“Top 5 Dead or Alive” Sammy Diaz joins me on the podcast for Episode 34 of Best For Business to share his journey through professional wrestling and his incredible rise in the industry. We kick things off discussing his training at PWA in 2017, the transformation of his persona, and the invaluable lessons he learned from Slyck Wagner Brown. Sammy reflects on his early success, including winning the Test of Strength MVP in 2018 and the formation of The Firm. He shares stories about meeting Elijah Six, their TOS Tag Team Championship victory, and becoming the K1 Champion. Sammy highlights his favorite K1 Championship defense, his recognition as the 2024 Male Wrestler of the Year, and his historic win as the first-ever Legacy Is Timeless Champion. We explore his experiences wrestling Ichiban, teaming with Lucas Chase, and competing in Steel Cage Warfare. He also shares his perspective on facing Masha Slamovich. We also talk Beast Coast which features Miracle Generation. Sammy recounts his Ring of Honor debut and being Just Jeff, and his viral moments in the "Top 5 Vlogs." He talks about wrestling Brad Hollister, his Skywalker Championship win, and holding the BST Championship. We dive into Sammy’s epic victory at the PVP Rumble, and his title as "The King of The Scrambles." Sammy also opens up about his favorite venues, biggest mentors, and most memorable matches and moments in wrestling. All this and so much more on Best For Business with Sammy Diaz!

Steven Lust joins me on the podcast for Episode 33 of Best For Business to discuss his journey in professional wrestling and his evolution as a performer. We start by talking about Steven’s beginnings in wrestling and how his persona transformed over time. He shares the origins of The Middlesex Express, his first meeting with Steven Broad, the addition of Chad Epik, and the creation of calling people a “Chud.” Steven reflects on the impact of Brickhouse Baker, his first meeting with him, and the influence Brickhouse had on his career. He also discusses the final match of The Middlesex Express. Steven dives into running The Steve-O-Lution shows, his involvement with Providence WrestleParty, and the memorable match against The Ugly Ducklings. He recounts his experiences at the first Live Prov Wrestling show, meeting and learning from Tee Phoenix, and wrestling him in the ring. The conversation covers key moments in Steven’s singles career, such as The Open Chud Challenge, his interactions with AJP, and stepping up for The Renegade Ring Rentals. We also explore his preference for singles versus tag team wrestling and his matches with Tony Atlas and Tito Santana, Ichiban, Chase Del Monte, and Jose Perez. Steven highlights career milestones like becoming the first NRG King of The Coliseum Champion, being named the 2023 NCW Men’s Wrestler of the Year, and earning the title of “The Iron Man” at Watch This Fight Wrestling. He shares his experience in the Chaotic Countdown, teaming with Nick Marchand, and wrestling DUI at RWA Legacy. The discussion also touches on his involvement in FightLife, including its transformation, backstage segments with The Unit, and his recovery after a significant injury. Steven reflects on his favorite matches, dream opponents, and the legacy he wants to leave in wrestling.

Rich Palladino joins me on the podcast for Episode 32 of Best For Business to discuss his legendary career as a ring announcer and his contributions to professional wrestling. We start by exploring Rich’s early passion for having a commanding voice, his background playing football in high school, and the pivotal moment when he decided to jump into the wrestling business. He shares how meeting the right person and creating a demo tape opened the door to his career, including his trademark of wearing tuxedos in wrestling and his mentorship under Tony Rumble. Rich reflects on his experiences announcing for ECW, Ring of Honor, and Chaotic Wrestling, as well as his introduction to Beyond Wrestling and the iconic Shamrock Slam. He discusses his involvement in Clairo's music video “Juna”, announcing at Fenway Park, and being part of The Wrestival. The conversation delves into Rich’s work with Teddy Goodz and Live Pro Wrestling, his time with the Eastern Wrestling Alliance alongside Adam Booker, and his contributions to Major League Wrestling and Limitless Wrestling’s Vacationland Cup at The Colisee. Rich also talks about announcing for CES and Wrestling Has A Tomorrow (WHAT!).

Scott King joins me on the podcast for Episode 31 of Best For Business to share his incredible journey in professional wrestling, from his early days to his lasting impact on the industry. We begin by discussing Scott’s natural talent for communication, dubbed “The Gift of Gab,” and his start in wrestling with Steve Ramsey. Scott reflects on his experience in tag team wrestling, training wrestlers, and his role with the Eastern Wrestling Alliance (EWA), including running his first EWA show. He also talks about the mentors who shaped his career and the inspirations he modeled his wrestling persona after. Scott takes us back to memorable moments in his career, including the time he wrestled Owen Hart, his transformation into a character-driven performer, and his matches against Ludvig Borga and King Kong Bundy. He shares stories about the legendary names who wrestled for the EWA and details his journey to winning the EWA Heavyweight Title. Scott discusses the challenges and triumphs of the EWA revived and what the newer iteration of the promotion means to him.

