Duke Hanson on His Entrance Themes Over The Years, His Downstait Theme Brand New Duke, Chase U

Duke Hansen, ladies and gentlemen, I made sure to get it right.

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Cause I was at United wrestling the other night and I heard everyone calling you Duke

Hudson.

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And I'm like, listen, this is the Duke Hansen era, ladies and gentlemen.

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Thank you for joining us on today's show.

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That was...

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uh I didn't enjoy that at all.

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ah Because, I mean, it's such a small change, but it's a necessary change for legal

purposes.

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And uh I remember going through the curtain, I remember Dave Marquez saying, Duke Hudson,

I got in the ring, I shook his hand and I go, you called me Duke Hudson?

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But then it's put the name in my head so that I've looked to Hardcam to start doing a

promo and I've said it and I'm like, ah, let's just, can we do this again?

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No, we're live now.

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It's hard though, because it's something that you've used for years.

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But now again, you are Duke Hansen.

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And you know, I said it at the top of the hour here as a joke, the whole time I'm sitting

upstairs drinking coffee.

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I'm like, Hansen, I know it.

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Hansen, I know it.

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And I'm like, what if I just throw the rib at the beginning of this?

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And then this is the last time you're ever going to hear.

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Actually the other day is the last time you're ever going to hear it.

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Today, Duke Hansen going forward.

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So.

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Yes, yes.

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I find that people are always known by one name.

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Not everyone calls John Cena John.

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uh When I was Elliot Saxton, people called me Saxton.

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My real name, people just called me Vink and people have always called me Duke.

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So was like, that's the name that I have to keep coming out of WWE.

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I'll change the last name.

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Um, but that's messing with me because then I get stuck on a lot.

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just got to start saying Duke.

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You know what mean?

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I don't care.

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I don't care about the last name.

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Really.

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I just like Duke.

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Um, and that's a lot safer, you know, but that's what people know me as coming out of WWE.

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So like that's, that's what has to stick, you know,

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Totally.

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And the thing is Duke obviously has stuck, so we have to get the other side to stick too.

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But even in your theme that Downstate did, shout out to Downstate, and we'll talk about

that in a little bit, brand new Duke, right?

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It's not brand new Hansen, it's brand new Duke, but it fits.

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It's beautiful, because it's your name.

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So we'll talk a little bit starting up about our entrance themes in a couple minutes, as

many of you know, that is the topic of our conversations.

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But I wanted to start off with, first off again, it was great seeing you at Gotham

Wrestling the other night.

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And you know, for those who don't know, it was my son's first time being at a wrestling

event.

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He sees Duke come out and he's just over the moon on Duke from the original music to

everything to the presentation.

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So that was awesome.

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And we started talking a little bit about, you know, entrance themes as we do, but I want

to know upfront, what has music meant for you in your life?

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Music is, I'll be honest, music is very important and ah it's one of the things that I'm

not good with.

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And let me explain what I mean.

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I might be going off topic already, ah but outside of wrestling or even inside wrestling,

I'm a very creative person and that can't always be displayed when you're

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following someone else's script.

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But that's why it's great to go, okay, well, this is my job at the moment.

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So I'm going to perform my job to the best of my ability.

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And then outside of my job, well, I'm going to make sure that I'm happy and fulfilled with

what I'm doing creatively.

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So I've always been very big, even when I was coming up in wrestling, making promos and

vignettes, hype videos for my own ah feud blowoffs.

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So the way that I grew up with music was I was either listening to ABBA at 7am on a Sunday

when mom's cleaning the house.

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Or I was listening to like Limp Bizkit during a WrestleMania package.

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And then when I was growing up, I remember for those of us who had older televisions.

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and you had a Nintendo 64 and you've got to take out the red, white and yellow cords at

the back of the...

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Right.

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And so I would have to take out one of the audio cords so that I could plug my VHS in so

that while I'm playing Perfect Dark on Nintendo 64, I can keep rewinding my VHS tape of

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WrestleMania and just keep listening to Lip Biscuit over and over.

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Was that the best thing to do?

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I don't know.

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Maybe I just didn't have a seatmate with the CD players at the time.

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I don't know.

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um But that's how I got through my first 10 years on the planet.

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um But so for me, I've always looked at music as something to set a tone or a mood.

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And I'm sure many people have.

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experiences where there is a song that reminds them of something, whether it's an event, a

time in their life, you know, and I have many examples, good and bad, but for me, I've

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always tried to use music to make me feel what I want to feel, perhaps.

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So like if I'm at the gym, it's got to be something stupid and heavy, which gets me

through a workout.

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But if

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If I my windows down and I'm driving, I don't want people to hear it because they'll

they'll judge me and think I'm psycho.

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ah

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think even on my workout playlist, it's, it's become a combination of things over the

years, but I think like the first 50 songs are all really, really unbelievably heavy

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things.

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And for me, my background is very much like, love metal.

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love like the heavy stuff.

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love the lighter stuff.

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So for me, I'm just like, if my windows are down and there's metal, like it's okay on this

side of the woods.

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But when you're seeing everybody else work out, you're like, I know you got techno.

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You probably got Sabrina carpenter.

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Me, there's like some arch enemy going real fast and real heavy.

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you know, pull my head.

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Don't please don't pull my headphones out.

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But even we talked to me about this a while ago.

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If I don't have my headphones, I don't know if this workout's happening.

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So you got to put on what you got to put on.

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I agree.

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And I love the array, like the variety of what people are listening to.

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So I'm actually, I'm writing an animation, if you will.

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I won't say any more because I don't like to talk about things until they happen.

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But there's something I'm working on and there's scenes in a gym.

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And like, that's one of the, that's one of the scenes where like, you know, going from

person to person, and it's just kind of going over what they've got going on.

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what they're listening to in their head and how different it is from person to person

because everyone's inspired by different things, right?

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ah But that like music is, my head is going to die.

