Before some fans tune into tonight’s AEW Double Or Nothing, all fans can get their fix of MLW and Ol’ Mance Warner.
Tonight at 6:00 PM on YouTube, the second episode of MLW Anthology will be airing and it showcases the Southern Psycho in not just his “Loser Leaves Town” match against Sami Callihan in MLW, but one of the most brutal fights he’s ever been in as he squares off against heated rival in Jimmy Havoc – a match that happened to have barbed wire ropes.
In an exclusive interview with WrestleZone’s Dominic DeAngelo, Mance covered a wide range of MLW topics, but did say why he thinks deathmatch wrestling is an important part of one’s pro wrestling resume.
“I’m the first one to defend deathmatch wrestling or defend any style of wrestling,” Ol’ Mancer said, “because I don’t think you can be the best pro wrestler in the world unless you’re doing a little bit of everything. You may be the greatest technical wrestler of all time, but if you don’t do this do this, this or this, how can you say, ‘I’m the best motherfucker in pro wrestling?’ Gotta dabble in all of it.”
Mance did give details as to where his mind was when heading into that No Ropes Barbed Wire bout with Havoc as it was not a match he’s ever partaken in.
“So for me, I’ve done matches and fights where there’s barbed wire wrapped around the chair or maybe wrapped around a 2×4 or something like that, but to have that whole ring wrapped and you’re backstage waiting to fight this guy that me and him have been fighting multiple times, we hate each other. I can’t stand this man, he busted me open before and you gotta watch them wrap this whole ring up in barbed wire and you know that you’re about to go in there and get cut up, there’s nothing you can do about it. You’re gonna get cut up if you wanna beat this man’s ass and get paid and get that W, that’s what’s gonna happen. So you’re mind’s gotta go to a dark place, you know, to get ready for that type of fight, so it’s a whole ‘nother beast out there when you got that sonavabitch wrapped in barbed wire.
“The worst thing ever is taking that first shower is after you’ve been in some barbed wire or some damn light tubes, Jesus Christ,” Mancer added.
Even though Warner isn’t a fan of Havoc as a person, he and the British extremist do see one another on the same peak of crazy.
“Can’t stand that son of a bitch. We go out there and you can tell as soon as you step into a fight with somebody, ‘Okay, we’re on the same level right here.’ We’re both crazy and we gotta do everything that we gotta do to get the W and keep on climbing up the ladder here.”
(Transcription credit should go to @DominicDeAngelo of WrestleZone)
Full audio of this exclusive interview releases on Monday as Warner talks wrestling across the world in unique arenas, having that first empty arena match with MJF before the pandemic hit and what MLW legends would he have liked to square off against in his ultimate dream match. Be sure to set a reminder for tonight’s Anthology and see he and Havoc throw down in what is one jaw-dropper of a fight.
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