Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Dec 15, 2013 18:06:30 GMT -6
Some might look at it as a quick trip.
The way Stevie Richards sees it, his late-month trip to Philly is a homecoming with plenty of time to do everything he loves.
His main reason to returning to the city he grew up in to defend his Extreme Rising Heavyweight championship on Dec. 28 at the former ECW Arena. But the Philadelphia native is coming up a day early to see friends and family.
As they say, there’s no place like home for the holidays.
“For wrestlers, a trip usually lasts 14 or 15 hours, but this will be a fun one,” Richards said. “This one, I’m coming a day early so I can see everyone. It’s great when you can do that and wrestle on the same trip.”
And while he’s looking forward to the reunion, he knows he has a job to do. And right now, he’s not exactly sure what that job is.
Richards will be in the main event, defending his championship against an opponent to be named. So he has to be prepared for anything.
“I have mixed emotions about the show because I can’t wait to get back to the ECW Arena,” Richards said. “It’s the place where I made a name for myself and that will be good. I don’t know who it’s going to be against. They haven’t told me.”
His opponent could be anyone. It could be a grizzled vet from the old ECW days. It could be any free agent looking to win a coveted title. Or it could be a young upstart looking to make his name. That makes it hard to prepare.
“I’m used to this, having been in WWE, WCW, you don’t know or they change things a million times, so maybe it’s better to not know then prepare for one thing and have it be another,” he said. “I’m talking myself into it. It will be a fun challenge. Yeah.”
And while Richards enjoys getting in the ring and seeing all the Philly fans, he also enjoys the time spent with the guys in the locker room.
During his time in the original ECW, Richards was a young kid, learning the ropes. Now, after getting experience all over the world, he’s the man other guys look up to.
“Hearing people call me a leader is very humbling and it makes me want to work harder,” he said. “I don’t like to be content with where I’m at, I like to get better.”
Getting better means putting in lots of work, and that’s what makes a good leader. So does everything Richards has done to get to where he is.
He’s gotten over injuries in the past so he keeps himself in outstanding shape.
And not only does he keep himself in shape, he helps others do the same.
DDP Yoga is a phenomenon that just about every wrestler talks about doing. Named after its inventor, former WCW star Diamond Dallas Page, it is described as Yoga for men. Richards has been doing it for years and recently became the first certified instructor of DDP Yoga. That means he goes around and teaches people the proper way to do it. It pays off for him and his students.
“I think DDP saw something in me,” Richards said. “He knew that I didn’t do anything halfway. If I believe in something, I mean really believe, I put everything into it. So we took it to the next level.
“And I’m still working with it. Last year, there were different times I was experimenting and I got thick around the middle, and I was starting to look fat, so I had to change it. But I’m also a wrestler and I want to have that look.
“What I’ve learned myself is that if I don’t do it every day, I feel worse. If I take time off, I don’t feel as loose. I don’t feel as good. But when I do it, I feel better, head to toe. It’s really improved my overall quality of life in every way.”
When he’s not beating up opponents or stretching his students into shape, Richards has a great life.
He’s either teaching his three cats to perform tricks in exchange for treats or he’s playing video games.
In fact, the Philly guy is a huge Eagles fan, and it wasn’t a Super Bowl run or a certain player that turned him in to a full fledged member of Gang Green.
“I love sports games. That’s actually what got me into football. I create my own quarterback. I create myself, he’s 6-foot-8, 300 pounds with 29-inch arms. It looks just like me,” he said with a laugh.
Now he’s dealing with an extremely tough decision: what does he like better, his PlayStation 4 or his Xbox One. It’s a good problem to have, and it’s good that he’s so up to speed on his gadgets.
As passionate as Richards is about wrestling and DDP Yoga and fitness, he’s just as passionate about technology.
His web site, t4show.com/, shows him reviewing different gadgets and gaming systems, and his show allows people to see him play with his new toys.
In the future, he’s planning on combining his love of technology and fitness.
“I’m going to have a Google Hangout, where I can give people a taste of DDP Yoga and let them see what it’s all about,” he said. “And when I’m in Philly, I’m going to do a class. And while it’s good to make a little bit of money, it’s more about showing people what they can do, and show them how they can feel better.”
Sounds like a perfect homecoming.
