Lio Rush Just Ended Our Show

1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:09,039 Battle Boy from the Parts Unknown Studios into the Battle Crowd, Battle Clown, 2 00:00:09,839 --> 00:00:17,079 the battle Bound, battle the Battle Brown. Welcome to the Battleground Podcast, 3 00:00:17,199 --> 00:00:22,160 your place for all things pro wrestling. Little Crowd, the Blattle Brown, 4 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,960 the Battle Brown now making their way to the microphone and set it up for 5 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:37,200 your hosts, the Battle Crowd. Yeah, what's up you guys. Welcome 6 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:42,320 back into iHeartRadio's official wrestling podcast, the Battleground Podcast. And man, this 7 00:00:42,359 --> 00:00:45,039 has been a guy that we have been trying to get on the show for 8 00:00:45,079 --> 00:00:49,719 a long time for years, and he has eluded us every time we've sent 9 00:00:49,799 --> 00:00:53,479 in requests into people. But now we finally have him on the show. 10 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,520 Mister Leo Rush joins us. Leo, how are you doing, sir? 11 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,079 I'm doing pretty good man, Thank you for having me on here. I'm 12 00:01:00,399 --> 00:01:03,519 laughed. We to finally make this happen. I am definitely glad that we 13 00:01:03,519 --> 00:01:07,159 were able to take out some time of your busy schedule. I mean, 14 00:01:07,159 --> 00:01:10,519 you're just out there traveling worldwide. You've got wrestling, you've got music, 15 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,599 you've got acting. I'm assuming you've got everything going on in Leo's Rush, 16 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,400 so carving out you know, ten fifteen minutes of your time. Thank you 17 00:01:18,439 --> 00:01:21,000 for doing that for us, Yes, sir, no, thank you. 18 00:01:21,359 --> 00:01:23,319 So let's talk about this. I mean, you've competed on some of the 19 00:01:23,359 --> 00:01:27,079 biggest stages in professional wrestling, so it was only a matter of time before 20 00:01:27,079 --> 00:01:32,480 we saw you back into impactoring. How is Impact different from you know, 21 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:38,079 other places that you've been and what drew you to Impact. Well, now 22 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:45,439 that I'm actually in the locker room and I've been in the Impact zone a 23 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:49,400 couple of times now, I definitely feel the energy. The energy is a 24 00:01:49,439 --> 00:01:53,319 lot different, and I feel like the energy is different coming off of the 25 00:01:55,159 --> 00:02:00,920 actual wrestlers. There are a lot of hungry people there, and hungry in 26 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:05,799 a different way you hear you know the term hunger and wrestling a lot and 27 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:10,960 um, but I definitely feel like that, you know, they've got something 28 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,039 to prove, all of those all of those guys and girls and superstars, 29 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:23,199 and they know it, they know which they should m This is the place 30 00:02:23,199 --> 00:02:25,599 to be. This is why I'm here. I'm not going to waste my 31 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:34,599 time. You definitely, Impact is the place to be and I'm glad that 32 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,439 I'm that I'm there. Yeah, And that's the thing is, like we 33 00:02:37,439 --> 00:02:39,800 we you know, we've done several of these interviews with Impact wrestlers and all 34 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,159 the people that have been, you know, to different companies, and everybody 35 00:02:44,159 --> 00:02:46,159 has that same answer that you just had. Impact is a different breed. 36 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,879 They're hungry, they're there to work, and you could genuinely tell when you're 37 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,199 watching Impacts product like it is fun like it is, I mean you're glued 38 00:02:54,240 --> 00:03:00,719 to the TV the entire time. Yeah. Yeah, it really is a 39 00:03:00,759 --> 00:03:06,759 different kind of atmosphere and which makes it so so different than than everywhere else. 40 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,639 It's amazing at this point in wrestling that so many, you know, 41 00:03:09,719 --> 00:03:15,680 different companies can be different in their own ways, but Impact is different, 42 00:03:15,719 --> 00:03:17,560 and it's different in its own way, in its own unique way, and 43 00:03:17,599 --> 00:03:23,159 it is fiery, and it is motivating and m it makes you want to 44 00:03:23,159 --> 00:03:27,319 be better. It makes you want to work harder than you've ever worked before 45 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,800 in your life because all eyes are on you and that camera is one and 46 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,840 yeah, and that's the