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00:00It's Meltdown here, apparently the only one in the studio.
00:03You guys are both in your cars.
00:05Darren McCarty is here with us, Jay Adams as well.
00:07And they got the Grind Time Wrestling Academy, the grand opening and the open house.
00:12The free wrestling event happens in Detroit coming up on Thursday, July 2nd at the historic Brewster Wheeler Recreational Center.
00:19That's between 5.30 and 7.30.
00:21And then, of course, wrestling and all sorts of stuff.
00:24DMACC, tell me about this place.
00:27Yeah, no, it's, if anybody knows, the Kronk Gym had moved in there last year and has started holding their
00:35stuff, obviously, where Tommy Hearns trained.
00:37In the basement of this building is where Joe Lewis used to train, so it's got historical value and stuff
00:43like this.
00:43And I think the big thing for me is to have a residence downtown to be able to not only,
00:50but like, and we're showing people of what we're building.
00:53And, yes, in the professional wrestling, whether it's that or in the kids' camps or whatever we can do, we
01:00found, you know, a certain way or what you like to do it.
01:04But for me, it's about being downtown to help turn the Brewster Mueller building back in the recreational center that
01:12it was for the community, for the kids, and for everything else.
01:15So this is a start, and it's just an invitation for people to come down and see what we have
01:20going in our section of it, what's going on all around it, how things have changed in downtown Detroit.
01:26And one of the biggest parts is it's right in amongst LCA, Comerica Park, and Full Field.
01:34So it makes so much sense for all the sports teams and everybody else.
01:38But the big thing is to love wrestling.
01:42Everybody loves wrestling, but there's so many different facets to wrestling, not just being in the ring.
01:49So if I can take away the excuses and provide opportunity, that's why I'm being there.
01:53I couldn't be more proud to officially have a residence down in Detroit.
01:57And, Jay, what is your capacity with this whole organization?
02:02Well, I've known Darren for years, and I actually trained him to be a pro wrestler.
02:05I was a pro wrestler first, and I got Darren into it.
02:08And he's been doing great with it ever since, been traveling all over, picking up where I left off.
02:14So it's been great.
02:15And when this opportunity came up for him to be able to start a wrestling school, and plus to be
02:21in Detroit, downtown Detroit, it's just a great event.
02:24So I'm D's boy, so I'll always help him out with whatever he wants.
02:28But it's a great way to be able to develop these young talents and to really get them the knowledge
02:35that they need before they go out there so we can help them the best that they can be as
02:41successful as they can.
02:42And, D-Mac, you know, you're...
02:43Go ahead.
02:45No, I was just saying, that being one aspect, with Jay being the stuntman, we're transitioning from wrestling into stunt
02:51work and stuff like that.
02:52So he's not only my head of security, but also, too, July 9th, we're starting our weekly television show.
03:00So he's one of my writers behind it as an integral part just of how I want things done.
03:07It's about culture, right?
03:08It comes down to, you know, not talking about it, about being about it, and the people around me that
03:13have been around.
03:14And, like Jay said, he's the one that sort of introduced me more so on this path.
03:19So, you know what?
03:20He got me into it, so he can't go anywhere.
03:22So I think it's just, along with that, it's just to provide the city, like he said, in Detroit, because
03:29where wrestling is big and historic.
03:32And there's a lot of different, you know, promotions and avenues, and we're just trying to provide one for us.
03:38Our, like you said, our $5 shows, we're more of the WWE family show.
03:43That's what we're looking at.
03:45But wrestling, there's different strokes for different folks and different tastes.
03:51But I want to provide the opportunity for anybody, if they've ever thought about it, I take away the excuse,
03:56come on down and talk to us, because maybe you'll find yourself in the ring.
04:01Just a little bit on that, Jay, did you know Meltdown said that he wanted to take credit for taking
04:06a bump in his motorcycle spill?
04:07And I said he's more like Darby Allen than anybody else.
04:11Well, you know, we can always get Meltdown into the school, and we can teach you a few things about.
04:16Getting back to what I was talking about, you said something, DMACC, July 9th, what's up with that with your
04:21TV show?
04:22Tell me about that.
04:24Absolutely.
04:25So Jay's a huge part of it and a huge part of the writing team.
04:28But, you know, I wanted to give these, like Jay had said before, it's about giving the kids and the
04:34adults the opportunity of what we know is to come.
04:37And to be able to showcase kids that have worked really hard in our 15-week programs that have graduated
04:44that want to use this stepping stone.
