Glory Pro Owner Says Kyle O’Reilly Put Him Through Hardest Workout Of His Life

Danny Adams is an independent pro wrestler and part-owner of Glory Pro Wrestling. Stephen Jensen caught up with Danny on the Fight Talk Podcast to discuss what his experience has been like running Glory Pro at only 25 years old, his career goals as a performer as well as a promoter, dream opponents, favorite matches, and much more! 

Below are some highlights from their recent conversation, and check out the full podcast at this link.

SJ: How has it been being the part-owner of a wrestling company (Glory Pro)?

DA: It’s real. It’s a lot of work. I’ve been real busy. There’s so much that goes into it. We have a pretty lean crew, it’s really just me and Kevin (KLD) that run things and we don’t have a ton of help. So, it’s a lot of work put on each of us. But it’s no worries when we actually get done with the show and everything goes somewhat smoothly and you know that you put it all together on your own. I enjoy it.

SJ: Did you in a million years think that you at your age would not only be taking part in running a professional wrestling company but also bringing in the likes of X-Pac, Buff Bagwell, and Scott Norton for your shows?

DA: It’s cool. I never thought at this stage I’d be doing it. I think it was something I always knew I’d want to do down the line. But when the opportunity presented itself I stepped up and took charge. It wasn’t a hard decision to make. It’s been a lot to learn. Each show so far has had its fair share of difficulties and lessons to be learned. So, we’re not perfect yet but I think that every single time we run a show it keeps getting better and better. Hoping that a couple big shows in October will go well and then we have another big one coming up in November and we’ll be rockin’ and rollin’ into 2019.

SJ: I’ve been seeing you a lot live here in Nashville, TN at Southern Underground Pro (SUP). You’ve become a regular there. What’s your experience been like at SUP?

DA: SUP’s been awesome. I think it’s one of those really cool places where it’s just a really fun place to come wrestle; because of the crowd, the roster/locker room, the guys who run it are really cool guys, and it’s probably become my favorite place outside of the St. Louis area. I’m glad to be a full-time guy there since it’s definitely my favorite place to go on a consistent basis.

SJ: What has been the feedback you’ve received so far with Curt Stallion as the new champion at Glory Pro?

DA: It’s been a lot of awesome feedback. I think Curt’s one of the most respected young guys anywhere. He’ll get in his car and drive fifteen, sixteen hours to wherever he needs to go. Being from Texas, he’s making long drives to no matter where he’s booked. He’s one of the most respected members of our roster. It’s going to be an interesting reign for him because we haven’t exactly had a “bad guy” or a someone who acquired that title through nefarious means so we’ll see how that changes the landscape of the promotion going forward.

SJ: Is there a first challenger lined up for Curt Stallion’s Crown of Glory championship?

DA: Yeah, at the last event we had Myron Reed take on “Warhorse” Jake Parnell. Warhorse beat Myron for the number one contender spot so on October 7 at our Horsepower event, it will be Curt Stallion vs. Warhorse.

SJ: Is there anyone from your area that you trained with or currently train that you think can potentially become stars at Glory Pro?

DA: Warhorse is the complete package, it’s definitely the right time for him. There are plenty of guys on our roster that are just one step away from reaching that next level, like Tyler Matrix from the Louisville, KY area that I’m very high on. We get guys from Canada like Space Monkey and Shane Sabre who have been teaming as Space Pirates and they’re very entertaining. The Boys from Jollyville are probably the most underrated tag team in the entire country. Glory Pro is always gonna be that place that you’ll probably see somebody for the first time and not know much about them but by the end of their match or the next time you see them, you’ll realize that they’re a star. I feel like we have the right eye for talent to bring the right guys in, not just from St. Louis or the midwest but from all across the country.

SJ: Are there guys that you’ve seen through SUP that maybe you yourself weren’t aware of yet that you’re planning on bringing in to Glory Pro at some point?

DA: Yeah, I’ve seen a bunch that are really cool. Guys like Joey Lynch. I’m sure we’ll see The Carnies come through at some point. We discovered AJ Gray through SUP and we’ve used him. There’s a ton of guys on the SUP roster that we’re looking at.

SJ: Have you been a lifelong pro wrestling fan? Is this something you always wanted to do and you’re living out a dream right now?

DA: Oh yeah. I come from a long line of wrestling fans. My great grandfather passed it down to my grandfather who passed it to my dad who passed it on to me. So, I don’t remember a single moment of my life where I wasn’t a wrestling fan. It’s absolutely a dream and I’ve certainly made it farther than I ever thought I could.

SJ: Being a lifelong fan, living out your dream, did you always envision yourself as a heel character? Do you prefer being a villian? Do you enjoy getting that negative response from the crowd?

DA: Yeah, I think I do. It comes a little more natural. I feel like everyone should do whatever comes naturally to them in the ring. It’ll make you more confident and more comfortable because you can go with whatever comes to mind. I’m not a “bad guy” in real life. It’s just what I excelled at. I really have to accentuate my positives and hide my negatives and it works for me.

SJ: Do you have any dream matches?

DA: Chuck Taylor is on the list. I draw a lot of inspiration from him. I’ve always wanted to step in there with Eddie Kingston. The biggest dream opponent I could have that would ever be possible would be Kyle O’Reilly because he helped me out when he was in the St. Louis area and I had just started training. Kyle had a decent hand in helping me out when I first started and I think that would be the biggest test for me; to be in the ring with him.

SJ: What was it like working out with Kyle O’Reilly inside and outside of the ring?

DA: He used to run cardio drills with a group of us in St. Louis. Easily the hardest workouts I’ve ever had in my life. If anyone’s looking for advice on getting into shape, Kyle’s the guy. He always gives 100% in the ring. If you watch Kyle, you notice that he never gets blown up, never gets tired.

SJ: What’s your favorite match that you’ve been a part of so far in your career?

DA: My dog collar match last year against Paco (Gonzalez). It was almost a year-long program with Paco that finished with that dog collar match. The story that was told was just about perfect. Me and Paco started training on the same day so we’ve been together every step of the way.

SJ: What’s your favorite match of all-time (as a fan)?

DA: Sting vs. Cactus Jack in a Falls Count Anywhere match from WCW Beach Blast ‘92. Sting and Cactus Jack are two of my biggest influences for different reasons; the way they carry themselves and portray themselves in such a different way. The two guys are polar opposites. Sting was blonde and jacked and a big babyface against Cactus Jack who was so dirty. The story that they put together and that whole rivalry is one of my favorites. I love it when one guy and another guy are complete opposites because it can make some of the greatest moments in pro wrestling.