Tevin Talks
Tevin Talks with White Mike
And you know what I'm gonna do. Good evening everybody. This is Tevin with Tevin talks and my great-looking co-host goes by the name of. It's normally been racing, but ladies and gentlemen, tonight you get Benny. Ooh, I like that. And I think I should put this guy over Benny. What do you think? I would. I think so. Yeah, I got to man. First of all, I got to say congratulations. New father again. Oh, that's the best. And I mean, I think you're killing it personally just seeing. From what you come from dude is over the last, I will say 10 years. Totally different person. I've seen you. In some pretty nasty stuff. I've seen you overcome it and become the best version of yourself now. I think everybody is proud of who you are today. Not only as a father, but wrestler and as a person. And that's why I specifically wanted to bring you on because I think people need to get to know who. You are outside of wrestling. Absolutely. I appreciate that man. And I appreciate y'all having me on. And I think outside of just again, if we are set in the wrestling, let's talk about somebody who has traveled. The country and put on some of the best matches. That a lot of people don't talk about. Oh, man. I've been doing it a long time. Many, many championships, whether that is tagged, that is singles. You can literally put you in any kind of situation. And you're going to make a hell of a match out of it. Nintendo, baby, plug and play. Yeah, I don't know who the hell we're talking about. This is white mic everybody. Oh, man. What an introduction. It was hard not to talk in between. I'm like, man, you're being so nice to me, putting me over. But yes, I definitely would love to talk about some things outside of wrestling because, you know, wrestling isn't what we are and who we are. I mean, for some of us, it might be, but like, there's other things we can do too. Like the ad, you know, that's the best thing you can be. Yeah, man. How does it feel? How does it feel again, man? Man, it's a sodas. My last boy was in 2013, I do believe, you know, right when GTA five came out the first time. So as you can imagine, there's been so many re-releases of that game, but also I've had a huge gap in like, you know, being a parent, being a, you know, for a baby and looking after a child. But I don't know what it is, but man, it just kicked on. It clicked. I have a great partner with Trina. She's amazing. It's just a beautiful blessing to be able to have four walls, a roof, and to be able to provide for your children. You know, nothing takes that. Nothing takes that away from you. And I think that, you know, me, one thing might mean you are more like than people know. Absolutely. We're, you know, we, we're good for making some babies. Let's just say we are good for making some babies, absolutely. But I think we've also learned for some strong women in our life too. Oh, you know what I mean? I think being broke, I'm supposed to say that, man, because honestly, a lot of people don't know this, but like, obviously, you know, I come from a broken home, no father to guide me. But man, I had a lot of women guide me. And that's why I do a lot of standing up for, you know, for a lot of women. And man, I'm so incredibly lucky to be raising a little girl right now. So it's, we are definitely a lot of like, man, I love it. Yeah, for sure, man. And I think it took us quite some time to find the special ladies that we have in our life. But I mean, I think I can say the same for you. And I feel this is the best situation that I've ever been in and my wife is the best. I was saying one of my best friends, I've known him since I was three years old, still best friends this day. His name, Antoine, we grew up in North Charleston. He always just say, if you're going through hell, don't stop there. Keep going. Don't stop there. And man, I've been through hell in back a few times and I am fortunate today to be where I'm at. I'm so blessed. I'm so lucky. You know, I'm just glad, you know, I just kept going. You know, I didn't stay where I was. As you shouldn't. We all got to elevate. We always have to. And it's like, it takes, it takes situations that, you know, by the things that we've been through growing up, which I'll show you a share for us to be the people that we are now like me personally everything that I do. And I set out for myself. It's for my kids and my wife because I don't want my kids to ever go through the things that I ever went through growing up. Absolutely. Absolutely. Especially as they get older and they want to, you know, get in the wrestling stuff too. I'm like, man, you don't even know how hard it was for me to, and for a lot of us coming up. Just, you know, it's just muddy water sometimes. I, well, should I keep going? What should I do? But then you look at them in the crime and you're like, oh, you know, you got to go for them. And I'm realizing that more today as well, being a blessing for my babies. Oh, no, you're fine, brother. Like, what's one thing about this show? We're wrong. So, absolutely. Let it happen. Oh, yeah. They weren't just got something the same. And she does. She's a little promo like me. She's, she's almost talking. I feel like she's not even like fully three months and she's just a little deal, a little ham. You don't want that. It's okay. For those that don't know when, when was the start of white Mike. Oh, man, we'll see it was like a very, very long time ago. This is before the Internet. This is a man white Mike. So I grew up in North Charleston, South Carolina, where I was predominantly like one of the white, like few white families that stayed there. I grew up off Dorchester Whalen with the E a burns elementary and with the Brentwood middle. Like, we grew, I grew up pretty hard and, you know, me and my group of friends, they always call me white Mike. I think it is definitely before the wire, probably before the Waynes brothers, because I know they had a white Mike, but man, we did watch the Waynes brothers. That's a great show, by the way, should have had an ending. Should have had a final episode. But yeah, I grew up like during the 90s in North Charleston, man, we, here's what we did. We get, we get off from school. Then, you know, we play either wrestling or football in the street. We take a break from four to five to watch Dragon Ball Z. We go right back outside and we either wrestle or we play football and I'm actually still grateful to be friends with all of those guys that grew up with. I remember we were all like, you know, we're going to be wrestlers one day, we're going to be pro wrestlers one day, and I was the only one to do it. I really thought my buddy Antoine would be the one to make it because he was just like, he was like the hood RBD, he could flip off anything and he did the splits