Welcome everyone to episode 227 of Perched On The Top Rope! In this interview, our host, Lee Walker speaks with Lucian Loveless!

Lucian Loveless is part of the independent wrestling scene and has been for a few decades! Wrestling has taken him all over, and one place he's been and very active in, is Oklahoma.

The Independent Wrestling Scene in Oklahoma is still regulated by The Oklahoma State Athletic Commission. Lucian describes what the process is like just to get a license to wrestle, ref, manage and talks about how expensive it can be if you don't have health insurance!

Lucian shares how Oklahoma has passed for new sports such as bare-knuckle fighting, but that will not be under eyes of the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission and talks about the unfairness that pro wrestling faces in Oklahoma to the point its too hard to get popular wrestlers to come to independent shows due to the strict rules.

Lucian fills Lee on the 2022 bill Oklahoma passed banning transgender athletes to face their same sex counter part, but that inter-gender matches are banned in the Oklahoma as well. Basically, Trans-gender people are banned from wrestling in the state of Oklahoma. Lucian talks the process that the athletic commission has taken and why it will not change anything with Legislation.

Lucian is now currently seeking to get The Oklahoma State Athletic Commission out of professional wrestling and allow transgender people to wrestle in Oklahoma! Like Finn Balor and AEW have said, "Wrestling is for everyone!"

#WrestlingCommunity #LGBTQ #LGBTQPride #Pride #WrestlingNews

Welcome everyone to episode 227 of Perched On The Top Rope! In this interview, our host, Lee Walker speaks with Lucian Loveless!

Lucian Loveless is part of the independent wrestling scene and has been for a few decades! Wrestling has taken him all over, and one place he's been and very active in, is Oklahoma.

The Independent Wrestling Scene in Oklahoma is still regulated by The Oklahoma State Athletic Commission. Lucian describes what the process is like just to get a license to wrestle, ref, manage and talks about how expensive it can be if you don't have health insurance!

Lucian shares how Oklahoma has passed for new sports such as bare-knuckle fighting, but that will not be under eyes of the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission and talks about the unfairness that pro wrestling faces in Oklahoma to the point its too hard to get popular wrestlers to come to independent shows due to the strict rules.

Lucian fills Lee on the 2022 bill Oklahoma passed banning transgender athletes to face their same sex counter part, but that inter-gender matches are banned in the Oklahoma as well. Basically, Trans-gender people are banned from wrestling in the state of Oklahoma. Lucian talks the process that the athletic commission has taken and why it will not change anything with Legislation.

Lucian is now currently seeking to get The Oklahoma State Athletic Commission out of professional wrestling and allow transgender people to wrestle in Oklahoma! Like Finn Balor and AEW have said, "Wrestling is for everyone!"

#WrestlingCommunity #LGBTQ #LGBTQPride #Pride #WrestlingNews

Bobby Steveson is formerly known to the WWE Universe as NXT star, Damon Kemp. Steveson talks almost missing his WWE tryout which was different than how most get a tryout. He talks how the name change in NXT works while one day he googled his wrestling name to find out something disturbing about it.

Steveson talks what it was like being part of NXT from the locker-room, who he thought was a go-to for advice or to make happy in the company and highlighting key matches and his experience in NXT UK! Steveson discusses how he found out he had trading cards, and was part of WWE 2k23 and 2k24!

While talking about NXT, Steveson expressed how he brought up making a rule in The Heritage Cup Matches to favor The No Quarter Catch Crew.

Is Steveson willing to do a, "Death Match?" Does he have anyone he wants to face on the independent scene? What's in store for the future? Catch this and more in this exclusive interview!

00:00 Intro + NEW Steveson Wrestling Merch

02:40 Thoughts on his WWE tryout & almost missing his tryout and why

05:23 - Who was there training wise at the tryout

07:30 - Talks first bump going bad

08:30 - Gerald Briscoe story + shows off item

12:20 - WWE's reason for not letting him be Bobby Steveson

- Describes the name process

13:40 - Story creating his NXT name

14:29 - What name he liked more and he chose

15:50 - Did any fans from Florida pay attention to you being named after a convicted killer since it’s Florida?

