Kyle Fletcher Talks AEW World Title, Adam Copeland's Retirement & Skye Blue | Inside The Ring

Don Callis said that, "Who needs women, when you have Kyle Fletcher?" What a quote. I would say in response, Nobody needs women when you have Kyle Fletcher. Watch out. Welcome to TMZ's Inside the Ring. I'm Branson Quirk. I'm Roger Corral. And how are you doing, Roger? I'm surviving. I know. We're supposed to be on a cruise, We're supposed to be in Bimini right now. right now with Jericho celebrating his birthday at Resorts World. But I know we promoted it so freaking much, but everyone's having a great time. The cruise looks amazing. We couldn't go. It looks great. I told all my friends. They think I'm a liar now. I know. We're sick. We got something upper respiratory, Tori, but. But to save the day, to save the day, save the day. And I'll be real, it's probably better than the cruise, right? I think I would have canceled the cruise had I known about this interview beforehand. I would have. You're talking to a future world champion. Future world champion, which is AEW Full Gear, this coming weekend in Phoenix, Roger is going. I'm still working on it. I might be there. But we've got a former AEW TNT and international champion. in the, and I say the star of the Don Callis family, the favorite, I mean, we had Don Callis on before. The man himself said it was him. Yes, the man himself. this Saturday, Full Gear, he gets his second shot at the AEW World Championship against Will Ospreay, which they have a lot of history together. Former friend and United Empire teammate, now one of his biggest rivals. Kyle, welcome back. How are you doing leading up to this match this week, man? Oh, thanks for having me again, guys. Yeah, I feel physically, I feel very good. Mentally, I'm a nervous wreck, putting a lot of pressure on myself. But yeah, all in all, feeling very good and very ready for Saturday. Well, we were just talking about your last match in September of last year against Hangman Page. That was your first shot at the AEW World Championship. Now this is your second time. Can you tell us what is different this time around? Do you prep differently? Are you in another mental state? What's going on with you? I think the biggest thing for me... This time is knowing what it feels like to get so close and then fail at the final hurdle. I don't know. Um, Oh, man, I can't even put into words how shattering it was to lose that match against Hangman last year. You know, you dream about winning the world title your entire life and you get so close and you can taste it and you can visualize it and you can see it and it's right in your fingertips. You fail. And then you, you, you literally, I felt heartbroken. I was shattered in, in every different way. And I really, I was questioning everything, questioning everything I'd done, everything I'd been through up till that point, if it was worth it, if I was ever going to be good enough. Um, so I think the biggest thing this time is that I remember how that feels and I'm going to do anything and everything I can to never feel like that again. Wow. Well, the last time you had a program with Will Osprey, we had a big transformation. You shaved your head and it was a big moment because it signified the end of an era and the beginning of a new era for you. You know, if things go well this weekend, you're going to become a new world champion. Can we expect you to shave anything else this weekend? Is there a new transformation that could occur this weekend? Brother, there is nothing on my body that needs to be shaved, so that will not be happening. Don't worry. All right. Nice and clean. All right, nice and clean. If you do take this title home, it's not just a win for you. It's a big win for the Don Callis family, obviously. So I would like to know, how much do you credit the Don Callis? Family. Don Callis himself. How much do you credit him for something like this win? Is there a part of you that feels like, no, I did this. You guys are kind of a little under me here. Oh, wow. I wouldn't go that far. I'd say that it's a mix of both. I think I I am very aware that I've put in a lot of work myself. I'm not with the family every single day of the week. I'm training by myself. Everything I do pretty much is by myself, but any successful person will tell you that it's a team effort. It's a team job. You know, Don Callis has been so valuable in his mindset, helping me find my confidence in the ring, in life, in all of it. He's really helped me grow into the man that I am, and I know I wouldn't. in this position without him, and I'm more than happy to give him that credit. A lot of my family members, Mark Davis especially, but the rest of the family, they've put a lot in as well, and I'm an accumulation of all of it. So as much as I will take the credit myself, I absolutely will. I will definitely give it to other people as well. Speaking of teamwork, do you care if you defeat Will Ospreay cleanly or not? Like, do you care if you get some help from your fellow family or do you just want to do this on your own? You know, I, I, it's a hard question to answer because I know what Don, I know what Don Callis is yelling right now. I know what he's screaming. I hear his voice in the back of my head. But the thing is. I am a very proud man and I believe in my own abilities so very deeply and my number one goal in life and in wrestling is to be the best in the world and to be the greatest of all time, the greatest professional wrestler to ever lace up a pair of boots and I don't want people questioning it. I don't want people questioning my victory. I don't want people putting an asterisk behind my first