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I know it's going to die and I apologize when it does.

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ah But for me, like uh if I'm trying to set the mood of a...

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If I've had a feud, right?

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And I back in the day, promoters don't have money for...

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for editing and all that kind of stuff.

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They're just trying to get the boys paid and get the flights.

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But then I go, we've done six months of story.

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I'm going to pay it off and I'm going to make some big elaborate thing that I think is

going to show everyone like this is what this would look like if we were on the main

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stage, but we're not.

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We're young 20s and we're idiots.

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um And the fun part of that is I can use whatever music I want because I'm not worried

about copyright or whatever.

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But now...

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you know, now in creating an animation or another project where I have to go, all right, I

need my own original music and I need to, yeah, yeah, like I'm comfortable with writing,

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I'm comfortable with drawing and animating and editing and voicing.

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The one thing I'm not good at, music.

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I can't make it myself.

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And so I'm always envious of like, that's the one thing that I wish I could add to my

repertoire.

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I feel like I'm the opposite where it's like you have all of these, like the video, I feel

pretty comfortable with the audio, obviously in the music I feel comfortable with, but put

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like a pen in my hand and tell me to draw something.

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I'm just like, you'd be lucky if you get a shape out of me, but it's such a different

thing.

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And you know, it's cool though, because you know, wrestling over time, I think has really

kind of taken shape into even a more creative direction.

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And

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you know, you're talking about, first off, I appreciate that you're just like, you

remember when we were older and you brought up N64, us Super Nintendo guys are a little

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bit envious of that, but I appreciate the fact that like wrestling now has gotten so

creative.

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And I mean, you've done so much over time, right?

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Like you've had all these different characters, all the different pieces of music.

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And like you're talking about, you're able to create these things to blow off feuds.

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And let's start with Elliot Sexton, right?

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Because I was looking up all the different themes that you've used over the time.

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And I wasn't able to find the name of the song, but I did find an entrance video for

Elliot Sexton.

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And I heard the music from that.

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what music was that?

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Do you remember that?

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I'm going to assume it could be sex bomb, maybe.

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because my first pro wrestling theme was 90210.

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Ha!

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Nice, okay.

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ah I went from 90210, I went to sex bomb.

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I'm trying to think of what else.

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But was that for that was for Elliott Sexton also.

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Okay.

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OG, young, flamboyant uh Elliot Sexton, who was the master of the dick punch.

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But that was a long time ago.

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I'm trying to think of what other songs I uh used.

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I think as I grew and put on some muscle and tried to be more of a main event contender, I

went with We Will Rock You.

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Awesome.

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Great song too.

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Great song.

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But now let's talk a little bit here about Brendan Vink because you come in, you're done

with Elliot Sexton for now.

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You are now Brendan Vink and you have the song Hangman that I was able to see.

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Hangman.

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I love Hangman.

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the hangman, Brendan Vink hangman.

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Let's talk about that.

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I love that song.

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Yeah, so that was my first uh theme at NXT where they send you an email with a link to a

bunch of different songs.

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They're like, pick one.

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I'm like, great.

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But they're helpful in the process of what kind of, what do you want it to sound like or

what kind of tone do you want to set?

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Of course,

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Um, and so that was the, that was the one of maybe 20 that I listened to that, that I

picked.

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And funny enough, the project that I'm working on outside of wrestling where I went, okay,

I'm not good with music.

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I, I, uh, I have a connection with the man that made the hangman song because he saw me

using it on TV and was like, that's my song.

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And I'm like, I love it.

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And.

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So when I needed music, I was like, hey, I've got this project.

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You might help me out.

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So he's done the backtrack for it.

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if you're talented enough to make that song, for a, uh I'm not going to say generic

because it's not a generic, but for something that I have to pick from a library, that is

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a great song.

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And I go, OK, if you can make that, you can make anything.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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It was funny too, because obviously with a lot of people and the entrance themes, right,

they're going to be thinking of your new one, brand new Duke, right?

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The one that you're coming out to now.

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But when I was doing this research and as I've known you throughout your career, I

obviously discovered you first through NXT.

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And I remember hearing Hangman and I was just like, this is a really banger song.

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And then I remember hearing brand new Duke and I heard a little bit of influence, maybe

definitely in the key from that.

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But I heard a little bit of influence through that was Hangman.

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that theme that you used as, I think, part of the inspiration towards the downstate theme.

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I think the reference that I would have given Downstate would have been Hangman uh because

I do just genuinely love that theme.

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Even, you know, I was in Chase U for probably three years, I think.

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And sometimes the boys at the PC, if they were in class and they were just doing a lot of

cardio, they could, I think, I don't know how they did it.

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I'm not that good with technology, but they would take over the Bluetooth or whatever, and

they'd put some music on and they would always blast that theme.

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Yeah, which is great.

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I just generally love that song, but I think uh it was such a different me.

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It's the me that I was for 15 years before anyone knew who I was.

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So now I'm having to go, well, hold on, Chase.

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you me was just a version of me where I was trying to survive and keep my job.

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But like, let me show you what I can do.

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And then that's, that's kind of what the brand new Duke is meant to be.

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It's, it's, uh, I'm not a, and I love chase you and chase you to me could have been so

much more, but understanding, you know, this is what we want from you.

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And then that's kind of it.

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Like just play that role.

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go, okay, that's

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That's what this gimmick is meant to be.

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So then that's all I'm allowed to show in that gimmick.

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So I have to wait until afterwards to be able to reinvent myself.

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So, and the music is a very big part of reinventing.

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ah I think it's a much more similar to hang man.

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If a company gets behind you and believes in what you're doing and you do your job of

being good at your job.

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It is a song which I think represents a main event player.

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uh But I think seven minutes ago before I started rambling, there was a question about

reference or maybe I came up with it.

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But the reference I think I gave was hangman.

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But I think I also gave uh Ospreay's theme because I really love that theme as a great

example of something that sets the tone.

