Eddie Edwards On Struggles With Hardcore Wrestling In 2018, How Slammiversary Is Different This Year
Wrestling Inc. founder Raj Giri recently spoke to Eddie Edwards ahead of Slammiversary where he is booked to face Tommy Dreamer in a House Of Hardcore Match. Their rivalry is a highlight of the 14th Slammiversary event. Edwards has seen plenty of changes in Impact Wrestling since his 2014 debut and spoke about how this year's Slammiversary event is a fresh start.
"You know it's kinda a new era, a new era for Impact Wrestling right now. So every time we have a pay-per-view it's like a fresh start for the company, for the product going forward. This is also Slammiversary with the new ownership and everything so in that sense, it truly is a fresh start for the product. It's the biggest pay-per-view of the year so it's time to put up or shut up and go out there and deliver, you know?"
Edwards spoke of the new Impact Wrestling regimen as being on the same page. They are looking to better Impact Wrestling and distance themselves from the preconceived notions about the previous product. They know it won't happen all at once, but there is a dedication to move forward and put out the best pro wrestling product possible.
"It's very comfortable to know everybody from the boys to the office to the production — everybody in the back, we're all on the same page. To be able to know that and not second-guess anything that's going on or question anything that's going on. To know everybody has that same goal to make Impact Wrestling the best Impact Wrestling that we can. You know one day at a time.
"We know we're not gonna save the world in an hour in the day. It's gonna take time, but it's one step forward each and every day and that's our goal to know that everybody is on that same page. That's definitely a good thing."
Edwards has Dreamer to look forward to this Sunday in Toronto. Edwards opened up about working with The Innovator Of Violence. He might play it up like he despises Dreamer on Impact Wrestling, but Edwards still holds a ton of respect for the ECW Original.
"Obviously he's an innovator. He's one of the hardcore icons and legends. You know just the other day my brother was texting me saying how cool it is to be able to do something like this with Tommy who I was a huge fan of before I got into wrestling. He's someone I watched and obviously somebody that I listened to and I tried to learn from him.
"To be able to go out there in a match like this in a big pay-per-view like this and go out there in a match like this. A House Of Hardcore Match, he is the original ECW. So to be able to go out there and put this violence out there and see what we can make with what we have I think it's a unique opportunity to be able to go out there with a guy that I respect so much.
"We're gonna go out there and basically leave it all out there because these types of matches you have to feel that way going in. That's something I'm comfortable with going out there. I know it's gonna hurt. I know I'm gonna be beaten and battered but, that's fine with me. Because we're just going out there to create something memorable and create a great atmosphere."
Edwards is coming off of an intense feud with Sami Callihan. The former TNA World Heavyweight Champion was left with a faceful of broken bones thanks to the infamous spot where Callihan whacked him in the face with a baseball bat. He discussed the idea of hardcore wrestling and if it is difficult to perform in today's modern era. Fans have seen a lot at this point and could be considered jaded. Edwards knows the story he and Dreamer need to tell and that should make all the difference.
"It depends on how you look at it," Edwards said. "We have that emotion going into it, you know? That's a story we can use and we can build on and the whole thing.
"You know it's not just about going out there and doing crazy things and you know getting these 'holy bleep' chants, no. It's about this story, it's about doing these things in that story and making it something people can relate to. You know, everybody's been pissed off. Everybody's been angry. Everybody's been wronged by someone.
"They are gonna feel and understand, 'okay I can understand why he hit this guy with object X, Y, Z,' you know what I mean. There's things people want to do in their everyday life that we're gonna be able to do on Sunday. Things they've always wanted to do. They've always wanted to hit their boss with a kendo stick or hit somebody who screwed them over with a trash can. That's what we're gonna be doing on Sunday."
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