:01:18,577 Where the athletes are today, they are good at everything, 32 00:01:18,621 --> 00:01:21,406 so it's really difficult to try to stand out. 33 00:01:21,450 --> 00:01:24,235 MVP: Now you have this new generation of guys 34 00:01:24,279 --> 00:01:28,587 that can do incredible things that you never saw before. 35 00:01:28,631 --> 00:01:29,806 [Slamming] 36 00:01:29,849 --> 00:01:31,242 That was awesome! 37 00:01:31,286 --> 00:01:34,550 MVP: Some guys are willing to accept the evolution, 38 00:01:34,593 --> 00:01:36,247 and some guys are holding fast to, 39 00:01:36,291 --> 00:01:38,684 "That's not how you do it. That's not the way it's done." 40 00:01:38,728 --> 00:01:41,252 Well listen, this is the fight choreography now. 41 00:01:41,296 --> 00:01:42,645 This is where we're at. 42 00:01:42,688 --> 00:01:45,430 ♪ 43 00:01:45,474 --> 00:01:47,476 Everything evolves. 44 00:01:47,519 --> 00:01:51,175 Now we're not combat fighters, we're superheroes. 45 00:01:51,219 --> 00:01:54,222 ♪ 46 00:01:56,441 --> 00:01:58,617 ♪ 47 00:01:58,661 --> 00:02:01,794 ♪ Another day another dollar as I holla to the world ♪ 48 00:02:01,838 --> 00:02:04,406 ♪ I love the way I'm living love the Gucci love the girls ♪ 49 00:02:04,449 --> 00:02:06,973 ♪ All the parties and the clubs all the models in hot tubs ♪ 50 00:02:07,017 --> 00:02:09,846 ♪ All the German engineers set on deep dish dubs ♪ 51 00:02:11,021 --> 00:02:13,458 DAMIAN: Hassan Assad is a pro wrestling superstar, 52 00:02:13,502 --> 00:02:16,766 known in the ring as Montel Vontavious Porter, or MVP. 53 00:02:16,809 --> 00:02:18,463 [Cheering] 54 00:02:18,507 --> 00:02:20,073 [Laughing] 55 00:02:20,117 --> 00:02:21,597 And full disclosure, he's a good friend of mine, 56 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:23,990 and also one of my favourite wrestlers of all time 57 00:02:24,034 --> 00:02:26,819 As famous for his theatrics as he is for his wrestling skills 58 00:02:26,863 --> 00:02:29,822 MVP has won multiple championships and performed wit 59 00:02:29,866 --> 00:02:32,260 some of the top wrestling promotions in the world. 60 00:02:32,303 --> 00:02:33,913 [Chattering] 61 00:02:33,957 --> 00:02:36,307 These days he's a free agent and in high demand, 62 00:02:36,351 --> 00:02:37,830 appearing at independent promotions 63 00:02:37,874 --> 00:02:39,484 all over North America. 64 00:02:39,528 --> 00:02:40,920 - And you are? - I'm MVP. 65 00:02:40,964 --> 00:02:42,574 - MVP? - Yes, ma'am. 66 00:02:42,618 --> 00:02:44,489 - The most valuable player? - That would be me. 67 00:02:44,533 --> 00:02:46,796 That'd be my son also. He's a left-handed pitcher. 68 00:02:47,971 --> 00:02:49,929 At 44 years old, Hassan is already feeling 69 00:02:49,973 --> 00:02:52,367 the long-term effects of repeated hard impacts, 70 00:02:52,410 --> 00:02:54,847 falls, and concussions, and he is approaching 71 00:02:54,891 --> 00:02:57,023 a major shift in his career. 72 00:02:57,067 --> 00:03:00,244 He's also been witness to a shift in the industry. 73 00:03:00,288 --> 00:03:03,029 ANNOUNCER: Strickland right now holds multiple championships. 74 00:03:03,073 --> 00:03:05,380 DAMIAN: A new generation of wrestlers, many of who grew up 75 00:03:05,423 --> 00:03:07,860 idolizing MVP and the major wrestling promotion, 76 00:03:07,904 --> 00:03:10,602 are now making it big on the independent circuit. 77 00:03:10,646 --> 00:03:13,257 Rising stars like Shane Strickland are finding success 78 00:03:13,301 --> 00:03:14,867 without the help of top promotions... 79 00:03:14,911 --> 00:03:16,652 ANNOUNCER: Whoa! 80 00:03:16,695 --> 00:03:18,480 DAMIAN: ...and are instead growing their own fan bases 81 00:03:18,523 --> 00:03:19,568 through social media. 82 00:03:19,611 --> 00:03:21,352 ANNOUNCER: My god! 83 00:03:21,396 --> 00:03:24,050 ♪ 84 00:03:24,094 --> 00:03:25,791 DAMIAN: I'm here to talk to a veteran 85 00:03:25,835 --> 00:03:28,054 on the verge of retirement about where he's come from 86 00:03:28,098 --> 00:03:30,883 and where he's going now, and also to get his take on 87 00:03:30,927 --> 00:03:32,798 the changing face of wrestling. 88 00:03:32,842 --> 00:03:34,365 - There he is. - Hello. 89 00:03:34,409 --> 00:03:36,498 - What's up, man? - Your place is incredible! 90 00:03:36,541 --> 00:03:38,369 - Did you find it okay? - Yeah. 91 00:03:38,413 --> 00:03:40,415 My humble abode, welcome. 92 00:03:40,458 --> 00:03:43,853 Well, let me tell ya, it has humbled me. 93 00:03:43,896 --> 00:03:48,640 ♪ 94 00:03:48,684 --> 00:03:51,382 Very few people I know in my life have a mantle 95 00:03:51,426 --> 00:03:52,949 full of action figures of themself! 96 00:03:52,992 --> 00:03:55,343 It's... It's a rare achievement. 97 00:03:55,386 --> 00:03:57,432 If you go on eBay and try to buy it, 98 00:03:57,475 --> 00:03:59,912 they're on sale for like 3-400 bucks a piece. 99 00:03:59,956 --> 00:04:01,784 I wouldn't pay that. [Laughing] 100 00:04:01,827 --> 00:04:03,786 Look at this, come look in here. 101 00:04:03,829 --> 00:04:04,961 I still got 'em. 102 00:04:05,004 --> 00:04:07,311 A collection of VHS tapes. 103 00:04:07,355 --> 00:04:10,880 [Crowd cheering] 104 00:04:10,923 --> 00:04:14,579 And one last thing: I would wash your mouth piece. 105 00:04:14,623 --> 00:04:16,451 I'm on steroids there, man. 106 00:04:16,494 --> 00:04:17,800 I'm on the vitamin T heavy. 107 00:04:17,843 --> 00:04:19,715 [Laughing] 108 00:04:19,758 --> 00:04:21,064 ANNOUNCER: Antonio Banks certainly has 109 00:04:21,107 --> 00:04:22,544 the athletic ability to become 110 00:04:22,587 --> 00:04:24,589 the FIT heavyweight champion down below. 111 00:04:24,633 --> 00:04:27,026 Is it just to get bigger, or does it actually help you train? 112 00:04:27,070 --> 00:04:29,942 Back in the day, it was all about just getting bigger. 113 00:04:29,986 --> 00:04:33,424 I didn't really understand until later on that the steroids 114 00:04:33,468 --> 00:04:35,383 actually help with recovery. 115 00:04:35,426 --> 00:04:37,341 The problem is most professional wrestlers, 116 00:04:37,385 --> 00:04:40,431 myself included back then, we didn't use them, we abused them. 117 00:04:40,475 --> 00:04:43,521 Antonio Banks trying to take the legs out from CM Punk, 118 00:04:43,565 --> 00:04:46,002 and connects with that elbow which sends him down. 119 00:04:46,045 --> 00:04:49,397 What lessons do you think this next generation has learned 120 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:50,789 from your generation? 121 00:04:50,833 --> 00:04:52,922 I think the main two things I would have to say 122 00:04:52,965 --> 00:04:54,532 is the passion. 123 00:04:54,576 --> 00:04:56,795 You can't be a fly-by-night guy and do this. 124 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,408 The camaraderie, the brotherhood of pro wrestling still maintains 125 00:05:00,451 --> 00:05:02,627 that you gotta respect this fucking craft. 126 00:05:02,671 --> 00:05:04,629 Which ties in perfectly with the other lesson: 127 00:05:04,673 --> 00:05:06,631 at the end of the day, it's all about the fans. 128 00:05:06,675 --> 00:05:09,852 Giving them something for them to come back to. 129 00:05:09,895 --> 00:05:12,594 And a lot of the young guys... you know, you got guys, 130 00:05:12,637 --> 00:05:14,465 "Oh, I just got all this cool shit I gotta do," 131 00:05:14,509 --> 00:05:16,641 with no real rhyme or reason to it. 132 00:05:16,685 --> 00:05:19,601 There's a story to tell, a psychology, to... 133 00:05:19,644 --> 00:05:22,430 to solicit a certain reaction from the fans. 134 00:05:22,473 --> 00:05:24,519 That's the foundation of what we do. 135 00:05:24,562 --> 00:05:26,172 You just-- You gotta leave the fans wanting more. 136 00:05:26,216 --> 00:05:27,913 DAMIAN: "Leave 'em wanting more" 137 00:05:27,957 --> 00:05:29,959 is something Hassan knows all about. 138 00:05:30,002 --> 00:05:32,178 Like many fans, I was shocked when after four years with 139 00:05:32,222 --> 00:05:36,182 a top wrestling promotion, MVP unexpectedly quit. 140 00:05:36,226 --> 00:05:37,836 I had one year left on my deal. 141 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,186 They were trying to resign me to a five-year deal. 142 00:05:40,230 --> 00:05:41,840 And at the time, I just wasn't happy. 143 00:05:41,884 --> 00:05:44,669 My passion for wrestling at that point was waning because 144 00:05:44,713 --> 00:05:46,192 wrestling had become a job. 145 00:05:46,236 --> 00:05:49,631 I've always been like fascinated with Japanese culture, 146 00:05:49,674 --> 00:05:52,024 and history, and bushido, and samurai. 147 00:05:52,068 --> 00:05:56,028 My dream one day: I wanna wrestle there. 148 00:05:56,072 --> 00:05:59,554 ♪ 149 00:05:59,597 --> 00:06:01,860 New Japan is the biggest pro wrestling promotion in Japan, 150 00:06:01,904 --> 00:06:04,733 the second biggest in the world and Japanese wrestling is famou 151 00:06:04,776 --> 00:06:07,605 for strong style, a more realistic style of wrestling 152 00:06:07,649 --> 00:06:10,434 which had appealed to Hassan since he began his training. 153 00:06:10,478 --> 00:06:14,830 I debuted in Sendai February 6th, 2011. 