Impact Wrestling will hold its next anticipated pay-per-view this Saturday, and the card is quite fitting for an event titled Hard To Kill. A Texas Deathmatch and Hardcore War are part of the Hard To Kill festivities, and the latter will feature an unexpected team-up between two lethal factions. The Good Brothers will join forces with Violent By Design (VBD) to take on a team of fan faves that includes Rich Swann, Rhino, Heath, Willie Mack, and Eddie Edwards. ComicBook.com recently had the chance to talk to one half of the Good Brothers Doc Gallows all about the big event, as well as what lies ahead for the Forbidden Door, their hilarious animated Gimmicks project, and more.
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First though we wanted to start with their uneasy alliance with VBD, though Gallows has another name for it. “I think an unholy alliance is what we’ve been using term-wise, but you got to think. You’ve got three guys, you’re top tier in the professional wrestling business. Eric Young, one of the best all-around performers, I think, in the history of Impact Wrestling, but he’s a sadistic dude, man, and he’s put together a group of sadistic guys around him. And the Machine Gun and I, we’re business guys, we’re all about being mean, making green, doing the deal. And it’s a lot better for Joe Doering to be punching your opponent in the face than punching you in the face, because I’ve been punched in the face by Joe Doering, and that sucks,” Gallows said.
Now, with a name like Hardcore War, the bar is high for the stars in the ring to deliver a match that lives up to that title. Gallows admits there is some pressure, but also looks forward to being a part of one of these matches on television, as many of the matches of this style he’s done throughout his career didn’t end up being televised.
“I have a different outlook on this, and this is honest because I love these kind of matches,” Gallows said. “I grew up watching all these hardcore street fights, deathmatches, ECW, and you’re coming to Dallas, Texas, you’re coming to where the Sportatorium originated this. You’re coming to a state where Terry Funk, one of my personal all-time favorites from the time I was a kid, who I think gave birth to a lot of this style of wrestling. So, there’s some pressure to deliver, there’s a Texas deathmatch on the card with two women who I know are going to go all the way out. But I’ve promoted, independently, a lot of this hardcore stuff, but I’ve never done a lot of it television-wise, so I want to bring the violence. I think it’s time to get bloody, I think it’s time to turn it up, and this card, top to bottom, if you look at it, every match on there is going to try to top the one before it. So, it’s a great challenge for us as performers, but also a great opportunity for you guys, as fans, to see one hell of a show.”
Looking back at 2021, there was quite a bit of a talk about the Forbidden Door, and Impact utilized that door quite a bit over the past year, with Impact stars appearing in AEW and New Japan while AEW and New Japan stars appeared in Impact Wrestling as well. We asked what Gallows was most proud of in 2021 and what he was looking forward to in 2022, and he hopes to kick that door open once more in a big way in the new year.
“I think a big wrestling news thing in the previous year was that forbidden door. I think a lot of people have probably forgotten that we were the first ones to kick it down, to march out onto AAW, to return to New Japan, even though it was in the United States, win New Japan strong, and win the Tag Team Turbulence tournament there,” Gallows said. “So I think us staying as relevant, and as in the news as we did for the type of year that everybody had, I’m proud of that. But as always, I want to turn it up a hell of a lot more in 2022, love to get back over to New Japan pro wrestling on Japanese soil, and represent Impact Wrestling, man. We’re flag bearers, we’re waving the flag, we’ve got the hats on, and I think there’s a lot of exciting stuff coming up with Impact Wrestling, and I hope that everybody tunes in, and takes the ride with us. A lot of people weren’t real comfortable with it, when it was happening. So, we were happy to be at the forefront of that, because we like to stir the shit, man.”
The movement between companies did slow a bit as the year came to a close, and we wanted to know if it was just the natural end to things for a bit or if it was more related to travel issues because of the pandemic.
“I think it was a little bit of both. I think that all parties kind of got what they wanted out of the agreement for the time being, but it’s a door, and I think it remains open if and when the time is right. And it’s all about creating buzz, it’s all about making these moments, so if there’s a chance to do it again, we’re going to be a 100% on board with it,” Gallows said. “If it makes sense, and that was the thing, is once something runs its course, you move on to the next thing, and see where you’re at. I had a great time in both AEW, and the stuff we did in New Japan, so we’ll look forward to more of it.”
Gallows always keeps busy even when he’s not in the ring, and one of the many projects he’s currently got on the fire is the animated Gimmicks series. It started out as something more traditional but then ended up becoming an NFT infused series, and since then Mila Kunis has also jumped on board.
“There were a lot of cartoons being shopped at the time, we thought it died down, we were focusing on our other stuff. And then the NFT stuff, as it grows, and continues to grow now, and then the next thing you know, we get a call saying that Mila Kunis saw this cartoon, and they’re ready to jump on board with it. So, can’t say too much yet, but I mean, in the next few weeks, this thing’s going to be full-bore,” Gallows said. “And this is the kind of thing that Carl and I are looking forward to doing a lot more of, is stepping outside of the comfort zone. Obviously, I love doing impressions, I’m doing three different voices on The Gimmicks, which I’m excited about, and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. And being interactive, I don’t think I’m saying anything I’m not supposed to, there’s going to be a lot more fan participation than just watching a normal cartoon.”
“I don’t think I can say too much right now, but we’re in the process of making some big announcements on it, doing a season rollout. We got the Bobs that jumped over from Family Guy, two great writers involved, so it’s a lot of fun, man,” Gallows said. “Before I left for the Las Vegas trip, I was in the studio doing voiceovers and stuff, and knocked out about five hours of that, and I had a great time, so it’s very exciting.”
The Good Brothers aren’t looking for their Tag Team Championship reign to end anytime soon, and while moving up the all-time list of longest reigning Champions isn’t their focus obviously, it is something they find exciting.
“Well, I’m a lifelong wrestling fan, so it pops into your head when fans start to bring it up, because between IWGP three times, RAW two times, Impact two times, we’re starting to make those kind of lists. And I mean, you look at the legendary teams that stayed together for a long period of time,” Gallows said. “The Dudleys, the Hardy’s, the Steiner Brothers, the Road Warriors, I’m not comparing us, but I think we’re similar in different ways. And I think it’s very exciting, and we’re an act now. We don’t have any plans of ever not being an act together, and taking this thing around the world as many more times as we possibly can, we’re having a great time doing it. And there’s a lot of talk out there about who’s the best of the best, so we’re just going to keep going, and figure it out, see who lasts the longest.”
You can watch The Good Brothers in action during tomorrow night’s Hard To Kill, which streams on FITE TV at 7:00 PM CST, and you can order the pay-per-view right here.
Who do you want to see The Good Brothers take on next? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
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