While speaking with Fightful, Tom Lawlor talked about his return to MLW as a member of the World Titan Federation last year. Here are the highlights:
On the aesthetic of WTF being heavily based on New Generation WWE: “I pattern myself more after the Goon. Actually, T.L. Hopper as well, one of my favorites,” said Lawlor. “I was, if you remember correctly, actually what happened was Davey Boy Smith was set to wrestle Alex King for the MLW World Title and Davey Boy Smith, of course, already partnered up with MSL and I got a call on a two days notice. I’d spoken to MLW in months prior about coming in and coming back and working there again. I was contacted on short notice. I was happy to step in. When I look at the lay of the land, when look at the roster out there, there’s one guy out there I don’t want to get hit by again ever in my life and that’s Davey Boy Smith, Jr. So I thought, ‘Hey, I should team up with this guy.’ I’m getting the opportunity to step in for him in his place, and it’s kind of taken off since then. I’m very happy that he’s made his way back and is healthy and good to go.”
On not wanting to wrestle Davey Boy Smith, Jr: “Yes, yeah. I think we probably fought each other, maybe, five or six times in various battles. I’m not kidding when I say if I went up and down that roster, and there’s some hard hitters out there—Matt Riddle, no slouch; Kojima, go watch the lariat this guy throws, just melting Josh Bishop’s face off with a lariat at the last MLW show—and I’m telling you, the one guy that I don’t want to face again is Davey Boy Smith, Jr. So obviously we come from not the same, but similar backgrounds. I dare anyone to find another tag team, two other guys, that can come beat us. I don’t think it’s gonna happen.”
