One of wrestling’s greatest technical wrestlers, Davey Richards is a ferocious fighter operating with a level of intensity unmatched in the sport. A decorated wrestler and former World Champion, Richards has main-evented around the world, often winning titles in some of the most competitive international organizations. Competing for Japan’s Pro Wrestling NOAH and New Japan Pro-Wrestling as well as in Canada, Great Britain, Germany, and Puerto Rico among countless other countries, Davey Richards is a world-class grappler.
Trained by “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff in the early 2000s, Richards has continued to evolve his fighting style, now incorporating Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into an already impressive arsenal. A fierce cerebral combatant, Richards strikes fast and with aggressive attacks which often spell the end for his victims in the squared circle. Now in MLW, the hunt continues for the “American Wolf”.
Four years ago, Davey Richards was leaving the business to focus on being a firefighter and paramedic, and also a father. He left but didn’t retire. So when he decided to come back, if he had many offers, he chose MLW, a place where he could be everything he has always been. A true fighter, in life like in the ring.
SteelChair Mag had the absolute pleasure to talk to Davey Richards this Tuesday. He told us about his comeback to wrestling, MLW, its roster, winning the Opera Cup, his relationship with the fans, his Academy, being a firefighter and a wrestler, and what the future may hold for him.
What a great surprise it was to see you come back. In 2017, you left TNA/Impact Wrestling to focus on fire being a fire-fighter and a paramedic. What made you come back to wrestling?
“Honestly, I always plan on coming back because I wanted to finish things up and wrestling my way, but honestly, the show Cobra Kai was a big influence. Just watching that show was really like a motivator for me to come back and use the talents that God gave me, so I would say my personal desire and Cobra Kai.”
You said signing with MLW was “an organic decision.” Why was the choice so easy to make?
“MLW and I have a very similar mindset on wrestling that is a sport first. To me, MLW represents the best of pure professional wrestling. I’ve never been too into TV wrestling, wrestling three or four minutes has never been my thing. I look at wrestling as a sport and, therefore, I like competition and, to me, MLW has the best competition. The matchmakers in MLW look first and foremost at your in-ring ability and if you can hang, and that’s my way of thinking, saying at the end of the day it is wrestling. So it was a very easy decision to go there and it was even easier to re-sign for a couple more years, so I’m happy to call (MLW) home, help it grow, and then build it.”
Was it easy for you to say, “I’m going to be wrestling but I still want to be the fire-fighter I am and the paramedic I am” when you negotiated your comeback? Is it possible to do it all?
“Yes, it’s possible. I’m very lucky. I love being a father, obviously, I love being a wrestler, and I love to be a first responder. Basically, I get to spend my whole day, every day, doing things that I love. And MLW has been very understanding, like I said, we’re a team, a family, everyone just wants the best for everyone, so it’s been a very mutual and respectful relationship.”
What does the Opera Cup represent to you? And mostly the fact of winning it?
“The Opera Cup, for me, had a little bit more meaning than maybe other people because I grew up watching Stampede Wrestling, that’s where the Opera Cup was a very prominent tournament. As a child, I didn’t watch WWF or anything like that, I watched NWA, and Stampede Wrestling was actually in NWA. For me, I remember those tournaments, and so for me to kind of plug my name against all those great competitors, it was really special, and I went through some exceptional talent, Filthy Tom Lawlor, Bobby Fish, and my eternal nemesis TJP. I really think TJP is the best wrestler in the world. It was gruelling, but it was well worth it to etch my name in the history, and The Opera Cup is so historic, so it was an honour.”
Winning the Opera Cup also means a chance to go for the World Championship. When are you going to cash in your opportunity?
“You will have to stay tuned (laughs).”
With the current MLW Champion Alex Hammerstone, Jacob Fatu, Calvin Tankman, Mads Krügger, this roster is fantastic. Was it also a reason for you to come when you realised that you could have such a great competition?
“Absolutely. I would like to add guys like Alex Kane, the biggest monster with Mads Krügger (laughs). I feel like I and Hammerstone have kind of been on a collision course, even before MLW, but now it just means so much more because the World title is so prestigious and that’s my goal. My goal’s always been to be the best, and that title represents the best. Just the war Hammerstone went through with Fatu to win that title speaks for itself as far as the relevance and importance of that title, so I’m ready to go to war, to win it and, when it’s right, me and Alex Hammerstone will have a very memorable date.”
When you made your first steps in this locker room, were you welcomed the way you were expected to by this bunch of young talents? Did they really appreciate the fact that you were coming to work with them?