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It fits him.

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Don't get me wrong.

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I don't want to come out to Osprey's theme because I don't have that much energy, but it

suits him.

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And so I just needed something that was kind of not as explosive, but something that was

more suited to a six foot five guy who needs time to breathe.

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Someone not sprinting down to the ring, yeah.

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slow.

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us, I was like, just give us that 20 seconds where I can walk slow and methodically and,

you know, get my shots.

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You know, I know where the cameras are.

210

00:16:02,463 --> 00:16:06,263

And then by the time I get in the ring, then we've got the big pose going on.

211

00:16:06,710 --> 00:16:07,671

I that.

212

00:16:07,671 --> 00:16:12,464

I'm gonna dovetail, I'm gonna divert us for a second too, because you brought up uh

Osprey's theme.

213

00:16:12,464 --> 00:16:15,806

So, the boys in It Lives It Breathes, shout out to you guys.

214

00:16:15,806 --> 00:16:22,201

I've worked with them a couple times, and I started working with the more post-elevated,

which is Osprey's theme, right?

215

00:16:22,201 --> 00:16:27,845

There's actually a theme in a song that if you look up John Kiernan or It Lives It

Breathes, you'll see it, it's called Rise.

216

00:16:27,845 --> 00:16:31,948

And that song was supposed to be when he started United Empire over in New Japan.

217

00:16:31,948 --> 00:16:34,940

And just for whatever reason, legal and things like that, got...

218

00:16:34,944 --> 00:16:39,278

to where he wasn't able to use that, but we released it on our own and it's still a

banger.

219

00:16:39,278 --> 00:16:47,616

hear some things from elevated in there, but like it's, if you thought that elevated was a

little bit quicker of a pick me up rises even faster than that.

220

00:16:47,616 --> 00:16:48,146

Yeah.

221

00:16:48,146 --> 00:16:52,614

uh

222

00:16:52,614 --> 00:16:54,504

but I want to listen to it.

223

00:16:54,504 --> 00:16:55,425

Yeah, definitely.

224

00:16:55,425 --> 00:17:01,360

It was cool too, cause like he reached this out to Kevin and he's like, I need to get a,

you know, a song for United Empire.

225

00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:06,725

And this was the first time I was working with them outside of like working on Brian's

theme, Brian Myers.

226

00:17:06,725 --> 00:17:11,609

And we had come up with this really cool thing and we were all excited about it and I'll

send it to you.

227

00:17:11,609 --> 00:17:11,839

Yeah.

228

00:17:11,839 --> 00:17:13,080

That one's, that one's cool.

229

00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:18,855

And when you hear it, knowing the context of it being for United Empire, you're going to

hear all these different things.

230

00:17:18,855 --> 00:17:22,314

It's like a really redemptive, a really redemptive kind of song.

231

00:17:22,314 --> 00:17:26,527

But when you hear it in the context of, for United Empire, you'll be like, yep, totally

here.

232

00:17:26,527 --> 00:17:29,640

And I'll send that to you uh post conversation here, definitely.

233

00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:31,601

But what a good reference to send too.

234

00:17:31,601 --> 00:17:40,788

um And AEW did a really good job also of taking elevated and chopping it up even a little

bit more to kind of get those, those cheers in immediately.

235

00:17:40,788 --> 00:17:46,212

Cause in the original version, those chants of Osprey Osprey come in later.

236

00:17:46,212 --> 00:17:48,884

And I remember talking to Kevin, their singer, and he's just like,

237

00:17:48,884 --> 00:17:50,715

That's always what I wanted for the theme.

238

00:17:50,715 --> 00:17:54,576

And sometimes as musicians, even we think of like it as a song.

239

00:17:54,576 --> 00:17:57,857

And even though we're working with talent, we don't think of like the visual for it.

240

00:17:57,857 --> 00:18:03,448

And he's like, they literally took like the first 30 seconds and then put like two minutes

in, in the front.

241

00:18:03,448 --> 00:18:08,290

And it's just, changed the way that people interact with it and made it like even a better

entrance theme.

242

00:18:08,290 --> 00:18:14,022

So the fact that you're calling out, uh, hang man and Osprey's theme mint choice.

243

00:18:14,022 --> 00:18:14,492

I love that.

244

00:18:14,492 --> 00:18:15,682

That's awesome.

245

00:18:15,682 --> 00:18:26,048

uh The pacing of a song and the beats are so crucial in how you perform your entrance.

246

00:18:26,669 --> 00:18:32,493

So for me, and I'm big on, I can't make music, I can edit music.

247

00:18:32,493 --> 00:18:45,761

I love, I love, because I've always been uh music videos and back in the day doing

backyard wrestling, you're always making music videos.

248

00:18:46,420 --> 00:18:47,540

of what you've done, right?

249

00:18:47,540 --> 00:18:49,971

Cause you want people to see how cool you are.

250

00:18:49,971 --> 00:19:00,553

Um, and you've always got to pick songs, but then you've got to pick songs where, know,

you've got to shorten or lengthen bits to, to, go with the different matches or whatever

251

00:19:00,553 --> 00:19:01,854

the beats are.

252

00:19:02,370 --> 00:19:05,135

Um, and so same, same with entrances.

253

00:19:05,135 --> 00:19:15,957

I remember in, in having the help of downstate for brand new Duke, I had that

254

00:19:15,957 --> 00:19:23,402

very similar conversation because I know entrance is probably about a minute ish.

255

00:19:23,522 --> 00:19:27,625

Never really want to go to a minute 30 unless something else is going on.

256

00:19:27,625 --> 00:19:33,469

But oh generally have kept tried to keep it to about a minute for the last six years of my

career.

257

00:19:33,469 --> 00:19:35,090

So that's what I try to do.

258

00:19:35,811 --> 00:19:39,493

And so I knew like I want to I want to get in the ring.

