Wrestling is Life is Wrestling with Cody Deaner

Episode 21: Chris Bey - Part 2

Cody Deaner sits down for the 2nd part of his conversation with wrestler, singer/songwriter, and all-around great dude – Chris Bey. Chris is a former X-Division Champion, proud member of the Bullet Club and current TNA Impact Tag-Team Champion.
Cody and Chris start where they left off last week discussing the lessons Chris learned in wrestling school. They go on to discuss various topics, such as:
- a wild story of the advice he received from none other than WWE’s Kane… and the full circle moment involving him one year later
- the power of manifestation
- the importance of putting in the work and having goals to work toward
- the story of working with WWE, IMPACT, and ROH all within a short span of each other and how they taught him what he truly wanted
- signing with IMPACT Wrestling and how he knew it’s the place he truly wanted to be
- why the chants of “BEY!” at T-Mobile Arena during his WWE appearance meant so much to him
- finding success when you’re your true self
- getting signed vs. staying signed from the perspective of someone who got signed very early in their career
- the importance of content creation in 2023 and his successful venture into the music industry
Chris Bey can be found on social media on both Twitter and Instagram @dashingchrisbey
You can listen to Chris’ music on Spotify by visiting https://open.spotify.com/artist/1PvnNmZQzfHwh7NB4oEVlN
This episode is brought to you Rest When Dead Clothing Company. Shop their entire collection at http://RestWhenDead.ca
This episode is also brought to you by CEO Fit. Buy all your health, fitness, and supplementary needs at http://ceofit.ca
Please consider donating toward Cody's current fundraising campaign for a young wrestling fan with a variety of medical needs over at "Giv'er for Conor" - GiveSendGo.com/giverforconor
Get access to a special BONUS STORY with Chris Bey and a funny in-ring incident on a recent tour with New Japan Pro Wrestling over at http://patreon.com/codydeaner  
Advertise on this podcast by visiting http://codydeaner.com/podcast and filling in the form or emailing ads@codydeaner.com
Support this podcast by buying a t-shirt at http://prowrestlingtees.com/codydeaner  by getting a personal Cameo at http://cameo.com/codydeaner
Let Cody share his love of independent wrestling with you at your wrestling event by booking him on your wrestling show at http://codydeaner.com/bookings1 
Book Cody to speak at your school, youth event, or business at http://www.chrisgrayspeaks.com/bookings

Episode 20: Chris Bey - Part 1

Cody Deaner sits down with wrestler, singer/songwriter, and all-around awesome guy – Chris Bey. Chris is a former X-Division Champion and current TNA Impact Tag-Team Champion. He’s accomplished a lot during his relatively short time in the wrestling business (including appearing for WWE, Impact Wrestling, and ROH all within the first few years of breaking into the business).
Cody and Chris work together at TNA, and in this discussion they explore Bey’s wrestling journey and the life lessons he’s learned along the way by exploring such topics as:
- the power of story and how it can be an inspiration to others
- growing up in a small town with small expectations
- Bey’s influential mentor (his elementary school principal) who helped steer Bey away from the negative influences around him in his very rough neighbourhood in Alexandria, Virginia
- how CM Punk and Eddie Guerrero inspired him as a young wrestling fan
- his father’s passing and how that dramatically effected his decision to pursue a career in wrestling
- the decision to move away to go to wrestling school and how changing where you are can be a powerful step in making a positive move away from negative influences and forces
Chris Bey can be found on social media on both Twitter and Instagram @dashingchrisbey
You can listen to Chris’ music on Spotify by visiting https://open.spotify.com/artist/1PvnNmZQzfHwh7NB4oEVlN
This episode is brought to you Rest When Dead Clothing Company. Shop their entire collection at http://RestWhenDead.ca
This episode is also brought to you by CEO Fit. Buy all your health, fitness, and supplementary needs at http://ceofit.ca
Please consider donating toward Cody's current fundraising campaign for a young wrestling fan with a variety of medical needs over at "Giv'er for Conor" - GiveSendGo.com/giverforconor
Get access to a special BONUS STORY with Chris Bey and a funny in-ring incident on a recent tour with New Japan Pro Wrestling over at http://patreon.com/codydeaner  
Advertise on this podcast by visiting http://codydeaner.com/podcast and filling in the form or emailing ads@codydeaner.com
Support this podcast by buying a t-shirt at http://prowrestlingtees.com/codydeaner  by getting a personal Cameo at http://cameo.com/codydeaner
Let Cody share his love of independent wrestling with you at your wrestling event by booking him on your wrestling show at http://codydeaner.com/bookings1 
Book Cody to speak at your school, youth event, or business at http://www.chrisgrayspeaks.com/bookings

