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Ahead of his match with Davey Boy Smith Jr. at MLW Blood & Thunder, I had the pleasure of asking former MLW Champion Tom Lawlor just what a victory over the Canadian veteran would do for his current standing in the promotion.
You’ve defeated the likes of Jake Hager, Sami Callihan and Shane Strickland in the past, and of course you’re a former MLW World Heavyweight Champion.
Having been unsuccessful in your title rematch, you’re now set to take on Davey Boy Smith Jr. at Blood and Thunder. What do you think a victory there would do for you in terms of your role in MLW?
"The match between myself and Davey Boy is one that MLW fans have been clamouring for, for a while. If you look at the polls put out on Twitter, it was constantly a match that was mentioned.
"Fans look forward to this fight. I believe the people at the back, the other competitors, this is a battle they look forward to."
Lawlor went on to discuss Smith's approach to the fight and how that differs from other opponents he's faced, and that the respect he's shown Lawlor is certainly reciprocated.
"Davey Boy is not cut from the same cloth as Timothy Thatcher and Dominic Garrini, he hasn't called me out specifically by name. If he has, it's been with respect. I view him as a very respectful competitor, I respect him as well. I respect his past, what he's done in MLW."
The former UFC star then went on to state that despite the mutual respect they share, he is looking at the challenge as an opportunity to showcase his skills.
"I'm sure he will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of wrestling for a long time to come but, come November 9th, I really don't care about any of that.
"I've been in there with guys who are bigger than him, I've fought in arenas all across the world in front of people I don't know, and now I'm going to be given an opportunity to showcase MY skills, showcase MY talents in wrestling against another very skilled competitor - someone who can match me in a lot of talents I bring."
Lawlor continued to praise his future foe, stating that he is not underestimating his opponent.
"Davey Boy can match me submission-wise. He may not have the striking repertoire or speed and quickness I have with strikes but he sure as hell can lay one in and knock anyone down, so I'm looking at it like this - he's somebody that can challenge me in the skills I'm best at and what that does is it makes me better. Iron is forged under fire and at Blood & Thunder, that's what it's going to be. It's going to be a fire fight."
But is the pendulum swinging in Lawlor's favour? Well, he certainly thinks so.
"I'm going to be in front of a crowd I feel comfortable with, my friends will be there, people I've competed with, people I've competed against, coaches that have been with me for the past 20 years of my life.
"You're going to see the best Tom Lawlor you can. It's cool that Davey Boy is the one across from me there but, no matter who it is, there's going to be blood and thunder left in that ring."
Ticket information for MLW Blood & Thunder is available here.
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