Exclusive Ring Rust Radio interivew with TNA tag team champions The Wolves, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards

The hosts of Ring Rust Radio – Donald Wood, Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin – recently had the chance to speak with TNA Tag Team Champions The Wolves, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards! With The Wolves both entered in TNA’s World Title Series, Ring Rust Radio asks the team about facing each other, working with Ring of Honor, trying out for NXT, the future of TNA and more. You can listen to the entire interview on the YouTube link below or continue past to read the interview here.

Ring Rust Radio: On this week’s episode of TNA Impact Wrestling, fans will witness The Wolves going head-to-head in a singles match in the World Title Series. As friends and teammates, what’s it like going to battle against each other and will you be able to go all-out against a friend?

Davey: We have done it before plenty of times and I am sure we will do it plenty of times. It’s all in the spirit of competition and there is a strong, mutual respect between us. At the end of the day, both of us want to be the best and there can be only one winner. So I look forward to it and it will be a great match.

Eddie: We bring out the absolute best in each other and I know Davey does for me. Anything less than my best won’t get it done against an athlete like Davey. It’s going to be hard hitting, intense, and we’re going to leave it all out in the ring.

Ring Rust Radio: The Wolves are obviously one of the premier tag teams in wrestling right now, but as experts in tag team wrestling, what are some other teams out there either in TNA or other companies that you guys believe are among the best, and would like to maybe go up against at some point?

Davey: I think tag wrestling is so good right now that it makes it a hard question to ask right now. I think the Young Bucks are great, reDRagon is great, and the Heat Seekers from North Carolina are great. There are a lot of teams from all over that are great and we enjoy wrestling them all and we would like to wrestle them again.

Eddie: I think a lot of fans would like to see us go against either the Bucks or reDRagon. Then there is the Killer Elite Squad over in Japan and the Time Splitters. Basically the best teams in the world are the ones we want to face, and that’s what the fans want to see too.

Ring Rust Radio: While many fans know you as tag team performers, both of you found legitimate success as singles competitors during your time with Ring of Honor. Do you ever get the itch to make another run on your own or do you see yourself as exclusively tag team partners?

Davey: We always have wanted to have success in the singles competition. When we talk about how we want to be X-Division Champion and World Champion, yes we both do but it’s never in lieu of the tag team. The tag team always comes first. It’s like a very successful band and members of it want to create solo albums. They obviously want their solo albums to do well, but they don’t want them to break up the band. The Wolves always come first and foremost and always will, but if we can have some singles success we would welcome it.

Eddie: We are both competitors and we want to be the best out there. Like Davey said, it’s not in spite of the tag team and the team always comes first. We discuss everything first, it’s always team, team, team. If we get the opportunity to show off in the singles then we take the advantage.

Ring Rust Radio: Before coming to TNA, you guys had a ton of success in ROH both as individuals and as a team. A lot of comparisons get thrown around between TNA and ROH nowadays since they’re both on Destination America, but having been key players in both companies, what would you say are some of the biggest differences between them?

Davey: ROH is more geared to a live experience wrestling type of product. They have a lot of younger guys who are up and coming and trying to make their name which is awesome. TNA is more of a TV product with a lot of guys that are around and made their names elsewhere and a lot more experience. It is a different flavor than what ROH brings so it’s a good one two combo with two companies that offer something unique and are unique in what they do.

Eddie: With ROH, you are going to have those longer matches that you won’t see week to week on TNA. Styles wise, TNA is quicker and flashier where ROH is more hard-hitting. You can’t go wrong with either one so for wrestling fans in general just watch them both.

Ring Rust Radio: Before you made the jump to TNA, you had a tryout with WWE’s NXT. What was that experience like for you, and would you ever consider going back in the future?

Davey: It was great! They treated us really well there. It was long days but very enjoyable days. Everything they said they were going to do they did do and they were very respectful. The facility there is absolutely amazing and we got to work with Dusty Rhodes at the time. We would definitely entertain the thought of going back there but we are very happy with TNA so I don’t see any reason to leave at this time.

Eddie: They treated us great and it was a great experience to see how it works down there. It was something cool and I say never say never but right now TNA is where it’s at.

Ring Rust Radio: There’s constantly speculation regarding TNA and its future out there on the Internet, so for you guys, who are two of the top stars in the company and two of the most accomplished wrestlers in the locker room, how do you handle all the rumors? What kind of impact, if any, do they have one you?

Davey: Eddie and I have an agreement that we stay as far away from drama and rumors as we can. We focus on how we can make our team better from upgrading our look and Eddie making leaps and bounds over his physical appearance since we joined TNA. We have only gotten better at wrestling so we don’t concern ourselves with gossip and rumors. They have always treated us well and all we focus on is wrestling.