154 00:06:14,873 --> 00:06:18,050 I remember just standing in the ring that afternoon, 155 00:06:18,094 --> 00:06:19,965 and I could hear the lion's roar. 156 00:06:20,009 --> 00:06:22,446 [Roaring] "New Japan Pro Wrestling!" 157 00:06:22,490 --> 00:06:26,058 I got goosebumps, I was like this is fucking insane! 158 00:06:26,102 --> 00:06:27,495 I'm here! 159 00:06:27,538 --> 00:06:29,497 So you were aware enough of the situation that 160 00:06:29,540 --> 00:06:30,976 you could take it in at least, it seems. 161 00:06:31,020 --> 00:06:32,151 Oh man. 162 00:06:32,195 --> 00:06:35,198 From 16 to 26 I was the property of 163 00:06:35,241 --> 00:06:37,461 the Florida Department of Corrections. 164 00:06:37,505 --> 00:06:39,245 And there were times when 165 00:06:39,289 --> 00:06:41,987 thinking about the future was difficult 166 00:06:42,031 --> 00:06:44,076 'cause I didn't know if I was gonna make it to tomorrow. 167 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,862 But it was so surreal. 168 00:06:46,905 --> 00:06:48,951 I was waiting for the prison guard to kick my bunk. 169 00:06:48,994 --> 00:06:50,953 [Knocking] "Inmate, get up! Wake up!" 170 00:06:50,996 --> 00:06:53,477 I went, "Oh! Ah damn, it was all a dream." 171 00:06:53,521 --> 00:06:55,174 I remember Booker T said, 172 00:06:55,218 --> 00:06:58,743 "Nah, bro, ain't nobody gonna kick your bunk. You wide awake." 173 00:06:58,787 --> 00:07:02,486 ♪ 174 00:07:02,530 --> 00:07:05,707 Hassan Assad was born Alvin Burke Jr. and grew up in Miami 175 00:07:05,750 --> 00:07:07,752 in a neighbourhood known for violence and crime since 176 00:07:07,796 --> 00:07:11,103 the rise of the Miami cocaine trade in the 1970s and '80s. 177 00:07:11,147 --> 00:07:12,975 Alvin and his two younger brothers 178 00:07:13,018 --> 00:07:14,716 were raised by their mother. 179 00:07:14,759 --> 00:07:17,066 His father, a police officer, was only an occasional presence 180 00:07:17,109 --> 00:07:18,937 in his life. 181 00:07:18,981 --> 00:07:21,200 My mom worked a full-time job, 182 00:07:21,244 --> 00:07:23,072 a part-time job, and went to school. 183 00:07:23,115 --> 00:07:25,030 Jeez, and raised two kids. 184 00:07:25,074 --> 00:07:26,292 - Three. - Three kids. 185 00:07:26,336 --> 00:07:28,033 Yeah, three. 186 00:07:28,077 --> 00:07:31,254 At one point, Opa-locka had... 187 00:07:31,297 --> 00:07:35,127 I don't know if it was the, but it was among the nation's 188 00:07:35,171 --> 00:07:36,912 highest per-capita murder rate. 189 00:07:41,046 --> 00:07:43,092 So these are now garden apartments. 190 00:07:44,180 --> 00:07:46,051 Here on that little ledge right there 191 00:07:46,095 --> 00:07:48,967 is where I learned how to pitch change. 192 00:07:49,011 --> 00:07:51,753 You know, closest to the ledge wins everybody's money. 193 00:07:51,796 --> 00:07:53,276 And there used to be a bank of pay phones 194 00:07:53,319 --> 00:07:54,886 where all the drug dealers would hang out, 195 00:07:54,930 --> 00:07:56,279 and you know, with their pagers. 196 00:07:56,322 --> 00:07:58,890 So it wasn't uncommon to find a little, you know, 197 00:07:58,934 --> 00:08:01,327 fucking gram packets of cocaine and whatnot. 198 00:08:01,371 --> 00:08:04,156 This is where you probably knew at a young age 199 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,681 that I had a chemical imbalance. 200 00:08:06,724 --> 00:08:09,118 I used to get in trouble sometimes 'cause I'd climb 201 00:08:09,161 --> 00:08:12,164 over the railing on the third floor, and on the outside 202 00:08:12,208 --> 00:08:14,558 walk on the edge so I could practice being a ninja. 203 00:08:14,602 --> 00:08:17,169 They would tell my mom, I'd get my ass kicked. 204 00:08:17,213 --> 00:08:20,695 And my escape route would be I'd run up the stairs, 205 00:08:20,738 --> 00:08:24,873 hop that fence on the roof, and I would jump to this branch. 206 00:08:24,916 --> 00:08:27,092 But one day the branch, as I got-- extended out, 207 00:08:27,136 --> 00:08:28,311 the branch snapped. 208 00:08:28,354 --> 00:08:29,704 [Laughing] 209 00:08:29,747 --> 00:08:32,141 And I fell a full storey flat on my back. 210 00:08:32,184 --> 00:08:34,578 That was my first big bump. 211 00:08:34,622 --> 00:08:36,145 [Laughing] That's your first back bump. 212 00:08:36,188 --> 00:08:38,147 Yeah, that was my first back bump, off the top of the cage! 213 00:08:38,190 --> 00:08:40,018 [Laughing] 214 00:08:40,062 --> 00:08:42,586 You said that you were a bad guy at a certain point. 215 00:08:42,630 --> 00:08:44,066 Yeah. 216 00:08:44,109 --> 00:08:45,981 But from the stories here, you just sound like a kid 217 00:08:46,024 --> 00:08:48,026 that's hyperactive, having fun. 218 00:08:48,070 --> 00:08:52,161 When was that transition point for you, do you think? 219 00:08:52,204 --> 00:08:55,251 Fourteen is where I started to turn the corner. 220 00:08:55,294 --> 00:08:57,340 It went from just, you know, 221 00:08:57,383 --> 00:09:00,648 doing stupid little mischievous things to, you know, 222 00:09:00,691 --> 00:09:04,129 grand theft auto, and then armed robbery. 223 00:09:04,173 --> 00:09:06,044 And then that's when the gang shit came in, 224 00:09:06,088 --> 00:09:08,612 around 15, the gunplay and all that kind of shit. 225 00:09:08,656 --> 00:09:11,223 So it happened fast, man, 14. 226 00:09:11,267 --> 00:09:14,139 By 15, I did 6-and-a-half months in the juvenile program, 227 00:09:14,183 --> 00:09:17,099 and by 16 I was facing life in prison. 228 00:09:17,142 --> 00:09:20,232 ♪ 229 00:09:20,276 --> 00:09:21,973 Right down here in the street, they used to sell drugs 230 00:09:22,017 --> 00:09:23,409 all through here. 231 00:09:23,453 --> 00:09:25,629 But I saw little kids, smaller than me, 232 00:09:25,673 --> 00:09:28,066 they had to've been like kindergarten. 233 00:09:28,110 --> 00:09:30,721 The one boy had some leaves, 234 00:09:30,765 --> 00:09:33,028 and the other boy had some little pebbles, 235 00:09:33,071 --> 00:09:35,378 and they were playing a drug transaction, you know. 236 00:09:35,421 --> 00:09:37,772 So what future do you have, you know? 237 00:09:37,815 --> 00:09:40,339 ♪ 238 00:09:40,383 --> 00:09:43,299 Guy we're about to meet, Bernard, we call him Bert. 239 00:09:43,342 --> 00:09:44,822 Left. 240 00:09:44,866 --> 00:09:46,128 He's my big brother, you know. 241 00:09:46,171 --> 00:09:48,173 He's the dude who kinda raised me up out here. 242 00:09:48,217 --> 00:09:51,263 [Motor sputtering] 243 00:09:51,307 --> 00:09:53,657 So this is the neighbourhood you moved to after? 244 00:09:53,701 --> 00:09:56,312 Yeah, from those apartments to here. 245 00:09:56,355 --> 00:09:58,706 - That was my house. - Right there. 246 00:09:58,749 --> 00:10:01,665 My younger brother, Brad, state champion wrestler. 247 00:10:01,709 --> 00:10:03,275 I did amateur wrestling briefly, 248 00:10:03,319 --> 00:10:04,407 but then I wanted to be an asshole. 249 00:10:04,450 --> 00:10:06,452 I didn't wanna be an athlete. 250 00:10:06,496 --> 00:10:08,759 But at the end, I turned out to be a champion wrestler. 251 00:10:08,803 --> 00:10:10,369 Yeah, you're the only guy who's got gold in Japan. 252 00:10:10,413 --> 00:10:12,937 [Laughing] Yeah, right? 253 00:10:12,981 --> 00:10:14,983 Bert! 254 00:10:15,026 --> 00:10:17,289 Man, don't be camera shy, man. 255 00:10:17,333 --> 00:10:18,595 - Hi. Damian. - Damian, Bert. 256 00:10:18,639 --> 00:10:19,988 - Bert, this is Damian. - Nice to meet you. 257 00:10:20,031 --> 00:10:21,946 What was it about him that made you wanna 258 00:10:21,990 --> 00:10:23,165 take him under your wing? 259 00:10:23,208 --> 00:10:24,862 Just him being your neighbour, or is it... 260 00:10:24,906 --> 00:10:26,298 Not just that. 261 00:10:26,342 --> 00:10:28,126 I like the fact that he always asks questions, 262 00:10:28,170 --> 00:10:30,172 always thinking, mind going. 263 00:10:30,215 --> 00:10:33,131 Always had big dreams as a young kid, you know. 264 00:10:33,175 --> 00:10:35,917 What did you think when he got locked up for that, 265 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:37,266 you know, long bit? 266 00:10:37,309 --> 00:10:38,354 That was hurtful. 267 00:10:38,397 --> 00:10:40,008 That hurt me really bad, man. 268 00:10:40,051 --> 00:10:41,836 Just devastating. 269 00:10:41,879 --> 00:10:44,795 The damnest thing about it is I chose that life. 270 00:10:44,839 --> 00:10:46,405 I didn't have to live that life, you know, 271 00:10:46,449 --> 00:10:48,320 but something drew me to it. 272 00:10:48,364 --> 00:10:50,845 Just growing up here in Miami, I wanted that life. 273 00:10:50,888 --> 00:10:52,324 I liked the crimes. 274 00:10:52,368 --> 00:10:55,806 So many guys from around here just... it's almost like 275 00:10:55,850 --> 00:10:57,852 going to prison was a rite of passge, you know. 276 00:10:57,895 --> 00:10:59,070 Unfortunately. 277 00:10:59,114 --> 00:11:00,376 You're just waiting for your turn. 278 00:11:02,378 --> 00:11:04,772 I kinda wanted to go to the Navy, 279 00:11:04,815 --> 00:11:08,863 and my mom was really into like superstition. 280 00:11:08,906 --> 00:11:11,953 There was this lady that she just called "The Lady". 281 00:11:11,996 --> 00:11:15,783 The Lady told her some some very big things were about to happen 282 00:11:15,826 --> 00:11:19,482 in my life, and that she saw a boat in my future. 