Jordan Castle joins me for Episode 30 of Best For Business, where we discuss his journey in wrestling, theater, and commentary, as well as his memorable experiences and aspirations. We talk about Jordan's finding a passion for pro wrestling and theater, his favorite performance roles, and how long he was involved in theater. He shares how his time on stage built his confidence. We also discuss the infamous Natick Wrestling Federation. Jordan recounts the day of the show, and whether we might see the federation return as well as talk about a Teddy Goodz return. Jordan discusses his first big break in wrestling and the companies he considers home, touching on his connections with Veda Scott, Brian Zane, Jack Farmer, and Aria Perkins. He shares his experiences meeting industry figures like Dave Prazak and his first time working with GCW. We dive into memorable moments with Matt Cardona, including his match with Nic Nemeth, and how Jordan found about working for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Jordan describes the transformative journey of moving from Massachusetts to California and the differences between the wrestling scenes on each coast. He reflects on his experiences with wrestlers like Alan Angels, “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Masha Slamovich, and Jack Cartwheel. We also talk about his signature suits, his favorite venues, and his most memorable moments in wrestling. Jordan reflects on his biggest mentors, shares his hopes for future commentary roles, and so much more.

Bobby Rossi joins me on the podcast for Episode 29 of Best For Business, where we dive into his career, memorable experiences, and insights into wrestling and beyond.

Bob Whitney joins me on the podcast for Episode 28 of Best For Business, sharing his journey and experiences in the world of wrestling. We start by discussing the importance of having a voice and being the "ringmaster." Bob shares how he was introduced to wrestling, his favorite wrestler, and his time as a fan watching Wolverine and Danger Boy Alfredo on public access. We discuss WrestleMania 9, which he considers one of his favorites. He then recalls his high school wrestling gimmick in the Sherman School Wrestling Alliance, his "Bob the Bruiser" persona, and getting sent to the principal’s office. As we dive deeper, Bob talks about discovering XWA and starting his training. He recounts moments like participating in the XWA Student Battle Royal, learning from Cody Rhodes and Mike Bennett, and the valuable lessons he took from Matt Taven. Bob also shares how he embraced his love for wrestling by channeling "Macho Man" Randy Savage at his wedding. Our conversation moves to his journey into ring announcing, beginning with XWA's Kings Never Die event. Bob explains the thrill of his first announcing experience, his goals for the future, and memorable moments like entering the Xtreme Rumble in 2019 and working with names like Matt Striker, Kevin Nash, and John Morrison. He shares stories from these encounters, as well as his experience announcing at the first Test of Strength show and working with Fight Life. One of the highlights for Bob was appearing in the Call Your Shot Battle Royal at Still Standing 2023. He reflects on the most memorable moments in his career, his plans for the future, and the legacy he hopes to leave in wrestling. To wrap up, Bob turns the tables and asks Coach C some questions, and much more.

Manny Sousa joins me on the podcast for episode 27, the fifth and final episode of Ref Month for Best For Business. We start with Manny's journey into wrestling, from his early steps in the industry to managing Mike Graca. He shares his experience reffing for RWA, managing The Hollywood Balds, and the decision to become a referee. Manny talks about his return to wrestling and highlights some of his favorite matches to ref, including Ricochet vs. Tessa Blanchard and the steel cage match between Mike Graca and BMT. He also discusses the unique challenges of reffing steel cage matches and how both he and Mike Graca found their way into the wrestling world.

Cam Iasimone joins me on the podcast for the 4th bonus episode of Best For Business. We talk about Cam’s first moment outside of playing sports, Ice Productions, and the biggest lessons learned during his internship with WPRI12. Cam shares how he became a Chiefs fan and his experience interning with 98.5 The Sports Hub. We discuss Cam’s Corner, his first game at Rhode Island College, and calling “Corner Threes”. Cam talks about sideline reporting for URI football, working with Aniekan Okon, and the role of content in the sports world. He mentions Nic and Tom Comella, Stone Freeman, and Paige Messier, then reflects on recognizing when he was ready for a big leap. We explore whether play-by-play is the dream for him, a day in the life of play-by-play work, and how his podcast, Cam’s Corner, has evolved. Cam shares his dream guests, favorite episodes, and his reaction to being chosen as a captain by Dan Mazzulla. We also discuss the significance of "Coach," the day it was released, his transfer to URI, and finally, Cam Iasimone’s legacy.

Gina Monti joins me on the podcast for episode 26, the fourth episode of Ref Month for Best For Business. We kick things off discussing the participants in the Pretzel Death Match Providence WrestleParty and talk about Corinne Mink. She shares how she got into wrestling, being recruited at Test of Strength (TOS), and her decision to become a referee. We even touch on her brief time considering a role as a manager for Cosplay Championship Wrestling. We even talk about her experience with Kung Fu. Gina talks about being cousins with TJ Howell III and attending Test of Strength shows. She explains what makes TOS unique, including her experiences with people like Bobby Ocean, Ichiban, and Sammy Diaz. Gina also discusses the importance of her "Blue Shoes" and we discuss different ref uniforms she has had. She shares her experiences working with Zero 1 USA Northeast, Anthony Greene, and promotions like Rad Pro Rasslin, DEADLOCK Pro Wrestling, and House of Glory Wrestling. Gina highlights her time at The Wrestival and her thoughts on deathmatch wrestling. She then dives into her favorite style of match to ref. We talk about the memorable match between Dustin Waller and Kylon King at Fight Life. Gina reflects on some of her favorite matches she's reffed in 2024, sharing what made those matches stand out to her. She also talks about the experience of officiating Daniel Garcia vs. Wheeler Yuta and compares the differences between wrestling scenes in Florida and New England. Gina credits her growth to mentors like Ref Bill Thompson and her participation in a referee seminar with Bryce Remsburg at Chikara. She recounts the thrill of reffing at Fenway Park and for Ring of Honor, sharing her favorite venues and storylines to be involved in as a referee. Gina highlights some of her most memorable moments in wrestling and discusses who she hopes to work with in the future and much more!