Eddie: We don’t focus on behind the scenes or in the office, were not worried about that. Our job is to go out there, perform in the ring, and that’s it. We do that each and every week.

Exclusive Ring Rust Radio interview with current TNA tag team champion Eddie Edwards as TNA heads into Bound for Glory

The Ring Rust Radio team is back with another exclusive interview and this time Donald Wood, Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin get to speak with Eddie Edwards, one half of the current TNA tag team champions The Wolves. A star from the independent scene before hitting TNA, Edwards talks about the resurgence of tag team wrestling in TNA, his matches with Team 3D and Hardys as well as the upcoming Bound for Glory Pay-Per-View in Japan and more.

Donald Wood: The biggest news from TNA over the last several months was the move from Thursdays to Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET. What are your thoughts on the transition and what is the feeling amongst wrestlers regarding the contract negotiations with Spike TV?

Eddie Edwards: As far as the move to Wednesday, I think it was a good idea, you know, with the NFL having the Thursday night games televised now, I thought it was a good idea because it’s a similar fan base and it’s just a smart thing to do. As far as the contract situation, you know, we have nothing to do with that so we just focus on our stuff in the ring and let that stuff handle itself; if you can’t control it, no need to worry about it.

Mike Chiari: Recently TNA has kind of been at the forefront of emphasizing tag team wrestling with yourself and Davey Richards facing Team 3D and The Hardys. Knowing that The Wolves are leading that ascent in TNA and really in the business as a whole, do you and Davey view it as a challenge and a responsibility to be the faces of tag team competition?

Eddie Edwards: Definitely. That’s always been our goal is to, not only for The Wolves ourselves, but for tag team wrestling in general to bring it back to the forefront and make it the focus of not only TNA but pro wrestling in general because I think every once in a while, it gets washed by the wayside here and there. We just want to be a main focus and show the true magic that is tag team wrestling.

Brandon Galvin: Your recent matches with the Team 3D and Hardys have been among the most highly regarded matches in TNA this year. Could you explain to us how important it was for The Wolves to able to wrestle in such high-profile matches and anything you and Davey Richards may have learned from working with those two tag teams?

Eddie Edwards: I mean, we have no choice but to learn from being in the ring with those guys. Both teams are legends and me and Davey both watched them growing up and we want to have careers like both of those guys. Being in there, you have no choice but to learn and see what true tag wrestling is and it’s just an honor to be in there with guys of that caliber.

Donald Wood: You have found great success with Davey Richards as The Wolves, but you are also known by many fans as an elite singles competitor. As a former Ring of Honor world champion, do you still have the desire to fight for singles gold or are you only focused on tag team competition?

Eddie Edwards: Right now it’s all tag team stuff, I feel like we have something great going and I would never want to do anything to deter that. Do I look forward to singles matches? Yes, but right now the main concentration is tag wrestling.

Mike Chiari: TNA’s biggest pay-per-view, Bound For Glory, is going to take place on Oct. 12 in Japan. There’s a lot of intrigue surrounding the event now that TNA has announced the card, but yourself and Davey Richards aren’t scheduled to appear. Is there any disappointment on your end that you’re not part of it especially with the momentum you guys have?

Eddie Edwards: I think as competitors we want to be on every event that they have, but I think they were just trying to play it safe due to Davey’s injury and whatnot. I know that we’re both disappointed but they gotta do what’s best for the company. Either way it’ll still be a great show.

Brandon Galvin: You've been regarded as one of the better pure workers in the industry today. What do you think is the most important aspect of building an entertaining match?

Eddie Edwards: I think it would be trying to connect with the fans. The crowd, you have to get that emotion out of them, so that’s the main focus because if the crowd is not paying attention and they’re not emotionally involved they’re not going to care, so you have to make that connection.

Donald Wood: You have worked several tours of Japan during your time wrestling. Tell the fans ready to watch Bound for Glory about some of the differences between American wrestling and Japanese wrestling, both in terms of style and crowd interaction.

Eddie Edwards: The style is definitely more hard-hitting and more intense than one might see in the States, and the crowd, you almost have to earn their respect because they almost look at it as a pure sport over there, so they’re waiting to see what you can do and once you get them reacting to what you’re doing, you know you’re doing something right because they won’t just give it to you, you have to earn it.

Mike Chiari: One thing that TNA has done quite a bit over the past several months is reshaped its roster and brought in a lot of new talent. As someone who has done it all on the independent scene in the United States and had success in Japan as well, are there any particular wrestlers out there who you believe could be a good fit in TNA and who you’d like to see the company bring in?

