Brian Pillman Jr. On AEW’s Momentum, How AEW and MLW Are Benefiting Each Other

– Speaking with Jeffrey Harris for the 411 Interview Podcast, MLW star Brian Pillman Jr. discussed the rise of AEW and how the new company is impacting the wrestling landscape. Pillman discussed how AEW and MLW’s success are benefiting each other, and pointed out how they’re different sides of the same coin. Below are some highlights:

On AEW’s success and if he and others in MLW pay attention to the company: “Yeah, I think a lot of people are paying attention to AEW, and I think AEW has benefited from MLW. And I think MLW is also benefiting from AEW. So it’s a two-way street, and it creates a system of high-level athletes that have plentiful work and plentiful contracts about. A lot of guys are working both companies. But it’s not so much a battle between the two, it’s more so a dissolvement of a system that creates stars, and creates memories. And there’s two different ideologies, MLW coming from a more traditional methodology and AEW being a more progressive methodology. So at the end of the day, we have two companies creating great wrestling. MLW being more of a serious, competitive style and AEW being more for everybody.”

On his own benefiting from the current wrestling landscape: “You know, I’ve consistently had increasing interest since I began wrestling. I’ve never quite expected how it would go for me. So at this point, I’m already very blessed and happy for where I’m at. Anything else that comes this way, it’s truly because of the people that have already helped me along, the companies like MLW who have made me who I am. That’s who I have to thank.”

In the full interview, Pillman talks about being part of the new era Hart Foundation, their war with Dynasty, his relationship with Teddy Hart, his future with MLW, AEW’s success and how that benefits MLW and himself, Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman heading up WWE’s creative, the pressure of trying to live up to his father’s legacy and more.

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Introduction (0:00)
On the upcoming MLW: Fusion TV tapings and who he’s gunning for (0:37)
On the status of his MLW contract and whether it’s exclusive to the company (3:40)
On forming the new era Hart Foundation with Teddy Hart and Davey Boy Smith Jr. (4:56)
On Teddy Hart being a mentor figure for him his relationship with Teddy (5:40)
On when he knew he wanted to be a wrestler (7:06)
On if he feels pressure to live up to his father’s legacy (7:48)
On learning from his father’s matches (8:50)
On if he had the WrestleMania dream when he first got into the business and whether he feels any rush to get to any specific promotion (9:11)
On what other wrestling promotions he likes to watch (10:20)
On MLW’s progress and success as a company and Court Bauer’s work with the promotion (11:12)
On starting his training with Rip Rogers and learning under Lance Storm (13:07)
On his “Alpha Cats” promo with Teddy Hart (15:30)
On AEW’s early success and how AEW and MLW are benefiting each other (17:50)
On his own stock rising in the current wrestling landscape (19:20)
On own goals in the industry (20:11)
On Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman being made Executive Directors of Raw (21:19)
On whether he has aspirations to work in Japan or Mexico (22:17)
On meeting Jushin Liger and Liger’s rivalry with his father (22:46)
On the Hart Foundation’s war with Dynasty and whether it’s coming to a head (23:28)
On what fans can expect from the MLW: Fusion taping in New York City (24:55)
Where to find him (25:16)

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