Doc Gallows is having some of the best times in his career in MLW. A big reason for that is being able to make meaningful contributions to the company alongside longtime tag team partner Karl Anderson. The former mult-time tag team champions lend star power and credibility to the promotion as it enters a new chapter. Gallows can feel the momentum building with Fusion returning weekly on a number of platforms, events bringing nice size crowds, and new company partnerships. Each aspect of the business advances them a step forward.
The biggest thing that I can say is you feel an all-around hunger from the talent to the crew to the backstage to the office. MLW feels more harmonious, if you will, than a lot of companies that I’ve worked in and around,” Gallows said. “The good thing about Court Bauer is there’s an open-door policy, so if you have a concern, you have an idea, it feels to me like there are open arms, and it’s answered, and it’s considered, which is nice from a talent standpoint. But overall, I feel real energy in the product right now.
The “Big LG” could feel the energy in the air. He enjoys being able to step outside the box. He likens the atmosphere to what he felt watching in the 90s, early 2000s, in the sense that MLW has an edge. Gallows credits the pro wrestling-centric, collaborative environment to its owner Court Bauer. He shared an example where during a recent tables match in Chicago he suggested having blood in the battle to add another level of drama and intensity to that match. Bauer agreed. Gallows feels there is a two-way communication on everything including even merchandising ideas.
It’s a beautiful thing having Court there,” he said. “We have a long-standing relationship. We were talking earlier via text about some upcoming MLW business, and Court literally still had paperwork from when he first wrote for me 20 years ago, when I was in developmental in WWE. It’s cool to come full circle and be back working with somebody like that. It feels like gritty pro wrestling, and you know, a lot of the national, international companies, everyone has sponsors to answer to, and investors, and things like that. When you look at MLW, another thing that I just love is one of the main sponsors on board is Don Gato Tequila, owned by Danny McBride, and you know, I’ve personally been a fan of Danny McBride and his comedy for years…I assure you, Danny McBride’s not calling in any strict constraints on what happens in a pro wrestling ring or around it for MLW, which is a nice thing to have.
On the subject he shared: “…. I remember the first time I knocked on Vince McMahon’s door, I could barely get my words out, and I don’t know how receptive he was to what I had to say anyway. So, if you have somebody that you can go and talk to or pitch an idea to, it won’t be just immediately shelved or pushed to the side or get an eye roll. I think it’s a positive…I think if you believe in yourself, you need to be able to speak up. You need to find the proper channels to do it. I got in trouble many years ago in my young 20s in WWE because I didn’t understand the hierarchy that you had to ask permission from one person to talk to the next. But once you kind of know how the ebbs and flows work and how the chain of command is, I think absolutely, if you have something that you feel strongly about, [speak up].”
Along with being the near seven-foot bad ass, Gallows isn’t above having fun when the timing is right. Look no further for that than when the grappler brought out his former character Festus, first introduced to WWE audiences almost 20 years ago.
I was trepidatious about it,” Gallows. “Court and I had talked about it. It had been 17 years since I appeared as Festus, and Festus is one of those ruthless, aggressionary characters that could be questionable, and depending on your audience. So, I didn’t know if one people would remember, or two people, would embrace it, but it ended up getting a **** of a reaction, and I ended up. really enjoying doing…a nostalgic wink at the past. I don’t think it’s something that you can do every week or every month, but I think that, in the right situation, you can dust it off. It gives people a happy moment, and that’s what it’s all about. That’s the business we’re in.”
Gallows has been of the belief there are strength in numbers with a history of factions. From Bullet Club and The Club to Straight Edge Society and Aces & Eights, he knows about what it takes to build a successful group. These days Gallows and Anderson have been embroiled in a Contra civil war with fellow Mercs members Mads Krule Krügger, and Shotz.
I knew Shotzi would get really hot, so I’ve been paying attention.to what she had been doing. We’ve been seeing her around the world on different tours, different shows, so when the opportunity came to form this faction and put the Good Brothers with her, I was like, ‘We have to do that,’” Gallows said. “Those are creative juices that need to flow, for sure. I am a career-long faction man, so I love faction warfare. So, with Contra and the Serpent and now the rise of the Contra Mercs, I think, this all creates dynamic stories. I think it’s very entertaining. I think that if you have a civil war with an MLW for the most powerful faction, it’s going to do nothing but delight the fans, because there are so many different avenues we can take with it. And as you’re seeing already, there are new characters that will be introduced, and it’ll help them along as well, as factions have helped me along in the past.
The future is bright in Gallows’ eyes with established talent working with emerging performers. Among the bright stars in the making that he sees is the Skyscrapers’ Josh Bishop. He feels there is untapped potential there along with Joe Alonzo, his partner on the indies.
Josh has a massive upside. He reminds me a lot of myself when I was young. He’s young, he’s hungry, he’ll do anything for the cause. Josh has that youthful exuberance,” Gallows said. “I say, ‘Brother, this is not the place for you to jump off the side of the building in some of these situations.’ I’ve seen him in other companies and stuff, but I love the excitement, I love the enthusiasm, and I think that it’s just a little bit of fine-tuning, and Josh is gonna do great things. He has a great look, and I think he’ll be a great character.in the business and go much further than we’ve seen so far.
Another name moving up the ranks is Gallows’ own son CJ. He revealed the next generation fighter will be making his MLW debut soon. With AJ Styles’ son Avery also now active and Anderson’s offspring with the potential of entering the ring, we may see a new club develop in the years to come.
Karl and I decided to kind of take a weekend away from traveling all over the place. Next weekend it’s CJ Gallows, Avery Styles, and the Good Brothers. We’re doing a 3-day loop through Georgia and up into, uh, Knoxville, Tennessee. Avery’s gonna be along with us. I think it’s really cool,” he said. “I told my son that we’re going to call them the Sons of the Club. He absolutely hated it, so that’s the front of having a 19-year-old who disagrees with everything…I think the chemistry between [CJ and Avery] is going to be really good. CJ’s getting good quickly. He’s super athletic, and of course, Avery Stiles is the son of AJ Styles, so, you know, you feel like he’s a can’t-miss.
“I talk about it a lot with my son. I go, ‘You.understand the pressure on you. And he goes, ‘Well, dad, you’re a big man, but Avery has more pressure than me.’ And I agree with that. It’s a unique challenge for both of them, so I’m really excited to see how they grow and develop, and it’s cool that. They’re really similar in age, they’re a year or two apart…The ‘Machine Gun’ has got a son who’s 16 right behind him, and he’s a standout athlete in the state of Florida in baseball and football right now, too. So, you never know what the next generation could bring.
MLW Fusion, Saturdays, 6:05/5:05c on YouTube, 9/8c on Veeps, and 10/9c on beIN Sports
