In PWPonderings’ latest exclusive interview, Joseph Sawyer (fka WWE’s Joe Gacy) (@JoeGacy) sits down with PWPonderings’ own Scott Mitchell (@scott44mitchell) to open up about his return to the independent wrestling scene, including his upcoming showdown with Javi at Blitzkrieg! Pro, C4 Wrestling’s big “Fighting Back” event, his upcoming match with Atticus Cogar at GCW, his Limitless Wrestling debut, and his upcoming tag match with Samuel Shaw to face off with Miracle Generation for the PWJ Tag Team Championships. Watch the interview in its entirety down below.

Let’s jump right into it. On Saturday night, August 8th, you will be going one-on-one with another former WWE NXT star, Javi. What is your mindset heading into this one?

“I’m really excited. I don’t know if a lot of people know this, but August 8th is actually my birthday. So, we are going to be kicking off my birthday with a match with a friend of mine. Javier, when he and I were both at the Performance Center together, we kind of hit it off pretty easily and pretty fast. We always kept in contact, even originally when he unfortunately got released. I reached out to him, and we’ve always been in contact, and we’ve hung out. I’ve done his video game streams in the past. We had a few matches under the WWE umbrella. We did a match on Level Up, we did a match on a Live Event, and we’ve trained together recently. In a way, I think we both wanted to do this match now, having different mindsets and different arsenals in our toolbox, if that makes sense. I think we’re going to be able to push the limit a little bit more in a way that we may not have been able to do in the past. I’m super excited. I think this is something we both want, and we’re both really going to put a lot into it. It’s definitely, to me, something I don’t think anybody should miss, in my opinion… I’m excited. I’ve heard of Blitzkrieg! Pro, but I’ve never been able to work there before. This is my Blitzkrieg! Pro debut. I’m really excited, new crowd, new audience, with somebody I’m very familiar with. I think that’s going to be awesome.”

What has it been like to see all that Javi has accomplished since coming to the Independents and getting to showcase to the fans a new side of him, one that we weren’t always able to see on television?

“I think he never really got a real shot at showing off his skillset, in my opinion. I’m happy he’s out there now doing it, and hopefully opening people’s eyes to it. I think he and I getting in there together will bring that to another level for him, and me too. I think He’s a new opponent that people haven’t seen me wrestle in an indie setting, anyway. That’s going to be really exciting… I was excited for him at first. Somebody who came from the background he came from. He never voiced it to me, but I’m sure he was super nervous to kind of get out there. He knew a little bit of independent wrestling before he got hired, but a lot of his knowledge in the wrestling business, at the time, was the WWE mindset at first. For me, exciting to be able to see him go out there and spread his wings, so to speak, and try stuff, experiment, and see what works and doesn’t work. For me, it was a lot of fun. I try to keep up with all of his matches and even just train with him. When I got released, I wanted to get in the ring and get my body ready for what was next, and he had access to a school with a ring. So, he and I were going out weekly, training together. Every week, we were getting in the ring together. I can already tell he has a different mindset than he used to. That alone was exciting to see. I could see a little glimmer in his eye of excitement. There are no handcuffs, nothing is holding you back as far as creativity or anything really in the ring. I’m excited to see what we figure out on Saturday.”

Now that you are officially back on the independents, what are you hoping to remind fans, or show new fans?

“I think, either way, if you knew who I was or now learning who I am, or were an indie fan from the beginning or followed my career, I just want you to know I’m very passionate about what I do. I think a lot of people have underestimated me. My whole career, I think, I’ve made a career about proving people wrong. I don’t think that’s ever going to stop. I don’t care what the internet says about me. I’m grateful for the people who say good things about me. But, I, you know, I don’t really care about any of the bad opinions because those aren’t the people paying my bills. Can you give your opinion? That’s fine. Wrestling fans do. But, I made a career about proving people wrong. I was never supposed to be the guy who got hired by WWE. If you go all the way back, I was never supposed to be the main guy at Combat Zone Wrestling, won the Heavyweight title. I was never supposed to be like the guy who worked for Evolve Wrestling, went there and won tag team championships with Eddie Kingston. I was never supposed to be the guy who got hired by WWE, got hired by WWE. I was never supposed to be the guy who got called up to the main roster, got called up, won a tag team championship. Now, I’m not supposed to be the guy to make a big splash on the independents or show up at a major promotion, but you know what? I think that’s a possibility. So, I just think I’d like to show people the skills and my creative mindset that I do have. If you’re with me, awesome. I’ll entertain you and not let you down. If you’re not with me and don’t care to watch anything I’m doing, then I mean, that’s fine too. I’ll probably win you over eventually. That’s just my opinion. I think if you give me a chance to watch me and possibly invest in me at all, I don’t think I’d let you down. That’s going to fans out there. I just want people to know how passionate I am, how serious I take this business, how much I still love it, how much it’s still in my blood, like this is all I’ve ever wanted to do. There’s no way I’d ever want to step away from it. I’m in it for the long haul, and I guess that’s what I’d say. I’m here to stay, and like it or not, I’m going to do what I do.”

On Friday, August 14th, you will also be heading to Canada for C4 Wrestling’s biggest event of the year, “Fighting Back.” A beautiful event with a beautiful cause. What does this booking mean to you?

“So, it means a few things. Off the top of my head, I love C4; I’ve worked there a few times in my past. The guy who runs the company is amazing. He’s always been good to me. The locker room is always amazing there. The fans there are very passionate and amazing. To be able to be a part of this show, I’ve also had friends in my life, close friends who have battled with cancer as well, and fortunately have survived. There are also people out there that I used to know who, unfortunately, didn’t make it through cancer. For me, it’s a big deal because I get to go back and work for a company I admire a lot, be a part of fans that I like, and help support a cause that affects a lot of people daily. So, anything I can do to help with that, I definitely will. So, that’s definitely exciting for me to be a part of.”