world title win. And I believe in myself so very deeply that I can beat Will Ospreay. I have done it before and I plan on doing it again. And I don't think I need anyone's help to do that. I mean, for so long, and you mentioned it, doing it yourself, for so long, you were seen, and there's a lot of quotes out there in the dirt sheets and the articles, rising star, rising star, but I don't think we're there anymore. I don't think that you're a rising star anymore. I think you are the star now. Your main eventing and title or not, I don't think that changes. But... How have you now come to that pressure of, from being like the proto, the proto star, the rising star to now being that main event star, um, what's changed about you since you've, you know, signed into AEW? Man, uh, big question. Um, oh, I mean, from the outside, it seems like everything's changed. My whole life has changed. Um, I sit here in this Big ass lovely house and it feels. You know, any, anyone from the outside looking in would be like, Oh yeah, that's the star. That's the guy. He he's made it. He's successful. But I still feel like, uh, an eight year old kid. I still, I saw that guy. Uh, and I still feel like that guy, a lot of times I look in the mirror and I still see, you know, 14 year old Kyle putting on his wrestling gear for the first time. And I think that's part of the reason why I have been so successful is because I will never forget who I really am. I will never forget that little kid. I will never forget that passion or that love that I had for this. And that's the reason I started all of it. That's the reason why I'm here because I just truly, truly love this with all my heart. And I wouldn't be who I am without it. I wouldn't be who I am without that. So a lot has changed. Yes. A lot of my life has changed, But I still feel like. I'm the same guy. I still feel like the rising star a lot of the time, but I will say that if and when I win that world title on Saturday, that'll go a long way in making me feel very validated and that I am the star that everyone else sees. How do you stay grounded, though? I really want to know. How does someone like you, you've had the fastest trajectory since signing, what is your secret to staying grounded? That is also an awesome question. I think it is a lot of it is I have a great support system around me. A lot of people that love me and a lot of people that I love very deeply. I have two beautiful little kittens, two little kitty cats that I love. Um, and, and honestly, like I said, I still feel, I still feel like, I still feel like a 14 year old, a skinny little 14 year old walking into wrestling training for the first time. I don't think I'll ever shake that. I don't think I ever want to shake that because I think staying true to your inner child, that little kid that's inside you is the most important thing in life. I never want to feel... Like I've made it and I never want to feel like a big shot because that's lame. I just think that's lame. I'd much rather just be me, just be cool, just be a goofy guy my whole life. But I'd love to be a goofy guy with a couple of world titles, you know? That's great. If and when you win the world title this weekend, how are you celebrating? Do you have anything planned? Is there any food that you splurge on? Like what can we expect after that win? Ooh. Ah... So I know that I'm flying back to Tampa the next day and there is a sushi place. Oh. Myself and Sky have not enjoyed yet. We've been talking about it, waiting for the opportunity. And I think that winning the world title would be a great time to go and celebrate by finding a new sushi place, trying it out. That sounds perfect. I love that. Are you a sushi guy? I like how he knew that well. Yeah, he has it ready, dude. I'm all about it, brother. Don't worry. Do you need reservations or can you just show up? I don't think I can make the reservation until I win, unfortunately. Otherwise, it'd be a very sad sushi. That's why we say if and when, Kyle. Yeah. Don Callis doesn't make reservations, right? Right? I imagine. I actually, you mentioned Sky Blue. I did want to talk about, uh, you're not to get, you know, too in the weeds about your relationship. What are you doing? What are you doing? This is TMZ. We like to ask the right questions. Um, we actually spoke to her about your guys' relationship and I'm always just so curious to two people that work in the same industry together and go to work together. You know, someone else I can think of Matt Cardona and Chelsea Green. They go to work together. They travel together. What's that like for you? We talked to her about it, but what's it like for you? Traveling with your partner, uh, always being with them at work. I just want to know. It's, it's, it's probably the best part of all of it. You, you, I mean, a lot of people just, they, they think it's, you know, you need, you can't spend every single day with your significant other. We don't spend every second of every day together, but, but. Getting to live our dreams side by side, simultaneously, you know, having either the best day at work or the worst day at work and then getting back to the hotel room and her being there and just being able to, oh, she just, she feels like my safe space. She feels like my home and just being able to go back. And just have that after, you know, even if it's a great day, it's still so stressful. You know, our work, our work, our work life is so stressful. So just being able to have that and have her there, it's, it's an absolute blessing. Wow. And something you guys went through that was, in my opinion, pretty traumatic this past weekend or this past week, you guys