thing. It's like, you know, and I 47 00:03:35,919 --> 00:03:39,199 we've talked about this before with numerous people like I was there from the inceptions 48 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:44,520 of the old NWAT and a days from like the fairgrounds and watching it progress 49 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:46,439 into what it is now like it it is up there with the big boys, 50 00:03:46,439 --> 00:03:51,199 and it's it's a product that you know, you know, people don't 51 00:03:51,199 --> 00:03:53,159 really pay attention to it, but it's one of those things now that people 52 00:03:53,159 --> 00:03:57,919 are like, oh, we got to start paying attention to Impact because Leo's 53 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,520 there, Trinity's there, Nick, all the rolls in there, like big 54 00:04:00,599 --> 00:04:03,680 name people are showing up and being like, we're here to play and we're 55 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:09,560 not taking mistaking it. There's a reason. There's a reason why. Absolutely 56 00:04:10,159 --> 00:04:13,240 so. The MotorCity machine Guns, you know, now hold two of the 57 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,639 biggest singles prizes in Impact wrestling. Let me ask you this, how influential 58 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,920 are the guns and what do they mean to Impact wrestling in your eyes? 59 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:27,000 To Impact wrestling, I mean what do they mean to an entire generation, 60 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:39,439 multiple generations. They are the X Division, They are Impact wrestling. Going 61 00:04:39,439 --> 00:04:44,360 into this match, is is more than just a statement match to me, 62 00:04:44,519 --> 00:04:48,639 It is a dream match. It is a dream match to me, which 63 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:56,160 will quickly turn into a nightmare for saying, but this is a dream match 64 00:04:56,199 --> 00:04:59,720 for me. I grew up watching the most of the machine guns. I 65 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,759 I've teamed with the Motor City machine Guns last earlier in my career, so 66 00:05:05,399 --> 00:05:10,879 I know how much this match means to me. It's more than just about 67 00:05:10,959 --> 00:05:14,079 the title. Yes, the title is on the line, which is the 68 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,519 most important thing, but they are other factors there that makes this match a 69 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:23,199 big deal for me, and I'm sure it's a big deal for Satan for 70 00:05:23,639 --> 00:05:28,680 very similar reasons. So yeah, this is going to be a match for 71 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:30,920 the books for sure now. And I will tell you, and you can 72 00:05:30,959 --> 00:05:33,600 ask a lot of people on that roster, and you can ask other people 73 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:38,040 as well, people that come onto this show. When they go on to 74 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:43,360 wrestle for the gold, they go on and win the gold. So you're 75 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,360 in good hands because I mean this has happened numerous times. People come on 76 00:05:46,399 --> 00:05:48,959 the show and they're wrestling for the title days after what they are on the 77 00:05:48,959 --> 00:05:53,920 show, and they win. So, Leo, I think you're gonna be 78 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,759 taking some extra stuff with you on that airplane. I think I'm in good 79 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,839 hands. I think it definitely ends a good hands with us. We're gonna 80 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:02,839 make sure that you, you know, leave with some hardware after the Impact 81 00:06:02,879 --> 00:06:05,959 shows this week. I appreciate that I need, I need to catch up 82 00:06:05,959 --> 00:06:09,759 to you with all those titles in the back. I mean, yeah, 83 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:11,800 we could, I could, we could trade. We could we talk of 84 00:06:12,639 --> 00:06:15,959 nothing. Oh yeah, we could talk off fair. I could send you 85 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,879 some stuff that way you can have some as well. I'll send you some 86 00:06:17,879 --> 00:06:20,879 stuff. Appreciate that. So, I mean, let me ask you this. 87 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:27,000 And we've we've talked about your big matches happening at Slammiversary and it's in 88 00:06:27,079 --> 00:06:30,480 Canada. But I mean, you've always found a way to stand out with 89 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:34,279 wherever you're at, right when it comes to being in the ring, what 90 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:39,800 is your mindset when your opponent is announced and how do you go about making 91 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,920 sure that you stand out in your matches? To just be me, I 92 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,000 feel like a lot of people like to see matches that they're announced, and 93 00:06:47,439 --> 00:06:49,839 they like to see the opponent that they're going to be wrestling, and they 94 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:58,560 go straight to study and take They go straight to I'm gonna do what I 95 00:06:58,639 --> 00:07:03,240 do regardless they watch me, they need to study me. The question is 96 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:08,399 how am I gonna stop Leo Russian? Not the other way around. Exactly. 