Shooters Don’t Die started as a tag team that was only expected to be in one match. It turned into a team that won the AWR Tag Team Championship and has grown to include multiple other people. Don’t Die Miles and Freddie Hudson started out as friends. When Miles had the opportunity to choose a tag team partner they called Freddie.
J, the unofficial fifth member of SDD, came up with the name and they were officially a tag team. J not only came up with the name for Shooters Don’t Die, but you will hear her mentioned many times in my discussions with the members of SDD, as she is a very integral part of the group. Whether it is just keeping them focused, driving them to shows, helping at the events on the cameras or any way that she can.
Freddie went down to Florida for a period of time and was introduced to Ron Bass Jr. Yes, Ron is the son of the famous former WWF wrestler “The Outlaw” Ron Bass. Whenever they met, they immediately clicked and Ron became the big man of the group. SDD then ran into someone that seemed to match the energy and enthusiasm of Miles in Cameron Saturn, aka Crop Top Cam, aka Bi-Furious Cam.
Cam is someone that had wanted to join SDD, as he had been around the group a lot and had gone through the “SDD Gauntlet.” The motto of SDD is “Show up, show out, and don’t die.” Cam survived the gauntlet and is now the youngest member of SDD. He has been showing out ever since, whether it is stealing the show in scramble matches or helping out with the ring crew.
I was able to ask each member of SDD some questions about the group and their careers so far.
Don’t Die Miles
I’ve only been following your career for a short time, but you have had some really cool moments in that time. Your return at the fairgrounds and when you came to the ring with the Pan Flag at The PolyAm Cult Party both seemed very emotional, and the dive onto the crash pad was a really great visual. What are some of your favorite moments?
The fairgrounds show was special because I wasn’t even sure if I was gonna go, but then I knew I had to support my boys. And then when I had to step up for the AWR show, it felt surreal. PolyAm Cult Party was special because I had never been able to openly be proud of being pan until that show. For me though, the most special moment I’ve had (and I’ve had a lot tbh) was when I saved New Wave Pro from Shiloh Greaves’s potential takeover. That crowd was insanely loud and I just broke down. I’d also say facing Trish Adora during my OWA debut was incredible.
You had a couple names before you settled on Don’t Die Miles. Why did you switch the name and what lead to you being called Don’t Die?
Hahaha- I really switched because J and I were talking about how I didn’t wanna be “Spider Miles Morales” anymore. We kept hearing the crowd chant “don’t die miles” and decided to run with it. It was that or “Miles Mayhem.” I’m thinking I made the right choice.
You are always telling people to drink water and even bring water to the ring for your opponents. Where does this love for hydration come from?
It started as a joke with J. I’ve always carried around a reusable water bottle just because I’m never home so it makes sense. But I kept getting on J at home about drinking water. One day she just took my phone and said “tell everybody else to drink water then!” And it kinda stuck. Now it’s just my thing I guess.
Can you tell us how Shooters Don’t Die started and how you ended up adding some members along the way?
SDD started as a one off tag team! I was supposed to tag with Sam Knight at AWR for a tag team tournament, originally. We were going to go out in the first round and then feud. But Sam unfortunately got injured (he’s back and better than ever now). When that happened, AWR asked who I wanted to tag with and I got in contact with my bro Freddie. We ended up getting the AWR fans behind us from the first night and we’d just kept it rolling. It took a while to get going but we’re killing it now!
Ron got added as a joke at first but now he’s stuck with us haha. He’s like the big brother of the group and encourages the nonsense that I pitch. Cameron got added because he was starting to hang around a little bit. Eventually we all agreed that he got to show us if he wanted to be in the group. He went into a scramble at EWE and showed out. He’s done nothing but get better and better since then. And J’s obviously always been around, she actually came up with the name Shooters Don’t Die when Fred and I started. She keeps us all in check as much as she can.
Freddie Hudson
You started out as a backyard wrestler. What was your backyard gimmick/name, and is there any footage out there?
My backyard name was “The Future” and “Mr. As Seen On TV” Freddie Hudson. There is footage out there! You gotta search on YouTube for Epic Wrestling Entertainment.
Are there any fun SDD road stories that you would be willing to tell us?