competed in Blood and Guts. I think it was your first Blood and Guts. How do you feel? Would you do it again? Like, what can you tell me about that experience? Uh, yeah, I mean, you say, would I do it again? I don't really think it's my choice. I think there's a pretty good chance that I will be put in that cage again at some point. Um, you know, it's. It's terrifying. I will say, uh, it's a match that the whole time leading up to it, you're thinking about everything that could go wrong, everything that will possibly go wrong and walking into that cage. It's just, it's a terrifying, it's a very daunting feeling being in that cage and knowing that you can't get out of that cage until the match is over is terrifying. You know, there's... Six other people in there that are trying to make you bleed buckets. You got hit with a skateboard. Exactly. It's in the naming. So people are expecting blood. You got to give them the blood. I get it. I get it. Um, it's. It's. Like, it's just, it's a very scary feeling, uh, to come out of it relatively unscathed and the victors and feeling pretty good now. Uh, I'm very grateful. I'm just so grateful. I got out of it, got out of it in one piece. Um, but you know, whether or not I want to do it again, I feel like it, it'll, it'll probably happen at some point. Wow. A big moment that came out of that was the ending. You were about to stab Will Osprey in the face. I'm not sure if that was going to end up happening, but that's how the match ended. You got Adam Copeland to surrender. What were your plans if he did not surrender? I would have stabbed him in the throat. Yeah, whatever. Um, I want to talk about your style actually a little bit. Um, you know, you've got a very unique style. It's a beautiful style, but is there, and I like to ask this, is there anything that you particularly avoid, um, a certain style in the ring that you just don't do? Like you just, you don't want to include it in your matches because it's just something that you don't thrive with or, or so. Uh, not necessarily things that I, I choose not to do. I think the best thing that a wrestler can do is play to his own strengths. And I think I now know so well what my strengths are and I'm more than happy to stick to those things. You know, you have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of matches at the point that I'm at and you really refine your style, you refine your moveset because you know what works and you know how to inflict punishment the best way possible and how to not inflict punishment on yourself the best way possible. So, yeah, I think I've just figured it out now for the most part. I think there will always be times where I try out of something new, try a new move, a new whatever. However... But, yeah, I wouldn't say there's things I necessarily stay away from as opposed to I just know what works at this point. I love that. I thought he was going to say he avoids blood and guts. Yeah. I don't know if you watched his podcast Wednesday. I did not avoid the blood or the guts. No, you did not. No, you did not. Taking a left turn here because you mentioned Adam Copeland. About a month ago, he did reveal to the crowd that he. 2027 is going to be his last year in professional wrestling and that's obviously you know very sad to see him go he's a legend I know you know on screen you know you can say this or that but could you give your thoughts on that on on that announcement that he made? Yeah uh my thoughts are I think he is an absolute legend in the sport and I think that he Dude, he was a part of my childhood. He was a part of so many people's childhoods. And one of the best things and the best feelings in wrestling is that nostalgia and remembering, you know, how it made you feel when you were a kid. And I think he was probably one of the first wrestlers that... I watched, you know, so for me, it's it's it's a lot of mixed emotions. I'm obviously very sad. I watched him retire in whatever it was, I believe, 2010. And I thought that was going to be the end of it. I was watching live when he made his return and that that was very emotional, too. So I'm sure watching him retire will be very emotional as well. But I will say that now I have been able to get in the ring with him. I've pinned him and I would very much like to get in there with him again before he retires is because I would like to... Show the world that I am far superior to him. Nice. You want to end it all. Ha ha ha ha ha! You want to really send him off. Come on. You guys were speaking about style earlier. This is a big compliment. In my opinion, you look like a really cool guy. In the news, we've had the potential story of who's going to be the next James Bond. I think you look very James Bond-ish. Has anyone ever told you you look like any type of celebrity? And do you think you could pull off playing James Bond? I think the one that I get a lot is Will Poulter. Poulter? I don't know how to pronounce his last name. MCU, Guardians of the Galaxy. I think I knew him from Where the Millers. This is further. Yes, I know this guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. This guy. Ha, ha, ha, ha. But. Uh, as far as James Bond goes, my mom absolutely loves the James Bond movies. So I think if If that was ever something that got presented to me, she would absolutely die and I would jump at the opportunity. I can see you, and I'm not saying you couldn't play Bond, but if you were in my casting room, I would probably have you read for the bad guy. What? What are you doing? I think that you give off like a maniacal, cynical, you play that well. Totally pull that off. I take that as a compliment. It's a compliment. It