97 00:07:08,759 --> 00:07:13,519 I'm an artist, I'm I'm I'm a master at my craft. I'm 98 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:15,639 good at what I do because I do it in a way that works best 99 00:07:15,839 --> 00:07:19,120 for me. I go in there, I feel it out in the moment, 100 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:24,360 I feel like what my opponent is doing. My speed is my ultimate 101 00:07:24,399 --> 00:07:29,279 advantage. So whatever he tries to do, or whatever he tries to adapt 102 00:07:29,399 --> 00:07:31,839 to or call an horble on his move, sat, it doesn't matter. 103 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:38,079 I'm gonna, I'm gonna get away, I'm gonna I'm gonna get to where 104 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:42,360 I want to be, and I'm gonna I'm gonna strike with position. So 105 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:47,120 um yeah, yeah, that's my that's my take on that. Okay, 106 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,079 that's a that's a solid take. Now let me ask you this, because 107 00:07:50,079 --> 00:07:55,560 you look at the lineage of you know, the X Division who's held that 108 00:07:55,639 --> 00:08:00,680 title from Samoa, Joe, aj Styles, sabing Uh, the list goes 109 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:05,879 on and on and on. What would it mean for Leo Rush to become 110 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:15,240 X Division champion? It would mean everything. It would mean everything. It 111 00:08:15,319 --> 00:08:22,680 would it would show everybody that I am here to stay for one. It 112 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:31,120 will show everybody that I have won a title almost everywhere I've been. It 113 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:41,279 would it would be the icing on the cake. Impact is a title that 114 00:08:41,399 --> 00:08:50,399 I've seen visually when I was a kid and actually said I need that title. 115 00:08:50,919 --> 00:08:54,519 Yeah, any other title that I've that I've seen. Yes it looks 116 00:08:54,519 --> 00:08:58,759 cool, Yes it looks cool on other people, but it doesn't have the 117 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:07,320 gravitational pull to me. Then that X Division title I was I was born 118 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:11,039 to be an X Division champion. I am the X Division at least, 119 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:15,159 I'm the new age of the X Division, and I feel like I'm a 120 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,039 perfect leader to bring in that new age. So that title looks really good 121 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:22,639 and I'm gonna I'm gonna take it. I mean, I mean, when 122 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:24,960 you have that big X on the front of it. I know a lot 123 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:26,480 of people are like the cliche of lou you'll have an X on your back 124 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,200 when you win that. But I don't think if you know when you win 125 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:31,200 the title, because we're putting that out in the universe, when you win 126 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,879 the title, I don't think you really have to be looking over your shoulder 127 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:37,799 wondering who's going to come after you, because I mean, I don't think 128 00:09:37,799 --> 00:09:41,279 anybody's gonna be able to beat Leo Rush when it says Leo Rush X Division 129 00:09:41,399 --> 00:09:45,600 Champion. Yeah, and that X is not on my back. That X 130 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:48,480 is right in front of me. So whoever wants to try to step in 131 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:50,679 front of me and take it then more than women because I'm not back and 132 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:54,679 down absolutely, So you know, over the years, I mean, you've 133 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:00,159 achieved success and not only the ring, but also as a musician and a 134 00:10:00,399 --> 00:10:01,639 rapper. Let me ask you this, I mean, you wear a lot 135 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:07,679 of hats. How do you balance your various artistic endeavors with your wrestling career? 