283 00:11:19,525 --> 00:11:21,310 A ship, a big ship. 284 00:11:21,353 --> 00:11:22,833 Oh, I'm going to the Navy! 285 00:11:22,877 --> 00:11:24,400 That must mean the Navy, yeah! 286 00:11:24,443 --> 00:11:26,837 And then I go to prison for robbing a cruise ship, right? 287 00:11:26,881 --> 00:11:27,882 [Laughing] 288 00:11:31,059 --> 00:11:33,757 DAMIAN: When he was 16, Alvin Burke Jr. and three accomplices 289 00:11:33,801 --> 00:11:36,760 committed armed robbery on a casino cruise ship. 290 00:11:36,804 --> 00:11:38,501 At the end of the night, the group of teenagers appeared 291 00:11:38,544 --> 00:11:41,330 from hiding, held up the staff with loaded shotguns, 292 00:11:41,373 --> 00:11:44,289 and escaped with over $80,000 in cash. 293 00:11:45,943 --> 00:11:50,165 MVP: One dude got caught, and he ratted everybody out. 294 00:11:50,208 --> 00:11:52,558 My father told me to turn myself in. 295 00:11:52,602 --> 00:11:54,473 I was on my way to Mexico. 296 00:11:54,517 --> 00:11:56,780 He's like, "Man, you're 16. 297 00:11:56,824 --> 00:11:58,782 What is it, armed robbery case? You're gonna get boot camp. 298 00:11:58,826 --> 00:12:00,958 Just come get the shit over with, you know." 299 00:12:01,002 --> 00:12:02,220 Well, all the people in the casino, 300 00:12:02,264 --> 00:12:03,569 we locked them in a closet. 301 00:12:03,613 --> 00:12:05,963 I had no idea that in the state of Florida, 302 00:12:06,007 --> 00:12:07,356 it's considered kidnapping. 303 00:12:07,399 --> 00:12:09,140 And it was nine people? 304 00:12:09,184 --> 00:12:11,534 - Ten with the janitor. - Ten with the janitor. 305 00:12:11,577 --> 00:12:13,144 [Chuckling] 306 00:12:13,188 --> 00:12:15,233 And that's why I ended up with an 18-and-a-half year sentence. 307 00:12:16,495 --> 00:12:19,107 Alvin ended up serving 9-and-a-half years in prison, 308 00:12:19,150 --> 00:12:21,500 where he changed his name to Hassan Assad. 309 00:12:21,544 --> 00:12:24,286 He spent his final year here at the Opa-locka Work Release 310 00:12:24,329 --> 00:12:26,941 Center, just a few blocks away from his childhood home. 311 00:12:28,856 --> 00:12:31,423 This is where his wrestling story begins with a prison guar 312 00:12:31,467 --> 00:12:34,818 named Daryl Davis, who was also a local Miami wrestler 313 00:12:34,862 --> 00:12:36,907 known in the ring as Primetime. 314 00:12:36,951 --> 00:12:38,256 Well, this is it. 315 00:12:38,300 --> 00:12:40,345 It's been a while since I've been here, man. 316 00:12:40,389 --> 00:12:42,391 How long did you live here? 317 00:12:42,434 --> 00:12:44,088 About a year. 318 00:12:44,132 --> 00:12:45,350 I put in for a transfer to come here 319 00:12:45,394 --> 00:12:47,178 when I got regular work release status. 320 00:12:47,222 --> 00:12:48,876 And then you met fate. 321 00:12:48,919 --> 00:12:50,312 Yeah. 322 00:12:50,355 --> 00:12:51,922 So Prime, do you remember when he showed up here? 323 00:12:51,966 --> 00:12:53,968 Yeah, I was the one that had to sign y'all guys out. 324 00:12:54,011 --> 00:12:55,186 Right, in the morning, yeah. 325 00:12:55,230 --> 00:12:57,232 He would bring in VHS tapes 326 00:12:57,275 --> 00:12:59,451 of the pay-per-views and indie shows. 327 00:12:59,495 --> 00:13:01,453 I remember the guys would talk like, 328 00:13:01,497 --> 00:13:03,281 "Hey man, don't fuck with Officer Davis, man. 329 00:13:03,325 --> 00:13:05,544 He know that wrasslin' shit, man, he'll hit your ass up." 330 00:13:05,588 --> 00:13:06,850 [Laughing] 331 00:13:06,894 --> 00:13:10,288 I remember one day asking Officer Davis, 332 00:13:10,332 --> 00:13:12,290 "Hey man, how y'all do that shit 333 00:13:12,334 --> 00:13:14,205 without really breaking each other's necks, man? 334 00:13:14,249 --> 00:13:16,642 What's the real deal with that shit?" 335 00:13:16,686 --> 00:13:19,167 And he gave me a book by King Kong Bundy about 336 00:13:19,210 --> 00:13:21,299 how to be a pro wrestler, about life on the road... 337 00:13:22,561 --> 00:13:24,128 - I gave it back to you, man. - No. 338 00:13:24,172 --> 00:13:25,651 I gave it back to you the next day! 339 00:13:25,695 --> 00:13:27,653 - No. - Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah! 340 00:13:27,697 --> 00:13:29,655 Oh, okay. [Laughing] 341 00:13:29,699 --> 00:13:31,135 But that's how we hit it off. 342 00:13:31,179 --> 00:13:32,528 He goes, "Damn, you read that quick. You serious, huh?" 343 00:13:32,571 --> 00:13:34,269 I said, "Well, I'm just curious." 344 00:13:34,312 --> 00:13:37,141 So he said, "I'm gonna start my won independent promotion, 345 00:13:37,185 --> 00:13:39,230 so when you get out, if you wanna learn, I'll teach you." 346 00:13:39,274 --> 00:13:42,059 Well shit, I'm getting out of prison soon, I need a hobby. 347 00:13:42,103 --> 00:13:43,539 Yeah, alright, yeah. 348 00:13:43,582 --> 00:13:45,454 Do you remember when he called you once he was out? 349 00:13:45,497 --> 00:13:47,195 - He called me. - Really? 350 00:13:47,238 --> 00:13:49,501 I mean, you can look at certain guys and say... 351 00:13:49,545 --> 00:13:51,329 and say, "Man, he ain't gonna make it," 352 00:13:51,373 --> 00:13:52,940 so why even take his money 353 00:13:52,983 --> 00:13:55,638 or why even just waste your time with him? 354 00:13:55,681 --> 00:13:58,206 With him, he would ask so many goddamn questions. 355 00:13:58,249 --> 00:14:00,251 [Laughing] You know, especially here. 356 00:14:00,295 --> 00:14:02,950 That's when you know okay, this guy's serious. 357 00:14:02,993 --> 00:14:05,517 He got a taste of the ring, and then I mean, 358 00:14:05,561 --> 00:14:08,956 you know, like this guy, he just became, you know... 359 00:14:08,999 --> 00:14:11,697 crazy with it, where this shit becomes a drug. 360 00:14:11,741 --> 00:14:12,829 Yeah. 361 00:14:12,873 --> 00:14:15,049 And once you get addicted to it, man, 362 00:14:15,092 --> 00:14:17,442 you just wanna keep going further and further and further. 363 00:14:17,486 --> 00:14:19,923 And then he went the furthest you can go. 364 00:14:22,317 --> 00:14:24,188 For all the shit that I've done, you know, 365 00:14:24,232 --> 00:14:25,711 wrestling saved my life. 366 00:14:25,755 --> 00:14:28,105 And I've had this trip through professional wrestling 367 00:14:28,149 --> 00:14:30,412 to accomplish things that I never thought I'd do. 368 00:14:30,455 --> 00:14:34,503 And looking back now, I'm playing with the house's money. 369 00:14:34,546 --> 00:14:37,941 If I got convicted for all the shit I did, 370 00:14:37,985 --> 00:14:39,638 I'd be under death row. 371 00:14:39,682 --> 00:14:50,519 ♪ 372 00:14:50,562 --> 00:14:53,174 [Cheering] 373 00:14:53,217 --> 00:14:55,480 We're at one of Hassan's first wrestling schools, 374 00:14:55,524 --> 00:14:57,526 CZW in Fort Lauderdale. 375 00:14:57,569 --> 00:15:00,137 ♪ 376 00:15:00,181 --> 00:15:01,660 Alright, let me... 377 00:15:01,704 --> 00:15:04,446 [Chattering] 378 00:15:04,489 --> 00:15:05,708 Hey, man. 379 00:15:05,751 --> 00:15:07,449 Pablo! 380 00:15:07,492 --> 00:15:09,059 Where's MVP? 381 00:15:09,103 --> 00:15:10,669 I couldn't find no MVPs, they were taken. 382 00:15:10,713 --> 00:15:12,193 You got fucking Charlie Hoss. 383 00:15:12,236 --> 00:15:14,151 You gotta rectify that, man. That's not right. 384 00:15:14,195 --> 00:15:16,110 He's fired. You're fired. 385 00:15:16,153 --> 00:15:18,068 No, you stand over there and start doing squats. 386 00:15:18,112 --> 00:15:19,461 I'll get back to you in about an hour. 387 00:15:19,504 --> 00:15:21,071 [Laughing] 388 00:15:21,115 --> 00:15:22,681 [Screaming] 389 00:15:22,725 --> 00:15:25,293 [Cheering] 390 00:15:25,336 --> 00:15:27,512 One, two, three! 391 00:15:27,556 --> 00:15:30,341 [Cheering] 392 00:15:30,385 --> 00:15:33,257 One of the reason Hassan loves coming back to visit CZW is tha 393 00:15:33,301 --> 00:15:35,477 his old wrestling coaches are still here, 394 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:37,653 training young men and women in the ring and running their own 395 00:15:37,696 --> 00:15:39,089 independent promotion. 396 00:15:39,133 --> 00:15:40,656 - Dave Johnson. - Nice to meet you. 397 00:15:40,699 --> 00:15:45,748 If Primetime introduced me to the business, Dave gave me 398 00:15:45,791 --> 00:15:48,055 the bumps and the bruises of the business, you know. 399 00:15:48,098 --> 00:15:50,361 Like Dave was the enforcer down here. 400 00:15:50,405 --> 00:15:51,754 It's a tough business, it's... 401 00:15:51,797 --> 00:15:52,973 It used to be. 402 00:15:54,409 --> 00:15:56,106 You don't like where it's gone? 403 00:15:56,150 --> 00:15:58,282 Uh, you know, everything evolves. 404 00:15:58,326 --> 00:15:59,327 Yeah. 405 00:15:59,370 --> 00:16:00,545 There's different styles. 406 00:16:00,589 --> 00:16:02,460 The new school, the old school. 407 00:16:02,504 --> 00:16:04,810 You know, but I mean, now you don't earn your keep. 408 00:16:04,854 --> 00:16:06,638 You just pay your gym dues. 409 00:16:06,682 --> 00:16:08,553 Just pay your gym dues, you know? 410 00:16:08,597 --> 00:16:10,251 It sucks to say. 411 00:16:10,294 --> 00:16:12,427 I get the feeling that these coaches may be the kind of vets 412 00:16:12,470 --> 00:16:14,472 who despair at the new generation 413 00:16:14,516 --> 00:16:16,344 and the shift in the industry. 