like he was crazy athletic. And I'll gladly put him over. And maybe one day I can get that match, but that's how white Mike came to be. They called me that in school, all growing up and it just, I was like, man, as I left the hood and I, you know, I went to become a wrestler. I was like, well, I'm going to call myself white Mike is a go back to them, you know, because they believed and they still believe and it's a beautiful thing. I'm old now. I'm old now, but I love it. It's great. I'm grateful. That is a story. Yeah, exactly. And that is a beautiful thing that, you know, you kept the name that your friends gave you out of respect to them and a throwback to them. And like you said, because they believed in you. And we all believed in each other, man. It was a great circle. Again, we play football. You know, we just, you know, watch play basketball, all the sports, you know, anything you can think of as a kid like, man, we were out there doing it. We would literally go to people's houses and wrestle in their yards. And they would literally watch us out the kitchen window like, yo, do do this move to that move and looking back on it. Well, I would, I would have shot my asses. And I would have shot some of it to my yard at a 450 on my fence, bro. Jesus. Crazy times. But now this is wild, bro. We didn't need to ring the ground. The ground was so soft and certain places. But yeah, man, I wouldn't trade it for anything. And I'm wrong with that at all. You know, so we can honestly say that your art, it sounds like you're telling us that you're the very first white Mike, you know, I don't think I'm the first because I think there was like a drug dealer named white Mike up. But like, I don't want to say I'm the most successful, but like, to me to wake up and to be able to go through a curtain and to wrestle is, again, is the ultimate flowers. It's the ultimate tribute to my people. And man, they've seen me wrestle like once or twice in South Carolina, but they always message me and they always just keep going and I'm just can't stop man. That's one of the reasons why I do it. I know that's right. I know one thing that's awesome that you have a circle like that to like hype you up and to like have your back no matter what because a lot of people don't have that. They don't man and sometimes we won't talk for like a few months, maybe even a year or so, but like once we talk it's just like when we're like kids. Like I said, I met most of them when I was three we were three and like I'm still grateful to be able to call them friends. My little click man. I'm grateful for them. I miss them. I really do. Those are my people. They're listening to this and know that you got love for a man. Oh, they know, man. Again, we talk every so often. So, and then again, they're always like just keep doing it, man. We're proud. We love you. And that's all man. Again, growing up in a broken home. Like I said, you flipped that dial on the TV. I'm that old. You flip turn the dial and again, wrestling raised me and sports raised me. And so I just, I'm very lucky to be able to like, you know, one not be gone off drugs or dead somewhere. Like I'm just still chasing that dream, man. Yeah, I know for me, a lot of guys that I grew up with or went to school with a lot or dead, a lot of our dead and a lot of them went to jail. Never heard of them again. Seen them on drugs. It's been a rough one, man. And not like just just looking back. I'm like, I'm glad that my mom, I didn't have a strict mom. I had a real mom. Me too. My mom like party though. So like she would be real strict and I catch a party and I'm like, well, wait a minute. But, you know, I love my mother. I haven't had my mom since 2011. God rest her soul. But if it wasn't for her, you know, she would take me to the show. She would buy me the magazines. Like I'm so grateful again to go through that curtain and to put on for her and my auntie and a bunch of people were just not in my life anymore, you know, but always supported me and always just knew that I was going to do something. And, you know, it might not be great, but it's great to me because again, I'm not strung out somewhere. I'm not hurting somewhere. I'm not begging online. Would it go for me? You know, to get some dumb shit. You know, I'm not knocking that. But again, I just like, man, I'm very grateful to be able to go to work, fly for my kids and just have fun. Because this is what is, that's what it's all about having fun. Exactly. And no, I gotta, I gotta hit on that, bro. You are great. You know, just again, seeing what you overcame, bro, like me, me knowing you and meeting you and I'm not saying that you were a bad person. Absolutely. But seeing you then and then seeing you now, nine day. Absolutely. And when you say that, it's like, again, because a lot of people don't know me past 2014, you know what I mean. So again, what they see of me is what I essentially put out, you know, it's like, Oh, I've seen this somewhere about him. Maybe that's true or whatever. And you hear about me like, I don't know if I like this guy, but when you meet me at 10 times out of 10, everybody loves me unless it's like, you know, somebody who just doesn't like fun. Because I mean, I tried to prod myself and being the funny guy making people laugh, you know, we're all going to these shows and it's like hours and hours and we got standing around and wait. So why not crack a few jokes. Sometimes I get carried away in the ring. Yes, I do. But man, the fans give that to me. So I got to give that back to him. Hence why I come out to give it to me baby, you know, it's just got to be done. And that's just you, you put on the show. It doesn't matter where you are. It doesn't matter how big the crowd is. I've always seen the exact same white Mike in the ring because I know that when you come to that curtain, you're about to give this shit everything you've got no matter no matter who's here, no matter how many people, the circumstances, it's going to be the same thing, whether I got it or I don't, baby, like I'm going to that curtain like full force like all right, well they're going to remember my entrance, or they're going to remember this move I gather, you know, it's just put the serve the fans first, you know, for a lot of years. And this is like it, you know, 2016 to about 2021. I kind of walk around like, you know, with the fake smile meeting everything with the joke because essentially I was hurting because I had really lost my first family, not like in a sense like I lost them, you know, tragically, but like, you know, I was doing these nickel one dime shows and it just wasn't working out. And like, you know, I couldn't keep this job over here because I would prioritize these little shitty shows. I'm like, well, I just want to be a wrestler. And so once I got