04:47Having this facility and being able to produce a show of, you know, what we want with the characters we
04:54want and introduce new people.
04:55But it's all about giving an experience and trying to use our knowledge of whether it was in hockey, whether
05:02it's in life, whether it's in wrestling, and just prepare these individuals for what is ahead of them.
05:08Now, Jay, you just mentioned how you train DMACC a little bit.
05:12Now, DMACC obviously has taken some bumps along the way in the hockey arena.
05:17But what kind of – how is it teaching a guy like that to take bumps in a wrestling ring?
05:23Well, anybody that knows Darren knows he's very teachable.
05:28He listens.
05:30He's very coachable.
05:32Knock on my hockey card.
05:33That's what Scotty said.
05:35That's what Scotty Bowen says.
05:37That's what Jay Adams says.
05:38He's very coachable.
05:41He has such a deep knowledge of wrestling that he brought with him, being a fan for so long.
05:46And, you know, back in the day when he was playing, I used to see him get involved every once
05:49in a while when WWE came to Joe Louis Arena.
05:52So he's had a deep knowledge.
05:54And all I had to do was just develop it and show him how we do things and why we
05:58do things.
05:59And that's the biggest thing is not necessarily what we do, but why we do it.
06:03And like I said, he's a coachable guy.
06:05So now he's – you know, I've had to get on him a couple times when he did something a
06:10little bit wrong.
06:13I did break four ribs going through a table the wrong way.
06:20Yeah, D-Mac, yeah, talking about breaking ribs.
06:23Now, did you ever break ribs playing hockey?
06:26I did, actually.
06:28I did.
06:29So they probably started there.
06:31It was only D-Von Dudley and the Dudley boys.
06:34So don't worry about it.
06:34I got that on my bucket list.
06:36He was just mad because I stunned his brother, Bully Ray, a few weeks earlier.
06:40So, you know, we do get around.
06:43But Rubin's racing, and that's why Meltdown, I put my name on the top so I don't have to do
06:49that anymore.
06:49Now I got an office that I can look down and direct people to do that stuff for me.
06:54So, no, it's been a great experience to not only, like, the guidance from Jay and everybody around and to
07:05be able to fulfill some sort of passion or dream and stuff like that.
07:10But I think my place in the wrestling business is providing this opportunity, so I couldn't be prouder.
07:16Yeah, D-Mac, with you opening up this school and stuff, has it opened up more opportunity, like when, you
07:21know, when the WWE comes through town?
07:23Or do you know, like, Billy Corrigan or anything like that?
07:27I've met Billy Corrigan through Chris Jellio's before, and Meltdown, you know what?
07:32You'll have to wait and see, bud.
07:34You'll have to wait and see.
07:37We don't kiss and tell in the wrestling world.
07:39That's what we call in the business a tease, right?
07:41Is that what it is?
07:43Yeah.
07:43We've been called that so often.
07:45I'm sorry, Jay, go ahead.
07:48No spoilers.
07:50No spoilers.
07:51Yeah, right, exactly.
07:51D-Mac, what's the trickiest thing when you started, you know, getting in the ring and stuff?
07:57What's the hardest, what's the thing that took you the longest to kind of understand and figure out?
08:05Slow down, right?
08:07Everything comes so quick, right?
08:08Whether you're trying to remember what you're supposed to do in sequence or whatever, but you're so excited, right?
08:15So it's getting into that pace and slowing everything down and letting everything breathe and understanding sort of music and
08:23wrestling correlate so well because the best matches are different bands playing, right?
08:31Some of the hard-hitting, faster, shorter matches are more like metal, and some of the greatest matches are more
08:38like symphonic orchestras, but they have the ups and downs.
08:42And it's more or less like what I love about wrestling the most is the storylines.
08:48I don't have to like it, but it's got to make sense, but also, too, the crowd, right, is listening
08:54to the audience, maybe going in there, right, with a plan, but the audience wants to cheer the other guy.
09:03So do you have experience enough to be able to recognize that's what they want and take them there for
09:09the experience?
09:10So I'm a big fan of, and you see me down at Rhinos IWR and, you know, the family atmosphere,
09:17but how the kids are involved and stuff like that.
09:20That, to me, is what I love about wrestling, but it's sort of the psychology.
09:26Once you get the physical, you know, how to lock up, how to hit the ropes, how to do different
09:32things, by repetition, that will get ingrained in you.
09:36It's just how do you take all that talent and then tell a story and then tell a story with
09:42different people that do different things better than others and stuff like that.