414 00:16:16,387 --> 00:16:18,476 We've been a business now for over 14 years. 415 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:22,045 Well, in that 14 years, how has running a school changed? 416 00:16:22,089 --> 00:16:24,265 Well, I can tell you how it's changed over in the last... 417 00:16:24,308 --> 00:16:26,180 since '89 when I went to Molenko's. 418 00:16:26,223 --> 00:16:29,313 Everybody seem to have been training, working out. 419 00:16:29,357 --> 00:16:31,489 It seems like the guys just don't train like they used to. 420 00:16:31,533 --> 00:16:34,275 Prime was saying like from the first moment he started working 421 00:16:34,318 --> 00:16:37,147 with MVP, he knew that he had something. 422 00:16:37,191 --> 00:16:38,844 Even before that, you said you knew he had something. 423 00:16:38,888 --> 00:16:40,368 Did you see that? 424 00:16:40,411 --> 00:16:41,673 Yes, I'd seen it right away. 425 00:16:41,717 --> 00:16:43,197 I didn't tell him. I was tough on him. 426 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:44,720 I told everybody else. 427 00:16:44,763 --> 00:16:46,809 It seems like that's an important part of this business, 428 00:16:46,852 --> 00:16:49,638 is giving it to someone as hard as you can at first to see 429 00:16:49,681 --> 00:16:52,597 if they have the mettle to kind of stick around. 430 00:16:52,641 --> 00:16:55,078 Dave will tell you, I mean, these guys back in the day, 431 00:16:55,122 --> 00:16:56,558 they'd beat the shit out your ass. 432 00:16:56,601 --> 00:16:59,126 The training was much more harder than this. 433 00:16:59,169 --> 00:17:02,172 You ask Hassan what we put his ass through. 434 00:17:02,216 --> 00:17:04,218 They would press charges on us right now 435 00:17:04,261 --> 00:17:05,654 if we were to do what we did. 436 00:17:05,697 --> 00:17:07,177 Ask him what we did to him. 437 00:17:07,221 --> 00:17:08,744 Now you'd be afraid of these guys 438 00:17:08,787 --> 00:17:10,615 gonna fall out and drop dead. 439 00:17:10,659 --> 00:17:13,227 Sometimes we're getting guys that are close to 40 years old 440 00:17:13,270 --> 00:17:15,490 and they're just starting, you know? 441 00:17:15,533 --> 00:17:18,319 40 years old, you're supposed to be wrapping it up, you know. 442 00:17:18,362 --> 00:17:20,190 So you're saying it's not too late for me? 443 00:17:20,234 --> 00:17:21,626 It's not too late, today's the day. 444 00:17:21,670 --> 00:17:23,715 - Today's the day! - Today's the day! 445 00:17:23,759 --> 00:17:26,501 If you wanna be a pro wrestling superstar, 446 00:17:26,544 --> 00:17:28,503 I can tell you right now you're not working hard enough. 447 00:17:28,546 --> 00:17:29,808 I don't even know you, 448 00:17:29,852 --> 00:17:31,593 I can tell you're not working hard enough. 449 00:17:31,636 --> 00:17:33,551 You gotta be honest with yourselves. 450 00:17:33,595 --> 00:17:34,813 Did you raise your hand 'cause 451 00:17:34,857 --> 00:17:36,206 you wanna be a professional wrestler? 452 00:17:37,251 --> 00:17:38,687 How many people in pro wrestling look like you? 453 00:17:41,168 --> 00:17:42,430 What are you doing about that? 454 00:17:44,171 --> 00:17:45,781 Are you being honest with yourself? 455 00:17:48,175 --> 00:17:49,437 No, with yourself. 456 00:17:50,829 --> 00:17:52,222 Okay. 457 00:17:52,266 --> 00:17:54,311 If you wanna be a professional wrestler, 458 00:17:54,355 --> 00:17:58,533 you have to be consumed with pro wrestling. 459 00:17:58,576 --> 00:18:00,535 But I do have some good news. 460 00:18:00,578 --> 00:18:03,755 It's easier to get hired now than it's ever been. 461 00:18:03,799 --> 00:18:06,802 Kevin Owens, a fat guy in a t-shirt, 462 00:18:06,845 --> 00:18:09,587 beat John Cena, Superman. 463 00:18:09,631 --> 00:18:11,589 That means there's been a philosophy change. 464 00:18:11,633 --> 00:18:13,809 So if you're a chubby dude in a sweatshirt, 465 00:18:13,852 --> 00:18:15,724 there's a chance. 466 00:18:15,767 --> 00:18:17,769 But do you have Kevin Owens' charisma? 467 00:18:17,813 --> 00:18:20,120 Be real with yourself and your expectations of yourself. 468 00:18:23,514 --> 00:18:26,169 [Chanting] 469 00:18:30,869 --> 00:18:35,222 [Chanting] 470 00:18:35,265 --> 00:18:42,185 ♪ 471 00:18:42,229 --> 00:18:44,361 DAMIAN: Shane "Swerve" Strickland is a 28-year-old 472 00:18:44,405 --> 00:18:47,234 wrestler who grew up watching MVP on TV, 473 00:18:47,277 --> 00:18:49,801 and is a perfect example of the changing face of wrestling. 474 00:18:49,845 --> 00:18:52,674 ♪ 475 00:18:52,717 --> 00:18:55,459 In less than a year, he's gone from a virtual unknown to one o 476 00:18:55,503 --> 00:18:58,506 the most recognizable and in-demand wrestlers on the indi 477 00:18:58,549 --> 00:19:02,336 circuit, doing shows all over North America and the world. 478 00:19:02,379 --> 00:19:05,469 He's also the championship belt holder here at Defy Wrestling 479 00:19:05,513 --> 00:19:07,645 in Seattle, and is famous for his ability 480 00:19:07,689 --> 00:19:09,473 to seamlessly mix wrestling styles. 481 00:19:09,517 --> 00:19:12,259 [Cheering] 482 00:19:12,302 --> 00:19:14,391 You're bringing in the lucha, the high flying, 483 00:19:14,435 --> 00:19:17,002 but you're also doing like Japanese strong style 484 00:19:17,046 --> 00:19:18,526 that everyone loves too, and then there's also like 485 00:19:18,569 --> 00:19:20,354 the American influence. 486 00:19:20,397 --> 00:19:22,834 Is that typified by this generation that you're part of? 487 00:19:22,878 --> 00:19:25,359 Yeah, it definitely is, because like everything has been 488 00:19:25,402 --> 00:19:26,708 pushed forward so much now. 489 00:19:26,751 --> 00:19:29,014 The limit's been, like, well surpassed. 490 00:19:29,058 --> 00:19:31,539 Everybody's like really skilled and really well rounded 491 00:19:31,582 --> 00:19:33,976 in what they do, and that's what I try to, 492 00:19:34,019 --> 00:19:35,717 like, be at the forefront of. 493 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:39,721 I was the one that really tried to just master or get as... 494 00:19:39,764 --> 00:19:42,289 maybe like a B+ in every category. 495 00:19:42,332 --> 00:19:46,031 You gotta be good at everything, every style, 496 00:19:46,075 --> 00:19:48,425 like literally doing every single style of wrestling 497 00:19:48,469 --> 00:19:49,774 in a matter of a week. 498 00:19:49,818 --> 00:19:52,777 [Cheering] 499 00:19:52,821 --> 00:19:55,258 There are the detractors of what's happening 500 00:19:55,302 --> 00:19:57,042 in wrestling right now, and it tends to be people 501 00:19:57,086 --> 00:19:58,609 that are from an older generation. 502 00:19:58,653 --> 00:20:00,132 Yep. 503 00:20:00,176 --> 00:20:02,700 Why do you think there is such resistance to this sort of 504 00:20:02,744 --> 00:20:05,703 new evolution of wrestling that's happening? 505 00:20:05,747 --> 00:20:07,618 I feel like they only see the actual aspects of wrestling 506 00:20:07,662 --> 00:20:08,750 that go viral. 507 00:20:08,793 --> 00:20:10,491 They just see like the hot new thing. 508 00:20:10,534 --> 00:20:13,407 They see Joey Janela falling off of a building. 509 00:20:13,450 --> 00:20:15,539 You know, they see the Lucha Underground when people are 510 00:20:15,583 --> 00:20:17,106 falling through glass. 511 00:20:17,149 --> 00:20:18,281 That's what catches people's attention 'cause it's like... 512 00:20:18,325 --> 00:20:19,891 [Snapping] ...it's front page news. 513 00:20:19,935 --> 00:20:22,633 [Crowd yelling] 514 00:20:22,677 --> 00:20:25,854 CROWD: Oh! 515 00:20:25,897 --> 00:20:29,727 [Cheering] 516 00:20:29,771 --> 00:20:32,382 [Chattering] 517 00:20:32,426 --> 00:20:33,949 Do you think it's a more exciting time 518 00:20:33,992 --> 00:20:36,865 to be a wrestler now than say five years ago or something? 519 00:20:36,908 --> 00:20:39,607 Yes, and I feel like a lot of the guys who've been doing this 520 00:20:39,650 --> 00:20:43,045 for like 15, 12 to 15 years, they kind of like don't like 521 00:20:43,088 --> 00:20:46,701 that because too many guys get opportunities very quickly. 522 00:20:46,744 --> 00:20:49,965 [Cheering] 523 00:20:53,838 --> 00:20:56,667 [Chanting] 524 00:20:56,711 --> 00:20:58,321 There's no gatekeepers now. 525 00:20:58,365 --> 00:20:59,888 The fences are down. 526 00:20:59,931 --> 00:21:02,630 If you're talented and if you can connect with an audience, 527 00:21:02,673 --> 00:21:05,937 you don't need the industry leader to market you 528 00:21:05,981 --> 00:21:07,678 and to put you in a place and be successful. 529 00:21:07,722 --> 00:21:11,334 Now in this information age, you can create your own market. 530 00:21:11,378 --> 00:21:13,423 As an old school traditionalist, you know, 531 00:21:13,467 --> 00:21:15,556 I think it allows some people in the business that, 532 00:21:15,599 --> 00:21:17,340 you know, from my old school mentality, 533 00:21:17,384 --> 00:21:18,950 don't belong in the business. 534 00:21:18,994 --> 00:21:21,692 But then that's an outdated thinking. 535 00:21:21,736 --> 00:21:23,433 You know, like, "It's our business. 