The road stories are priceless and there are so many. I can’t even start on one because it’s a “you gotta be there” kind of a thing. Maybe SDD will do a podcast or vlog talking about our times on the road together.
Since you are in a tag team with Don’t Die Miles, I have to ask you what your favorite kind of water is?
My favorite water has to be Fiji Water.
Most people are surprised by the fact that you are actually younger than Miles. You do seem to be the calmer person of the group, as Cam and Miles appear to get easily excited, is that accurate or that just what you want us to think?
That is 100% accurate. That is me in real life. Quiet, calm, and collected. Stick to myself a lot. Me being so calm definitely balances SDD out.
Cameron Saturn
Of course, I have to first ask you about Crop Top Cam. When did you start wearing the crop tops and are you going to sell Crop Top Cam crop tops as merch any time soon?
Honestly, the crop tops are a new thing for me. This summer was the first time that I ever experimented with wearing crop tops, but they have always been something I have had interest in. A big inspiration to really step out and experiment more with things not only in wrestling but in my life in general has been both the Von Engelands, Sidney and Eden have really helped me feel comfortable in my own skin.
As for selling crop tops as merch, I’ve thought over the logistics of it all a couple times and it has left me with an unsatisfying conclusion. The main problem with crop tops is figuring out where to actually crop the shirt, because not only will everyone have different preferences, but different body types as well. I don’t wanna rush into releasing some and end up leaving out any member of my audience that might be interested, I want everyone to be able to feel comfortable in one like I do, so for now it is not on the table.
You are the youngest member of SDD. What made you want to join the group and was there any kind of initiation?
Breaking into the Indie scene being in a tag team really made me keep my head on a swivel for other tag teams and of course you want to look at those more local ones, and SDD was the prime example of a closer, younger, and hungrier team than most and that immediately put them on my radar. Seeing that drive and the want to be better really was something that I connected with, wrestling means a lot to me, and I wanna give it 100%, 100% of the time, and those were the guys that I saw doing that.
Truthfully, I didn’t even think that joining the group was a possibility, as when I first saw them it was just Fred and Miles, but now that it’s slowly grown into this little family that we have I am so glad I put my name into the hat for it.
So, the traditional initiation is supposed to be running the Shooter’s Gauntlet (Trademark Pending, probably). I luckily wasn’t subjected to this treatment as I had encountered both Fred and Miles before even approaching the group about joining. I had faced Miles in a four-way at the promotion I trained at, and I faced Fred in singles action at Gen Next Pro Wrestling in Kentucky. Somewhere out there floats a small clip of the exact moment we all knew that I was destined to be a shooter during my match with Fred. He says he was testing me, but he gave me a strange tiger driver that landed me on my neck, (which I have discovered is indestructible, but I don’t wanna test the validity of that statement.)
SDD is known about showing up and showing out and you certainly do that whether it is filling in for someone in a match or helping with the camera work. Is this a kind of work ethic that you have always had and is it something that is kind of contagious being around SDD?
Here’s gonna be a little bit of shock and controversy, I haven’t always had this motivation and mentality in my life, but it also didn’t directly come from SDD. My whole life I feel like I have been very apathetic when it comes to things that I don’t have a deep compassion for, which has been a fatal flaw of mine. I feel like I have always been a jack of all trades but a master of none, however when I actually entered myself into the world of wrestling I was overcome with an immense amount of love for the profession as a whole.
I truly wanna be able to master every part of a professional wrestling production and the environment that SDD creates really has just helped it flourish. Of course I have practiced my in-ring abilities but I also practice editing footage for clips and small highlight videos, I trim and edit our audio clips for entrances, I feel like I am always trying to take the camera away from either Mouse or Dorri when they are shooting shows so that I can snap pictures.
I was lucky enough to get a shot at actually filming the Unsanctioned Pro double header, as Jeremy just needed the extra help that day, and I have always wanted to learn more about how matches are shot and I think having the knowledge of the in -ring aspect of it like I do I was able to provide unique angles and shots that I don’t think most people would assume to take. It was extremely entertaining to see the reactions of my friends and former opponents when they realized I was the one filming them at that moment in time.