out of that, and I was literally on my own, he was like, man, how do I survive? What do I do to survive. So I'm either going to flounder, or I'm just going to, you know, greet everything with a joke like everything's fine like I really wasn't hurting that I was missing my family. But for some reason, you know, those jokes got me to high places. Sometimes it got me to some low places, but the thing was I just had to keep going and just keep telling my story because I knew one day, like, I was going to have my shit together. But just, you know, start from scratch is hard man starting over is hard. But if you see it through. And I'm telling you, the wildest shit can happen because I, I, I love pro wrestling that's awarded me with so much great stuff and I'm so grateful that I didn't just like tuck my tail between my legs and run off somewhere and just, you know, just be, you know, don't do it because I'm bitter or maybe I got found out, or maybe it's just a bunch of other stuff that you don't want to say. It's like, man, again, have fun with this. And I think that's where a lot of people basically screw this thing because there's real life and there's wrestling. Yes, there, there's white mic and there's Michael Smith. And it took me a long time to figure out how to flip that switch off. And I tell you, it wasn't until the pandemic tells like, man, I need to get my shit together. You know, wrestling might not be here for me. And it wasn't there for me for that year. COVID made everybody sit the hell down. Absolutely. Some people go for the worst me for the best I feel like. I mean, I know for me personally. It was definitely an opener. And every way, because it made everybody. I think that might have been the first time everybody actually had to sit down and think like a lot of us be like, Oh, man, I got put in some apps real quick. Oh, no, I need to come up my little rent money. And that's myself included. It got real out here, bro. COVID like it's shut everything down. I mean, that's when we were hot. I had a lot of bookings. I could just coast off bookings and pay so many bills like it's cursed. It was, you know, busting in a curse but like. Fortunate no matter what, but like, man, what's it stopped? It's like, well, maybe I'm gonna go back to school. She was real man. It really made you sit down thinking like, you know, is this what I want to do. Just like that. It can be taken from us. I remember what you want to do. You will find your way. You will find your way. We literally, we had, I was wrestling with Firestar at the time. We had this, this bar show. We had that show. I think that Friday or Saturday and then like that Monday, everything shut down. Literally. And it was just like holding in like for me. You know, I, that's when I just came back from breaking my collarbone. Yep. This was my very first match back. And I turned heel. I had some time. So then it's like, seven terms heel. We have one match. He's a heel. And like, Kobe is like, Oh, shit. I'm like, this is like, we're gonna put that on hold real quick. And honestly, my biggest heartbreak of the COVID was, I think I was it. There's a tag team. Besties in the world. Legit, one of the funnest tag teams to watch. They were legit going to wrestle like little Donnie and Jeff Hart at a wrestle con. And I was like, man, I was going to be there. I was going to watch that. Probably not even books, but like so much good stuff. Like got shit on. And then, you know, what can you do. We're talking live about the COVID hour. One thing we like to do here is have some fun, brother. And we created this game. It's not something we created. We kind of paid back off another game, but we just switched the name is called standing on business. Oh, shit. This is a kind of this or that game. We throw out two options. It's different genre. It can be wrestlers. It can be music. It can be movies, whatever the case may be, but pick one of them. They're very stanky. I like here. There's a twist though. There's a twist. That's cool. I'll crank on it. If you do the political correct way and say both, there's a consequence. There's a consequence. Oh, all right. One that I kind of just brainstormed with camera with, you know. Yeah. Since we got Russell K coming up. You know, I feel like you're going to be a FFS correct. Oh, yeah, absolutely. All right. So that's the case. If I can just get a minute of your time at FFS. The old white microwave, take your shirt off, walk around, hold your nipples. I want to say, just stand there and just scream. You got us. So that's okay. Oh, so that's like a challenge type deal. Yes, sir. Oh, wow. I'll do that. As soon as I get there, I will get my own kids to do that. I'll line me and my children up. I guarantee you'll have that footage 10 times over. All right. So we got some good questions. And like I said, may the odds be in your favor, bro. Let's do it. All right. Question number one. Diego Hill or Bojack. Oh, man. All right. All ready with it. Oh, man. I love both equally almost. But if I got a pick one, I always tell them and I always tell Bojack as well. I love Bojack, but Diego Hill, there's just something about him that just amidst that electricity. That's like, you want to see more of him. You want to see him shine. And just like, again, I'm a big fan of him. I'm sorry, Bojack. It's because he almost moon sold in my head to GCW. That's what I'm not thinking about. Almost had a both on the first question. Oh, man. And I'm glad you gave little stories with this. I did forget to mention if you have any stories with any of these people that we say or whatever we do. You can tell a story by all means. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I got to. I love both equally, but dang it, I'm going Diego. I respect that. I respect the shout out Diego. Shout out Bojack. Absolutely. All right. This next one, disco Inferno or Gustavo. Come on now. If you ask me, if you asked me this in 1997, I might say disco. But come on, it's Gustavo, man. Oh, my God. I'm going to Gustavo. Now this next one. Now. With the bottom. Oh, give him roses to the girls, man. That's a wrap. I'm going to do something about his entries. Well, he got swag. I'll tell you that much. He does, man. It really does. Now this next one, I think everybody wants to know. Rick James or Charlie Murphy. Ah, man, because you really can't have one without the other because without Charlie. out Charlie Murphy talking about Rick James and without Rick James being so crazy, you don't get that story. Exactly. Rest in peace to both. Yes, sir. Like, man, Charlie Murphy, very underrated comedian as far as just his humor and his delivery and tone goes. You know, we all love Eddie and, you know, Eddie is, you know, Eddie, you know, we all pick Eddie, but man, Charlie Murphy underrated Jim just the way he sells