259

00:19:39,493 --> 00:19:45,087

I want to have that beat for my pose, but I want it to pick up and

260

00:19:45,762 --> 00:19:53,667

So I do have an edit of the Downstate song that I've been meaning to use on shows.

261

00:19:54,568 --> 00:20:03,543

And I tried to bring it up in the creation process of like, we kind of get, but again, I

don't want to offend an artist who's helping me take a song.

262

00:20:03,543 --> 00:20:08,576

So I'm like, can we start this and then just kind of like get to the end?

263

00:20:08,677 --> 00:20:10,698

Because that's what a lot of the wrestling music is.

264

00:20:10,698 --> 00:20:14,170

I think I could be wrong.

265

00:20:14,170 --> 00:20:15,701

I feel like I'm thinking of

266

00:20:16,449 --> 00:20:18,929

Edges, is it Metal Ingus?

267

00:20:18,929 --> 00:20:20,349

Is that what it is?

268

00:20:20,409 --> 00:20:25,989

feel like that's one of those songs where it picks up way later on.

269

00:20:26,549 --> 00:20:30,469

And granted, he can just have a seven minute entrance and it'll be great.

270

00:20:30,469 --> 00:20:32,589

I can't have a seven minute entrance.

271

00:20:32,909 --> 00:20:36,289

So I need to like get from here to here, right?

272

00:20:36,289 --> 00:20:37,909

Like you were saying.

273

00:20:39,489 --> 00:20:41,429

Yeah, the Osprey theme does it.

274

00:20:41,429 --> 00:20:43,929

I want to do that with mine.

275

00:20:44,189 --> 00:20:46,744

And I've also gone like

276

00:20:47,008 --> 00:20:51,008

They've made this, I like it how it is, I'm not gonna touch it.

277

00:20:51,008 --> 00:20:53,828

But I wanna play with the idea.

278

00:20:53,828 --> 00:20:57,508

It also depends on where you're wrestling, what the setup is.

279

00:20:57,648 --> 00:21:02,708

Like Gotham the other night was very much like the small stage and then you're right to

the ring.

280

00:21:03,308 --> 00:21:14,348

So then for me to need about a minute before it gets to the part where I do this big pose,

I'm like, well, I gotta find something else to do.

281

00:21:14,548 --> 00:21:15,401

Right.

282

00:21:15,750 --> 00:21:16,498

Yes.

283

00:21:16,498 --> 00:21:26,950

if it's a different show with a longer ramp or there's more of a natural path around the

ring to get into the ring, that kind of thing.

284

00:21:26,950 --> 00:21:34,177

So reality of wrestling, it's a, you walk out, you've got a little bit more of a stage and

then you pretty much have to go one way around the ring.

285

00:21:34,177 --> 00:21:36,252

It's not a stage where you can go up and down.

286

00:21:36,252 --> 00:21:37,309

It's just walk one way.

287

00:21:37,309 --> 00:21:43,292

So I've got the opportunity to go around, make sure this camera here is getting me, get up

the ramp.

288

00:21:43,508 --> 00:21:46,631

And then by the time I get in the ring, do a circle, it's time for the pose.

289

00:21:46,631 --> 00:21:49,403

Whereas at Gotham, I had to buy a bit more time.

290

00:21:49,403 --> 00:21:53,737

So I started yelling at my opponent, but I'm like, well, this makes me look like a heel.

291

00:21:53,737 --> 00:21:59,502

But otherwise I'm scared they're going to cut off my entrance before I get to the cool

part.

292

00:21:59,502 --> 00:22:07,296

And then I get stuck there like going for a pose and then the music cuts and I go, now I

look like an idiot, which I'm guaranteed is before.

293

00:22:07,296 --> 00:22:10,279

at Richard Holliday is totally worth it because it's Richard Holliday.

294

00:22:10,279 --> 00:22:11,700

Yell at him all you want.

295

00:22:12,541 --> 00:22:13,441

Yeah.

296

00:22:14,303 --> 00:22:15,324

That signature move.

297

00:22:15,324 --> 00:22:15,965

Come on.

298

00:22:15,965 --> 00:22:17,025

Come on now.

299

00:22:17,707 --> 00:22:25,880

So uh Shane uh Thorne, Shane Haste, he's one of those guys again, he's got Shane, but he's

always the last.

300

00:22:26,100 --> 00:22:31,342

He messaged me when he saw that I was wrestling Holliday.

301

00:22:31,442 --> 00:22:35,234

And because Holliday's finish is the low blow, right?

302

00:22:35,234 --> 00:22:37,384

Like that's the thing, he's built up.

303

00:22:38,305 --> 00:22:44,187

Elliot Sexton, in my first 10 years of wrestling, my finish was the dick punch.

304

00:22:45,348 --> 00:22:46,068

So he was like,

305

00:22:46,068 --> 00:22:50,211

you should really build to like low blow versus dick punch.

306

00:22:50,848 --> 00:22:52,955

I'm like, I'm just not, I don't do that anymore.

307

00:22:52,955 --> 00:23:00,712

And that doesn't like, if you got a guy coming out to brand new Duke and he starts

punching people in the dick, there's a disconnect.

308

00:23:00,712 --> 00:23:04,068

It's a great, it's a great idea for a few.

309

00:23:04,068 --> 00:23:08,058

It just doesn't work with the presentation at the moment.

310

00:23:08,222 --> 00:23:09,412

You know what you can do though?

311

00:23:09,412 --> 00:23:17,425

You can totally build it into one of these things where you have a conflict of character,

where you see him and you're about to do it and he's threatening you to do it.

312

00:23:17,425 --> 00:23:22,226

And it becomes very much just like a timely reference for my audience here.

313

00:23:22,226 --> 00:23:25,667

Cody going to hit John Cena with the title and John Cena being like, no, don't.

314

00:23:25,667 --> 00:23:26,597

Cody being like, damn it.

315

00:23:26,597 --> 00:23:28,007

And then him getting low blowed.

