No Punches Pulled with Apollyon

[Robert Lotti]

Welcome to another edition of the No Punches Pulled interview series. It is my second interview with former heavyweight champion Apollyon. His first interview from long ago(when he wrestled as Joey Braggiol) can be found here:

www.nywcrules.proboards.com/thread/292/punches-pulled-joey-braggiol

RL: Since your last interview, so much has happened. What are your memories of The Celtic Saints?
A: Kieran & Mansfield ate two great dudes. And tough to boot. I wish I was in a tag team at the time so I could have worked with them exclusively. Kieran was a sound all around wrestler and Mansfield was a tough SOB. I remember wrestling him on one of the Evolve pre shows, wasn't long but was a good match. Their entrance music was awesome as well.

RL: I miss hearing their entrance music. What ate your memories of the late Chris Kanyon?
A: By sharing the locker room with him for only the few shows he was with NYWC he was a nice guy and really had a passion for wrestling. Was a shame to hear that he had passed. I think he had so much more to contribute to pro wrestling.

RL: A week before he died, he walked by me at a show in Woodside. What are your memories of your match with Tony Nese in Port Jefferson?
A: I think this was the first time we wrestled. He caught me with a kick to the forehead and I had ASICS imprinted in it for a few days. Running joke him and I used to have. I still owe him a recipt for that.....

RL: What are your memories of your match with Daemon Crowley?
A: Not to many. Was cool. Daemon was a great up and comer. He was one of those guys that had the it factor in my opinion. The look tall, tattooed, long hair, power, strength. Great character promos. Wish he would have stuck around a little longer.

RL: How did Apollyon come about?
A: The Apollyon character is very near and dear to me. It's the character in which I had the greatest success. We all have that type of person that we wish ourselves to be, it's usually the total opposite of yourself. That was Apollyon for me. I was Joey Braggiol for almost 10 years at the time Apollyon came about. Joey Braggiol was my Dad's creation and when my Dad passed away, I feel like Joey Braggiol died with him. I couldn't be Braggiol without him. It was time to be the other person, the bad ass, the juggernaut, the demon beast. Order Of The Black was looking for a new member and you can only be the jolly ol fat guy for so long. Along came Apollyon....

[Robert Lotti]

RL: What are your memories of being managed by Crusher Doogan?
A: Loved every minute of it. He was like my Paul Heyman. He got me through some tough matches and always stood by me. And for that I will be forever thankful. Great teacher.

RL: What are your memories of Rex Lawless?
A: Lot of good times with Rex in and outside of the ring. Waz my brother in OOTB. Glad he os getting his due and holding the NYWC championship. He deserves it.

RL: What are your memories of Victor Cruz/Ultimo Maya?
A: Another brother in arms in the OOTB. I remember tagging with him vs Alex Reynolds & Nese. Very solid match. He's a great lucha style wrestler. Honored to call him a friend inside and outside the ring.

RL: What are your memories of Nikki Addams?
A: Super talented. One memory I have of us was tagging in a mixed tag match vs John Silver and Brittney Savage. I spinebustered Brittney after it. Was a fun match.

RL: What are your memories of Tandemonium(Dante Cabrera & Odin Montez)?
A: Starting the match off hot and taking Odin's head off from behind. Yikes. It's cool, I put it back on.

RL: What are your memories of Marty Flames?
A: One of if not my first match as Apollyon. He bumped for me and put me over. So humbled for him to have done that. Will always remember that.

[Robert Lotti]

RL: What are your memories of Violet?
A: Such a nice girl. The biggest memory I have is when Dickie Rodz put her through the table leading into the Psycho Circus and we all jumped the rail and high tailed out of there when Mikey Whipwreck & company hit the ring. If you are on YouTube go check out that episode of Connected(hey they should bring that back) when they bring Violet back on the stretcher, was, I think, the best backstage segment NYWC ever filmed. She was the perfect compliment to the Francis Kipland Stevens character.

RL: What are your memories of winning the NYWC title from John Silver?
A: So many memories of this match, and it's one I will never forget. Johnny is a beast in there and I had to keep up whenever I worked him. I think I did OK. After 12 years Inhad finally won the championship. It was such an amazing moment for me. After I gave Johnny the F-5 from the second rope and I pinned him, I remembered just rolling off him and crying to myself. I had finally achieved one of my wrestling goals that I set for myself when I started. Not to mention I instantly thought of my dad and that it was for him. I couldn't have done it if he hadn't pushed me through out my career when he was alive. He drove me to every match even if he didn't feel good. That all was for him. I just cried and said to myself, this is for you dad. That's my greatest memory of this match.

RL: What are your memories of Marti Belle?
A: So nice. She deserves everything she has accomplished. Not to many memories shared between her and I. We didn't get to work together at all.

RL: What are your memories of Psycho Circus X where Order Of The Black retained all the titles?
A: Great circus. I think that was the best one I had ever been in. I can't remember if that was the one Mikey brought a shit ton of snow into the ring.

RL: Mikey brought snow into play at Psycho Circus the previous year. What ate your memories of Ryan Rush?
A: Always loved working Ryan. He and I had a great program together. He got injured and to vacate the title which I eventually won so he healed up and came back for what he never lost. Great story we had going.

[Robert Lotti]

RL: What are your memories of matches with The Big O?
A: Ahh my arch nemesis. A lot of great memories that I will cherish. Probably my biggest and longest program I've ever had. Even though him and I have totally different styles, our chemistry was like no other. His chase of the NYWC title was so good. Will always remember our matches.

RL: What are your memories of your match with Matt Justice?
A: Match was at a Fusion event I think. Matt is a great worker and was glad to be in there with him.