shit on the shapelle show and just his stand up in general is just so funny. I hate it. It breaks my heart, but I got to pick Rick James. Rick James is essentially like what my character is. It's essentially that E through Hollywood story of, you know, Rick James, but it's somebody dressed up as Rick James. Like, man, just, I don't know, I've always been a fan. I just always remember my mama blasting his music and I'm like, man, I'm ever being a kid. It's like, yo, that's good. I am dancing. I don't know if I'm dancing good to this, but it's definitely got me feeling something. I got asked me this in four months and I'm a pick Charlie Murphy. Dang it. Oh, man. All right. Next up. I'm trying, man. I'm trying. Sting or Brent Hart? Oh, man. I got to go sting. Honestly, I love Brent Hart grew up on both grew up on both very fortunate and beautiful enough to see them all the way through damn near, at least from, you know, when they started to figure it out type, you know, I got to go sting because man's thing had me since I was a kid from jump, like the face paint, pressing people over his head, beating his chest. And the reason I'm a pro wrestler today is sting versus Rick Flair, class of champions 88. I know I didn't see it in 88, but I saw it and I said, that is it. I remember going to kindergarten, me like, yo, I'm a wrestler now. I'm going to be a wrestler forever and got made fun of forever. But hey, look at me now. Man, I didn't run with that. No, I love Brent Hart, though. And then wrong with that. I didn't have this one written down, but it literally just clicked in my head and I got to ask I have to. This one's going to movies. Ready to rumble or dodgeball? Oh, man, ready to rumble. Dodgeball is great. It's got great quotes. The fucking the purple coat is an entrance is iconic. Some names we can't stay out loud, but Mrs. Jones, you know, it's just so pretty. Ready to rumble is that wrestling film that like, you've got to watch it. There's so many quotes from it. Like, oh my, Oliver Platt, like Pratt did so good. Like, it's just a great movie. Like, every day, I'm like, hip-tossy, baby. Like, just dumb stuff. Like, that's a movie. Like, I will always own no matter what is it. Eight K, 12K DVD. I'm going to buy that movie. The crazy part is, um, and the reason I brought it up, it was maybe like a week ago, I was taking a nap. I woke up to my oldest daughter, watching ready to rumble, and she's like, probably like, 40 minutes into it. She's like, Daddy, you ever seen this movie? And I was like, never seen it. Let's watch a kid. Never seen it. Oh, wow, man. So you watch it with her for the first time. That's crazy. It was cool. It was cool. It's such a, it's such a different, like, type movie, you know, but still, I love it. Fucking, uh, I quoted all the time. It's like, well, two losers have the money, night show live. Yes, they would. Right. Oh, okay. They're driving out there, like it's. How's the shit work coming along, boys? Right? Like, it's just, it's great. Like, I love that movie. Oh, man. This next one, uh, go to go and say R. P to both. Uh, I think this might be a tough one for you. Umaga. Umaga or Bray Wyatt? Oh, man. Golly. This is going to be the one where I choose both. Okay. And, uh, honestly, umaga, like when he was like, when he first, even when he came in with like the three minute morning, he was fucking scary. He was special. Him and Jamal, right? He was Jamal, sorry. Jamal, air Rosie was like, they were scary. Like that they beat the shadow everybody within three minutes. I remember they like, splash the lesbians quote unquote, like they did not take easy on them, bro. And the new fast forward to umaga smoke and Steve, oh, might still be like the most beautiful piece of cinema you can watch. Because Steve was like, I don't get it. Why is he hitting me? Somebody should have hit me. Nobody. Nobody warned him at all. It was just, it was, oh god. It's like you better be on your P's and Q's with that man, uh, for sure. I put like Bray Wyatt, though. It's hard. Again, it's hard to pick like one of the other because Bray has essentially changed the way this business is, man. Like as far as believing in your creations and your creativity and just who and what you are and what you want to perceive yourself to be. I, I get goosebumps thinking about him. I think he's gone way too soon. It breaks my heart. Both of them. Soon, like I would have loved to have seen umaga versus Bray Wyatt at some time. That would have been something special. I think that they would have had the crowd the entire time. You got two, you got two personalities in the ring. I think that were unmatched. And honestly, the physicality of those matches too. Oh yeah. And the mind games that could be played. Oh man, it like, it's beautiful to just sit around and just think of hypotheticals with those two or, you know, like just, I could just think about that like all day and lose myself and like fantasy books that so good. Can you even like, could you imagine like honestly right now? If we had umaga in this whole bloodline situation, like the rock, bro, just think, think about this honestly. The rock being the leader umaga, Roman Reigns and then and J.C. Jacob would have to go with Roman Roman versus rock. Jacob Fattu versus umaga. Kelly bro, umaga would have to be the Rockston Forcer, you know, something like that would be wild. Crazy man. And then it's like, well, we might get on listening to nobody. If you got to bring back Alejandro and all that, like man, it could just be some good business. Get this man in line, please help us. All right, we got, we got two more. Now this this next one, I'm very, very interested in know which one. Okay, Ellen merch or Mr. Rob Keeljoy? She man, that is a tough one. I hate to break Rob's heart, but it's selling merch, but I wouldn't be able to sell my merch if it wasn't for Rob, to be honest. I've learned a lot through him and the ugly ducklings, um, him and Lance Lood actually, like just as far as just like, if you're a pro wrestler in this sport, you need to have something to sell. And I haven't seen a table other than maybe George South that like is like, yo, what is going on? Rob doesn't consolidate. Uh, we could be going to New York. We'd be going anywhere around the world. Brother has like 15 totes of shirts, all the eight by tens, duck calls you can think of. And again, that's just a testament to his hustle. He's smart. A lot of people look at him and is like, that guy looks like, you know, we've seen Rob, you know, but no, actually, brother is very smart as far as not only as the wrestling aspect goes, but like, sell a merchant some financial decisions, some, some Robert, um, like he's again, pick his brain because I've been very fortunate to sell my merch because of him at high places. And speaking of high, I