316

00:23:28,007 --> 00:23:29,548

So it could be one of those things.

317

00:23:29,548 --> 00:23:32,919

And then eventually years down the line, you eventually give them the dick punch.

318

00:23:32,919 --> 00:23:37,855

Cause Richard Holliday, listen, that signature move, get that out of here.

319

00:23:37,855 --> 00:23:39,831

He's hurt one or two, yeah.

320

00:23:40,279 --> 00:23:45,224

So one other question I had too before we kind of dovetail into the last question here.

321

00:23:45,224 --> 00:23:50,979

You you talk about how important the music is and with Downstate, obviously they've made

this banger of a theme.

322

00:23:50,979 --> 00:23:58,966

And I think that what you said also about doing the edits, I think once you have an artist

working on a theme for you, you know, and I've done this with a couple of talents that

323

00:23:58,966 --> 00:24:02,960

I've worked with too, where we have one version that's the full song.

324

00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:05,332

You remember D-Man Parker also from...

325

00:24:05,422 --> 00:24:13,949

Gotham we have a couple of different edits for him one that's more the full song one

that's okay cool like we get to the Chorus a little bit quicker things like that And I

326

00:24:13,949 --> 00:24:21,145

think it's always cool to be able to do those edits depending where you are Obviously

without changing it too much to where the audience that is like hey, what are we doing?

327

00:24:21,145 --> 00:24:31,544

right, but having those different edits is fine one thing that a lot of wrestlers who have

come on the show and I've talked to talk about also is the music has to kind of hit you

328

00:24:31,544 --> 00:24:34,002

when you before you hit the ring, right and

329

00:24:34,002 --> 00:24:43,370

Obviously this one does it and I wanted to dive really quickly into the chase you stuff

because in that place Like you said you're coming into chase you you're coming from

330

00:24:43,370 --> 00:24:44,140

Brandon Vink.

331

00:24:44,140 --> 00:24:55,730

You're coming from all these different things and post chase you Obviously doing what you

do now when you have an entrance theme that's maybe part of a group or something but maybe

332

00:24:55,730 --> 00:25:00,074

is Representing you in a different way, right?

333

00:25:00,074 --> 00:25:03,080

Maybe I don't know if it's jazzing you up in the same way

334

00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:12,216

as something like Brand New Duke does or like Hangman did, what headspace or how do you

work with getting into the headspace for that specific, let's say, I don't want to use

335

00:25:12,216 --> 00:25:22,762

like inside terms, but how do you get yourself into the headspace to do that role when

it's maybe music that, you know, you may not usually pick for yourself.

336

00:25:22,810 --> 00:25:31,892

Right, there, I think there was a bit of a disconnect for me and...

337

00:25:33,843 --> 00:25:36,435

I mean, for Chase, it fits the professor.

338

00:25:36,435 --> 00:25:57,679

Thea and Bodhi, they had the energy of the young, excited student who's out there to not

cheer lead, like give it that college look.

339

00:25:57,679 --> 00:26:03,382

But then here comes like the tall, handsome, but like not overly happily.

340

00:26:03,442 --> 00:26:06,703

to be there healed, right?

341

00:26:06,703 --> 00:26:11,305

I've been a heal for the last, you know, forever, forever.

342

00:26:11,305 --> 00:26:14,582

And also in WWE, was a heal before Chase U.

343

00:26:15,187 --> 00:26:25,631

I think it was okay to have that disconnect to start with because it, to me, furthered the

story of this guy doesn't fit.

344

00:26:25,931 --> 00:26:32,894

He's, he's trying to fit in, but he's trying to fit in, in disguise because we know he's

going to turn.

345

00:26:34,120 --> 00:26:36,011

And then at some point he doesn't.

346

00:26:36,391 --> 00:26:50,897

And we start making chase you into more, not just entertaining, but like, um, reputable,

like, okay, these guys could actually go because we, would go if you put us in the ring

347

00:26:50,897 --> 00:26:58,920

with the people we needed to go with, we will match their energy, their, their level,

their intensity, their whatever we can do it.

348

00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:03,198

Um, there were limitations short, but like, if you need a

349

00:27:03,198 --> 00:27:05,738

If you need a four out of 10, we can give you a four out of 10.

350

00:27:05,738 --> 00:27:10,218

But if you give us the opportunity and you need a 10 out of 10, we'll give you a 10 out of

10.

351

00:27:10,218 --> 00:27:11,538

We'll fit the role.

352

00:27:11,538 --> 00:27:13,898

And we had the ability to do so.

353

00:27:15,338 --> 00:27:25,909

But as, as we may chase you into more of a reputable thing and we started to hold on,

we've really got something here.

354

00:27:27,771 --> 00:27:31,104

We thought about the music.

355

00:27:31,104 --> 00:27:37,030

is one of the things that I remember us fighting for that and uh nameplates.

356

00:27:37,030 --> 00:27:40,543

Because at the time, I don't think everyone had nameplates.

357

00:27:40,543 --> 00:27:45,017

It might have just been more of a general, the NXT nameplate.

358

00:27:45,458 --> 00:27:47,639

I think there was a custom one or two.

359

00:27:48,821 --> 00:27:50,472

And Chase always had a problem with me for this.

360

00:27:50,472 --> 00:27:53,595

Because I'm always looking at the show overall.

361

00:27:54,150 --> 00:27:57,211

And so like I remember it was in the Lara Valkyria's entrance.

362

00:27:57,211 --> 00:27:58,891

was Axiom's entrance.

363

00:27:58,991 --> 00:28:08,374

Cause they were doing this flashy, it was like a motion blur kind of effect where he runs

and it has like the, this, this, this weird effect to it.

364

00:28:08,374 --> 00:28:14,465

But I'm going like, he's walking through fire to frame or he's doing this and it's not,

you're not getting the most out of that effect.