 Eddie Edwards: There’s so many talented guys out there right now, the indies is overflowing with them. It’s unfortunate because obviously everyone can’t be seen all the time, but obviously Ring of Honor has a lot of great guys, I don’t know if they’re considered indy or not, but look at the roster for PWG. You could just pick and choose from that roster and so many of those guys would be ready to jump right into TNA.

Brandon Galvin: In a potential farewell match, whether it be your final match in a company or final match of your career, would you prefer to wrestle with Davey Richards in a tag team match or wrestle against Davey Richards in a single match?

Eddie Edwards: That’s a good one, could I do them both? I don’t know, it’s a tough one, I think it’d be, depending on who our opponents are, tag wrestling.

TNA and former WWE star Jeff Hardy talks about reuniting the Hardy Boys for Destination X

The crew from Ring Rust Radio is back with another big interview, this time with TNA and former WWE star Jeff Hardy as he talks about reuniting The Hardy Boys tag team with his brother Matt to challenge The Wolves for the TNA tag team championships this Thursday at Destination X.

You can listen to the interview at Ring Rust Radio or just click the YouTube video below!


Donald Wood: You and your brother Matt, The Hardy Boys, are reuniting for Thursday’s Destination X edition of Impact Wrestling and will be squaring off against The Wolves in a Tag Team Championship match. What are your feelings about teaming up with your brother and challenging for the titles heading into the marquee match?

Jeff Hardy: This week on Impact is beyond great. When you talk about tag team wrestling, this is the top of the mountain, man. The Wolves are one of the best tag teams in the world, and my brother and I, the Hardy Boys, are back in TNA and we’re going for the titles one more time and you do not want to miss this match this week on TNA Impact Wrestling,. It’s a show-stealer.

Mike Chiari: With yourself and Matt wrestling a couple matches as a team in New York, is the Hardy Boys reunion in TNA just a short-term deal or do you anticipate and expect to be teaming together for the foreseeable future and getting back into the tag team scene on a more permanent basis?

Jeff Hardy: It’s kind of the unknown. I mean, I don’t know what Matt’s going to do or what he wants to do as far as a long term deal. I’d like it to be long term, but right now it feels short term, but I can’t speak for Matt. So, we’ll see what happens.

Brandon Galvin: Jeff, you and Matt have always been among the most innovative tag teams in the business. Now that you have a bit more freedom in the ring when working together, how often do you two discuss new maneuvers and has there ever been something you've wanted to try in the ring but haven't had the opportunity to do so?

Jeff Hardy: I’ve had some recent new ideas that I’ve talked to Matt about but we haven’t debuted them yet, but are pretty possible. It’s like riding a bicycle. Matt and I teamed for a long time and we did an Omega show at the high school that Matt and I graduated from and wrestled the Briscoe Brothers and the whole show from beginning to end was so good and the Briscoes vs. the Hardys was a killer main event. I also did a few other Indy shots with Matt and we were just as good as we’ve ever been. And now, to be wrestling the Wolves and they’re an amazing tag team and we tear it up. There’s so much to do that hasn’t been done, it’s just about following through and trying to conquer it.

Donald Wood: The Hardy Boys teamed up in TNA in 2011, but the run was short lived. With both of you being in a much different place in your lives, do you appreciate the ability to work together again more now that you have overcome adversity?

Jeff Hardy: Oh, now more than ever. We both went through the dark periods and on the other side of those dark periods, we came out on the better side and to be performing the way we are, whether he’s on an Indy show or Ring of Honor and I’m doing my thing, we’re still rocking. To reunite and to be just as good as we’ve ever been pays off for us and the fans. It’s a good feeling. I’m 36 years old and to get back together and still rock the house is a good feeling.

Mike Chiari: There's no question that the Hardy Boys are one of if not the greatest tag teams in the history of professional wrestling. As someone who has seen and done it all in the tag team ranks, who do you consider to be the greatest tag team of all time aside from yourself and Matt?

Jeff Hardy: I don’t think there’s such a thing as the greatest of all time or the greatest in the world. If I had to choose, I mean, the Legion of Doom, I loved those guys as a kid but then the Rockers, the Rock N’ Roll Express, back in those days. I don’t think there’s one best in the world or best of all time, but I’m going to go out on a limb and speak with confidence and say Matt and myself are in that category.

Donald Wood: If you had to pick one, Legion of Doom or Demolition, who ya got?

Jeff Hardy: I’ve been doing interviews all day and I think this is the perfect answer: In my opinion, for me in the NWA it was Sting, WWF back in the day it was the Ultimate Warrior; myself combined I was both of those guys. In the tag team world, I mean, LOD NWA and WWF Demolition, I was those as well combined, that’s my style, that’s my vibe. The other worldly vision of these painted faces and huge men that are just incredibly talented and going to war. If I had to choose, I’d go with LOD, but I don’t have to choose.