Episode 19: Shawn Spears - Part 2

Cody Deaner sits down with his longtime friend of over two decades - AEW star Shawn Spears (formerly known as WWE/NXT superstar Tye Dillinger). They continue their very personal conversation discussing their lives and lessons they've learned in their two different journeys in the wrestling business.
Shawn discusses a variety of things in this second installment of this 2 part conversation, such as:
- Shawn & Cody's WWE tryout experience together in the early 2000's involving Arn Anderson, Rosie and Hurricane Helms
- dealing with disappointment and picking your battles early in your career
- his perspective on getting signed vs. staying signed from someone who has been signed by the WWE, released by the WWE, and signed again by the WWE and brought into developmental
- the value of working with Cody Rhodes in OVW
- why CM Punk is the reason he got a 2nd chance in the WWE
- how to stand out in today's wrestling landscape
- making people care about you as a brand
- dropping knowledge at his Flatbacks Wrestling School
Shawn currently runs a wrestling school with former WWE Superstar Tyler Breeze. You can learn all about Flatbacks Wrestling School at https://www.flatbackswrestlingschool.com/ 
This episode is brought to you Rest When Dead Clothing Company. Shop their entire collection at http://RestWhenDead.ca
Please consider donating toward Cody's current fundraising campaign for a young wrestling fan with a variety of medical needs over at "Giv'er for Conor" - GiveSendGo.com/giverforconor
Get access to a special BONUS STORY with Shawn Spears where he tells the behind the scenes story of how how learned he was in the 2017 WWE Royal Rumble and what that experience was truly like over at http://patreon.com/codydeaner  
Advertise on this podcast by visiting http://codydeaner.com/podcast and filling in the form or emailing ads@codydeaner.com
Support this podcast by buying a t-shirt at http://prowrestlingtees.com/codydeaner  by getting a personal Cameo at http://cameo.com/codydeaner
Let Cody share his love of independent wrestling with you at your wrestling event by booking him on your wrestling show at http://codydeaner.com/bookings1 
Book Cody to speak at your school, youth event, or business at http://www.chrisgrayspeaks.com/bookings

Episode 18: Shawn Spears - Part 1

Cody Deaner sits down with current AEW star Shawn Spears (formerly known as WWE/NXT superstar Tye Dillinger). Cody and Shawn have been friends for over two decades. They sit down for a very personal conversation discussing their lives and lessons they've learned in their two different journeys in the wrestling business.
Shawn discusses a variety of things in Part 1 of this 2 part conversation, such as:
- how being a new dad has changed his perspective on his wrestling career and time in All Elite Wrestling
- when you start wrestling, you're signing up for the "maybes"
- the importance of having a source of happiness outside the wrestling business
- having a back up plan vs. putting all your eggs in one basket
- what his parents thought when he started wrestling school
- how Eric Young became his first true mentor in wrestling
- how life on the indies was not a "struggle" to him prior to his WWE tryout experience in 2006
Shawn currently runs a wrestling school with former WWE Superstar Tyler Breeze. You can learn all about Flatbacks Wrestling School at https://www.flatbackswrestlingschool.com/ 
This episode is brought to you Rest When Dead Clothing Company. Shop their entire collection at http://RestWhenDead.ca
Please consider donating toward Cody's current fundraising campaign for a young wrestling fan with a variety of medical needs over at "Giv'er for Conor" - GiveSendGo.com/giverforconor
Get access to a special BONUS STORY with Shawn Spears where he tells the behind the scenes story of how how learned he was in the 2017 WWE Royal Rumble and what that experience was truly like over at http://patreon.com/codydeaner  
Advertise on this podcast by visiting http://codydeaner.com/podcast and filling in the form or emailing ads@codydeaner.com
Support this podcast by buying a t-shirt at http://prowrestlingtees.com/codydeaner  by getting a personal Cameo at http://cameo.com/codydeaner
Let Cody share his love of independent wrestling with you at your wrestling event by booking him on your wrestling show at http://codydeaner.com/bookings1 
Book Cody to speak at your school, youth event, or business at http://www.chrisgrayspeaks.com/bookings