love Rob, but he's got to be high off his mind if I'm going to pick not sell a merch over him, daddy. There we go. I love Rob, man. Uh, I met him in 2007. Uh, when I first started and, uh, whatever, uh, this guy showed me an arm drag. I was just like walking to the back. It was just some old guy who didn't know what fuck he's doing. And I was like, man, I felt wrong. That didn't feel right. And when I come through the curtain, Rob's there immediately. This is not even the show. This is just practice. This is people practicing around. He goes, Hey, man, that arm, that arm drag is all wrong. I was like, man, I know it was, but I didn't want to say anything. And he goes, come out here. I was trying to do it for real and then proceeded to roll me around for like a couple hours before the show. And that's what started our beautiful friendship all the way back in 2007. Very grateful for Rob. Hey, man. Ain't it wrong that Rob, uh, Rob has crazy experience. I've been on one of those long car rides before. So, uh, trust me. Brother, you're sardine in there and they're like, well, what's wrong? I was like, man, my knee's, I mean, I'm 38 now, bro. This hurts. I'm hurting in the back of this car. But honestly, no, I can't say that. Very comfortable now. Uh, you know, he's got a bigger car. He provides snacks. He's always got a case of water. Like again, the man's very smart. And, uh, if you're around to pick his brain, to get critiques, you know, don't freak out. Don't cry. Don't even have your dad call him when you're upset. You match and go your way just to breathe and listen to what that man has to say. And I promise you, I when in doubt, just find Rob. That's a quote directly from me through him. I heard that. I feel like that. That was a good one. What do you think, man? That's a real good one. I like that. Well, yeah, I like that. And that's my boy. It really is. Well, we're expecting that love to get a video of you at a Russell K. now. Because, uh, oh God. Correct. You know, it's all good. I want to switch gears and ask you some Michael Smith questions. Ooh, I like those. Yeah, man. Those are always here and far between. Oh, yeah. So, uh, what does it, what does being a father mean to you? Man, what it means to me is being there, not missing the moments, not missing, you know, the scrutiny, the plays, the football games, the soccer games. And that's hard when you're a pro wrestler because it's a demanding job that has you from either California to Canada or anywhere in between. So you, and, you know, you got to kind of make sacrifices. Early part of my career, man, I would make sacrifices for some of the worst shows ever. Now, unfortunate and lucky enough to be able to do those shows, to do better shows, sorry, to do great shows and have my boys there and to, to have them meet Clementine at Russell Kade this year, uh, to just, to, for them to see like how the boys and how everybody like treats me as a person, it's crazy because I don't think I'm this huge name. I just, I walk around, you know, I don't, you know, I don't walk around with my head held high. I just, I'm grateful to be in a place to wrestle. But more importantly, I'm grateful to be in that place with this mindset and just it feels good. Like I love being a parent. Um, there are times where again, I put wrestling first, but again, you make mistakes. Don't make the same mistakes twice. And, you know, I'm, I'm just grateful to be able to be there for things now and to be able to get them stuff through wrestling and to have them. And again, I did AEW security guard, people are like shitting on me because all we do is security. Man, I got paid to eat catering with a lot of my good friends and a lot of people love seeing me there. And it blew my mind, but the best part was walking up second 102 and seeing my boys and, and Trina just waiting on me. So proud of me, even if all I did was security. But let me tell you that check cleared. That's what's important. Yeah, exactly. Flight security. AB up screaming. I'm sorry. Look at it. It was a little fake though. She said I need a half ounce of milk. I'm a, I'm a, I'm a switch to, I'm just going to keep switching gears, man, because I just the comment, the comment, I think every conversation I've had with you has always been a learning experience for me. And I think this, me asking these questions are for the world to hear and especially guys that are up and coming because, you know, we just had cosign on and man, that was one hell of a conversation. Just can we pause real quick and just for, and again, you probably see my face getting red. I get goosebumps. I watched that man eat shit for a lot of years. And all he did was wear a smile. I'm legit about to have a tear. All he did was smile and put forth. He put forth for all his kids, no matter how bad, no matter how good, no matter what they thought they were going to be or what they wanted to be or if they got bitter because they couldn't be. He stayed there. And I'm pretty sure he probably went through a lot of hard time, Daddy, you know, keeping that place afloat. So I have, I just I'm grateful for him because I remember and it was just four. And now it's just unreal. Oh, yeah. Like, I'm again, 2016, whatever I left my family that first time and like, I was like, what am I going to do? Where am I going to go? I'm rusty as hell. I'm overweight, cosign on welcoming me with open arms just fall, you know, off a couple times he's booked me off here, say, and let me get back in the ring shape. And he provided me a match with new Jack, which we all love. And I'm grateful to that man. And to see him get his flowers now, like he should have had him a long time ago. But I love it. I'm so proud of him. I am again, obviously by the tone in which I'm speaking, I'm grateful to have met him and I am so happy for him. And that's going everybody and anybody a part of it. Like this hot time right now, man. Yeah, man, it's a it's a great time to be. I'm not even I'm not just going to say just a wrestler because you have to hit on the conversation that we had with goes on, you know, it being a thousand jobs and wrestling, whether that somebody that's running out and getting the merchandise that wrestlers just took off, if that's to the commentators to the book or to somebody bringing water to the guys in the back of the audio. I think of a w that's a security gig. I think of a man to kiss running production cards. Like nobody probably wanted to do that job, but she did it with a smile on her face. And again, that check cleared. So y'all could say whatever, be whatever. But man, yeah, you got to find your way in. And once you do, if you know, you ride that wave, that's fine. As you should. I mean, wrestling played, be scared. Jump in there. It's a huge job, man. And it's so much to do. And we are our