TJP has embraced being the bad guy when the situation calls for it.
TJP recently spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard ahead of his appearance in the 2021 MLW Opera Cup. The tournament kicks off on October 2, where TJP will face off with Alex Shelley in the first round. TJP’s last MLW match took place against Davey Richards, and it was taped in Philadelphia, also the venue hosting the Opera Cup on October 2. Met with several expletives at the first taping (including a “TJ-Pussy” chant that made the broadcast), TJP talked about the reception he expects from the crowd when he returns, as well as the specific role he plays in MLW.
“I hope they throw rocks at me…sh-t, it wouldn’t be the first time. [laughs] Whatever’s clever. If my last day on earth was getting buried by debris thrown in the ring… legendary. So, I’m all for that.”
After joking that he brought it on himself by asking fans to throw things, TJP explained his real-life attitude on being bullied and painted as a villain, and how he is OK with being the “fall guy” in certain situations.
“I feel that way being bullied in or out of the ring now, if it makes people feel better to hate me so much that they want to see me just get creamed, great,” he stated. “That’s kind of what I signed up for right? To make people happy or entertain them and I don’t mind being the fall guy for that sort of thing and that’s why I don’t usually fight back a lot.
“In Philly, shows like this [MLW Fightland], the atmosphere like that, I’ve been on the other side of that. I’ve been on the other side of the guardrails for those kinds of moments and that’s just what makes some people feel alive. If I have to be the guy burning at the stake, that’s fine, that’s my role. I think about Shawn [Michaels] being pelted with a beer at the Montreal match. That’s a famous clip and he just shakes it off and everybody’s going wild and I’m fine with that, I love that. I think if everybody’s having fun doing that or they feel alive doing that or whatever the case is,” he explained, “and it makes their night, do it. I think going against a guy like Alex Shelley that’s super popular and everybody really loves him, including myself, I anticipate that it may be even more rowdy than it was with Davey [Richards], so I’m looking forward to it.”
The MLW Opera Cup kicks off at MLW’s “Fightland” event on Saturday, October 2. Check out the updated card at this link.