536 00:21:23,477 --> 00:21:24,608 You don't belong here, kid." 537 00:21:24,652 --> 00:21:26,175 "Bullshit. 538 00:21:26,218 --> 00:21:29,004 I got-- I got a YouTube channel with 100,000 subscribers. 539 00:21:29,047 --> 00:21:30,701 What do you got?" 540 00:21:30,745 --> 00:21:32,050 "Well, I gotta wait on this guy to call me 541 00:21:32,094 --> 00:21:33,138 and book me on this show." 542 00:21:33,182 --> 00:21:34,749 "Oh, okay," you know. 543 00:21:34,792 --> 00:21:36,794 [Chattering] 544 00:21:36,838 --> 00:21:38,753 One of the most successful wrestlers on 545 00:21:38,796 --> 00:21:41,364 the independent scene is 30-year-old Sami Callihan. 546 00:21:41,408 --> 00:21:44,802 Sami actually made it to a top wrestling promotion in 2012, 547 00:21:44,846 --> 00:21:47,762 and like MVP, after a few years felt unsatisfied 548 00:21:47,805 --> 00:21:49,590 and requested his release. 549 00:21:49,633 --> 00:21:51,156 How high is the ropes here? 550 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:52,462 - Are they like... - Yeah. 551 00:21:52,506 --> 00:21:54,072 - Like normal? - Yeah, normal I'd say. 552 00:21:54,116 --> 00:21:55,813 [Groaning] 553 00:21:55,857 --> 00:21:58,512 In Sami's case, he felt he was being under-utilized, 554 00:21:58,555 --> 00:22:00,905 and believed he could achieve more on the indie circuit, 555 00:22:00,949 --> 00:22:04,082 a move that would've been career suicide 10 years ago. 556 00:22:04,126 --> 00:22:06,607 You left there, and you're bigger now than ever. 557 00:22:06,650 --> 00:22:07,738 Yeah. 558 00:22:07,782 --> 00:22:08,957 It's almost like that spurred you on. 559 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:10,741 Oh yeah, man, it like... it made me cool. 560 00:22:10,785 --> 00:22:12,830 Like it works into the whole desperado character. 561 00:22:12,874 --> 00:22:15,572 I'm not complacent sitting around performers 562 00:22:15,616 --> 00:22:17,922 that are collecting a really good paycheque. 563 00:22:17,966 --> 00:22:19,359 I wanna work for my money. 564 00:22:19,402 --> 00:22:21,970 I didn't stick around and like try to wait it out. 565 00:22:22,013 --> 00:22:24,494 I knew I was worth more than I was being used at events, 566 00:22:24,538 --> 00:22:26,017 so I wanted to rock the show. 567 00:22:26,061 --> 00:22:28,803 [Cheering] 568 00:22:28,846 --> 00:22:31,414 Sami's success is well known, but not everyone's a fan. 569 00:22:31,458 --> 00:22:33,808 [Cheering] 570 00:22:33,851 --> 00:22:36,593 [Crowd gasping] 571 00:22:36,637 --> 00:22:39,030 When veterans of the industry talk about the cocky new breed 572 00:22:39,074 --> 00:22:41,555 of indie wrestlers, they often use the phrase 573 00:22:41,598 --> 00:22:43,034 "Sami and friends". 574 00:22:45,820 --> 00:22:47,735 [Cheering] 575 00:22:47,778 --> 00:22:50,041 [Crowd gasping] 576 00:22:50,085 --> 00:22:51,956 [Cheering] 577 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,829 Sami's this guy that a lot of people have labelled, 578 00:22:54,872 --> 00:22:56,700 you know, even in a negative sense sometimes, 579 00:22:56,744 --> 00:22:59,050 when people are talking shit, like "Sami and friends". 580 00:22:59,094 --> 00:23:00,574 Yeah. 581 00:23:00,617 --> 00:23:03,620 You know, like this generation of wrestlers being like... 582 00:23:03,664 --> 00:23:05,666 you know, led by or inspired by Sami. 583 00:23:05,709 --> 00:23:07,102 [Cheering] 584 00:23:07,145 --> 00:23:08,886 There's always going to be that negative back push 585 00:23:08,930 --> 00:23:10,105 when you're successful. 586 00:23:10,148 --> 00:23:13,021 [Cheering] 587 00:23:13,064 --> 00:23:18,026 [Crowd yelling] 588 00:23:18,069 --> 00:23:20,898 And whether you like it or not, Sami's been successful. 589 00:23:20,942 --> 00:23:22,073 Oh yeah. 590 00:23:22,117 --> 00:23:24,728 [Crowd yelling] 591 00:23:24,772 --> 00:23:26,948 [Cheering] 592 00:23:26,991 --> 00:23:27,949 That's... yeah. 593 00:23:27,992 --> 00:23:30,691 [Cheering] 594 00:23:30,734 --> 00:23:32,257 And Sami's just like of like a leader. 595 00:23:32,301 --> 00:23:34,521 He has a lot of influence from a lot of talented young guys 596 00:23:34,564 --> 00:23:35,522 in the business. 597 00:23:35,565 --> 00:23:37,262 [Crowd chanting] 598 00:23:37,306 --> 00:23:38,916 CROWD: Oh! 599 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,484 When you're in demand like Sami too, there's gonna be issues. 600 00:23:41,528 --> 00:23:43,138 CROWD: One, two, three! 601 00:23:43,181 --> 00:23:47,098 [Bell dinging] [Cheering] 602 00:23:47,142 --> 00:23:51,799 ANNOUNCER: The winner of this match: Sami Callihan! 603 00:23:51,842 --> 00:23:55,585 [Cheering] 604 00:23:55,629 --> 00:23:58,196 You know, I remember when I was coming up, 605 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:02,897 it really wasn't possible to be an unknown indie guy 606 00:24:02,940 --> 00:24:04,594 and make a living. 607 00:24:04,638 --> 00:24:06,640 - Mm-hmm. - And now it is. 608 00:24:06,683 --> 00:24:08,598 You know, you can work domestically 609 00:24:08,642 --> 00:24:10,818 and internationally, and maybe you're not gonna get rich, 610 00:24:10,861 --> 00:24:12,689 but you're a professional wrestler. 611 00:24:17,172 --> 00:24:20,044 As a professional wrestler who's had... I couldn't even tell you 612 00:24:20,088 --> 00:24:23,961 how many concussions, I don't know, all of these people 613 00:24:24,005 --> 00:24:28,618 who had severe CTE, they all had the same symptoms. 614 00:24:28,662 --> 00:24:30,881 It scares me sometimes to think like now, 615 00:24:30,925 --> 00:24:34,145 what's gonna happen to me in 15, 20 years? 616 00:24:34,189 --> 00:24:35,973 'Cause you know, I joke about it, 617 00:24:36,017 --> 00:24:39,194 but dude, sometimes mid-sentence I'll be... 618 00:24:39,237 --> 00:24:41,152 you know, what was I just saying? 619 00:24:41,196 --> 00:24:43,328 Does that fear play into part of the reason 620 00:24:43,372 --> 00:24:45,069 that you wanna kinda step away from this? 621 00:24:45,113 --> 00:24:48,638 Yeah, I mean, I've always said I wanna walk away, 622 00:24:48,682 --> 00:24:50,292 I don't wanna limp away. 623 00:24:50,335 --> 00:24:51,859 And I had a doctor once tell me, it was funny. 624 00:24:51,902 --> 00:24:55,079 She said, "You guys always look great on the outside, 625 00:24:55,123 --> 00:24:56,820 but you're a mess inside." 626 00:24:56,864 --> 00:25:03,305 ♪ 627 00:25:03,348 --> 00:25:05,699 DAMIAN: For the past few years, MVP has not been signed to 628 00:25:05,742 --> 00:25:07,657 any major wrestling organizations. 629 00:25:07,701 --> 00:25:09,354 - Good to see you, bro. - How was your trip? 630 00:25:09,398 --> 00:25:11,182 Instead, he freelances with independent promotions 631 00:25:11,226 --> 00:25:12,749 all over the United States. 632 00:25:12,793 --> 00:25:15,360 Some big, some... not so big. 633 00:25:15,404 --> 00:25:18,059 ♪ 634 00:25:18,102 --> 00:25:19,626 And then you kind of hold it not like you're ripping 635 00:25:19,669 --> 00:25:21,062 her head off, but a little bit hard, 636 00:25:21,105 --> 00:25:22,237 'cause if not she'll start to wiggle around. 637 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:23,630 - Okay. - Yep. 638 00:25:23,673 --> 00:25:26,067 ♪ 639 00:25:26,110 --> 00:25:29,026 It is still very much a privilege and an honour 640 00:25:29,070 --> 00:25:31,681 to perform in a wrestling ring. 641 00:25:31,725 --> 00:25:33,248 We'll just walk and talk, man. 642 00:25:33,291 --> 00:25:36,338 When people pay money because they wanna see you perform, 643 00:25:36,381 --> 00:25:37,818 that's a huge honour. 644 00:25:37,861 --> 00:25:40,298 And I recognize it, because at any given time, 645 00:25:40,342 --> 00:25:42,387 you know, [Snap] it could be over like that. 646 00:25:42,431 --> 00:25:44,389 You know, blow out a knee, land on your head and you become 647 00:25:44,433 --> 00:25:47,001 a quadriplegic, or you know, something terrible. 648 00:25:47,044 --> 00:25:48,219 How old are you? 649 00:25:48,263 --> 00:25:49,743 - 45. - 45? 650 00:25:49,786 --> 00:25:51,832 I'll be 44 in about 3 weeks. 651 00:25:51,875 --> 00:25:54,225 I'm right there with you, man. 652 00:25:54,269 --> 00:25:56,140 [Yawning] 653 00:25:56,184 --> 00:25:58,229 Anything... Any injuries or anything? 654 00:25:58,273 --> 00:26:00,841 Uh, this shoulder right here, if you can see, 655 00:26:00,884 --> 00:26:01,972 that's about as high as I can pick it up. 656 00:26:02,016 --> 00:26:03,278 Okay. 657 00:26:03,321 --> 00:26:04,888 Physically it's a day by day thing, you know. 658 00:26:04,932 --> 00:26:07,717 There are some days when man, I feel great! 659 00:26:07,761 --> 00:26:09,632 And there are some days when my knee's bothering me, 660 00:26:09,676 --> 00:26:12,417 or maybe the previous weekend I got suplexed on a pile of chairs 661 00:26:12,461 --> 00:26:15,377 and my back's still feeling a little aah, you know. 662 00:26:15,420 --> 00:26:18,162 You know, with all the cumulative wear and tear 663 00:26:18,206 --> 00:26:22,079 from the bumping, I don't feel like the 28, 29-year-old, 664 00:26:22,123 --> 00:26:24,342 you know, uber stud that I was, you know. 665 00:26:24,386 --> 00:26:25,779 Who's your favourite wrestler, young man? 666 00:26:26,910 --> 00:26:28,085 Well, guess what? 667 00:26:28,129 --> 00:26:30,958 Damien Wayne gonna be out very, very soon, 668 00:26:31,001 --> 00:26:32,742 and he's wrestling who? 669 00:26:32,786 --> 00:26:33,961 CROWD: MVP! 670 00:26:34,004 --> 00:26:36,311 - He's wrestling who? - MVP! 671 00:26:36,354 --> 00:26:37,921 That's who he's wrestling. 