RL: What are your memories of matches with Alvin Alvarez?
A: I believe I was his first match. Very humbled for that. Matches between him and I were always great, him being one of my best buds always made them even better. We had a lot of chemistry together. Very proud of what he has accomplished so far.

RL: What are your memories of teaming with Bill Carr?
A: One of my favorite tag partners. We used to love to destroy Milk Chocolate. Was fuuunnn.

RL: What are your memories of Aria Cadenza?
A: Squashing her during her singing the national anthem. We got booed out of the building. Great memory.

[Robert Lotti]

RL: What are your memories of your match with Milk Chocolate?
A:Fun match always loved working Randy and Brandon.

RL: What are your memories of Juicy Product(David Starr & JT Dunn)?
A: Not really any memories. Never got a chance to work either of them. Super talented guys, never had a bad match. Workhorses.

RL: What are your memories of Boo Sullivan/Bo Prichard?
A: He's the one responible for the amazing Apollyon face paint designs. So grateful he took the time out of his stuff on the show days and did my face paint.

RL: What are your memories of Bam Sullivan & Victoria Von Black?
A: Hounds Of Hatred brother and sister. They are a great combination in the ring.

RL: What are your memories of Mouse?
A: Another good brother. Gets it done in the ring.

[Robert Lotti]

RL: What are your memories of Harley Graves who was a short lived Hound Of Hatred?
A: Nothing of note here. She is a very nice person though.

RL: What are your memories of Casanova Valentine?
A: The hipster hearttbrob. Great promo work by him. Glad we got a chance to team with each other as the 7 deadly sinners for a Psycho Circus match.

RL: What are your memories of Angelo Andrews?
A: Never got to work together. Great dude!

RL: What are your memories of a 4 way match you had with Stockade, Vince Steele, & TJ Marconi in ACE Pro Wrestling?
A: I think they built it at the heaviest match ever. I thought the ring might collapse. This was my first time working ACE. Will always thank Mike Morgan for putting me on the shows and believing in my ability.

RL: What are your memories of DJ Hyde?
A: No memories of DJ. Never worked with him. Always nice to me.

[Robert Lotti]

RL: What are your memories of your match with Alexander James?
A: Great match. Glad I got the chance to work Alexander James. He's so good. Will be a star in any organization.

RL: How did you come up with Mr. A?
A: I actually didn't. Gabe Sapolsky did. They were bringing me in to be Tony Nese's bodyguard at Evolve & DGUSA. Short for Mr. Apollyon.

RL: Word Association-Willow Nightengale
A: The best. Friend. Amazing talent. So proud of her!

RL: The Rep
A: Great guys. Amazing tag team.

RL: Iri$h & J-Redd
A: Awesome dudes. Like I used to, they do many things behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly. Paid their dues.

RL: Johnny Radke
A: Manbun. Great worker. Works his character really well.

RL: Tinder Tom
A: Lot of potential.

RL: Benson Bros
A: Great guys. Wish they would get out there and show the world what they can do.

RL: Talon
A: Super talented. Another guy that should be mainstream and show the world what he can do. Loved our matches together. Nice and humble as well.

RL: Mike Verna
A: Paisan! Fellow Mets lover. Great guy proud to call him a friend. Hope something big happens for him in wrestling.

RL: Joey Conway
A: Pal. Champ. Brother. Friend. Has made amazing strides in the business. Hope he breaks out. He works very hard. Another guy that does multiple things to keep NYWC going.

RL: Jaden Valo
A: Future Superstar

RL: Sammie Pickles
A: One of the best female wrestlers to step foot in the NYWC ring.

RL: Corey Cooper
A: The future

RL: Aiden Baal
A: Work Horse. Good brother

RL: Michael Mistretta
A: Nobody's Betta!(Literally)

RL: Shook Crew
A: Haven't spent much time around these guys. Have always been nice to me when I've seen them. Rising stars in the business.

RL: Bull James
A: The best. Amazing guy, friend, brother. Respect. Fellow big man that can do anything. When it's time for me to hang up the boots, Bull would be on my list for one of my final matches.

RL: Steven Dumeng
A: Greatest ref that's ever lived. Should be signed to a prominent wrestling organization.

RL: Sarah Gruber
A: Proud to call The Grubers friends. They are like family. She always does a great nob whether reffing or wrestling.

RL: James McGrady
A: Jumbo Man. Does a nice job reffing for us.
Must bow to him for getting Big O suspended from NYWC last month!

RL: Andy Miller
A: Great ring announcer.

RL: How do you think NYWC has changed over the years?
A: Other than the amount of wrestlers that have come and gone. NYWC hasn't really changed much. It's always been the same and that's in my opinion one of the keys to our success. A promotion does not last almoat 20 years if they weren't doing something right. We have always said we are the best kept secret in pro wrestling. The secret needs to be spilled more. Great locker room always and the guys work hard and they deserve to be seen by the world.

RL: Annything you want to say to the fans?
A: Thank you. Myself or the NYWC would be nothing without them. We wouldn't have lasted this long withoht them. They are the ones that keep us going. We take pride in entertaining them each show they have spent their hard earned moneh to see us. As for me personally, the thing I've always taken seriously in my life was to be the best I could be for the fans in the ring. Also wantes to say sorry to them for and the boys for that matter for not being around the last year amd half or so. I do have an injury in my back that is preventing me from being the best I could be. I have never and would never half ass it for the company or the fans. I will step back in the ring again some day and can't wait for that day. Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you. Please continue to support NYWC and pro wrestling.

RL: I thank you so much for this interview.