job is not done. It's not done at all. Speaking of cozone, me and Rob Kiljoy, we took a Sanjay Dut seminar through Cozone and Firestar. He said, if anybody ever asks you something in pro wrestling, it doesn't matter what it is. Say yes. Say yes. Because you just never know. Thank you, cozone. Thank you, Sanjay Dut. Thank you, Firestar pro wrestling. Thank you, cozone. Thank you, Sanjay. Thank you, Firestar. Yes. Thank you, Rob. Thank you, Rob. All right. I've got another one for you. With someone as tenured as yourself in this business, what still motivates you to hit the roads? Oh my gosh, man. Honestly, it's, it's traveling with Rob. It's traveling with our little crew, no matter who joins us. It's, I just think it's crazy that like we're 24 years in the future. It's 2024. And people pay us to wrestle people pay us really good to wrestle. Again, that's a testament to just getting the cars. I wasn't always in this car. You know, I jumped in this car a long time ago, and I've been very grateful. I've actually called my matches with him with my baby in my arms a few times, not this baby, but my baby boy. Um, man, again, it's just having fun. It's all it is, man. I think it's fun to be able to drive to Canada because I ain't flying this. I think it's, you know, you know, how do we keep ourselves from going crazy, man? Or how do we keep ourselves from just like losing it or just freaking out? And it's always a good time. Like I remember traveling with like Billy Brash. We've never had an argument. It's like me, him, Tracer, and Timmy, like we all went to Canada and not one argument for two days, killed it, came back. And, you know, it's just, that's, that's a flower. That's a bouquet right there being able to, you know, whether it's 40 miles or 400 miles, man. Again, going through the curtain is the blessing. Wrestling in front of fans is the blessing. Every time I think a lot of people take that for granted. Coz I'm actually hit on something and, you know, just explaining to these guys that are upset that might not have a spot right now. A because they're possibly not ready. They're not done with training. They're saying everybody else progress. You got to think about the people that want to do this, the people that dream to do this that physically can't. And they would break their damn necks just a step in a ring. Just a step in front of a crowd and show them what they wanted to do their whole life. So we have to take this as a blessing. And every every time I step in the ring, I pray before the matches. I pray for not only myself, but for the person that I'm across from, for the referee, everybody that's there because I want everybody to be safe. I want everybody to go in the same way, come out the same way. Happy, put on a crap. They put on a great show for the crowd. And everybody goes home to their families. I love. I love that. Absolutely. Absolutely. Nothing wrong. Same prayer before and after. There's nothing. There's nothing wrong with prayer and wrestling. A lot of people don't know, like, I'm a God for your man. You know, proud King James. Like, I put him first in my life after not putting him first in my life for the longest time. And I think again, I had a lot of blessings. I'm not like, I'm just about, you know, die hard. But like, this question about wrestling just now really got me thinking like, because you know, you got guys that don't die hard. You got guys that like eat, sleep, and breathe this. And I think white Mike, the character, a lot of times rub those type of guys the wrong way because, you know, they're putting in those extra reps of the gym. They're busting their ass, you know, traveling up and down, you know, just trying to get a scratch, a piece of something, even some of the young guys now probably. And I remember like, I would just like song and dance, do my little routine and not really like I'm a just enougher. Like I'll do just enough. But like, I feel like just times where I could work harder than I do. And I, you know, I rely on the character more so than ever sometimes. But like, man, when the people that people just respond to me being like a goofy character, I'm okay to wear a go my face. I'm okay to look stupid, silly, because I know at the end of the day, the check is going to be the same. It's going to be fine. Now, if you want me to go out there and give you that super indie banger. Yeah, sure, I'm gonna do it. I can do it. I'm gonna be sort of next day. But like, I much rather, you know, do a little song and dance. And I know sometimes that, you know, rubs people the wrong way. But like, there's different flavors of ice cream. There's different flavors of pro wrestling. But you can't deny my hustle and the fact that I love this. And if I didn't love this, I wouldn't continue to do it. I wouldn't continue to kill my body for something. I'm just like, I have to ask. But you know, but it's a tough one, man, because again, I come off and I got a weird character. It always like it's toting the line of comedy and just going and going and going. But I like to do both. I like to save my bump card. I don't have to kill myself to get a reaction. I could do something silly in that man that sells me 20 shirts. I'm like, okay, that's facts. I'm not saying I'm not gonna work hard or don't work hard. But like, you know, don't hate all me because my shit's working. Exactly. And you like to say you've been doing that for some time. And I've always seen you entertain the crowd. No matter, again, you a serious mic or you're going out there just to show your ass. You're going out there to have fun regardless. And I think everybody has always appreciated it from me. I think we're thankful to have somebody like you. I hear putting your body in the line. And just to see where you come from and seeing Mike as a dad still as a top tier wrestler, man, it's a great thing to see. I love this because now it's all on me. You know, I'm not, I'm not, you know, coasting off a group, the work horseman. I love the work horseman. I'm not coasting off a tag team, the GMB. I'm not coasting off my even the old days of fallout. If y'all recall that old group from 2012, like, I've always just been a fan of wrestling. I don't care what period or, you know, what's said about me is at the end of the day, I'm going to be in a ring. And most people who are talking about me are either not that great in the ring. And I've seen it recently. I ain't going to talk about it, but it's funny as hell. Like a lot of people are like, man, you can't do this. You suck. You can't wrestle. I'll get off at eight o'clock. I'll beat your ass. And these same guys at the show, not only do they not beat your ass, but boy, it's not great. And I don't want to be like, yo, you suck. You should get out of wrestling. No, never, never, never, never. But I would