672 00:26:37,965 --> 00:26:39,227 Are we ready? 673 00:26:39,270 --> 00:26:41,708 [Cheering] 674 00:26:41,751 --> 00:26:44,972 Some nights I'm just like, "I don't wanna be here. 675 00:26:45,015 --> 00:26:46,974 I just wanna go home." 676 00:26:47,017 --> 00:26:49,237 But the flipside of that is once I walk out there in front of 677 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,718 that crowd, it all changes. 678 00:26:51,761 --> 00:26:54,677 The adrenaline kicks in, I find those people that I connect with 679 00:26:54,721 --> 00:26:57,201 in the audience, and I appreciate it, you know. 680 00:26:57,245 --> 00:26:59,943 Here we go, the main event. 681 00:26:59,987 --> 00:27:02,685 Oh! 682 00:27:02,729 --> 00:27:04,295 He's coming through the curtains. 683 00:27:04,339 --> 00:27:09,692 ♪ 684 00:27:09,736 --> 00:27:11,781 [Roaring] 685 00:27:11,825 --> 00:27:13,174 Let it sizzle. 686 00:27:13,217 --> 00:27:15,219 VOICE: Three, two, one. 687 00:27:15,263 --> 00:27:21,791 [Cheering] 688 00:27:21,835 --> 00:27:24,751 DAMIAN: Wrestling is a 365 day a year business, 689 00:27:24,794 --> 00:27:27,188 so not every night is gonna be the Tokyo bill. 690 00:27:27,231 --> 00:27:29,712 But seeing MVP appear in front of a small crowd and still 691 00:27:29,756 --> 00:27:32,802 give it his all reminded me how dedicated he is to his fans. 692 00:27:37,198 --> 00:27:38,852 [Cheering] 693 00:27:38,895 --> 00:27:40,505 MVP! 694 00:27:40,549 --> 00:27:43,726 CROWD: M... V... P! 695 00:27:43,770 --> 00:27:48,992 [Cheering] 696 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:54,128 [Bell dinging] 697 00:27:56,043 --> 00:27:59,002 [Grunting] 698 00:27:59,046 --> 00:28:00,308 One! 699 00:28:00,351 --> 00:28:15,366 [Girl laughing] 700 00:28:15,410 --> 00:28:17,238 Time out! 701 00:28:17,281 --> 00:28:20,197 [Crowd murmuring] 702 00:28:20,241 --> 00:28:22,199 [Girl yelling] 703 00:28:22,243 --> 00:28:25,202 Oh, you're laughing at him 'cause he's a chicken? 704 00:28:25,246 --> 00:28:26,900 Or you're laughing at his funny face? 705 00:28:26,943 --> 00:28:29,293 You can't laugh at me. I can only laugh at you. 706 00:28:31,165 --> 00:28:32,819 Yeah, why can't she laugh at you? 707 00:28:35,038 --> 00:28:39,042 [Laughing] 708 00:28:39,086 --> 00:28:42,872 [Cheering] 709 00:28:42,916 --> 00:28:44,787 Don't tell me how to live my life! 710 00:28:47,921 --> 00:28:51,794 [Laughing] 711 00:28:51,838 --> 00:28:58,235 [Cheering] 712 00:28:58,279 --> 00:29:01,804 I think David's... David's scared! 713 00:29:01,848 --> 00:29:04,241 Time out. [Laughing] 714 00:29:04,285 --> 00:29:05,982 That's why live wrestling's awesome. 715 00:29:06,026 --> 00:29:08,202 I love it, I love being in it. 716 00:29:08,245 --> 00:29:10,247 [Cheering] 717 00:29:12,293 --> 00:29:13,337 I gotcha. 718 00:29:15,252 --> 00:29:16,819 [Cheering] 719 00:29:16,863 --> 00:29:18,429 MVP: There comes a time when maybe yeah, 720 00:29:18,473 --> 00:29:20,605 you're on the mat in the major wrestling promotion, 721 00:29:20,649 --> 00:29:23,130 but those people who saw you on TV remember that, 722 00:29:23,173 --> 00:29:24,261 and they're cheering, you know. 723 00:29:24,305 --> 00:29:26,437 CROWD: MVP! MVP! 724 00:29:26,481 --> 00:29:29,092 Yeah, classic MVP! 725 00:29:29,136 --> 00:29:31,573 [Crowd yelling] 726 00:29:31,616 --> 00:29:34,097 MVP: Performance, the adoration, exhilaration... 727 00:29:34,141 --> 00:29:36,056 [Cheering] 728 00:29:36,099 --> 00:29:39,320 ...there's no other drug like it. 729 00:29:39,363 --> 00:29:40,930 And I've tried a few, you know. 730 00:29:40,974 --> 00:29:42,149 [Laughing] 731 00:29:42,192 --> 00:29:43,541 There it is! 732 00:29:43,585 --> 00:29:45,282 I can see where it can be like crack. 733 00:29:45,326 --> 00:29:46,849 [Cheering] 734 00:29:46,893 --> 00:29:49,547 Some people can get so addicted to it to their detriment. 735 00:29:49,591 --> 00:29:53,160 [Cheering] 736 00:29:53,203 --> 00:29:54,465 Where do they go? 737 00:29:54,509 --> 00:29:56,859 [Crowd yelling] 738 00:29:56,903 --> 00:30:00,515 Here's your up-close, personal pretty picture of MVP. 739 00:30:00,558 --> 00:30:03,474 [Booing] 740 00:30:03,518 --> 00:30:05,172 Now that's 10 bucks. 741 00:30:05,215 --> 00:30:06,913 [Booing] 742 00:30:06,956 --> 00:30:08,523 CROWD: Oh! 743 00:30:08,566 --> 00:30:11,874 MVP: Sometimes emotionally, I realize where I'm at right now, 744 00:30:11,918 --> 00:30:13,876 this is the home stretch, you know. 745 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:16,139 When the time comes when I say okay, 746 00:30:16,183 --> 00:30:20,317 this is it, and I take the boots off for the last time, 747 00:30:20,361 --> 00:30:22,493 what's that gonna feel like? 748 00:30:22,537 --> 00:30:29,979 [Cheering] 749 00:30:30,023 --> 00:30:32,155 CROWD: Order! 750 00:30:32,199 --> 00:30:34,288 [Crowd wincing] 751 00:30:34,331 --> 00:30:36,594 [Grunting] 752 00:30:36,638 --> 00:30:38,205 One, two... 753 00:30:38,248 --> 00:30:44,341 [Cheering] 754 00:30:44,385 --> 00:30:47,605 I know that, as I said, the chapter of being an in-ring 755 00:30:47,649 --> 00:30:50,173 performer is coming to a close. 756 00:30:50,217 --> 00:30:54,308 As I approach 44 and knowing like this is a danger zone 757 00:30:54,351 --> 00:30:56,223 for most pro wrestlers, you know, if you're gonna drop dead 758 00:30:56,266 --> 00:30:58,660 of a heart attack, it's usually in the 40s, you know. 759 00:30:58,703 --> 00:31:04,187 And now I have a son, and he's just changed me in a way that 760 00:31:04,231 --> 00:31:05,710 I can't even verbalize. 761 00:31:05,754 --> 00:31:10,019 No conversation could ever prepare you for the love that 762 00:31:10,063 --> 00:31:11,673 you develop for your child. 763 00:31:15,982 --> 00:31:18,158 I never wanted kids. 764 00:31:18,201 --> 00:31:21,335 I was perfectly content to die childless. 765 00:31:23,424 --> 00:31:25,426 And the main reason I didn't want kids was because I didn't 766 00:31:25,469 --> 00:31:29,212 want the responsibility that comes with a child, 767 00:31:29,256 --> 00:31:31,388 and the vulnerability. 768 00:31:31,432 --> 00:31:32,999 'Cause I can look after myself. 769 00:31:33,042 --> 00:31:34,478 I've been through all kinds of shit. 770 00:31:34,522 --> 00:31:36,002 Hey, where you going? 771 00:31:36,045 --> 00:31:37,568 Come back, Camden. 772 00:31:37,612 --> 00:31:40,180 Camden, come here, come here. 773 00:31:40,223 --> 00:31:42,051 Come here, you gotta wait your turn in line. 774 00:31:44,097 --> 00:31:45,576 He was unplanned. 775 00:31:45,620 --> 00:31:47,230 Certainly not by me! 776 00:31:47,274 --> 00:31:48,579 [Laughing] 777 00:31:48,623 --> 00:31:51,756 It took a little bit of time for me to like 778 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:54,063 really bond with my child. 779 00:31:54,107 --> 00:31:56,544 Walk, walk, walk, walk! 780 00:31:56,587 --> 00:31:58,285 Alright. 781 00:31:58,328 --> 00:32:00,069 Nice! 782 00:32:00,113 --> 00:32:01,418 Oh, cartwheels! Let's go! 783 00:32:01,462 --> 00:32:05,379 My father was in my life, but we're not close. 784 00:32:05,422 --> 00:32:09,296 He was around, but my father and I never like... 785 00:32:09,339 --> 00:32:12,212 had any father/son stuff that we did together. 786 00:32:12,255 --> 00:32:13,474 Ready? 787 00:32:15,128 --> 00:32:16,085 Go! 788 00:32:16,129 --> 00:32:18,261 Go, Camden! Go, go, go, go, go! 789 00:32:18,305 --> 00:32:20,437 It seems like it was just yesterday I was trying to 790 00:32:20,481 --> 00:32:22,570 find out what clubs were open at night, you know. 791 00:32:22,613 --> 00:32:24,615 Like let's get some bottles, you know. 792 00:32:24,659 --> 00:32:27,662 That's not the case anymore, you know. 793 00:32:27,705 --> 00:32:30,186 Now I wanna be a dad. 794 00:32:36,323 --> 00:32:37,454 I'm the bully. 795 00:32:37,498 --> 00:32:39,021 Who's the aggressor now? 796 00:32:39,065 --> 00:32:40,457 Who's the one attacking now, me or him? 797 00:32:40,501 --> 00:32:41,502 KIDS: Him. 798 00:32:41,545 --> 00:32:42,764 Him. 799 00:32:42,807 --> 00:32:46,811 So, shuffle down, knees on the ground, 800 00:32:46,855 --> 00:32:49,075 hands behind his leg, up. 801 00:32:49,118 --> 00:32:51,120 Push, push, push, push, push! 802 00:32:51,164 --> 00:32:54,080 I'm gonna take him down, alright? 803 00:32:54,123 --> 00:32:57,300 Now, both of your hands on his arms. 804 00:32:57,344 --> 00:32:58,345 Punch me, bully, now. 805 00:32:58,388 --> 00:32:59,520 [Grunting] 806 00:32:59,563 --> 00:33:02,349 He cannot punch me now. [Clapping] 807 00:33:02,392 --> 00:33:04,786 I don't want my son to be a pro wrestler. 808 00:33:04,829 --> 00:33:06,744 Whatever he decides, I hope, you know, 809 00:33:06,788 --> 00:33:09,834 I can enstill enough guidance and intelligence so that 810 00:33:09,878 --> 00:33:12,272 he'll make some pretty solid decisions. 