Growing up in the same area as WWE Superstar CM Punk, maybe it was destiny for “Big Hoss Hippie” Regan Lydale to become a professional wrestler. Lydale, who just won the Defiant Pro Wrestling Championship this past weekend, joins Windy City Slam Podcast for the first time to discuss how a family friend pushed her toward Tommy Else, who in turn prepared her for the rigors of the Freelance Wrestling Academy, her upcoming Freelance World Championship match against Devon Monroe, winning the Freelance Rumble, her previous title match against Storm Grayson, what era of wrestling drew her into the business, working for Defiant Pro, Ego Pro Wrestling and POWW Entertainment among other local companies and more. Plus, we recap Chicago Style Wrestling and preview John Cena vs. CM Punk at WWE Night of Champions, Freelance vs. The World XI, AAW Pro, NWA Chicago, ZOWA Live and GALLI Lucha Libre.

Mike Pankow is a 25-year-plus professional journalist and wrestling superfan who covers local Chicagoland wrestling and national promotions like AEW and WWE. If there is something going on in Chicago, Mike knows about it. Enjoy "Wrestling, Chicago-Style" on The Broadcast Basement On-Demand Radio Network! Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Get your local wrestling fix every Tuesday everywhere podcasts can be found and always at WindyCitySlam.com!