For more on the upcoming show, visit www.extremerising.com
The way Stevie Richards sees it, his late-month trip to Philly is a homecoming with plenty of time to do everything he loves.
His main reason to returning to the city he grew up in to defend his Extreme Rising Heavyweight championship on Dec. 28 at the former ECW Arena. But the Philadelphia native is coming up a day early to see friends and family.
As they say, there’s no place like home for the holidays.
“For wrestlers, a trip usually lasts 14 or 15 hours, but this will be a fun one,” Richards said. “This one, I’m coming a day early so I can see everyone. It’s great when you can do that and wrestle on the same trip.”
And while he’s looking forward to the reunion, he knows he has a job to do. And right now, he’s not exactly sure what that job is.
Richards will be in the main event, defending his championship against an opponent to be named. So he has to be prepared for anything.
“I have mixed emotions about the show because I can’t wait to get back to the ECW Arena,” Richards said. “It’s the place where I made a name for myself and that will be good. I don’t know who it’s going to be against. They haven’t told me.”
His opponent could be anyone. It could be a grizzled vet from the old ECW days. It could be any free agent looking to win a coveted title. Or it could be a young upstart looking to make his name. That makes it hard to prepare.
“I’m used to this, having been in WWE, WCW, you don’t know or they change things a million times, so maybe it’s better to not know then prepare for one thing and have it be another,” he said. “I’m talking myself into it. It will be a fun challenge. Yeah.”
And while Richards enjoys getting in the ring and seeing all the Philly fans, he also enjoys the time spent with the guys in the locker room.
During his time in the original ECW, Richards was a young kid, learning the ropes. Now, after getting experience all over the world, he’s the man other guys look up to.
“Hearing people call me a leader is very humbling and it makes me want to work harder,” he said. “I don’t like to be content with where I’m at, I like to get better.”
Getting better means putting in lots of work, and that’s what makes a good leader. So does everything Richards has done to get to where he is.
He’s gotten over injuries in the past so he keeps himself in outstanding shape.
And not only does he keep himself in shape, he helps others do the same.
DDP Yoga is a phenomenon that just about every wrestler talks about doing. Named after its inventor, former WCW star Diamond Dallas Page, it is described as Yoga for men. Richards has been doing it for years and recently became the first certified instructor of DDP Yoga. That means he goes around and teaches people the proper way to do it. It pays off for him and his students.
“I think DDP saw something in me,” Richards said. “He knew that I didn’t do anything halfway. If I believe in something, I mean really believe, I put everything into it. So we took it to the next level.
“And I’m still working with it. Last year, there were different times I was experimenting and I got thick around the middle, and I was starting to look fat, so I had to change it. But I’m also a wrestler and I want to have that look.
“What I’ve learned myself is that if I don’t do it every day, I feel worse. If I take time off, I don’t feel as loose. I don’t feel as good. But when I do it, I feel better, head to toe. It’s really improved my overall quality of life in every way.”
When he’s not beating up opponents or stretching his students into shape, Richards has a great life.
He’s either teaching his three cats to perform tricks in exchange for treats or he’s playing video games.
In fact, the Philly guy is a huge Eagles fan, and it wasn’t a Super Bowl run or a certain player that turned him in to a full fledged member of Gang Green.
“I love sports games. That’s actually what got me into football. I create my own quarterback. I create myself, he’s 6-foot-8, 300 pounds with 29-inch arms. It looks just like me,” he said with a laugh.
Now he’s dealing with an extremely tough decision: what does he like better, his PlayStation 4 or his Xbox One. It’s a good problem to have, and it’s good that he’s so up to speed on his gadgets.
As passionate as Richards is about wrestling and DDP Yoga and fitness, he’s just as passionate about technology.
His web site, t4show.com/, shows him reviewing different gadgets and gaming systems, and his show allows people to see him play with his new toys.
In the future, he’s planning on combining his love of technology and fitness.
“I’m going to have a Google Hangout, where I can give people a taste of DDP Yoga and let them see what it’s all about,” he said. “And when I’m in Philly, I’m going to do a class. And while it’s good to make a little bit of money, it’s more about showing people what they can do, and show them how they can feel better.”
Sounds like a perfect homecoming.
For more on the upcoming show, visit www.extremerising.com
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