811 00:33:12,315 --> 00:33:16,232 But I want him to use his brain, I want him to be brilliant. 812 00:33:16,276 --> 00:33:18,800 You know, let him compose music, let him write code, 813 00:33:18,843 --> 00:33:20,758 let him study medicine. 814 00:33:20,802 --> 00:33:23,065 You hungry? You want rice? 815 00:33:23,109 --> 00:33:26,503 Physically, you know, I beat the shit out of my body 816 00:33:26,547 --> 00:33:28,375 for entertainment, you know. 817 00:33:28,418 --> 00:33:31,247 I don't want him to fucking deal with that, you know. 818 00:33:31,291 --> 00:33:38,385 ♪ 819 00:33:38,428 --> 00:33:39,821 DAMIAN: Hassan has brought me to meet 820 00:33:39,864 --> 00:33:42,084 another pro wrestling super star, 821 00:33:42,128 --> 00:33:45,174 long-time friend and fellow Houston resident Booker T. 822 00:33:45,218 --> 00:33:46,436 - Yo, how you doing? - Good. 823 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:48,221 Booker, this is Damian. 824 00:33:48,264 --> 00:33:51,659 The six-time world champion was both a hero and mentor 825 00:33:51,702 --> 00:33:53,617 for Hassan early in his career. 826 00:33:53,661 --> 00:33:56,272 Both men are African American wrestlers who overcame criminal 827 00:33:56,316 --> 00:33:59,232 pasts to become champions in the wrestling world. 828 00:33:59,275 --> 00:34:02,104 Wax on, wax off, baby. 829 00:34:02,148 --> 00:34:04,193 Tie up. 830 00:34:04,237 --> 00:34:05,586 Wax on. 831 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:10,373 And it looks cool, and that's what... 832 00:34:10,417 --> 00:34:11,983 [Laughing] 833 00:34:12,027 --> 00:34:14,508 No, no, that's what wrestling mostly is, you know what I mean? 834 00:34:14,551 --> 00:34:17,424 Booker retired from pro wrestling in 2016, 835 00:34:17,467 --> 00:34:19,730 and as well as his weekly gigs as a wrestling commentator 836 00:34:19,774 --> 00:34:23,560 he now runs a wrestling gym training the next generation. 837 00:34:23,604 --> 00:34:25,432 Good, good. 838 00:34:25,475 --> 00:34:28,435 Really early on when MVP found out about your story and the 839 00:34:28,478 --> 00:34:30,524 things that you kind of were able to overcome to get the 840 00:34:30,567 --> 00:34:34,136 legend that you are today, that was a huge inspiration for him. 841 00:34:34,180 --> 00:34:37,139 Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean, he stole a lot of my traits. 842 00:34:37,183 --> 00:34:40,229 [Laughing] 843 00:34:40,273 --> 00:34:42,797 For me, you know, I always try to set an example. 844 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,365 I'm all about, you know, helping young people. 845 00:34:45,408 --> 00:34:48,585 I got, you know, maybe 50 kids 846 00:34:48,629 --> 00:34:51,588 that all look to me as a father figure. 847 00:34:51,632 --> 00:34:53,721 [Yelling] 848 00:34:53,764 --> 00:34:56,724 MVP's someone who's kind of at a crossroads right now, 849 00:34:56,767 --> 00:34:58,682 like you know, talking about the end of his career. 850 00:34:58,726 --> 00:35:00,771 Have you guys spoken about what's next? 851 00:35:00,815 --> 00:35:02,295 Have you given any-- offered him any advice? 852 00:35:02,338 --> 00:35:04,906 We've talked frequently, you know, about... 853 00:35:04,949 --> 00:35:07,430 [Slamming] ...life after wrestling. 854 00:35:07,474 --> 00:35:08,736 You know, especially when you get a kid. 855 00:35:08,779 --> 00:35:10,259 [Laughing] 856 00:35:10,303 --> 00:35:11,608 You gotta start thinking about... 857 00:35:11,652 --> 00:35:13,523 As well as when you get older, you know, 858 00:35:13,567 --> 00:35:15,743 the body, you gotta be able to think about yourself. 859 00:35:15,786 --> 00:35:19,268 You know, I was just watching a video today, 860 00:35:19,312 --> 00:35:22,532 and it had a couple of the old wrestlers from the '80s, 861 00:35:22,576 --> 00:35:25,840 and they were still wrestling on the show in 2017, 862 00:35:25,883 --> 00:35:27,711 and I was like God, man, you know. 863 00:35:27,755 --> 00:35:29,626 You don't wanna be that guy. 864 00:35:29,670 --> 00:35:31,933 My education is professional wrestling. 865 00:35:31,976 --> 00:35:34,762 I got a lot of knowledge in the business. 866 00:35:34,805 --> 00:35:37,286 That's one of the reasons I opened this school. 867 00:35:37,330 --> 00:35:39,332 And I wanted to be able to walk away from it and say man, 868 00:35:39,375 --> 00:35:40,594 thanks for the ride, guys. 869 00:35:40,637 --> 00:35:42,161 It's been awesome. 870 00:35:42,204 --> 00:35:44,685 Booker T left the ring at a point where he was one of the, 871 00:35:44,728 --> 00:35:46,948 you know, still the greatest, and didn't wait till that point, 872 00:35:46,991 --> 00:35:48,602 that decline. 873 00:35:48,645 --> 00:35:50,647 Was that at all inspiration for why you're choosing to get out? 874 00:35:50,691 --> 00:35:53,433 I got a few more years left, you know, it's not-- 875 00:35:53,476 --> 00:35:54,651 Well, I don't me now now. 876 00:35:54,695 --> 00:35:56,262 I mean like in the next few years. 877 00:35:56,305 --> 00:35:57,785 But in the very near future, yeah. 878 00:35:57,828 --> 00:36:00,309 You don't wanna give them that mental snapshot of when 879 00:36:00,353 --> 00:36:02,790 you used to be good, and now when he goes to do 880 00:36:02,833 --> 00:36:04,400 the spinneroni and his back pops. 881 00:36:04,444 --> 00:36:06,054 [Laughing] 882 00:36:06,097 --> 00:36:08,665 Always leave them wanting more. Always leave them wanting more. 883 00:36:08,709 --> 00:36:11,712 Booker did that, you know, and that's what I wanna do. 884 00:36:11,755 --> 00:36:14,715 ♪ 885 00:36:14,758 --> 00:36:16,586 We're back in Hassan's home state of Florida 886 00:36:16,630 --> 00:36:20,024 at MLW One Shot, a new event on the outskirts of Orlando. 887 00:36:20,068 --> 00:36:23,332 Hassan's old prison guard and wrestling inspiration, 888 00:36:23,376 --> 00:36:25,421 Primetime, has travelled up from Miami to join me 889 00:36:25,465 --> 00:36:27,380 in the audience. 890 00:36:27,423 --> 00:36:29,773 Alex, Primetime. Primetime, Alex. 891 00:36:29,817 --> 00:36:31,427 Hi, it's so nice to meet you! 892 00:36:31,471 --> 00:36:33,647 I'm gratified for putting this motherfucker in my life. 893 00:36:33,690 --> 00:36:35,692 [Laughing] 894 00:36:35,736 --> 00:36:37,346 Hassan is a busy man tonight. 895 00:36:37,390 --> 00:36:39,348 He's working as an agent for four young wrestlers 896 00:36:39,392 --> 00:36:40,828 in two of the matches. 897 00:36:40,871 --> 00:36:42,264 - Seven minutes. - Okay. 898 00:36:42,308 --> 00:36:45,876 They want like a 70/30, heel, babyface kinda deal. 899 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:48,705 He'll also be performing in his own match. 900 00:36:48,749 --> 00:36:51,534 His opponent: none other than indie upstart 901 00:36:51,578 --> 00:36:54,624 and worldwide desperado Sami Callihan. 902 00:36:54,668 --> 00:36:56,452 So some brainbusters out. 903 00:36:56,496 --> 00:36:57,932 I can take a brainbuster, that's fine. 904 00:36:57,975 --> 00:36:59,977 Hassan's plan is for Sami to win, 905 00:37:00,021 --> 00:37:02,415 creating a kind of "passing of the torch" moment 906 00:37:02,458 --> 00:37:04,591 from a veteran champion to a new star. 907 00:37:04,634 --> 00:37:06,723 You're gonna have ooh, aah, and oh. 908 00:37:06,767 --> 00:37:10,945 Richocet and Swerve are gonna be the, "Aah!" 909 00:37:10,988 --> 00:37:14,514 Lawler and Jeff Cobb will give you the, "Ooh!" 910 00:37:14,557 --> 00:37:15,732 And then we're just like, "Oh!" 911 00:37:15,776 --> 00:37:17,734 We're gonna give you the, "Oh!" 912 00:37:17,778 --> 00:37:19,867 We'll just beat each other up and have fun. 913 00:37:19,910 --> 00:37:22,565 Shortly after arriving though, he discovers that 914 00:37:22,609 --> 00:37:26,482 the MLW promoters have decided it's MVP who should win. 915 00:37:26,526 --> 00:37:27,962 Did he talk to you about the finish? 916 00:37:28,005 --> 00:37:29,093 No. 917 00:37:29,137 --> 00:37:31,792 Okay, um... 918 00:37:31,835 --> 00:37:33,620 [Clap] Mute this for a second, please. 919 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:40,714 [Chattering] 920 00:37:40,757 --> 00:37:42,846 So there's been a bit of a change in the plan 921 00:37:42,890 --> 00:37:44,370 for this evening, right? 922 00:37:44,413 --> 00:37:48,591 Uh, originally Sami was probably gonna come out on top, 923 00:37:48,635 --> 00:37:50,332 but now things have had to change. 924 00:37:50,376 --> 00:37:53,509 On a night like tonight, for this venue, 925 00:37:53,553 --> 00:37:56,947 nobody would expect Sami to beat me, you know what I'm saying? 926 00:37:56,991 --> 00:37:58,645 There's just, you know, a heirarchy. 927 00:37:58,688 --> 00:37:59,907 Like it's all bullshit anyway, right? 928 00:37:59,950 --> 00:38:01,343 [Laughing] 929 00:38:01,387 --> 00:38:03,998 But it doesn't hurt me at all to lose to Sami, 930 00:38:04,041 --> 00:38:05,826 but it does something for him. 931 00:38:05,869 --> 00:38:07,784 And you know, from a business standpoint, 932 00:38:07,828 --> 00:38:09,612 for whatever reason, things change, 933 00:38:09,656 --> 00:38:12,746 but that's fine because Sami doesn't give a shit. 934 00:38:12,789 --> 00:38:15,836 And that's one more reason that I respect him. 935 00:38:15,879 --> 00:38:18,882 He's a guy that's brought up by a lot of the detractors of 936 00:38:18,926 --> 00:38:22,016 the current generation as being sort of the figurehead 937 00:38:22,059 --> 00:38:23,974 of what's wrong with the new kids. 938 00:38:24,018 --> 00:38:25,498 [Laughing] 939 00:38:25,541 --> 00:38:26,629 You know, like "Sami and friends". 