is. It's a compliment. It's a compliment. Hey, but honestly, AEW, I mean, look at MJF. He's got Violent Night coming out this December. You got, he was in what, Happy Gilmore 2? He was. You know, so that's something, that's significant. Is that something that you are also like, I would like to dabble in that maybe. Yeah, I think I am a incredibly creative person. I always have been my whole life. So the thought of. Doing a movie or a TV show or something in acting is something that excites me. I will just say that right now I am so very focused on becoming the best pro wrestler that I possibly can be. And I know that doing anything in film or TV, it's it. It takes a huge dedication, a huge amount of time, and that's time that I would have to spend away from the ring, which I don't think I'm ready to do right now, especially on the run that I'm on. I will say it's pretty cool that someone that watched WWE growing up, Um, you know, the public thinks, oh, any wrestler that's in a movie is from WWE, but now that's not the case. Yeah, that's really cool. You've got AEW as well. It's a really cool thing to see. Yeah, no, I agree with that, and I think it just goes to show that AEW is becoming, Bigger and bigger and more and more mainstream, which is something that I just want to be a part of. And I want to keep pushing that growth. Speaking of that growth, Ilya Dragunov made his debut in AEW last month, and it was a huge shocker. People feel like he's the perfect fit for AEW. I saw you post something about it as well. What are your thoughts on him entering the company? And do you see yourself ever having a one-on-one? Oh, uh, I think I would be incredibly disappointed if it never happened. Uh, I would like to think it will happen sooner rather than later. Uh, I have always thought the world of Ilya, we had a few matches when we were both on the UK independent scene, uh, in, I believe 2019 and 2020. Obviously we've been on incredibly different paths since then. And, you know, it's pretty cool Cool that now our paths have. aligned again. So yeah, I was stoked to see him debut. I think, like you said, just him, who he is. As a wrestler, he could not be any more of a perfect fit for AEW. I'm so excited to see what he can accomplish, the matches that he can put on, the people that he could get in the ring with. I think there's a lot of magic to be made there. And I think whenever we get in the ring, I think it's inevitable. I think it'll be magic too. Yeah, his debut was amazing. That was great, man. That's fun. All right, bud. Here's an interesting question. Last few before you go. Going back to, because you grinded on the Indies significantly, a significant portion of your career was on the Indies. Please. What was the smallest payday you ever wrestled for? Can you tell us the smallest? I mean, the smallest would be $0, obviously. I remember the very first time I ever got paid for a show, I got handed a $10 bill or a note, and that's Australian dollars too, so it probably equates to six US dollars, maybe, something like that. Yeah. Six bucks. That's like a five dollar foot long at Subway. What? It paid for a happy meal at the end of the day. There you go. There you go. Speaking of paydays, I saw that Okada just celebrated his 39th birthday. Did you get him anything? Uh... Dude, you're putting him on the spot here. It's a family, right? It is the family. Uh... I hope Okada's not watching this. They called out on Wednesday. No, I have not bought him anything. I have. I won't see him until Wednesday. So I got 48 hours to go buy him something. I know that relationship has been contentious, but, you know, how does it feel working with Okada and that relationship? Oh, man. Again, he's someone that... When I first discovered New Japan, I believe he was on his like crazy IWGP heavyweight title run, the one with like 12 defenses, 13 defenses, whatever it was. So I've always considered him a legend, a GOAT of the sport. So, you know, getting able to work alongside him, getting to work with him, it's, again, another dream come true. I feel like I've achieved many of my dreams and that's another one. Nice. All right, final question. The best question. The best question. Okay, so how do you respond to this? Don Callis said that, who needs women when you have Kyle Fletcher? What a quote. What a quote. He told us this here on TMZ. It's an iconic quote, and I feel like it's now etched into my brain forever, the amount of... TikToks that I've watched and seen that have that audio attached to it. Oh, I can't thank you guys enough for bringing that to my life. But also I would say in response. Nobody needs women when you have Kyle Fletcher. I love it. You should make that a shirt. You should make it a shirt. That would be a great shirt. That would be a sick shirt. That would be with Don Callis' face on it. Yeah, you should definitely do it. Yeah, and we'll, hey, we'll release all royalties. Yeah, you're good. You're good. Yeah, you ain't getting nothing. It's all going to money. Even if you didn't release it. Kyle Fletcher, AEW Full Gear this Saturday on Pay-Per-View. You may very well see the Don Callis family take home the world championship. Wow. It's going to be amazing. If and when. If and when. If and when. Well, we really hope to see you enjoy that sushi as well. Get back to Tampa. If not, hey, Don Callis probably has a bit of steaks or something. Yeah, we're good regardless. Yeah. Yeah, he'll be in my kitchen. He's a little angry. Ha ha ha ha! Right. Who needs women when you got to Tampa? Who needs women? Exactly. All right. Thank you, Kyle. Kyle, thanks so much. And we cannot wait to see. Yeah. Bye. You too. Catch you later, guys.