A year ago I wrote a similar column highlighting my whole year. I was unsure of how I was going to top 2023.
I checked a lot of things off my bucket list that I wanted to do and thought I truly hit my prime. Things quickly changed within the first couple of months of 2024 when I was traveling a lot more, getting trusted to do things I could never imagine, as well as living the typical life of a normal early 20-year-old in 2024. Although this is one of the last articles I will be writing as I am retiring or “leveling up” from wrestling media I thought it would be cool to highlight all of the amazing things I did while giving thanks to those who have helped me along the way!
So, We Agent Represented:
Don’t get me wrong, the fact I was trusted to do this 11 times this year is astronomical all to itself. The difference between agent repping and what I would usually do at cons is this — I was responsible for making sure everything ran smoothly and when things were not going our way, learning to speak up.
The biggest advice I give to anyone trying to get into the con scene is to be prepared to put yourself in uncomfortable situations. Trust me a lot of people think it is hilarious that I yell at so many people during a con, but I hate being the bad guy, but I know I am doing the right thing.
I’ve repped WWE Hall of Famers, several AEW Talent, and my dentist pal who made me seem like the most important person in the room during Steel City Con in August. Being able to shadow other agents and learn from so many people has opened my eyes to what I can do and what a future in agenting can look like, and to hear talent get excited I may be taking this next step makes it all worth it in the end. Also to all 40 different talents I worked with this year, thank you as always for making my job easy. I truly would not want it any other way.
Oh, We Played Top Golf:
The crazy part is this Top Golf Game is what made people find out who I was in wrestling media, I did not realize all I needed to do was beat SRS (Sean Ross Sapp) at an athletic competition. The first thing is a shout out to Ella Jay for organizing this whole thing and making sure my 23rd birthday was amazing. Second, I said this in every podcast where I talked about it but going into Cleveland I was heavily depressed and questioning a lot of things.
There were a lot more eyes on me that weekend and I was not sure I would live up to the hype, but everyone at Top Golf brought it out of me. They made me feel like an equal, and that I wasn’t a stranger even if I was in Cleveland for an entirely different reason than them. Also on a side note even when I am having a bad day I watch the closing moments of the game just for a good laugh and I am in tears every time from laughing so hard. I know if you look at Sean and I’s Twitter you think that we despise each other because of this game, but we became best friends because of it (I am sorry for breaking kayfabe). So, JPJ, Pluggo, Emily Mae, Jose Gonzales Ella Jay, Stephanie Hypes, Rick Ucchino, Sean and his wife thank you for giving me this highlight of the year and making my 23rd birthday the best party I have ever had.
We Got on Fightful:
The one goal I had for the entire year was to get on Fightful. I felt that since I was friends with SRS and I talked to Kate regularly about ROH I had a good shot of it happening, and I did. Little did I know I would make friends with nearly the whole staff and crash so many of their shows last month. This includes the Fightful Holiday Stream where I crashed for two hours and had a job interview live on the air right before I retired from the media. The Fightful team is awesome and some of the hardest working people I know, even if Jeremy says I am Chris Jericho’s biggest fan in every article he writes that includes me in some capacity. I did post-shows and crashed ITW more times than I can count, but working with them was a bucket list item for me that I am so incredibly thankful for. So to the entire Fightful staff thank you for including me and always talking so highly of me. Despite what Joel and Jeremy think I do not run from the grind and ROH does exist because myself, Kate, and SP3 said so.
Of Course, We Attended Some Media Scrums:
Last year we went on three media scrums with Death Before Dishonor, All Out, and World’s End. This year we have gone on six with Revolution, Supercard of Honor, Forbidden Door, All Out, Full Gear, and Final Battle. To me, it is fitting that my first and last scrum are both ROH related meaning that I am one of the few who covered the brand week after week. I have seen myself get more confident on scrums, sitting in the front row in the room with some media people who are double my age as I can hold my own with them. As well as feel accepted. The media world, similar to the con world, is a competitive field and one that is tight-lipped, but feeling like one of them and being complimented for my questions and professionalism made me feel like I was on top of the world. A special shoutout to AEW/ROH for all the opportunities they have presented us over the years.
And Now Wrestlecon Media:
Probably the thing I was most proud of this year was starting Wrestlecon Media. This was an idea I had during Revolution when we were all sitting in a suite and although it took a lot of convincing we made it work. To see a lot of my friends experience their first Wrestlecon as well as seeing firsthand what I do at conventions was exciting. The truth was when I did not get accepted to do media at Wrestlemania I was devastated and truly was not looking forward to that weekend at all.
Do not get me wrong I was excited for my friends, but I wanted to be with them sharing the Wrestlemania magic. However, I took my no and made it into something everyone can enjoy and since nothing went wrong, it looks like it was a success. To everyone who got approved, the over 80 people who applied, the multiple outlets that let me promote Wrestlecon, to Highspots for trusting me with this project and letting my vision come to life thank you. This passion project drove me to have my most successful convention weekend to date and I truly would not have wanted it any other way.
Personal Note:
As I said earlier this is most likely one of the last articles I am ever going to write for this website due to other dreams I am going to pursue. However, the last four months of my year have been insane and there were a lot of times when I did not think I was going to get through it. Luckily due to two very important people, I did.
Sean Ross Sapp:
Thank you for listening to me when you had a million things going on yourself. You helped me through a situation where I truly thought it may be the end of me working on the convention scene and you helped guide me to realize what my true passion is in the wrestling business. The number of times I have heard you talk highly of me to others is still serial to me and it’s my favorite scoop you have ever confirmed for me. You’re a good friend and don’t let any of those horrible people on Twitter let you forget that.
Steve Kaye:
Steve saw a vision before anyone else did, a vision of the future and what my role would be in it. He has also been there for me every step of the way over the last four months when I questioned everything and did not know what the business looked like for me in 2025. Thank you for letting me shadow you and learn so much from you. I have had two other mentors before you and I am grateful that you have taken me under your wing and answered all of my wonderful convention questions, even if you put me in a time-out last month during a signing. In all seriousness, you are one of the best in the business and I hope I can live up to the vision you see for me.
