Matthew Justice talks MLW Lucha Apocalypto Falls Count Anywhere Match, Eric Bischoff Joining the Company, WWE’s New ID Program, more
Show: Wrestling Epicenter
Guest: Matthew Justice
Date: 11/07/2024
Your Host: James Walsh
Matthew Justice is a wrestler I saw wrestle more than 15 years ago on Pro Wrestling Ohio onSports Time Ohio! All of these years later, Justice has had a stint in the WWE as Mack Hettfield bhas truly made his name, the Matthew Justice name, on the independent circuit and now is with MLW, Major League Wrestling!
Justice will challenge for the MLW National Opnweight Championship at MLW Lucha Apocalypto which you can watch live on YouTube on Saturday, November 9th. His opponent, bad Dude Tito, attacked him recently and made this match a Falls Count Anywhere affair.
You can find out more about how to watch at www.MLW.com.
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MATTHEW JUSTICE:
On his upcoming match with Bad Dude Tito at MLW Lucha Apocalypto :
“Falls Count Anywhere! No holds are barred! But, with Falls Count Anywhere, we can go anywhere. We could end up on the roof! You never know! Especially with me! Like you said, he attacked me. There was really no reason for him to have attacked me. He started this whole thing. This match is realy my first chance to get my hands on him. I’m not going to do it backstage. I’m going to stand in the ring with him and look at him. So, I hope he brings his best. Because, I’m ready!”
On finding influence and being inspired by classic ECW:
“I think it was the grittyness, grungyness, heavy metalness of it. Paul Heyman has put that over a lot that an ECW crowd was like a heavy metal crowd. But, obviously, it wasn’t about glitz and glamour. It was just raw. And, obviously, the extreme violence appealed to me. The car crash, taking the risks, putting it all on the line. ECW had that.”
On appreciating the hard work of the classic ECW roster:
“Once you’re in the business, you realize those guys were doing everything they had to do to make a name for themselves after years of not really getting their opportunities and people not paying them attention. I love that. I love that! That always kind of kept a fire under me, you know?”
On MLW kind of springing up from the ashes of ECW:
“Mike Awesome is a former ECW and MLW Champion and that is exactly why I love being in a company like MLW.”
On making his MLW debut in the ECW Arena, 2300 Arena:
“When i first started wrestling, I had two goals. One was to have at least one match in the WWE and the other was to wrestle in the ECW Arena. At that time, the early 2000’s, the rewere so many random independent promotions running the ECW Arena that I thought that would be the easier, more attainable goal to accomplish. Well, I had hundreds of matches in WWE. But, until I made my debut with MLW in February of 2023, I had never wrestled in the ECW Arena – I had been there! But, I never got to perform there. It was a Dumpster Match! So, my first moment in the ECW Arena was jumping off the rafters of the ECW Arena into a dumpster! That is just like, we’re off to the races! And, since then, I’ve had a ton of moments and memories in the ECW Arena! But, the fact that it took so long to make it there and for it to be with MLW, and my future is with MLW, that is really cool, man!”
On the obvious Metallica influences in his persona:
“Yes! Metallica is my favorite band. They were my favorite band when I was a kid. Just like some of the great wrestlers have inspired me, James Hetfield has inspired me. He’s an idol, a hero, he’s inspired me. The man, the performer. Definitely!”
On why hard rock and heavy metal lends itself so easily to wrestling fans:
“(laughs) It is the energy! There is an energy that lends itself and syncs with certain types of people, you know what I mean? Some people find that rebellion in things like punk rock and other types of music. But heavy metal has some kind of aggression, I hate to say aggression because people can take that the wrong way. But, a certain kind of energy that lends itself to wrestling. Metal and wrestling! They really do go hand in hand!”
On MLW gaining momentum with a string of sold out shows:
“I’m happy to be a part of it. I’m happy to be in the trenches. I’m probably one of the most tenured guys in MLW. I’ve been going here for almost 2 years now. I’ve got at least two more years here. To see what it was when I got here, which was kind of hunkered down at the (ECW) Arena and in New York to where we legitimately are out on the road again. We’ve sold out every show in 2024. I believe that string goes back into 2023 as well. We’re going to new markets. We’re going back to Texas soon, as well. It is a great hybrid wrestling company. You’ve got guys like myself and Kruel but also guys from CMLL, New Japan, and the best free agent talent from all over the world. The hybrid style of wrestling that MLW offers right now is just unbeatable, man.”
On Eric Bischoff joining MLW at One Shot:
“It is going to be cool, man. I was doing a show in Fargo, North Dakota during the days of COVID just trying to keep the wrestling business alive. And, I ended up meeting up with Eric Bischoff in Cody, Wyoming. I was there doing some soul searching and I called him and asked if he wanted to get a beer. He must have been pretty bored stuck at home during COVID because he actually came and met me at the bar and we shot the shit. We probably had about 100 Cores Lights total between the two of us. I’m excited to see him again because we had some good times. And, obviously, his history in the business… I’m excited to see what he’s got in store for us at One Shot and what his presentation is going to be. And, hopefully, I’m going to be walking in to Eric Bischoff’s MLW One Shot as MLW National Openweight Champion as well!”
On surviving the pandemic era of wrestling:
“I definitely felt like I was Will Robinson in Lost in Space or some shit, that’s for sure! Those were some dark days because I remember thinking when everything shut down, “I’m not going to be wrestling for at least a year.” But, within 3 months, were outside doing shows. Who knows what would have happened if we hadn’t been able to even do that and after a year, we had to try and just restart the indies? We were doing our best to fight and get around all the restrictions and social unrest that was going on. Wrestling always finds a way. People want to doubt it or laugh it off. But, it always manages to maintain.”
On WWE’s new WWE ID Program:
“It is a good thing. When I started in the business, you really had to work and seek out a way to get in contact with WWE. Like, when I started, I remember sitting in the OVW offices and they were faxing back and forth. There was Internet but it was primitive. Now, you can post an online profile and get noticed. But, WWE has always had a hand in pro wrestling. Maybe it is because I’ve been in the business for so long that I’m aware of this. But, there are always eyes and ears at shows. It is nothing new. But, if you’re a young guy and your goal is to make it to WWE, you now know exactly what to do and exactly where you have to go to do it.”
On how to keep up with him:
“My social media is @trashjustice. I’m @thrasjustice on Twitter or X and Instagram. And, my website is www.ThrashJustice.com. I’ve got some T shirts and stuff up there if you want to support me.”