BONUS: Ask Cody Anything

This is a special BONUS episode where Cody Deaner takes questions LIVE from his fans!
Cody ends up telling some stories from his career including: what Ricky Steamboat said to him in the locker room after they worked together, his admiration for Roddy Piper as a heel and someone who persevered through hardship, sitting on his porch and talking about life with the late Brodie Lee, working with ODB in TNA, unsung heroes of the Ontario independent wrestling scene, and more.
Cody ensures all questions from his loyal patrons get answered first. If you'd like to have your question answered on a future episode, consider supporting the podcast at http://patreon.com/codydeaner  
This episode is brought to you Rest When Dead Clothing Company. Shop their entire collection at http://RestWhenDead.ca
This episode is also brought to you by http://ceofit.ca
Get top-of-the-line supplements shipped to your door by CEO Fit.
Donate toward Cody's current fundraising campaign for a young wrestling fan with a variety of medical needs over at "Giv'er for Conor" - GiveSendGo.com/giverforconor
Advertise on this podcast by visiting http://codydeaner.com/podcast and filling in the form or emailing ads@codydeaner.com
Support this podcast by buying a t-shirt at http://prowrestlingtees.com/codydeaner  by getting a personal Cameo at http://cameo.com/codydeaner
Let Cody share his love of independent wrestling with you at your wrestling event by booking him on your wrestling show at http://codydeaner.com/bookings1 
Book Cody to speak at your school, youth event, or business at http://www.chrisgrayspeaks.com/bookings

Episode 17: Colin Hunter from ”Kayfabe News” - Part 2

Cody Deaner sits down for the 2nd part of his conversation  with the creator of the very popular website Kayfabe News - Colin Hunter. 
Kayfabe News has been viewed by MILLIONS of viewers and has been endorsed by WWE legend Mick Foley as "it's like The Onion for wrestling fans." Colin has a very unique story of how he got into the wacky world of professional wrestling via writing for Pro Wrestling Illustrated and how that love grew into him creating the extremely popular website "Kayfabe News." His journey eventually led him into the ring as a professional wrestling referee.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Cody and Colin discuss how Colin decided to start "Kayfabe News" due to his connection to Colt Cabana and Mick Foley. They also do more deep diving into life lessons they've learned in their different (yet eerily similar) journeys in wrestling and how Colin decided to start a new project - a movie entitled "The Ref Didn't See It" where Colin decides to document his journey jumping into the ring as a pro wrestling referee. 
Colin is currently crowd-funding his new movie "The Ref Didn't See It" (which stars Cody Deaner & other wrestling stars) over at http://therefmovie.com 
This episode is brought to you Rest When Dead Clothing Company. Shop their entire collection at http://RestWhenDead.ca
Please consider donating toward Cody's most recent fundraising campaign for a young wrestling fan with a variety of medical needs over at "Giv'er for Conor" - GiveSendGo.com/giverforconor
Get access to a special BONUS STORY with Colin involving him visiting Christian's home in Tampa, Florida, by becoming a patron over at http://patreon.com/codydeaner  
Advertise on this podcast by visiting http://codydeaner.com/podcast and filling in the form or emailing ads@codydeaner.com
Support this podcast by buying a t-shirt at http://prowrestlingtees.com/codydeaner  by getting a personal Cameo at http://cameo.com/codydeaner
Let Cody share his love of independent wrestling with you at your wrestling event by booking him on your wrestling show at http://codydeaner.com/bookings1 
Book Cody to speak at your school, youth event, or business at http://www.chrisgrayspeaks.com/bookings

