Mance Warner On the Perception That Hardcore Wrestlers Are Bad Workers, Being Versatile in Styles

Mance Warner spoke with Jeffrey Harris for the 411 Wrestling Interviews Podcast and talked about the misconceptions that people have about hardcore wrestling. Warner is known for his work in hardcore companies like CZW, but discussed how he’s able to adapt his wrestling style to provide whatever is needed to fit a particular match.

Warner also talked about the perception many people have about hardcore wrestlers being poor in-ring workers and how his more workrate-heavy matches get passed by because they know him as a hardcore wrestler and expect that of him. You can check out some highlights and the interview below

On people who don’t appreciate hardcore-style wrestling: “It’s kind of a double-edged sword, you know. You got people that are set in their ways, and to them you paint a picture one way, and that’s it. You got other people that, there’s some people that only wanna see death match wrestling. Some people want to see old-school wrestling. Some people don’t, they wanna see comedy stuff. Ol’ Mancer does a little bit of everything. That’s always been my thing. I can do a little bit of everything. Sometimes if I’m just doing a straight-up wrestling, just out there fighting, people get mad. They want to see a death match. Sometime people, if I do a comedy thing, they get pissed off I’m doing a comedy thing. Can’t make everybody happy, I understand that. I ain’t gonna give no one no hell on their opinion of whatever they think about this or that. It is what it is. I think people just get set in their ways. You can’t change nobody, they’re gonna think what they wanna think.”

On the perception that hardcore wrestlers aren’t good workers: “I mean, everybody knows Ol’ Mancer loves Terry Funk, I love Ric Flair, I love Arn Anderson. I love Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham; I could go on and on about the old-school guys that I love. People kind of get, like I said, set in their ways and they wanna see what they wanna see. Ol’ Mancer’s went out, and I’ve had a 60 minute straight up wrestling match with Michael Elgin. And then people don’t see that, because they wanna see a death match. Or there’s some people that love a little bit of everything. I think if you’re gonna be the best in pro wrestling, you gotta do a little bit of everything. You know what I mean? That’s the way I look at it. If you wanna be the best, you gotta do a little bit of everything.”

In the full interview, Warner discusses his rivalry with Dynasty and a possible shot at Alexander Hammerstone’s MLW Openweight Title, his many matches and rivalry with Nick Gage, wrestling Jerry Lawler in GameChanger Wrestling, how to prepare for a barbed wire match, hardcore wrestling being misunderstood and much more.

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0:00: Introduction
1:35: On how he’s been liking his run in MLW so far
2:23: On Dynasty starting a war with him and how he’ll react, wanting a shot at Alexander Hammerstone’s MLW Openweight Title
3:52: On his current status with MLW
4:10: On fans having more variety in wrestling than ever
5:29: On his hardcore, rougher style being misunderstood by some fans and hardcore wrestlers being underrated as workers
7:58: On fans being able to speak their opinions and his connection with the fanbase
10:08: On his match with Jerry Lawler at GCW’s 2 Cups Stuffed last year
12:07: On being a storyteller in the ring as opposed to just doing moves in the ring
13:10: On being a lifelong fan of wrestling, who he looked up to as a kid
14:12: On bringing his own style to round out his character and where he gets his jackets
15:52: On what beer he would bring if stuck on a desert island
16:45: On his match with Orange Cassidy not happening yet, if Cassidy is scared of him and whether it will happen
18:10: On his matches and rivalry with Nick Gage
18:57: On his busy schedule for WrestleCon during WrestleMania weekend
19:27: On what wrestling he watches, AEW’s impact on the wrestling business
20:27: On wanting to work in Japan and his schedule this this weekend
21:46: On his memories of his barbed wire match with Jimmy Havoc, preparing for barbed wire matches
23:32: On his appreciation for barbecue
24:58: Where fans can find him

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