love to offer them some advice to maybe be like, Hey, do this there. Maybe you should use some, you know, talk there a little bit more. But nah, they're too big headed or they're too stubborn. Again, I've been that way to, you know, want to pick my brain or whatever. People forget, man, but before Homeboy got canceled, I wrestled Michael Elgin in front of like 40 people off of his new Japan tours and like, man, I kept up with big dude. Like, like, AJ Francis, like, I'm keeping up with him in the ring. Like, I can keep up with any and everyone, man, it doesn't matter what type of wrestler you are. I think it's cool to be able to wrestle against any style to go against any style. Again, it's it's plug and play. I like that. I think that, um, you know, people, people look at, you know, who, who used to be in my think, you know, hey, I don't think Mike can run with this person. And again, we're seeing you on Wrestle Cade stages and wrestling across the country. And you're putting on some of the best work now that you probably ever have. And that goes to show you as a person that shows growth. Um, I can, I don't even have to ask you, I can tell that your mental space right now is at an all time high. And I think, I think, I think Benny would definitely be able to tell you that like we've seen a total different Mike from 2017 to 2024 Mike. Absolutely, man. Uh, I, I, um, honestly, you just, you, you, how do I say this? You really just got to stay in on business with yourself as a person and be like, you either want to do good or you want to do bad. There's no in between. Um, I know I'm not the best wrestler, but I've always pride myself on trying to be one of the best people I can be. Um, this mindset right now, honestly, uh, man, it is the best I've ever been in. I owe it a lot to myself, my little circle, especially the Trina, um, who I am so grateful for. She, she's given me my first daughter, Clementine, and, uh, again, four years ago, I wouldn't see this even happen. Four years ago, I barely had four, four walls in a roof. Now, you know, I got a new car. Got it. You know, we're looking to get a bigger house. Um, I, I got a freaking two month old daughter, my first daughter, like, if that don't make you want to do better, then something's wrong with you. Um, again, I, I did this one time, and I didn't do great at it. And so this time I, I learned from my mistakes and I'm, man, I'm working doubles every day. I'm wrestling the shows I want to wrestle and then it's back to working, then it's back to being a dad, making sure she can go to work, and then I can watch the baby. She needs the rest. Okay. Cool. I got you. And she does that for me. And so I will, a lot of it to train a line. Um, I love her. I'm pretty sure I'm going to marry her one day. And, uh, I can't wait to do it. And, uh, and honestly, like, again, that's a testament to me too. Like you say, wrestling on these big crowds, these big stages, because there's a lot of times when I do these shows, and I just wasn't in the right headspace. Um, I think I wrestled Cade with Brad attitude in that match where I won the title. Like if it, not only like break cafe, but it wasn't for Brad, man, like, uh, I probably wouldn't shit the bed. Um, kudos to him for being a constant profession. Um, again, I just wasn't going to like the right headspace, but man, when everything happened in it, and I got to win, win the championship in front of my kids, that really started hammering stuff home. Like, all right, I need to be better outside of this ring, not only for myself, but for them. I need to start re relaying my bricks and pro wrestling because I didn't like the bricks I had laid before. I didn't, I didn't like some of the stuff and some of the matches or some of the podcasts I've done in the past. It was just more or less me putting up a front wall of bullshit, because I was honestly hurting because I miss my boys. And I'm just trying to find a way to keep going and not like eat that proverbial bullet. You know, I'm, you know, I, you know, that's like, but, you know, it gets hard pro wrestling gets hard on you, man, either turn to the bottle, you turn the drugs or you turn to yourself. And he said, man, I got to, I got to either put this on the back burner or I got to really bust my ass and put it on the front burner, not only with all my demons, not only with all my problems, but with my babies on the front hand. And I'm ready to stand on motherfucking business because I love this business. I love my children. So why not do both? Why not do both? And again, man, four years ago, two years ago, I would not give you that answer is again, my mindset is the most clear I've ever been in. I'm trying to right some wrongs that's been written in my past, maybe not so by me, maybe some by me, but I want to make things right. If I've ever heard somebody or made them feel awkward or maybe said a joke, I was like, you know, I just I pride myself on being a good dude. And a lot of people that have backed that up. And I don't have, you know, I just, like you said, I'm in a great mental spot, man, I got my tree up, bro, like, man, it's just, it's a good time. It really is. And I appreciate y'all bringing like that, because this shit is hard, because, you know, you get looked at, you know, I'm the whipped cream guy and the, you know, the marty generity I've been, I've been told to be, I mean, I had people flame me on toy sites for the whipped cream thing. And then they would ask me for an LJ in like, fucking a keem or something like, trying to blame me in a toy site and then try to ask me for my toys. And so I'm like, we can fuck up my face, bro. But that's in the past, man. It's, I always say this, it's not how you start is how you finish. And I'm finishing strong. And I think everybody sees that, man, that's a test to the person that you are nowadays. And the person that you're going to be, you know, just just the fact that you make mistakes, I still overreact. And sometimes I don't filter what I should say still. But again, we're all human. We're all learning. But again, you can check my background. I ain't got nothing to hide. Hey, man, we still grow. When you turn 45, you're still going to be growing. But you are from 38, why are you calling me out? It was good to be 25, you know? Yeah, okay. I was about to say I ain't no damn way. Don't work. Oh, but now, man, like you said, Miss Trina seems like she's a guy in light, bro. And I'm happy to hear that you got somebody that's holding you down the way she is. Because we all need it, man. And that's for sure me, my wife came into my life at a point where I think I was about as the kids about to say about the crash completely out. Like a and she you ever seen that meme of the Hulk pretty much raging out and that little girl just coming, putting her hands