You will be facing off with Stu Grayson at the event. What’s your mindset heading into this one?

“Well, I’m just excited to give the crowd a good show. That crowd there is amazing. The last time I was there, they were so hot for everything that happened at the event. So, I’m just excited to be out there in front of them, and I’m excited to work with a lot of new talents out there on the independents or anywhere, to be honest. I’ve been away from the independents for six years. There’s a lot of up-and-coming talent who are out there now, and honestly, I really want to work those guys. I’ve had a lot of matches with a lot of guys; some are around, some aren’t around anymore, so it’s a different landscape out there now. I think new matches are really what I want to do. A lot of new match-ups and things I haven’t done before, so. I think that’s the same for the show. I’m ready to step into a place I’ve been, but having a new experience. I think it’s going to be awesome.”

Then, the following day, you will be challenging Atticus Cogar for Cogar’s GCW World Championship at GCW Homecoming in Atlantic City. What’s your mindset heading into this one and making your official return to Game Changer Wrestling?

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been at Game Changer Wrestling. But fun fact out there for anyone who may not know, I was in the very first title match for GCW. It was a four-way to crown the first-ever GCW World Champion. I didn’t win. Somebody else won, Kyle The Beast, I think, won at that time. But yeah, I’m excited. I’m really excited for that show for multiple reasons. GCW is one of the premier companies right now. I have a lot of friends who wrestle for GCW, and to be able to be on a show in Atlantic City, 30 minutes away from where I grew up, I’m sure I’ll have a lot of friends and family out there as well. So, it is funny that the show is called Homecoming because to me it really will be a Homecoming. I’ll be honest, I might be willing to do a little bit more than I might normally do on an event like that, so that will be exciting.”

You will be facing off with Atticus Cogar at the event. What are you hoping to accomplish when you do meet him in the ring for the first time?

“I think, for me, it’s exciting to again work with someone I’ve never worked with before. I’ve known Atticus for a little while, but this will be the first time we’ll be working together in the ring. If anything, you know, I would expect there to be a very brutal meeting between him and me. I’ve seen things he’s done. I think it’s only going to make me want to dip my toes back into some of the things I’ve done in the past. I think it’s going to be somewhat of a spectacle to see. It’ll definitely be memorable. It’ll be a very memorable night. So, I’m excited”

You will also be heading to Limitless Wrestling for their big show on September 6th. What can fans expect from you there?

“Again, it’s another debut. I’ve never wrestled at Limitless Wrestling. I used to try to get there. But I guess schedules never synced up in the past. But, I’m excited. That’s more northeast shows. I love the fans out there. I’ve been on some shows out there in the past, and I’m really excited to return out there. I think that’s another big thing for me, returning to some of the familiar areas I’ve been and getting in front of some fans I know of and some fans who may be seeing me for the first time. Very excited to be taking part in that show. Heard nothing but great things about Limitless. I’ve always known of Limitless. So, really pumped for that.”

You and Samuel Shaw will be challenging for the PWJ Tag Team Championships in a dream match against Miracle Generation. What is your mindset entering this one on Sunday, September 20th?

“I think when Sam and I get together, we get a little excited as far as all the fun things we can do together. That day is going to be kind of like a, I don’t know, I think we’re going to try and do some stuff that we have done and some stuff that you haven’t seen yet. I’m excited for that show in that building. I have been in that building so many times in my career, and this will be my first time going back there. I’m really excited to do that with Sam and tag with him. He’s like a brother to me. Stepping into that match is something that’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Looking ahead, what are your future goals?

“This year, I think the initial goal is to get back out there. We already accomplished that. For me, it’s trying to accomplish more internationally. Which, for me, I have a show coming up in the UK at the end of the month. I am trying to get some more international dates lined up as much as possible. Big one being, the one I have missed out on so far in my career, and fingers crossed, I hope I can work something up, and that being hopefully making a debut in Japan. That is the one country that I have yet to set foot in, perform in, visit, or anything. I am a huge fan of Japanese wrestling. To me, it would be an honor to go over and do something. Immediate goals, that’s my first thought, to hopefully get something lined up to go over and perform in Japan. With me coming up in wrestling, that was always the pinnacle of professional wrestling and independent wrestling. The Japanese audience always seems incredible. The shows are incredible. The wrestlers over there are incredible. Even just once in my life, I want to be able to go over to Japan and perform. It’s an immediate goal, and probably will be a goal for a while. So, until it happens.”

Do you have anyone you’d like to share the ring with?

“So, yeah, I think for me, it doesn’t have to be independents, it could be anywhere, but names I would love to work with. Top of my list right now is Jon Moxley because of our history, and I think our styles would mesh well together. Same thing with Eddie Kingston. He’s my old tag partner, and I’d love to get in the ring with him. Hopefully, before he decides he’s done. There’s a lot of talk about it online right now, but I’d love to do something with The Hardy Boys. But if we’re talking new, up-and-comers, there is someone out there who is making a name for himself. I have known him since he was an eight-year old boy. Somebody named Marcus Mathers. I think it would be a very fun match for me to have. I literally watched him grow up. I knew him when he was barely able to step into a ring to play around. Now he’s become a full-grown man who’s making a name for himself in independent wrestling. I’m super proud of that for him, and I’m hoping I can get in the ring with him before he goes off and becomes a star somewhere.”