“I would say it wasn’t as I expected because I was expecting a little bit of like, “who’s this new guy” or “oh, he’s coming back,” but everyone was so welcoming. MLW is very special because there obviously is competition, which there should be, but we are a team, more akin to an army, we want to build our company. There’s not a person on the roster that doesn’t believe in MLW, so we’re all vying for the top spots, as it should be, because competition brings out the best in people, but I think MLW as a whole, as a team, as a company, wants to compete with the other companies because we think we’re better, and then I support that. Competition is good and we’re willing to work hard, we’re able to outwork everyone else, and I think together we’ll earn it, so I’m very fortunate to be a part of that team.”
MLW is Court Bauer’s vision. Was it easy to accept it and so jump on the train?
“For me, yes, because I and Court have the same mentality towards wrestling, but I will also say that Court reminds me a lot of Paul Heyman and Gabe Sapolsky (EVOLVE founder) because they’re very naturally talented at bringing out the best in people. There’s no ego. Someone may have a better idea and he’s open to it, but any idea he’s going to come in is with no other purpose than just making the product and the competitor themselves better, so it’s a very positive synergistic relationship we all have.”
We all know the legacy that you already have in Ring of Honor, NJPW, TNA/Impact Wrestling, and many other companies, mostly as a tag-team wrestler. What kind of legacy do you want to try to create for yourself in MLW?
“My legacy will be written by the fans, so I’ve never been interested in fame or recognition or anything like that, it’s never been. I wasn’t looking to make a quick buck or anything like that, so my legacy will be written by the people who I competed against and by the fans who saw me compete. I would like to be remembered as someone who believed in wrestling. I firmly believe that wrestling is a sport of kings, it’s the most honest thing in the world, it brings people together, and it brings out the best in people. That’s my legacy, and just to be the best, it’s always been that way since I was 10, and I want to win-state. I want that world heavyweight title but not to get it, to earn it, so it’s up to you guys what my legacy is (laughs).”
We talked about legacy but you are also opening your own account academy with other wrestlers. Is it really something that you had in mind for a long time, being able to share with other wrestlers and people, give them the best advice and guidance they deserve?
“I firmly believe people who are in my position in wrestling, who have made it, one of your prime responsibilities is to give back because I was very fortunate because I had great mentors right from the start. Spending so much time in Japan, I had even more great mentors. So I want to give that knowledge to the next generation, and I’m very excited about the Academy, here in St Louis, Missouri. We have a great indie scene here in St Louis, and I’m going to get MLW to come here one way or another. I’m very excited to give back, it’s going to be a journey, we invested a lot of time and a lot of money into this, but we’re very excited and I hope it’s a very positive imprint on the St Louis wrestling scene.”
Do people come to you to thank you to be back?
“I’ve always had this great relationship with the audience, so I feel like every time I wrestle, it’s like we’re on the same team, it’s like family. I don’t feel like I’m performing for them, it’s family. To me, the reaction always feels very authentic, and that’s very special to me, so as long as they believe in me, I’ll lead this charge and it’s going to be great.”
The American Wolves reunited in Wrestling Revolver. You and Eddie (Edwards) even won their Tag Team Championship. Is the story of The Wolves meant never to end?
“I and Eddie are like brothers, and the American Wolves is something so authentic that it’ll never die, so it’s always a treat and hopefully one day, with forbidden doors being opened, we could see The American Wolves in MLW. I know Eddie wants that and, obviously, I want that, and I know Court wants that, but for right now, we need to focus on getting our world title, but you never know who might show up where. That’s part of the fun of this.”
You’re wrestling ACH this Friday night in Dallas, at MLW “Blood and Thunder.” What are you expecting from the match and the show?
“This show is what we’ve always come to expect from MLW, which is just a very memorable event. Everyone’s going full throttle. As far as my match, I’ve known and wrestled ACH quite a few times and how great would it be if he could come in and beat one of the top guys in MLW. That would solidify a lot of things for him as well as give him a nice reason to get a nice contract. I got to win because I got to keep climbing the ladder towards that World title. So it’s competition, but competition brings out the best people, and I’m going to take him into deep water and try to drown him and we’ll see if he can swim.”
If you had to pick one opponent from the MLW roster, only one, who would it be? Who is your MLW dream opponent?
“Alex Hammerstone. Absolutely. Jacob Fatu is so ungodly talented, that guy is going to be a millionaire. Fatu is literally one of the most talented people I’ve ever seen in my life, and he is very talented, so that would be a test but a test I’m very down to take. Eventually, all in good time.”
Follow Davey Richards on Twitter @RichardsWesley and Team Ambition Academy on@TeamAmbitionSTL
MLW Fusion airs every Thursday night at 8 PM EST (1 AM GMT) and the MLW YouTube channel and on Saturday on Fite TV. MLW Blood & Thunder will take place this Friday from Dallas, TX. Next TV tapings will emanate from Charlotte on February 26 with MLW SuperFight and Dallas on March 31.
All pics and videos courtesy of MLW