Episode 16: Colin Hunter from ”Kayfabe News” - Part 1

Cody Deaner sits down for his very first non-IMPACT Wrestling guest this week with the creator of the very popular website Kayfabe News - Colin Hunter. 
Kayfabe News has been viewed by MILLIONS of viewers and has been endorsed by WWE legend Mick Foley as "it's like The Onion for wrestling fans." Colin has a very unique story of how he got into the wacky world of professional wrestling via writing for Pro Wrestling Illustrated and how that love grew into him creating the extremely popular website "Kayfabe News." His journey eventually led him into the ring as a professional wrestling referee.
In Part 1 of this conversation, Cody and Colin discuss their unique similarities as young wrestling fans, Colin's career choices that led him into the professional wrestling business, and all the life lessons he learned along the way in his journey.
Colin is currently crowd-funding his new movie "The Ref Didn't See It" (which stars Cody Deaner & other wrestling stars) over at http://therefmovie.com 
This episode is brought to you Rest When Dead Clothing Company. Shop their entire collection at http://RestWhenDead.ca
Please consider donating toward Cody's most recent fundraising campaign for a young wrestling fan with a variety of medical needs over at "Giv'er for Conor" - GiveSendGo.com/giverforconor
Get access to Part 2 of this conversation with Colin, as well as a special BONUS STORY, by becoming a patron over at http://patreon.com/codydeaner  
Advertise on this podcast by visiting http://codydeaner.com/podcast and filling in the form or emailing ads@codydeaner.com
Support this podcast by buying a t-shirt at http://prowrestlingtees.com/codydeaner  by getting a personal Cameo at http://cameo.com/codydeaner
Let Cody share his love of independent wrestling with you at your wrestling event by booking him on your wrestling show at http://codydeaner.com/bookings1 
Book Cody to speak at your school, youth event, or business at http://www.chrisgrayspeaks.com/bookings

Episode 15: Jessicka Havok - Part 2

Cody Deaner sits down for Part 2 of his conversation with former IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Champion & former IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Tag-Team Champion World Champion Jessicka Havok. In Part 2 of this conversation, Havok discusses a variety of topics in her career including:
 
Signing her first big TV contract after struggling on the indies for 10 years
Gail Kim saying she wanted to work with her in TNA Wrestling
Christy Hemme’s creative vision for her new look in TNA & getting to keep her name
The huge difference between indy wrestling & television wrestling
Winning the Knockouts Championship in the main event of an episode of IMPACT
Defending the Knockouts Championship in Japan
The Knockouts division being the first true Women’s Revolution
The female locker-room in IMPACT being so positive & like a family
The impactful advice that Cody once gave Jessicka that has really stuck with her
Opening Piledriver Wrestling Academy with her partner Sami Callihan
Being content creators rather than “just wrestlers” in 2023
A “run-in” from Sami Callihan regarding wrestling gifs vs. cat videos
Advice for young up-and-coming wrestlers
 
This isn’t just a wrestling podcast… it’s a life podcast. Jessicka drops a tonne of important life lessons in this conversation, including:
 
How to deal with negativity on social media
Not trying to please everyone with your work
Finding positive people to help you when you struggle
Being authentic & truthful in your constructive criticism
The importance of paying your dues so you appreciate the opportunities you get in the future
Using your successful career in one field as leverage to gain other revenue streams in other fields
The positives & negatives of social media
 
This episode is brought to you Rest When Dead Clothing Company. Shop their entire collection at http://RestWhenDead.ca
Please consider donating to "Giv'er for Conor" at GiveSendGo.com/giverforconor
To learn more about Jessicka & Sami Callihan’s Piledriver Academy, email PiledriverAcademy@yahoo.com
Follow Havok on IG @ http://instagram.com/havokdeathmachine
Follow Havok on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/fearhavok
Join Havok’s Twitch Community @ https://www.twitch.tv/jessickahavok
Get two… yes TWO BONUS stories from Jessicka regarding some playful, hilarious, and scary ribs played on her early in her career, as well as loads of other exclusive content by becoming a patron at http://patreon.com/codydeaner  
Advertise on this podcast by visiting http://codydeaner.com/podcast and filling in the form or emailing ads@codydeaner.com
Support this podcast by buying a t-shirt at http://prowrestlingtees.com/codydeaner  by getting a personal Cameo at http://cameo.com/codydeaner
Let Cody share his love of independent wrestling with you at your wrestling event by booking him on your wrestling show at http://codydeaner.com/bookings1 
Book Cody to speak at your school, youth event, or business at http://www.chrisgrayspeaks.com/bookings