136 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:11,720 And also, can we inspect any new music releases or collapse coming up 137 00:10:11,799 --> 00:10:16,200 later this year? I know we're only halfway through the year. Of course, 138 00:10:16,399 --> 00:10:20,480 of course I'm always working on something. You know, not everything is 139 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:26,320 always publicized, but I'm always working on something, so you can expect more 140 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:31,320 projects from me. You can't expect more things from me outside of wrestling. 141 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,360 At the end of the day, it is it is bigger than wrestling, 142 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,879 you know. Leo Rush is a brand, a worldwide brand. I want 143 00:10:39,919 --> 00:10:43,039 to bring things to impact wrestling, and I want to bring impact wrestling to 144 00:10:43,159 --> 00:10:48,639 the things that I'm doing. So it's it's all together, It's all one, 145 00:10:50,879 --> 00:10:54,399 and you can expect more of it. So yes, awesome. We're 146 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,360 looking forward to getting some new music from Leo Rush this year. Is there 147 00:10:58,519 --> 00:11:03,759 I guess any other fellow musically inclined wrestlers that you would love to collaborate with 148 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:09,960 in the studio. There are a few. There are a few that I'm 149 00:11:09,039 --> 00:11:13,279 thinking about, but I will not give away those names. Well, we'll 150 00:11:13,279 --> 00:11:16,440 wait till we get that drop on on threads now that everybody's there. If 151 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,679 Leo Rush dropped a new song with such and such, yes, okay, 152 00:11:20,759 --> 00:11:22,720 yeah, well well we'll wait for that. We will let it marinate and 153 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,919 we'll be all surprised because we don't want the dirt sheets coming after being like, 154 00:11:26,919 --> 00:11:30,039 oh, Leo Rush said this, this, this, So we'll let 155 00:11:30,039 --> 00:11:33,840 everybody know when Leo Rush wants just now was coming. That's all you need 156 00:11:33,879 --> 00:11:37,000 to know. If you're excited, if you like music, if you love 157 00:11:37,159 --> 00:11:41,159 music, be a fan of me. If your fan of wrestlers who do 158 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:46,120 music, wait on it, be excited for it. It's coming. I'm 159 00:11:46,159 --> 00:11:50,360 getting very very excited about that. So here's something fun that we have started 160 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:54,960 doing on the show. We have turned to our robot producer. We have 161 00:11:54,039 --> 00:11:58,919 turned to the AI chat robots and we've said, ask Leo Rush one question, 162 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:01,879 and of course they all want to ask about the past. We're not 163 00:12:01,919 --> 00:12:05,480 talking about the past. We're here for the present. We're here for the 164 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,559 future. But the one question that they did have was a very good one. 165 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:13,279 As a versatile performer, you've shown your skills in both singles competition and 166 00:12:13,399 --> 00:12:18,799 tag team matches. Are there any specific dream opponents or potential tag team partners 167 00:12:18,799 --> 00:12:22,120 that you have in mind for the future, and you know, what kind 168 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:26,879 of impact do you hope to make in the wrestling landscape moving forward? Wow, 169 00:12:30,159 --> 00:12:37,519 any dream tag opponent, tag team partners, or opponents. I really 170 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:46,080 try not to think too hard and to the future as far as dream opponents 171 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:50,840 or dream matchups, because you never know what's going to happen. You never 172 00:12:50,879 --> 00:12:54,360 know what's going to happen in the world of professional wrestling. You never know 173 00:12:54,399 --> 00:12:58,720 who's gonna get swooped up, you never know who's gonna stop wrestling, you 174 00:12:58,759 --> 00:13:01,960 never know who's going to be injured. So I try to I think I 175 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:07,679 think the beauty of wrestling is things happening within the moment and capturing that moment 176 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:13,720 and being in that moment. So whatever whatever you know moment comes, you 177 00:13:13,759 --> 00:13:18,360 know I'll be ready for it. I hope that's not I hope that's the 178 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:22,720 I know that's not the answer that you're looking for but I think I think 179 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:31,159 any match that I have right now, within within this moment that we're currently 180 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:35,799 and I feel like it's going to be a dream match because I feel like 181 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:39,879 I'm on top of my game. I feel like I can put on performances 182 00:13:39,919 --> 00:13:43,720 that I haven't been able to put on before. I feel like I'm growing, 183 00:13:43,759 --> 00:13:48,120 I'm