But to summarize, wrestling has given me that work ethic as it has been something I have given my full attention in the life I am currently living, and SDD has just been able to amplify that love with opportunity and a great support system.
You came out as Bi earlier this year. How was the reaction to you coming out, in and out of wrestling, and was there anyone in wrestling that you were able to lean on?
God this was a scary moment for me. So I grew up in a small conservative town that for the most part has been homophobic and racist, even if they hide it under the surface, so I was terrified to make any sort of public statement on it, especially now that the town knew me as the kid who puts on spandex and “pretends to fight people”. However I was extremely lucky to have a really positive reaction from the wrestling world for the most part.
The first person to really reach out and show their support was Sandra Moone, and that blew my mind with her being the person that opened my eyes to how large the world of wrestling is, the fact that someone from Las Vegas was supporting me absolutely rocked me, in a good way. When I actually met them at the Midnight Marauders show that Paradigm put on this year it just kinda made all of that support from everyone come to life, as that was really the first show I was allowed to go to on my own in an attempt to break away from the promotion I trained at.
Another two great pillars of support as I said earlier were the Von Engelands, they both have just been really amazing in terms of always being there for me to talk to about any of my concerns and questions with myself. Those Midnight shows were also the nights that put me joining SDD into motion, so I am really thankful for Paradigm and for the chance to attend their shows and now, work on them.
However it wasn’t all pretty and happy. My family and friends at home were shocked and some were disgusted. Without getting into too much detail, me coming out was what started the snowball for me to leave my home promotion, my initial tag team, and now, trying to leave my home. There was just a lot of really negative energy and a sort of a standoff-ish energy that was created from all of it. Coming out was my first step in learning to love myself, and my next step was no longer letting myself be walked over, and of course that was problematic for some people. I will grow and I will get better in life, no matter how people try to keep me down for their own benefit. SDD is all about growth, and my new family is one I am proud to be a part of.
Ron Bass Jr.
People expect certain things when they hear the name of Ron Bass Jr. and see you come to the ring. Whenever you wrestle you give the crowd all of those things they expect and more. Can you tell us some things about yourself that might surprise people?
Uhm, I feel like being a gamer is a bit more commonplace nowadays, so let’s go with something else. I was in chorus and show choir in high school! I still very much enjoy singing and dancing, preferably line dancing (which might be not so surprising) but am also an avid swing dancer as well!
You are the only member of SDD that is not from the Midwest. How did you end up a part of the group?
So it’s a bit of a long story, but I will shorten it to the best of my abilities. Freddie was living in Florida and we were introduced and became friends quickly, and when I did my first tapings at Paradigm, I made a joke that SDD needed a big man, and I could be the Six ‘Shooter’ of Shooters Dont Die, and it kind of stuck from there haha.
You are a 2nd generation wrestler; did you always want to be a wrestler and is this something that your parents supported you pursuing?
So deep down I always wanted to be a wrestler, but It was never forced. My mom isn’t always the biggest fan because she has memories and flashbacks of when dad wrestled and it scares her. Deep down dad always wanted me to wrestle, but he was gone and passed away before I decided to start unfortunately.
The motto for SDD is “show up, show out, and don’t die” I was listening to an interview where you talked about doing ring announcing for a show. Do you go by this motto too, where you feel you can fill in where needed?
While show up, show out, and don’t die, is the motto for our wrestling, I think the group including J also can agree one of the biggest things for SDD is that we just want to be an asset to any show we’re at to make sure it runs as smooth as possible. You see that with J and Cameron running cameras, me having to ring announce, etc. We just love wrestling and want to make sure it’s better then how we got it.
This past weekend Don’t Die Miles captured the New Wave Pro Championship and celebrated in the ring with Freddie and Cam. On that same show, Freddie Hudson challenged Gary Jay for the Crossroads title and Cam looked to continue his rise against Gorgeous Morgan Taylor. This show should be on IWTV in the near future.
Ron Bass Jr also has a big match coming up as he heads up to the Midwest in January as Paradigm Pro Wrestling presents Strokes Suck Eggs. He will take on Mad Dog Connelly in what should be a hard-hitting battle. Whether it is in tag, trios or singles action Shooters Don’t Die are a group of individuals that you want to keep an eye on, as they continue to show up, show out and don’t die.