Ahead of Impact Wrestling’s Hard To Kill pay-per-view, Deaner spoke with Steve Fall’s Ten Count for a WrestlingNews.co exclusive interview. Hard To Kill airs this Friday night from Center Stage in Atlanta, GA. Click here for details on how to watch the show.
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— Cody Deaner (@CodyDeaner) January 9, 2023
Deaner discussing the creative process of continuing Violent By Design without Eric Young:
“When we knew that we had to evolve the group and evolve the members, it was going to happen. It was a creative idea that came up. When the idea was presented to myself and Eric, we realized this is the absolute best idea we’ve ever heard. Man, it actually tells the story, the two year story arc of my involvement with Violent by Design, my involvement with Eric Young, and how we wanted to move forward. Oh, man, there’s no better way to end this. There’s so much emotion and story involved with that. So we were completely on board.”
“Once just that impetus of that idea occurred, then everybody started to get their ideas flowing. That’s the way things work in Impact Wrestling. It’s not just like, hey, one person’s idea and they say, ‘Here is what you have to do.’ It’s like an idea gets presented and then everybody gets to jump in. So like myself, Eric, and the producers, and the writers involved all started to chat and came up with what I think is one of the most creative and unique passing of the torch moments in wrestling history.”
On the connection between the members of Violent by Design:
“The chosen few are myself, Angels, and Kon. There’s a common thread with us, even though it might seem like well, what’s the connection with these guys? Maybe they’re like a mishmash of guys that don’t really fully understand their connection. But the common thread with all of us as wrestlers is we all have a chip on our shoulder. It’s the same chip. Kon has been in a team element and a faction before, but never been given the focus and given the opportunity and said, ‘Here. You get to be the focus and the star of this. Run with it.’ He’s never had that opportunity and he’s so talented. He hasn’t been given the chance to show the world just how talented he is. Angels, the exact same. He has got so much potential and so much talent, but he’s never been made the focus of what he’s doing in a faction and a group moving forward. Myself included. I’ve always done things where I’m never like the main focus of what’s happening. I’ve never been given an opportunity. Now, we all are. Now, we’re all given, ‘Hey man, you are the focus now guys. You get to make this what you want it to be, and it’s going to be as good as you guys make it.’ I’m telling you, we are going to make it good, not just good, we’re gonna make it great. We got some really cool, fun stuff planned that people are going to be seeing over the coming weeks with The Design.”
Thoughts on the Mickie James-Jordynne Grace career first title match for the Impact Knockouts Championship at Impact’s Hard to Kill PPV on January 13th:
“If she doesn’t win, I’m not just sad because it would mean that there’s no Mickie James left in professional wrestling. It would also be because it’s the end of the story, which is just such an amazing story. It’s been so dramatic. I’ve had the privilege to produce a couple of these matches that Mickie James has been in, so I kind of have another perspective at it as a producer and getting to sit down with Mickie James as a wrestler and get her into her mind as a wrestler, and myself as a producer, and seeing what she’s doing.”
“I heard Eric Young say this to me, and the more I thought about it, the more I thought he’s right, and I feel the same way, and that is, Mickie James is one of the best all around professional wrestlers. Period. You do not need to label female versus male, or women’s versus men’s, knockouts versus you know, heavyweight title, like whatever you want, labels, take any of those labels off, professional wrestler period, Mickie James has it all. So for that thought alone and what I know what she has to bring, and not wanting to see her amazing talents come to an end, I’m hoping that Mickie James takes it at Hard to Kill. That’s my prediction and my hope.”
Click below to watch the entire interview.
This interview is exclusive to WrestlingNews.co. If you use these quotes, please include a link back to this page.