elevating, I'm getting better, I'm progressing literally every single hour of 184 00:13:48,159 --> 00:13:54,120 every single day. And yeah, there's so many people out there. There's 185 00:13:54,159 --> 00:14:01,840 so many people out there, but yeah, you got to be at the 186 00:14:01,919 --> 00:14:05,279 right place at the right time for sure. So you know, and again 187 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:09,320 we're putting it out the universe. You when the exhibition title come, you 188 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:13,279 know, this week at Slam Aniversary, after you beat after you win, 189 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,240 is there anybody on that locker room, on that roster that you want to 190 00:14:16,279 --> 00:14:18,559 tangle it up with? Or do you just say, you know what, 191 00:14:18,639 --> 00:14:22,879 here we go. Anybody I'm out here, just go with it. Line, 192 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:28,519 I'm up, That's what I gotta say. Is there is? But 193 00:14:28,799 --> 00:14:31,000 I mean, I know that a lot of people are gonna be lining up 194 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,679 to try to come after that exhibsion title when you win it, because see 195 00:14:33,679 --> 00:14:35,720 what we're doing is we're saying when you win it, because you will. 196 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:41,320 Is there like one person in particular that you want to be that first person 197 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:48,159 to at least attempt to challenge you? Give me Chris saving again. Okay, 198 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:52,720 tell people that it's not a fluke. Okay, I mean I did 199 00:14:52,799 --> 00:14:56,080 that. And you know, if when you win and you get saving again, 200 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,360 do you want to set the stipulations or you just wanted to be a 201 00:14:58,399 --> 00:15:05,480 normal one one match. We'll let him decide, Okay. I like that. 202 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:09,159 Leo Rush, your new X Division champion, joins us on the show 203 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:11,159 because we're saying that we're putting it out there in the universe again. I 204 00:15:11,399 --> 00:15:13,799 just want to say thank you for taking the time out and hanging out with 205 00:15:13,879 --> 00:15:16,440 us, and real quick before we let you go, is there anything you 206 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:20,559 want to you know, tell all the people watching and listening to this anything 207 00:15:20,679 --> 00:15:24,480 coming on the horizon where they can follow you out on social media, go 208 00:15:24,759 --> 00:15:31,320 download and stream. I'll be me right now. My brand new entrance theme 209 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:37,240 song. It's one that I am super excited about this one, but I've 210 00:15:37,279 --> 00:15:41,000 been waiting a very long time to put out. So now that is out 211 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,720 there to the public for you guys. Make sure you download, and make 212 00:15:43,759 --> 00:15:48,200 sure you stream, lets you tell a friend, and make sure you continue 213 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:50,120 to be yourself every day. That's what the track is about. I'll be 214 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:58,200 Me available now on iTunes, Spotify and everywhere else that is answer streaming service. 215 00:16:00,039 --> 00:16:02,799 Gonna make sure you follow me on all on my social media platforms, 216 00:16:03,159 --> 00:16:11,080 TikTok, I'm back on there now, Instagram and Twitter. I am Leo 217 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,679 Rush. But yeah, that's that's all I got to say. Oh watch 218 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:22,240 Slam Anniversary. It's gonna be one how of a event and you're gonna be 219 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,120 in for a wild ride with this exhibition match. I probise you yet, 220 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,159 and uh you know that's how we're gonna end it right there, Leo Rush, 221 00:16:30,519 --> 00:16:33,799 my man, thank you so much for coming on the show. Glad 222 00:16:33,799 --> 00:16:36,600 that we were able to finally get you on. I guess we could just 223 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:41,320 stop doing the podcast now because we have now checked that that missing person off 224 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:44,320 of our list that we've been trying to interview. So the podcast is over, 225 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:45,639 everybody, We're done. Thank you Leo Rush for ending the show. 226 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:52,039 We hope you enjoyed today's episode of the Battleground Podcast. Make sure you give 227 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:53,919 it five stars and a nice review. To stay up to date with the 228 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:57,279 show, follow them at Battleground Podcast on Instagram,