09:47So it's, you know, it's something that is awesome.
09:53And then I leave all the heavy lifting to my writing staff, which Jay is a part of.
09:58So to be able to put these, and I say kids, but they're adults, but to be able to put
10:03the kids and the wrestlers, whatever, in the best position for them to be successful.
10:08Yeah.
10:09So that's what I enjoy.
10:10Darren, you've been in this studio right here where I am today, and I remember talking to Stone Cold Steve
10:14Austin after WrestleMania, where I was at...
10:16Oh, yeah.
10:16Yeah, yeah.
10:18Stone Cold Steve Austin told me that because the...
10:22You've probably heard this before.
10:23Because the room was so big, he went backstage afterwards.
10:26He said to Vince McMahon, he goes, I think we stunk the place up.
10:29He couldn't hear the crowd because the sound was going up.
10:32Then he watched it back.
10:33He goes, oh, that was pretty good.
10:36Yeah, I know.
10:37I mean, Jay...
10:38Yeah, those big arenas...
10:40You can talk about that at the state, yeah.
10:41Yeah, I've gotten...
10:43I've been lucky enough to wrestle for WWE at Joe Louis Arena.
10:46And, yeah, it's a weird thing.
10:48You're almost like in a vacuum down in the middle where the ring is because all that sound rises up.
10:53So you would expect 15,000 people's voices, but you don't quite get that.
10:59It is definitely a strange thing to learn and to adjust to, for sure.
11:04Yeah, I never thought about that before.
11:06But in my mind and in my experiences, Stone Cold seems to be one of the best guys for reading
11:13a room
11:13and really maybe changing on the fly from everything I've seen.
11:18Well, yeah, absolutely.
11:19But, you know, he wasn't always Stone Cold.
11:21He was Stunning Steve at some point, you know, and he developed that.
11:25Just like every other wrestler.
11:27Wrestlers are never not learning.
11:29It's a constantly developing sport.
11:31It's a constantly developing skills.
11:33You're always learning, and you can always do better.
11:36So, yeah, that's something that you develop after time, learning those things and learning those little tricks
11:40and say, okay, I know I'm not hearing them, but I know that they're there.
11:45I know what's happening and being able to work with around that.
11:48Yeah, I think Darren thought we weren't talking about him enough, so now he got off of the thing.
11:53No, actually, I think that we just lost a connection with DMACC.
11:57But, yeah, Grind Time Wrestling Academy, that's the grand opening once again.
12:00It's the open house and free wrestling event.
12:02That happens on July 2nd, which is a Thursday from 530 to 730 p.m.,
12:07and, of course, free wrestling afterwards as well.
12:10And that's at 670 Wilkins Street in downtown Detroit.
12:13And we'll give this a good plug and get some people down there for you.
12:17Have you been checking out some of the local indies lately?
12:21Yeah, a little bit.
12:23I've been busy with traveling, with doing some TV stuff, which I've been able to do.
12:28I haven't been able to get to that too many shows, but I try to get out to some local
12:32ones.
12:32I need to get back down to the Rhino show down in Monroe.
12:35That's always a good one.
12:37It's difficult to get down, but Rhino shows are always great.
12:40And, of course, XICW here in the Detroit area run by DBA.
12:45It's been running for years.
12:46It was my home promotion for many years.
12:48It was still running, longest-running promotion in Michigan.
12:51And so I like to go and visit those guys every once in a while.
12:54And, like I said, Rhino's show as well.
12:55But the busier I get, the harder it is to get around, unfortunately.
13:00Yeah.
13:02My phone went, temperature got too hot.
13:06It gave me the temperature thing.
13:08I'd say the sacrifices.
13:10But, Jay, on that point, shout-out to DBA for giving me my first opportunity in the wrestling room, too.
13:16I'd say, so we miss Hot Rocks.
13:20Yeah, yeah.
13:20That was one of the best venues.
13:22Yeah.
13:23Well, I'll tell you what, I'll cut you guys loose.
13:25But, like I was just mentioning, DMACC, as you were getting your phone back on, that comes up Thursday, July
13:302nd.
13:31We'll give the info out and send everybody your way.
13:33But, guys, good luck with everything.
13:35Great to talk with both of you for a few minutes here.
13:39Well, Meltdown, I'd say so.
13:40Thank you, bud.
13:41Appreciate you having us on.
13:42I'd say ride safe.
13:44But I don't know if you'll be doing any riding anytime soon.
13:47So I'll just say, as always, hit the net.
13:50Hit the net.
13:51There we go.
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