16:30 - Any hopes of being a tag team with your brother or have a feud with each other? - Talks being his brothers first one-on-one match

20:20 - Merchandise talk Cards & Videogames

27:15 -Connecting with fans selling ring worn gear

31:25 - On getting advice in NXT

33:00 - How he saw it done on WWE Raw with advice

33:35 - Any take-a-ways working NXT UK?

36:04 - Talks drinking while filming vignettes

38:44 - Shares story about NXT UK fans

39:51 - What he hated about being over in NXT UK

43:40 - What was the atmosphere like in the locker room?

44:20 - First ple was NXT Halloween havoc in a ambulance match, were you excited for your first ple and the fued turning heel

44:40 - Rodrick Strong was supposed to turn, not Damon Kemp

45:30 - Diamond Mine & Bobby told of change and his thoughts about it

48:00 - The plan they had for the match but didn't workout

50:40 - Which faction did you enjoy being in more, diamond mine or no quarter catch crew?

52:35 - Thoughts on heritage cup & rules you wrestled in a match Tony D’Angelo

53:09 - Wanted No Catch Clause Rule in Heritage Cup Matches

54:00 - Trying to be creative to get fans into Heritage Cup matches in USA

55:20 - Praises Noam Dar for Heritage Cup work

56:35 - Is there anyone you want to work with on the independent scene?

58:45 - Music, Starting Steveson Wrestling amateur wrestling school

- loves coaches and being around kids

1:04:20 - Would you ever try a “death match?”

- Wants to do GCW Bloodsport

#NXT #WWENXT #WrestlingCommunity #WrestlingCards #WrestlingCollector #DamonKemp #BobbySteveson

Lay'lah James is an independent wrestler not only out to make a name for herself, but educate the fans along the way about the trans community. Lay'lah is transgender and we discuss what was like growing up the wrong sex and the struggles she faced not only growing up, but the struggles she's faced in professional wrestling.

In 2022, Oklahoma signed a bill banning trans athletes from competing against same sex (transgender woman in women sports) and this included pro-wrestling. Lay'lah shares her thoughts on the Oklahoma State Athletic Commissions decision. Lay'lah is transgender and we discuss what was like growing up the wrong sex and the struggles she faced not only growing up, but the struggles she's faced in professional wrestling.

Lay'lah expresses that the wrestling community has been very open, and very accepting of her (with a few exceptions). She has goals within the wrestling community including dream matches with top wrestling superstars!

Laylah james interview

00:00 Intro

00:49 Coming up in wrestling being trans

02:25 Coming out as transgender

03:25 How she felt about herself as a male

04:00 Changing at school

04:20 Bullying

05:40 Finding resources on trans community

07:00 Advice to those struggling

09:10 Oklahoma Bill "Save Women's Sports" thoughts

10:45 Inter-gender matches in wrestling history

11:45 Oklahoma Bill and its effects on Nyla Rose

16:00 Any reluctant telling promoters she's trans

17:10 Promoter having issue with her being trans

18:50 Podcasters cancelling

20:25 People afraid of backlash

22:15 When she became a fan of pro wrestling

22:59 Wrestling inter-gender matches and backlash

24:30 Not having any women to train with or wrestle at school

24:50 Oklahoma Banning matches, what about training?

26:25 If you're banning trans what happens when they wrestle men

27:00 Thoughts on people wanting all trans sports

27:50 Transgender Boxing League?

29:15 Rick Steiner - Gisele Shaw WrestleCon

32:46 Who does Lay'lah James look up to

35:30 Comments on the Nyla Rose post from non-wrestling fans

36:50 How Lay'lah wants trans people represented in wrestling

38:00 Shoutout to Taylor One Shot creating a transgender belt

42:45 Thankful for acceptance in wrestling

44:10 Going to certain places also having an issue with race

45:00 Wrestlers she wants to work with in the future

45:25 Shares story almost wrestling Nyla Rose

Resources

https://transequality.org/

https://www.hrc.org/resources/be-an-a...

https://gate.ngo/our-work/

#LaylahJames #NylaRose #SupportIndyWrestling #transcommunity #lgbtq #WrestlingCommunity #WrestlingNews #Oklahoma