Brandon Galvin: Jeff, I often feel the Hardy Boys vs. Dudley Boys' first-ever tag team table match in WWE is overlooked when discussing the Hardy Boys' top defining moments. Do you too feel that match is overlooked when discussing the history of the Hardy Boys and how do you feel about having the opportunity to wrestle the Dudleyz again now that both teams are in TNA?

Jeff Hardy: It’s almost surreal. If you had asked me what I would be doing 10 years from now when I was 26, I would’ve never said ‘oh, we’ll be wrestling Team 3D in TNA’, but that’s how everything just falls into place in the universe. The stuff we did back in the day, with Edge and Christian as well, those few matches and in TNA today as well with myself, Matt, Devon and Bubba, it’s incredible that we’re still able to do what we do from what we put our bodies through and to be as good as we are.

Donald Wood: Impact Wrestling is returning to New York City and the Manhattan Center on August 5, 6 and 7. What was it like to return to a wrestling-centric city like NYC for the last set of tapings and do you expect more of the same from the raucous crowds when you return next week?

Jeff Hardy: I think so, yeah. I had done one live event there in that building previously and there’s been so many killer shows that took place at that venue and naturally the fans are harder and you’re going to hear some graphic chants. It’s intimidating to many people and leading up to the New York tapings last time it was intimidating to me, but the overwhelming response I got and the matches I had I mean, I hope we remain there as long as we can.

Mike Chiari: You showed your range as a performer over the past few months with the Willow character. Having always worked as yourself in TNA and WWE, what type of satisfaction did you gain from switching things up from a creative perspective and going in a totally different direction with Willow?

Jeff Hardy: One thing that none of my fans truly know is that Willow is Jeff Hardy. In the days of Omega, I was Jeff Hardy, with the painted face, the babyface, and then I was Willow later in the show, wrestling my brother later in the show as the bad guy, the demon from down under and I was completely different back in the day, but that was before I got tattooed up and now it’s very hard to cover my tattoos and it’s just not reasonable. The thing about Willow and Jeff Hardy is that Willow is the idea I had and a figment of my imagination that has inspired so many of Jeff Hardy’s moves and Jeff Hardy’s style and the cut up sleeves on my arm that originally came from Marilyn Manson, I thought that all would be great for Willow and I would be rocking that back in Omega where it originated and it became one of the top merchandise items of all time. The coolest thing about TNA letting me do Willow is that they were unafraid to let Jeff Hardy express himself, like an extended version of himself, and they weren’t afraid to put a mask on me, which WWE probably would’ve never done, but I truly believe, and you’ll see in the future, that it’s going to work. Jeff Hardy, with his Imag-i-nation and the figment of it that is Willow, you’ll be able to see a cool visual of what actually goes on in my mind and you might see Willow every now and then, but for the most part it will be a glimpse into my mind.

Donald Wood: You are one of the top singles competitors in the sport today. While joining forces with your brother is something the fans are going to enjoy, do you still have the taste for the World Heavyweight Championship and is that something you’d like to achieve in TNA again?

Jeff Hardy: Oh, for sure. That’s that feeling that never gets old and when you talk about holding onto something as long as you can. Whether I retire a year from now or not I would like to hold that title one more time and keep it until that point that breaks me, whatever it may be. I would love to end my career as World Champion. I can’t be Jeff Hardy without taking chances, if I feel like I do now, I’m going to keep going out there like I did against Bobby Lashley a few weeks ago. I’m going to go all out and go hard and go for it to win that title.

Donald Wood: Would you go through your brother Matt to win the world title?

Jeff Hardy: Oh my god, I would love it. I think it could be done so tasteful it would be insane in TNA. I would love that more than anything. I’d love to work Matt, especially for the world title, it would be so good.

Mike Chiari: TNA has obviously done a good job of locking up a lot of its talent to long-term contracts in recent months. Have you given any thought to your contract situation? Would you be interested in a long-term deal to remain a focal point of TNA?

Jeff Hardy: Possibly, yeah, I mean I’m locked in pretty much for two more years because I re-signed, and it’s up to TNA to keep me around. I’ll make that decision as we get closer to the time, but right now I pretty much have a dream job. I have a three year old daughter and I’m fortunate enough to be able to have this dream job and so much time at home each day with her and I take advantage of it. As long as I keep going now with this schedule, it’s perfect for me. As far as 5, 10 years down the road, I can’t say.

Brandon Galvin: If you had the opportunity to book your last match, would you guys prefer to wrestle against Matt or as a tag team with him?

Jeff Hardy: Oh, that’s a good question, ultimately it would be killer to wrestle Matt because we dove into this journey wrestling each other and we’ve done it so many times. Yeah, that would be the perfect last match, to wrestle Matt.