940 00:38:26,673 --> 00:38:28,370 He's become sort of this guy that-- 941 00:38:28,414 --> 00:38:30,677 Well then, count me in as the "and friends", you know, 942 00:38:30,720 --> 00:38:33,941 'cause I like his style, I like his intensity, 943 00:38:33,984 --> 00:38:35,769 I like his approach to it. 944 00:38:35,812 --> 00:38:38,119 And you know, like I said, everything evolves, man. 945 00:38:38,162 --> 00:38:41,035 You know, you can't become a relic, an antique, you know. 946 00:38:41,078 --> 00:38:43,124 DAMIAN: Hassan has a pretty realistic approach to 947 00:38:43,167 --> 00:38:46,127 the business of wrestling, and doesn't take it too seriously. 948 00:38:46,170 --> 00:38:49,435 It's something he and Sami seem to have in common. 949 00:38:49,478 --> 00:38:51,785 When you think about wrestling, like it's fucking stupid. 950 00:38:51,828 --> 00:38:53,177 [Laughing] 951 00:38:53,221 --> 00:38:56,006 I'm a cowboy, you're a basketball player. 952 00:38:56,050 --> 00:38:57,834 There's an undead wizard that 953 00:38:57,878 --> 00:38:59,140 strikes people with lightning bolts. 954 00:38:59,183 --> 00:39:00,446 Right, you know. 955 00:39:00,489 --> 00:39:01,882 But we're taking this so seriously, 956 00:39:01,925 --> 00:39:03,666 people wanna get in fights every time. 957 00:39:03,710 --> 00:39:05,015 That's what I say all the time! 958 00:39:05,059 --> 00:39:06,626 - We're grown men! - Yeah. 959 00:39:06,669 --> 00:39:07,844 Play-fighting in spandex! 960 00:39:07,888 --> 00:39:09,063 We're Game of Thrones. 961 00:39:09,106 --> 00:39:11,065 Relax, man! Take it easy! 962 00:39:11,108 --> 00:39:12,414 This is supposed to be fun! 963 00:39:12,458 --> 00:39:14,024 [Bell dinging] 964 00:39:14,068 --> 00:39:16,592 ♪ 965 00:39:16,636 --> 00:39:18,115 ANNOUNCER: He is so agile. 966 00:39:18,159 --> 00:39:29,692 ♪ 967 00:39:29,736 --> 00:39:31,868 Oh, Strickland knew it was coming! 968 00:39:31,912 --> 00:39:33,827 Strickland knew it was coming! 969 00:39:33,870 --> 00:39:35,785 Wow, like The Matrix! 970 00:39:35,829 --> 00:39:37,700 Able to get out of the way of the kick! 971 00:39:37,744 --> 00:39:39,659 - I'm impressed, man. - Thank you. 972 00:39:39,702 --> 00:39:41,225 I'm watching your growth, you know. 973 00:39:41,269 --> 00:39:42,662 I appreciate it. 974 00:39:42,705 --> 00:39:45,491 I've been watching more movies and acting more 975 00:39:45,534 --> 00:39:48,058 to try to finally impliment that in my wrestling. 976 00:39:48,102 --> 00:39:50,060 I've been talking about the evolution of the business. 977 00:39:50,104 --> 00:39:51,540 Right. 978 00:39:51,584 --> 00:39:54,064 The old school guys who shit on the new school guys, 979 00:39:54,108 --> 00:39:57,067 like we used to have the fight scenes, 980 00:39:57,111 --> 00:39:59,243 Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. 981 00:39:59,287 --> 00:40:02,072 Now it's fucking John Wick and Jason Statham, you know? 982 00:40:02,116 --> 00:40:03,639 That shit evolves. 983 00:40:03,683 --> 00:40:07,469 And you guys do that shit in a single take with no wires. 984 00:40:07,513 --> 00:40:08,731 - Imagine that. - Yeah. 985 00:40:08,775 --> 00:40:10,603 [Laughing] A lot of pressure! 986 00:40:10,646 --> 00:40:11,691 A lot of pressure. 987 00:40:11,734 --> 00:40:13,083 You got it, baby, you got it. 988 00:40:13,127 --> 00:40:14,520 The future's in good hands. 989 00:40:14,563 --> 00:40:15,912 Thank you so much, man. 990 00:40:15,956 --> 00:40:20,482 ♪ 991 00:40:20,526 --> 00:40:21,875 [Bell dinging] 992 00:40:21,918 --> 00:40:26,270 [Cheering] 993 00:40:26,314 --> 00:40:27,794 Suckerpunches right. Didn't work! 994 00:40:27,837 --> 00:40:28,925 [Groaning] 995 00:40:28,969 --> 00:40:29,926 Damn. 996 00:40:29,970 --> 00:40:31,101 Connects there with a kick. 997 00:40:31,145 --> 00:40:32,668 [Crowd wincing] 998 00:40:32,712 --> 00:40:34,844 [Cheering] 999 00:40:34,888 --> 00:40:38,544 A lot of people I'm sure would get out of that system of 1000 00:40:38,587 --> 00:40:40,763 being incarcerated and find themselves right back in it. 1001 00:40:40,807 --> 00:40:43,592 For him to kinda get out and then become the very heart 1002 00:40:43,636 --> 00:40:46,247 of this industry, that's like all because of you. 1003 00:40:55,952 --> 00:40:57,519 Pull yourself up. 1004 00:40:57,563 --> 00:40:59,086 That's what you gotta do. 1005 00:40:59,129 --> 00:41:01,088 Sami's a younger guy and represents a sort of 1006 00:41:01,131 --> 00:41:02,916 different generation. 1007 00:41:02,959 --> 00:41:04,657 That's why it's such a dream match show, 1008 00:41:04,700 --> 00:41:07,964 because it's like the two generations colliding. 1009 00:41:08,008 --> 00:41:09,923 What in the world is he doing here? 1010 00:41:09,966 --> 00:41:12,055 Mocking MVP, okay. 1011 00:41:12,099 --> 00:41:13,796 CROWD: Oh! 1012 00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:15,058 [Clapping] 1013 00:41:25,025 --> 00:41:34,643 [Grunting] 1014 00:41:34,687 --> 00:41:35,992 [Slamming] 1015 00:41:36,036 --> 00:41:37,559 There are times now when I'm in the ring 1016 00:41:37,603 --> 00:41:39,648 from an emotional perspective. 1017 00:41:39,692 --> 00:41:43,783 I know like man, I really have to savour this, 1018 00:41:43,826 --> 00:41:47,700 because these days are coming to an end. 1019 00:41:49,702 --> 00:41:51,355 DAMIAN: Watching this match, it's hard to believe 1020 00:41:51,399 --> 00:41:54,141 MVP will be retiring soon. 1021 00:41:54,184 --> 00:41:56,578 But at 44, he's already achieved far more than 1022 00:41:56,622 --> 00:41:59,842 one might've expected from an ex-con from Opa-locka. 1023 00:41:59,886 --> 00:42:02,105 And for all the veterans that dump on the new generation for 1024 00:42:02,149 --> 00:42:04,891 not wrestling like they used to it's clear the business is 1025 00:42:04,934 --> 00:42:07,154 in good hands with talent who are creating wrestling 1026 00:42:07,197 --> 00:42:10,026 by this generation for this generation. 1027 00:42:10,070 --> 00:42:12,289 The wrestling world, especially independent wrestling, 1028 00:42:12,333 --> 00:42:14,030 is only getting bigger. 1029 00:42:14,074 --> 00:42:17,120 And maybe the high-flying acrobatics get clicks, 1030 00:42:17,164 --> 00:42:19,688 but the brutal combat, the old school grappling, 1031 00:42:19,732 --> 00:42:22,691 and the crowd-pleasing characters are all still there. 1032 00:42:22,735 --> 00:42:25,215 From Shane, the unpredictable golden child who wants to be 1033 00:42:25,259 --> 00:42:28,610 good at everything, to Sami, the jeans-wearing, 1034 00:42:28,654 --> 00:42:31,700 spit-throwing, street-brawling desperado, 1035 00:42:31,744 --> 00:42:34,660 young wrestlers are surprising their audiences, 1036 00:42:34,703 --> 00:42:37,053 winning new fans, and driving the evolution of 1037 00:42:37,097 --> 00:42:39,099 American pro wrestling. 1038 00:42:40,927 --> 00:42:42,972 And they're fortunate to have coaches and mentors who can 1039 00:42:43,016 --> 00:42:46,236 pass on their experience and craft, and push them 1040 00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:48,891 to work hard and achieve greatness. 1041 00:42:48,935 --> 00:42:50,850 Even if it is just play-fighting in spandex. 1042 00:42:52,155 --> 00:42:54,331 ANNOUNCER: Throws him in a suplex. 1043 00:42:54,375 --> 00:42:56,333 Holds on for the cover, and that's it! 1044 00:42:56,377 --> 00:42:57,726 [Cheering] 1045 00:42:57,770 --> 00:43:02,905 Ladies and gentlemen, here is your winner, 1046 00:43:02,949 --> 00:43:07,127 M... V... P! 1047 00:43:07,170 --> 00:43:09,085 [Cheering] 1048 00:43:09,129 --> 00:43:11,305 DAMIAN: I have to say I'll be sad when MVP finally decides to 1049 00:43:11,348 --> 00:43:14,134 hang up his boots, but on the other side of the coin 1050 00:43:14,177 --> 00:43:16,310 lies a bright future full of new stars 1051 00:43:16,353 --> 00:43:18,834 who strive to burn just as bright. 1052 00:43:18,878 --> 00:43:22,925 ♪ 1053 00:43:22,969 --> 00:43:25,058 ANNOUNCER: Hold on, is this not done? 1054 00:43:25,101 --> 00:43:26,712 Well, yeah. 1055 00:43:26,755 --> 00:43:28,061 [Cheering] 1056 00:43:28,104 --> 00:43:30,716 Passions are running high right now. 1057 00:43:30,759 --> 00:43:33,370 [Clapping] 1058 00:43:33,414 --> 00:43:35,764 There's a prison guard that helped him pursue his dream of 1059 00:43:35,808 --> 00:43:37,374 being a pro wrestler. 1060 00:43:37,418 --> 00:43:38,375 We understand that prison guard is actually 1061 00:43:38,419 --> 00:43:40,029 in attendance here tonight. 1062 00:43:40,073 --> 00:43:43,250 [Cheering] 1063 00:43:43,293 --> 00:43:45,687 Callihan's checking to make sur all of his teeth are still in. 1064 00:43:45,731 --> 00:43:47,776 Yeah, and it's not the front that he's gotta worry about, 1065 00:43:47,820 --> 00:43:49,125 it's the wisdom teeth.