Show: Wrestling Epicenter
Guest: Sami Callihan
Date: 10/15/19
Your Host: James Walsh

Sami Callihan has really chosen his own destiny in wrestling. Though he doesn’t get the credit from the wrestling journalists for it, he was one of the first to take a path less chosen and strike out on his own for a different kind of success in wrestling. He arrived in Impact Wrestling at Bound for Glory 2017 as the 3rd man in the oVe picture – The leader. Now, 2 years later nearly to the day, he headlines Bound for Glory challenging Brian Cage for the Impact Wrestling World Heavyweight Title.

We’ve had a few opportunities to interview Sami Callihan over the years dating back a few years now. The past few times, Sami has offered some constructive criticism of my delivery. With no scripting, he and I discussed the intro briefly as part of this interview in what I feel is a pretty funny exchange. We hope you think so too! You’ll have to listen to that to hear it.

What we covered in the transcript below was the meat of the potato as we discuss Impact’s move to AXS TV, smashing a bottle over the head of Melissa Santos, and his involvement in the rebel spirit of wrestling that is in the air right now and can be seen all over the wrestling landscape inclduing and especially on Impact Wrestling. This is quite the listen and read!

Impact Wrestling presents Bound for Glory from the Odeum in the Chicago, IL area on Sunday, October 20. You can watch the event on traditional pay per view and more. Impact also is presenting a re-broadcast of the 2019 Slammiversary pay per view for free tonight on AXS TV which was headlined by Sami Callihan and Tessa Blanchard! For more information, visit www.ImpactWrestling.com

To listen to our conversation with Sami Callihan, visit www.WrestlingEpicenter.com. Highlights of the interview are transcribed below. Please post on your respective sites and link back to our site. Thank you!

SAMI CALLIHAN:

On Impact Wrestling moving to AXS TV:
“It’s HUGE! Impact Wrestling is hard to kill! They have T shirts that say that on it now and it is true. Impact Wrestling was a company that was about to go out of business. No one believed in it anymore. But, over the past 2 years under this new regime with this new roster, including myself, this company is being talked about again and is at one of the forefronts of professional wrestling.”

On main eventing Slammiversary with Tessa after the World Title match:
“It is where I belonged the past 2 years that I’ve been in Impact Wrestling. It doesn’t matter if I’m on last or not, my match, story, or feud is the match, story, or feud that everyone is talkign about after the pay per views. I said we would change professional wrestling forever and that is exactly what myself and Tessa Blanchard did on that night. We changed professional wrestling forever at Slammiversary.”

On finally challenging for the World Title at Impact:
“Companies don’t want people like me as their World Champion. It doesn’t matter if it is WWE NXT, Lucha Underground, or here at Impact. But, through my hard work… The numbers don’t lie. There is a reason I’m “The Draw” and “The Draw” delivers results. Now, I’m going to be the face of this company and people are going to have to listen. Anything Sami Callihan touches turns to gold!”

On if any wedding receptions ever went well in wrestling:
“I don’t think so! I was really… I tried to get a cobra! I’m not going to lie! I really wanted a cobra for the wedding!”

On smashing the glass over Melissa Santos’ head:
“That was Brian Cage’s fault! He put his wife in harms way instead of being a man and just letting bygones be bygones and letting sticks and stones not break his bones! He got a little offended and wanted to put his hands on me then he ducked out of the way! Watch the footage! It’s his fault that Melissa got hit with that bottle! That bottle was meant for Brian, not her!”

On if he would defend the title more than Brian Cage has since winning it:
“100%! Brian Cage hasn’t defended the championship, what? Two times since he has been champion and he’s been champion since March! I don’t care if I’m hurt, injured, if I’m half-dead! I will defend that championship every night of the week if I have to! I will always be the person the company can rely on and put the company and the championship on my back to lead this company to bigger and better things!

On being the first guy to take the risk of leaving the WWE to find success elswhere:
“I created my own future! I have that tattooed on my body for a reason! 100%! People may not want to give me the credit than I deserve but my blueprint… My fingerprints has been on a lot of things and those things turned to gold. I helped change this business for the better and now it’s time for me to do that with Impact Wrestling to bring Impact Wrestling to the promised land!”

On Impact being overlooked:
“They say wrestling isn’t pulling the numbers they did in the 90’s! No! It’s pulling more numbers than they did! Because, people watch their content differently now. Wrestling is now on pretty much every day of the week and some people don’t watch just television anymore! Streaming services! People watch YouTube! There’s a reason that on social media every week, professional wrestling is one of the top trending things in the entire world!”

On possible contenders should he capture the title at Bound for Glory:
“I’ll work with the entire roster! I’m a diverse professional wrestler. It doesn’t matter if it’s hardcore, strong style, Lucha Libre! I’ll work with and try to elevate every single person on this roster and around the world!”

On feeling like a star in LA:
“I’ve been sitting here at LA Live looking out this window at the Staple Center, looking at the Xbox Center and I’m feeling like a star because I am one!”

On what to expect from Bound for Glory:
“Once again, Impact Wrestling is going to put the wrestling World on notice! Slammiversary, for two years running, was one of the best pay per views of the year! Now, Bound for Glory this year! Some of the matches.. X Division Ladder Match will get crazy. Michael Elgin vs Marufuji! True dream match that only Impact Wrestling can bring! You’ve got me and Brian Cage in the main event! I’m going to walk out the impact wrestling world heavyweight champion because it’s about time that a company put their stamp of approval on me and put me as the face of the company!”