D E A T H ▫️ R I D E R

Sometimes the best answer is the simplest explanation. Or... somethin' like that. Hey, I get it. I may not be on social media much these days, but I still know how much that shit can get to you, 'specially when you're young. You just gotta remember that half the time, the folks who're your loudest critics online will be the first buyin' tickets to see you as soon as they get a chance. Not to mention, I'm willin' to bet most, if not all, of 'em don't know what it's like to even be in a ring. All they see is what happens in front of the cameras, they don't know what goes on behind the scenes, how hard we gotta work, and the things we have to sacrifice to do what we love. For what it's worth, from what I've heard, it was love at first sight for a lotta Japanese fans, so don't go breakin' too many hearts while you're over there, Miss Hart. That's what you gotta do, get out and enjoy the trip between the shows, training, and whatever else you'll have goin' on. As for food, there's the obvious choice of sushi or ramen, 'cause you can't go wrong with either. Aside from that, I'd try checkin' out whatever the local specialty is. That's what I did during the G1, and I was not disappointed a single time. And since you're a matcha fiend, just in case you haven't tried it already, don't pass on the matcha cake.

Number one thing I'd recommend? Ignore the bullshit. It's much easier said than done, I know, but folks online will always grump and gripe 'bout things. People are way too comfortable sittin' behind their keyboards or phone screens, and at the end of the day, they wouldn't be talkin' if they had to do so in person. You got plenty of people who believe in you, and who know how hard you've worked to get to this point, and we know you're gonna do amazing. With that said, just remember to enjoy it all, yeah? It won't be easy, but you're doing what you love and what you've worked hard for, so be proud of yourself. I don't know how tight your schedule's gonna be or anything like that, but try to get out and see and do things between shows. Japan's a beautiful country, I had a great time in every city I was lucky enough to visit, even on the days when I was runnin' on too much caffeine and too little sleep.

Hell no, haha. I can handle some DIY and whatnot, but I would be completely outta my element doing something like that. 'Specially on my house since it is an older one, which means you gotta double, triple, quadruple check everything before doing any heavy work on it. It was already there when I bought the place, and not gonna lie, it was a huge reason why I picked it. First time I saw that rooftop view, I knew I wouldn't be able to get it off my mind.

Know I've said it countless times by now, but a rooftop patio is the way to go. Once the sun goes down and it cools off a bit, nothin' feels better than kickin' back and enjoyin' the view with a cool glass of cherry limeade.

Nah, unfortunately he had to get back ASAP, so he wasn't able to stick 'round, but maybe next time. Or who knows, maybe we'll head out to Japan sometime. I wouldn't mind that, 'cause I do miss it. Ha, folks're definitely seein' what a good cook you are, now that you've done a cooking stream. No doubt they're gonna want you to share more of your recipes.

Much appreciated, sweetheart. Always feels good to celebrate after a night like last night, but it was 'specially nice with my boy Shota in town. Been a good while since I'd seen him.

Really? I was on my own for a long time, which meant I had to learn to cook if I wanted to eat halfway decent. Couldn't count on takeout every night, and microwavable stuff only gets you so far. Glad y'all were able to drop by. Not too sure where you're livin' at since it's kinda hard to keep track of everyone, but much appreciated.

No problem. Ain't often we do shows in Cincy, so gotta show a little hospitality when the opportunity presents itself.

Them's fightin' words, Pittsburgh. Next time, I'm gonna charge you admission if you wanna crash the party.

This is comin' in kinda late 'cause that's how I roll, but I did wanna say a quick thanks to everyone who showed up to the BBQ last week. Know it was kinda last minute, but I'm glad we could provide a good home-cooked meal and a little time for folks to hang out between shows. Sometimes that's all we need for a pick-me-up while on the road.

Must not've done a good enough job, 'cause they won last night again. Like I said to Matt, 'least it makes for a more exciting round, but can't say I'd be too disappointed if the Knights got their wins quickly. Shit gets too stressful if the games are too close.

Think it's less that he doesn't have faith in y'all, and more that he doesn't deviate once he has something in mind. Most folks are expectin' Paige and Alex to be the next champs, so 'til that happens, everyone else is left twiddlin' their thumbs. It's understandable to be frustrated, 'specially if it seems like your hard work isn't being acknowledged or appreciated, but you can't let it get you down. It may not be a championship right away, but it might be worth it as long as there's a good story in line for you. Warm is an understatement, ha. The weather remained cooler for quite a while, but now summer's comin' in with a vengeance. Good way to kick off BBQ season, though, and 'least it gives me an excuse to make sure the grill and everything made it through the winter without any issues. Good people, tasty food, cool drinks, no flights or drivin' long hours -- it really doesn't get any better.

Don't blame you at all for that, man. I'd probably be the same if I wasn't in AEW right now, 'cause I wouldn't wanna be hoppin' all over the place if I didn't have to. When I hang it up, I'm probably just gonna live a nice quiet life. Or try to, anyway. If Sam's still runnin' his school, maybe I'll help out with him, but that'd be 'bout it. Yeeeah, it's been a back and forth kinda deal, which makes for a more exciting final round, but adds to the stress when you just wanna see your team come out on top.

Nah, nah, don't even try that reverse psychology, or whatever it it is you're doing, on me. I see right through you, Hecate, and it ain't gonna work. No siree. Hence why I was happy to get my ass away from Florida. We didn't have hurricanes in Vegas, though things could still get a bit sketchy during monsoon season. At the end of the day, I'll take the Cincy weather over all of that, though I will still grump and gripe when winter hits. See, you're here tryin' to change the rules! It was always a "loser buys coffee," kinda deal, but you had to be picky and ask for a matcha when you won, and me being the nice guy I am decided to humor you. You took advantage, so now you gotta deal with the consequences. Tell you what, though. You gimme a coffee like I was rightfully owed, and I'll give you a matcha for last night's game.