Tommy Dreamer was recently a guest on the Wrestling News Source podcast and he talked about his promotion House of Hardcore and why he recently turned down an offer to return to WWE. You can check out the full episode here along with some highlights below.
Similarities between ECW, TNA and WWE backstage: “ECW were all kind of garnered towards the company and you know we were all willing to do whatever it took to take us to the next level. We were living and dying by each and every show. The biggest difference is we had creative freedom and that was huge for a lot of us. Especially me. In WWE, it’s pretty much a grind. It’s everybody going out there for their own personal gains and glory. There’s always another show. WWE is a huge, huge machine and it was kind of just getting that groove of wake up, get on a plane, drive, wrestle and you turn around and you’re ten years doing it. It was a little bit different when I was there. Almost 300 days a year I was wrestling. So, a big difference between being that and a weekend warrior pretty much growing ECW. But the paychecks were fabulous. So, you kind of do that and you sacrifice a lot for that so it kind of balances out.”
Balls Mahoney passing away: “It was horrible. John was a hell of a nice person and we did a tribute at House Of Hardcore show in Philadelphia where I said he was a crazy man but he was “our crazy man”. He was a character and besides that, the best thing I want to say about him waa his love for his son and the saddest part now is his son grows up without a father. I son’t mourn peoples’ death, I celebrate their life. For anybody listening out there, go watch Balls Mahoney vs Rob Van Dam from ECW or Balls Mahoney and Spike Dudley vs The Dudley Boyz. Celebrate his life and enjoy whatever enjoyment he gave you.”
Why he isn’t returning to WWE: “I have been talking with WWE a lot. They wanted me to come back and I basically just said I have so many commitments with House Of Hardcore. I’d love to come back, I’d love to help. Kind of like what I did the last time when I went back. I just can’t sign a contract right now. I can’t give up my own company and I can’t give up on my own dreams and I don’t want to ever be competition with WWE. I just want to show an alternative product. So, if that happens then cool. I look at House Of Hardcore and half of the people I used or gave breaks to are now in WWE or NXT. So, I love being that for them. Rhyno’s worked for me at almost all my shows and for him to go back to WWE I’m still going to use him. I got him in September and finish him up in October and then he’s full blown with WWE. And you never know, but for me I can’t give up on my own company and i can’t give up on my own dreams.”