365

00:28:14,465 --> 00:28:20,747

Cause I'm someone that's worked with After Effects and I've got an advanced diploma in CGI

and visual effects.

366

00:28:20,747 --> 00:28:22,783

So I like to think I know what I'm doing.

367

00:28:22,783 --> 00:28:23,653

You

368

00:28:23,889 --> 00:28:30,851

And so I'm talking to like the lead guy about Axiom's entrance and Chase is like, why

aren't you talking about our entrance?

369

00:28:30,851 --> 00:28:33,512

Like focus on us.

370

00:28:33,512 --> 00:28:34,592

I'm like, right, right, right.

371

00:28:34,592 --> 00:28:36,112

Well, that's what you're here for.

372

00:28:36,112 --> 00:28:40,253

And he's like, can we get a nameplate and then can we talk about the music?

373

00:28:40,634 --> 00:28:49,076

And we did change music at one point where I think they, they made it a bit more like a

bit more oomph, a bit more instrumental.

374

00:28:49,076 --> 00:28:52,367

And then I really can't remember if they went back.

375

00:28:52,367 --> 00:28:53,180

on it or not.

376

00:28:53,180 --> 00:28:54,704

I really can't remember.

377

00:28:54,704 --> 00:28:57,992

But the theme in general is very

378

00:29:00,091 --> 00:29:01,323

It's like here.

379

00:29:01,901 --> 00:29:05,173

It sets the tone, but it also puts that roof on us.

380

00:29:05,173 --> 00:29:11,035

So that was something that we would have liked to have changed, I think.

381

00:29:11,082 --> 00:29:17,905

Yeah, and it's interesting too, because as a viewer on the other side of the screen here,

you you see the gimmick and you see what you guys do.

382

00:29:17,905 --> 00:29:24,698

And I think that, you know, when you're talking about the music and you're talking about

it amping you up before you go to the ring, I think everything that you said was really

383

00:29:24,698 --> 00:29:26,509

kind of clear and precise with that.

384

00:29:26,509 --> 00:29:33,992

You know, what you were portraying upfront was, hey, this guy is kind of like the outsider

to chase you, right?

385

00:29:33,992 --> 00:29:39,274

And when you talk about that and you think about the music, it's also different, I think,

being

386

00:29:39,732 --> 00:29:40,723

I'm going to say it like this.

387

00:29:40,723 --> 00:29:45,455

think it's different kind of playing a character in wrestling versus being you, right?

388

00:29:45,455 --> 00:29:50,388

Cause with the music that you're using now for brand new Duke, for everything you're

doing.

389

00:29:50,388 --> 00:29:53,470

And before that, it's like you're representing yourself, right?

390

00:29:53,470 --> 00:30:00,614

But when you go with the group or you go with something that maybe is a little bit more of

a gimmick, you have to kind of tie to what that is.

391

00:30:00,614 --> 00:30:03,675

And something like that, it's like, okay, cool.

392

00:30:03,675 --> 00:30:07,487

What are we going to do to get the crowd into ordering to get to do the investment?

393

00:30:07,487 --> 00:30:08,530

And over time.

394

00:30:08,530 --> 00:30:10,291

you guys made the package.

395

00:30:10,291 --> 00:30:16,894

And I always argue that the talent always comes first and then the music amplifies the

character, right?

396

00:30:16,894 --> 00:30:24,127

So I think with Chase You, I think that that music really did work, but it's always

interesting because when I talk to talent, like what's the most important thing in an

397

00:30:24,127 --> 00:30:27,979

entrance theme, a lot of people are just like how it makes you feel before you hit the

ring.

398

00:30:27,979 --> 00:30:30,490

Although Leo Sparrow the other day was just like ownership.

399

00:30:30,490 --> 00:30:32,481

And I was like, that's the first time I've ever heard.

400

00:30:32,481 --> 00:30:34,964

That's very much like you.

401

00:30:34,964 --> 00:30:35,744

going everywhere.

402

00:30:35,744 --> 00:30:37,375

That's the very journeyman answer.

403

00:30:37,375 --> 00:30:39,635

And I appreciate that it was different than everything else.

404

00:30:39,635 --> 00:30:44,777

But for the most part, a lot of people are just like, it has to like hit you before you go

to the ring.

405

00:30:44,777 --> 00:30:53,769

And, you know, because of the complete contrast between Chase you, Vic, and what you do

now, it's just like, I was thinking about that.

406

00:30:53,769 --> 00:30:56,620

I was like, what do you do to kind of get in that mindset?

407

00:30:56,620 --> 00:30:56,870

Right?

408

00:30:56,870 --> 00:31:02,634

And it sounds like, like you said at the top, when you're a professional and you got to do

the job and you got to do what you do,

409

00:31:02,634 --> 00:31:06,152

you find the way to make it work in whatever way possible, yeah.

410

00:31:07,311 --> 00:31:08,671

Yeah.

411

00:31:09,792 --> 00:31:14,193

And everyone's different, right?

412

00:31:14,193 --> 00:31:17,835

I don't approach an entrance the same way as I do a workout.

413

00:31:17,835 --> 00:31:21,656

know, I don't need to be, I understand what you're saying.

414

00:31:21,656 --> 00:31:26,578

um And maybe it just comes with age.

415

00:31:26,578 --> 00:31:27,558

I should say experience.

416

00:31:27,558 --> 00:31:28,979

Let's say experience.

417

00:31:29,872 --> 00:31:30,885

Age is a dirty word.

418

00:31:30,885 --> 00:31:32,999

Experience is perfect.

419

00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:34,620

experience.

420

00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:38,180

Maybe it comes with that, where I go, no, no, I'm confident in what I do.

421

00:31:38,180 --> 00:31:40,180

I know I'm to go out there and do it.

422

00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:45,680

So I'm already, or maybe I'm just already in fight or flight from something else.

423

00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:52,860

But the ability to get amped up by it is definitely important.

