Griff Garrison Oh Which AEW Star Has Been Giving Him Advice
Brian Pillman Jr. and Griff Garrison of the Varsity Blondes appeared on the latest episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast with Aubrey Edwards and Tony Schiavone. Garrison discussed his gimmick as "The Ivy League MVP" and wondered how AEW knew about it. Edwards gave an explanation.
"The whole Ivy League thing, that was my first-ever gimmick back when I first started wrestling in 2016, and I came to AEW and they introduced me as that," Garrison said. "And I have no idea where they found it. So I just kind of rolled with it.
"It was Alex Marvez," Edwards revealed. "If you want to know a fact like someone's debut date, or where they came from or where they trained, Alex Marvez keeps all that information. All the little cool things that show up on your lower thirds, boom. He knows how many title matches I've officiated AEW. He knows everything. I'm gonna say it was probably him."
Garrison also discussed Lance Archer giving him advice. Garrison revealed what Archer has helped him with and how important that advice is for him.
"He just always comes up to me, and he's like, 'Remember how big you are. Not necessarily muscle wise but how tall you are. Remember to just stay tall,'" Garrison recalled Archer telling him. "He got mad at me after one match. He was like, 'Look man, you're bumping. These guys are so much shorter than you. Remember how tall you are.' I always go to him for advice, but he always comes and lets me know if I could have done something better.
"I hate when I wrestle and I'll ask guys, 'Hey, did you watch the match,' and they're like, 'Yeah, you were great or whatever.' I'd much rather hear constructive criticism than 'yeah, it was great' because I know every single match I've had is not been perfect. And I know I can learn something from every match. So I really appreciate guys like FTR."
Edwards recalled a match that was taped for Dark that Tony Khan decided to move to Dynamite. Garrison also recalled that time and discussed what that move meant to him.
"There was a match we worked on Dark. It was me, you and MJF," Edwards recalled. "It was really good, very well done to the point where TK says, 'Actually, no, we're not going to put this match on Dark. We're going to do the same match on Dynamite or identical,' and so it's maybe not perfect, but it was good enough to completely scrap it on one show and put it on another.
"I think that was my third time coming down to Jacksonville because the first time I wrestled Lance and Jimmy [Havoc], and then I had the match with Ricky [Starks] the second time and then MJF the third time," Garrison added. "And to be able to have that acknowledgement from someone like Tony and Max to want to do it on Dynamite, that was very special to me."
The Varsity Blondes were later asked if they were working as full-time wrestlers on the indies. Garrison revealed that he is still working a day job.
"I was doing probably two to three shows a week. I wasn't necessarily full time because I had a day job," Garrison stated. "I still have a day job back home. I work for my dad and his friends as a mechanic. I deliver parts to people, and bring parts back and fix up cars."
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit AEW Unrestricted with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.