beside his head and he just calmed down immediately. Right? That's that's what she does for me. Now she does, you know, she does get on me sometimes and kind of irritating sometimes too. But you know, that's just for the best. And honestly, every time she does, I need it. She she does nothing with no with no reasoning. Every time she does say something, it always has a good solution for me. And I just mean, I want to hear it right then and there, but you know, it's always the best for me. That's so beautiful. That's essentially my situation. I wasn't going to go out in 2023. I decided to go out because I've been doing karaoke and at the time when I was training some students, I'm like, yo, do karaoke to get comfortable. If you can sing in front of a group of drunks, you can dance in front of a group of whoever drunks, weirdos, nerds, ignorant people, whatever in a ring. But I met through the line at the water in a whole bar, June 1st, 2023, doing karaoke. And as soon as she walked in, I knew I was like, okay, all right, well, I just saw our future. Okay, I just saw her. I'm gonna make her mind. So I put in my my top two, which was to karaoke, I put in a beastie boys fight for your right. And then at the end, I sang a journeys faithfully. And oh, man, I brought that fucking house down. And before I could even go up to her, she was coming up to me. And man, that was a wrap. Literally, but I've been talking that girl every day. We literally have a beautiful baby girl. There's that age gap. She's 23. I'm 38. Some call that game. I call that like, man, I'm tired. I'm tired, bro. She's got me outside the house. Like she's got me doing all kinds of stuff as it's like, you know, I'm a Jedi hermit crab. I want to be bottled up in here. But man, she is just so much good, so much positive light. I love her. Again, I'm going to marry that woman. She gave me my daughter. And I do believe again, right? When I was about to crash out, tip, you know what I mean? I'm like, I'm tired of going from couch to couch. I'm tired of wrestling and killing my body. Sometimes instead of going through that window, man, I just want to go through my front door of my home. I want to go to my bed. I want to hold my babies, you know, and it's a blessing to be able to do that again, considering where I was two years ago, four years ago, five years ago, you know, even 10 years ago, almost, you know, but like, he's my piece. She's my everything. She really is. I'm glad I'm glad to hear that, man. And all the love and blessings to you guys, man. I hope that we were able to be there, you know, whenever that time is, and you tired of not, I would love to be there, man, and in support of you guys, because I mean, we've all been around since day one. And I think you guys deserve to have that love around y'all when y'all become one. Absolutely, man. I appreciate that show. Yeah, I'm bringing her and Clementine and the boys the Wrestlecade. So I'm excited for everybody to meet Clementine and some people to meet Trina. And like, yeah, it's just, it's that time of year already. It's just snuck up on us, man. It's Wrestlecade season and man, I'm sure we're all turning gears and trying to get everything lined up. You know, you got to get the babies. You got to take off work and whoo, it's stressful. It's pressure, but I wouldn't change it for nothing, man. I can't be over there a little P.O.P. I don't know about y'all, but I think my daughter telling me it's time to wrap it up right now. When I tell you, man, this is not done. We got to bring you back home, man. I know it's going to be some more crazy things, especially at the Wrestlecade. So whenever you're ready, brother, we're ready. Please do, man. Even if it's next week or in a few days, I love this. This is I need to do this more. It makes me feel good, man. Thank you again. No problem, man. Before we go, man, where can everybody find you on social media? Oh, man, you can find me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Just type in white mic. Just type in white mic. Look for a guy in Spandex. That's me. That's me. You know, you're going to find me at Wrestlecade, big convention center. Look in 29th, 30th and the 1st, right? I'm pretty sure that's it. Sunday, I'm going to try to be, I'm going to sell all the merch I can sell and then sell my babies. Got to eat, bro. I got to eat. Man, just if you are, and if you do find me, let's have fun. Let's just have some fun and make memories, make moments. Always, man. And we always like to end this on a, it's already been a beautiful episode, but we want to end it on an even better note. We want to just tell you that we love you, bro. And we're happy for you. We're proud of you. And we want you to keep striving, man. This platform is for everybody. Kevin talks was made for mental health and sports and just overall life. Like I said, we're going to laugh. We're going to cry. We're going to celebrate. And I think everything that's going on in your life is worth celebrating. Thank you, man. And same goes to you and same goes to Benny. And same goes to anybody that's listening to this and you think you're going through. And if you are going through it, or if you're thinking, you know, you can't go no more, keep going, breathe and achieve, because there is something great for all of us out there. I achieved it a few times. I want to get back to that. And it all starts with having fun and being yourself. You're damn right. And just know that anytime you ever want to put something over, man, this platform is for everyone like you, Mike. Anytime that you want to get on here and you just want to chop it up, we're here for you, brother. I appreciate you, man. I appreciate you, too, Benny. I love y'all sincerely. I can't wait to see y'all a few days. Yeah, man. Yeah, a few days, buddy. Absolutely. Mike, thank you for coming on. And we're definitely going to have you again. It's so rare. We get a chance because we're at shows, like you said, we're so busy and we're doing this. And it's this and that. It's so rare to get a chance to sit and talk. Yes. And you were one of the first guys I met when I started training almost 10 years ago. I know it, man. Look at that. Right. It's crazy. Me, you and Tevin, in that tiny room at Firestar. Let's not be the tiniest freak in a little bit. I caught you as though. Oh, man. I love y'all, man. Yes, sincerely. We love you, too, man. We're going to let you get back to Miss Clem, man. Hopefully she let you get some rest, brother. Oh, she's asleep. I'm about to play the game. I don't know about it, man. Let's do a part two soon, boys. I love y'all, man. Thank you. Love you, Mike. Anytime we love you, too, man. And that's been one for the books, Benny. That's it. We'll see you down the road. Love you guys, man. We're out. Rock and roll, man. [BLANK_AUDIO]