424

00:31:52,860 --> 00:32:01,295

And I think to a lot of the younger ones, less experienced ones, for us, wow, we really

like

425

00:32:01,295 --> 00:32:04,659

When that music hit, it's like that first beat.

426

00:32:05,081 --> 00:32:06,583

It goes straight into it.

427

00:32:06,583 --> 00:32:12,692

It's just like this one heavy beat and then it goes and we hear it, go, oh, let's go.

428

00:32:12,692 --> 00:32:17,419

And then like that one beat was all we had to get into it, you know, but it was enough.

429

00:32:17,866 --> 00:32:20,328

And you know what though, it had that pep rally feel to it too.

430

00:32:20,328 --> 00:32:22,009

I mean, that's the theme that'll do it.

431

00:32:22,009 --> 00:32:28,735

Like if you think back to, you know, we just kind of called ourselves old with the Super

Nintendo and the N64, ladies and gentlemen.

432

00:32:28,735 --> 00:32:31,417

But yes, sir.

433

00:32:32,238 --> 00:32:33,829

See, those were even better than PS5.

434

00:32:33,829 --> 00:32:34,930

I will argue that.

435

00:32:34,930 --> 00:32:36,681

I will argue that to the end of time.

436

00:32:36,681 --> 00:32:40,524

But, you know, we were talking about all that and I think that that really helped that.

437

00:32:40,524 --> 00:32:43,006

um So I completely agree there.

438

00:32:43,006 --> 00:32:45,869

So last question before I let you go for the day.

439

00:32:45,869 --> 00:32:47,424

And first off, thank you for spending

440

00:32:47,424 --> 00:32:48,578

some time with us.

441

00:32:48,578 --> 00:32:54,368

If you had to choose three songs to put on a playlist that represent you, what would those

three songs be?

442

00:32:54,368 --> 00:32:55,728

That's really tough.

443

00:32:56,109 --> 00:32:57,289

I'm really not sure.

444

00:32:57,289 --> 00:33:04,533

uh Even if you gave me two weeks to prepare, don't know.

445

00:33:05,408 --> 00:33:12,717

And I think because of wrestling, I think growing up, my uh palate was a bit smaller.

446

00:33:13,257 --> 00:33:18,711

And then from different influences and different experiences and whatever in life, it gets

a bit bigger and bigger.

447

00:33:18,711 --> 00:33:24,811

One, I can't remember the guy's name, but I love this song.

448

00:33:24,811 --> 00:33:37,931

And if I was making a movie about me or a heel character that I could portray, the song

that I would use and that I think a lot would agree with would represent me.

449

00:33:38,431 --> 00:33:39,331

I can't remember the song.

450

00:33:39,331 --> 00:33:43,911

I can't remember the artist, but the song is called asshole.

451

00:33:44,471 --> 00:33:45,831

Do you know the song?

452

00:33:46,851 --> 00:33:47,883

Yeah.

453

00:33:47,883 --> 00:33:51,123

I don't, but I can assume that there are a couple of songs called that.

454

00:33:51,123 --> 00:33:52,183

Let me see.

455

00:33:52,643 --> 00:33:53,983

Is it like a rock song?

456

00:33:53,983 --> 00:33:55,146

Is it like a

457

00:33:55,146 --> 00:33:56,377

It's 90s.

458

00:33:56,377 --> 00:34:03,121

um It's more rockish.

459

00:34:03,121 --> 00:34:07,785

Yeah.

460

00:34:08,206 --> 00:34:10,588

I wish I could remember the artist's name, but it's...

461

00:34:10,588 --> 00:34:15,772

uh And I can't even say some of the lyrics because it doesn't...

462

00:34:16,353 --> 00:34:18,534

It's just a good song.

463

00:34:18,975 --> 00:34:20,416

It's a good song for a character.

464

00:34:20,416 --> 00:34:24,138

I'm not saying that's me as a person, but...

465

00:34:24,823 --> 00:34:35,203

considering the character I've played for so many years of my life and being Australian,

dry sense of humor, a little facetious at times, people can look at me very easily,

466

00:34:35,203 --> 00:34:39,023

especially when I'm smiling and go, he's an arsehole.

467

00:34:40,823 --> 00:34:44,943

But then I would go a completely different route.

468

00:34:46,963 --> 00:34:50,363

Maybe this was more of a teen thing to do.

469

00:34:50,363 --> 00:34:53,243

Or maybe this was me and I messed up in the head.

470

00:34:53,243 --> 00:34:58,223

But it was like when I was a teen, I'd be like, these are the songs I won't play to my

funeral.

471

00:34:58,223 --> 00:35:01,483

again, it's like setting the tone.

472

00:35:01,683 --> 00:35:03,603

And it's like, this is going to hit them hard.

473

00:35:03,603 --> 00:35:06,303

This is going to get that emotion that I want to get.

474

00:35:06,303 --> 00:35:09,427

And one was I Miss You by Blink-182.

475

00:35:09,427 --> 00:35:11,276

Great song, great song, yeah.

476

00:35:11,276 --> 00:35:17,437

it's a that's that's one of the songs that I'll it doesn't it doesn't matter how many

times I listen to it.

477

00:35:17,437 --> 00:35:19,701

It's like it's like it's the first time I'm listening to it.

478

00:35:19,701 --> 00:35:21,642

I love it.

479

00:35:21,642 --> 00:35:26,165

ah And maybe like a Foo Fighters ever long.

480

00:35:26,966 --> 00:35:30,989

Where it's just, it's just it's just good.

481

00:35:32,210 --> 00:35:36,703

And again, I don't know if that is really the right answer to the question.

482

00:35:36,703 --> 00:35:38,794

But those are the kind of songs

483

00:35:39,018 --> 00:35:41,163

that fit my personality.

484

00:35:41,895 --> 00:35:44,681

Yeah, and that's what the question enlists.

485

00:35:44,681 --> 00:35:45,873

Yeah, that's...

