Impact Wrestling’s D’Lo Brown Talks Epic Rebellion Main Event, Mauro Ranallo, Favorite Marvel Hero, and More

Impact Wrestling is set to kick off its epic Rebellion pay-per-view later today, and the card is loaded with big-time matchups. That said, it doesn’t get much bigger than the Title vs Title match, which will have Impact World Champion Rich Swann taking on AEW World Champion Kenny Omega, and calling the action for the big main event will be D’Lo Brown, Matt Striker, and Mauro Ranallo. There’s a lot to get hyped about regarding Rebellion, and ComicBook.com had the chance to speak to D’Lo Brown all about the big event, learning from Ranallo, his success since joining the commentary team, and even some Marvel thrown in for good measure.

Brown joined the commentary team for Impact earlier this year, and if it seems like he’s having a blast, it’s because he very much is.

“It seems like I’m having fun, cause I’m having the time of my life,’ Brown said. “I’m loving being behind the desk and narrating the images that are in the ring and what people are seeing. And for me, one of the biggest challenges is not to get too excited because I love what I’m seeing, so I tend to want to get super hyped and I don’t want to scream at people, so that’s been a challenge for me kind of just, keeping my emotions in check, and as far as what I’m most proud of, just being out there and not falling on my face, actually being a competent color guy and actually adding to the product and getting a lot of positive feedback, so I’m very proud of that.”

Brown has had a successful career in the ring, but being on this side of the matches has given him a whole new appreciation for the art of great commentary.

“Oh yes, because the guys who are really good at this, making it look so easy when you think all it’s just talking, it’s a whole different world. I once told Josh Matthews how much appreciation I had for how easy he made it look and it’s not easy at all. So crossing over to this side and actually being there with a microphone in your hand for two hours or three hours, it’s a lot of research that goes in the back end of that, it’s a lot of, a lot of homework study, a lot of preparing a lot more than you have to as a wrestler. You just go out there and get it. You, you’ve got to really put your time in and do your due diligence so you don’t come off as anything less than credible when you get on the air.”

Tonight’s main event will have beloved commentator Mauro Ranallo joining the team, and Brown couldn’t be more thrilled at the opportunity to work with him and soak up whatever he can.

“I hope that we can work more together in the future. I am a huge Mauro fan. I’m so looking forward to sitting a few feet away from him, just trying to soak in as much knowledge as I can from him in the time we are together,” Brown said. “Mauro is one of the most powerful voices in all of combat sports, and he brings attention. He brings eyes, he brings credibility. He brings that swagger to the announce booth, and man, I’m giddy, I don’t ever want to wish time away, but I can’t wait till I get to Sunday because I want to be sitting there next to him, Striker on one side, Mauro on the other and just, let’s have fun for one of the most, for one of the largest, main events wrestling has seen in a long time.”

That main event will have Swann representing Impact Wrestling in the Title vs Title match, and for Brown it’s thrilling to see where Swann started in Impact and to see how he’s grown into the Champion we see today.

“Swann’s run as Champion to me is like the Phoenix that rose from the ashes. He went through his trials and tribulations and he’s grown. He’s grown up the hard way and he’s suffered great loss, but he’s persevered,” Brown said. “And I think that’s what makes him the quality individual he is today, and that makes him the Champion he is today because he appreciates where he is now and what he represents, so that is what I appreciate. And, a main event of this caliber, I’m looking to realize and wrap my brain around that at the end of Sunday night, one man is going to represent two companies as well as a World Champion, and it’s just mind-blowing.”

Now, Brown has a lot of experience in the ring to draw from, and he’s always willing to share any and all of it whenever someone seeks it out.

“Oh, they pick my brain all the time and I’m free to give the knowledge as much as I can. I’ve sat with Eddie Edwards a ton of times and not that he needs to know anything, but he’s always wanting to learn and then you’d get someone like Deonna will come up and say, what would you do in a situation, or give me some advice for this. So it’s nice to be, to have that confidence in me and that trust,” Brown said. “They’ll come up to me and ask me, and I’m all too eager to help in any way I can because I see the sense of pride that the young men and women have for Impact Wrestling and to wear the company as a badge of honor and enjoying their place there, and that’s what I’m impressed with a lot when it comes to our talent, how over the top they are to give Impact a firm foothold in this business of wrestling.”

When he’s not working with Impact, Brown is catching up on some of his other loves, like comics and the MCU. While he’s a fan of many of Marvel’s heroes, there is one that stands above the rest.

“I’m a Spider-Man guy. I have been since I was a little kid, so I enjoy all the Spider-Mans, particularly Far From Home,” Brown said. “It was, just amazing. I like how Parker’s that young Brooklyn kid cause that’s what he was in the comic book, so I love that. And you know, I’m big fan of the MCU right now and I’m into WandaVsion, and now I’m watching the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and I’m waiting for, MCU 2.0, I’ll wait for that next step.”

While we were on the subject of Spider-Man, we had to ask who his favorite movie Spidey was, especially since it is rumored the three actors will be crossing over in the next Spider-Man movie.

“I kind of like the new kid. I wasn’t a big Tobey Maguire guy, cause Spider-Man is supposed to keep his mask on and Tobey Maguire wanted everybody to see his face,” Brown said with a laugh. “He spent the whole movie with it off, but I kind of like the new kid. I liked how he’s got the character down solid.”

Now comics aren’t his only love, as Brown’s also a big fan of science fiction. The topic came up when we asked what show or film he would like to come back and get a redo, much like Justice League did when Zack Snyder brought his original vision (and a bit more) to HBO Max.

“That’s a good question. Wow. It’s not often I’m asked a question that I have never heard before. I’m a big Battlestar guy, and a big fan of the newer version of Battlestar Galactica that was on Syfy network several years back and the show ended too soon, too abruptly, and with a crazy ending,’ Brown said. “So I would love to see that come back and be redone and finish off a good story. One of my all-time favorites. I just hated the ending. I still know Starbuck was… just hated the ending.”

As the Snyder Cut proved, anything can happen, so maybe that new ending will happen someday.

In the meantime, you can catch Brown, Striker, and Ranallo bringing the action to life during Impact Wrestling’s Rebellion pay-per-view, which airs tonight at 8 PM EST FITE TV, and you can watch it right here!

What match are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comments or feel free to talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!