486

00:35:46,070 --> 00:35:52,150

It doesn't have to be like lyrics, but it's what it represents and how it makes you feel.

487

00:35:52,370 --> 00:35:57,110

And if anyone has a connection to any of those songs, they'll be like, okay, I understand

this person.

488

00:35:57,211 --> 00:36:05,523

Yeah, and that's what I always say when I ask that question because a lot of people,

especially when I interview wrestlers are like, do I have to answer it as the wrestler or

489

00:36:05,523 --> 00:36:06,283

do I answer it as me?

490

00:36:06,283 --> 00:36:08,814

And I'm like, it's whatever way you choose to do it.

491

00:36:08,814 --> 00:36:09,294

Right.

492

00:36:09,294 --> 00:36:15,506

But I've always thought it's really cool to be able to say what songs represent you, like

you as a person.

493

00:36:15,506 --> 00:36:19,517

And don't feel bad about thinking about like the playlist at the funeral.

494

00:36:19,517 --> 00:36:26,703

We interviewed Rebi or I interviewed Rebi a while ago and she has a whole playlist that's

just like, these are the songs that are going to play at my funeral.

495

00:36:26,703 --> 00:36:30,665

So listen, there are people that do it and there are people that have it.

496

00:36:32,887 --> 00:36:37,110

Then one last thing I'm gonna hit you with, and this is probably gonna be a simple yes or

no question.

497

00:36:37,110 --> 00:36:39,101

You are Duke Hansen right now.

498

00:36:39,101 --> 00:36:42,173

And know that you're saying that you're trying to get the last name.

499

00:36:42,413 --> 00:36:43,264

What about Duke Hansen?

500

00:36:43,264 --> 00:36:45,495

What about Duke Hansen?

501

00:36:45,725 --> 00:36:46,965

I I should have.

502

00:36:48,946 --> 00:36:51,627

There's this thing inside of me.

503

00:36:52,008 --> 00:36:53,768

could have been a short answer, you're right.

504

00:36:53,768 --> 00:36:54,649

But here's me.

505

00:36:54,649 --> 00:37:01,772

uh Duke Hansen was a good idea if I wanted to be more gimmicky.

506

00:37:02,652 --> 00:37:13,457

I think being in the system for a while and seeing how different people are treated.

507

00:37:14,247 --> 00:37:19,088

And what's expected of them depending on where they feel they should go.

508

00:37:19,088 --> 00:37:23,299

Because again, it's an opinionated business.

509

00:37:24,320 --> 00:37:28,241

It felt right to try and be more serious.

510

00:37:28,241 --> 00:37:33,382

It felt right to try and, I wasn't allowed to as Duke Hudson.

511

00:37:33,423 --> 00:37:35,643

Duke Hudson is a heel.

512

00:37:35,643 --> 00:37:41,470

They didn't like, and I go, okay, it's your company and I choose to work here, so I have

to go with what you say.

513

00:37:41,470 --> 00:37:42,233

yeah.

514

00:37:42,677 --> 00:37:45,037

You go, all right, well, we're going to put you as do-cuts and chase you.

515

00:37:45,037 --> 00:37:45,497

I go, great.

516

00:37:45,497 --> 00:37:50,737

I'll make it work because I know I have the ability to make whatever you give me work.

517

00:37:50,817 --> 00:37:58,737

But then after that, when you're thrown back out, but people still perceive you as this

character, which you cannot be anymore.

518

00:37:59,037 --> 00:38:02,257

go, okay, it's an opportunity to recreate and rebuild.

519

00:38:02,257 --> 00:38:05,877

I've, it felt best because there really is two roads.

520

00:38:05,877 --> 00:38:12,917

I can go do do-cantum and become smug, like arrogant.

521

00:38:12,917 --> 00:38:17,040

ah But also like really playing up the gimmick and it is pro wrestling.

522

00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:23,846

So maybe that was the right thing to do to try and sell shirts and eight by tens and all

that kind of stuff.

523

00:38:23,846 --> 00:38:24,997

But you know what?

524

00:38:24,997 --> 00:38:32,854

It's also an opportunity to rebuild myself and try to uh change perception and look like a

main event player.

525

00:38:32,854 --> 00:38:39,319

Even if there isn't someone getting behind me putting me in that light, I'm going to

present myself in that light.

526

00:38:39,319 --> 00:38:40,180

if the

527

00:38:40,348 --> 00:38:45,104

If the stars align and the opportunity arises, I will fulfill that role.

528

00:38:46,481 --> 00:38:47,411

Yeah, I love that.

529

00:38:47,411 --> 00:38:48,313

And you know what though?

530

00:38:48,313 --> 00:38:50,515

It's just, said maybe one is the right decision.

531

00:38:50,515 --> 00:38:52,917

The right decision is the one that means the most to you.

532

00:38:52,917 --> 00:39:00,703

You know, there's no right or wrong answers and you know, you're building your brand right

now and it's just, it's so true to form.

533

00:39:00,703 --> 00:39:02,695

So I appreciate that honesty too.

534

00:39:02,695 --> 00:39:08,259

And I think that's something that a lot of talent can take is like, do you do a gimmick or

do you be who you are?

535

00:39:08,259 --> 00:39:09,811

Which one makes sense to you?

536

00:39:09,811 --> 00:39:10,771

That's what you go with.

537

00:39:10,771 --> 00:39:12,863

And I think that's, I think that's huge.

538

00:39:12,863 --> 00:39:14,845

Well, Duke Hansen, ladies and gentlemen.

539

00:39:14,845 --> 00:39:17,734

Thank you so much for joining us today on Ropes and Rifts.

540

00:39:17,734 --> 00:39:19,369

It's been awesome talking with you.

541

00:39:19,369 --> 00:39:23,238

And I hope when Gotham comes back, you'll be coming back too.

542

00:39:23,316 --> 00:39:24,316

I'll see you there.