Michael Bradley is another friend I met through Resistance Pro Wrestling. Michael filled many roles at RPro, including event security and fledgling wrestler.
Nicknamed "The Crescent City Saint," MB really wanted to wrestle and actually did get into a couple matches at RPro. Unfortunately for him, it didn't really work out for him in RPro, but he also did wrestle a bit elsewhere.
A big guy, Mike was very athletic. He first caught my eye doing a kip up. That's basically rocking/jumping up from a prone position. It's a pretty impressive move for anyone, especially a man of his size.
He was also a big fan of comic cons and I met him at many over the years. He usually woked security at the cons and then roamed the floor as a fan when he was off duty. It was always good seeing Big Mike.
MB was a big family man, With his wife and two cute daughters, Team Bradley was a heartwarming site always. It was sad to see the Bradley family move to New Orleans (the Crescent City), but I was happy for them.
Team Bradley is doing well in New Orleans. They are missed in Chicago, but we all wish them well. Hopefully someday our paths will cross again.
The Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints are playing this evening. Both teams are 5-8 and the best thing I can say about tonight's game is that it did not ruin my Sunday.
One friend in Chicago is looking forward to this game, but he will be cheering for the visitng Saints. Michael Bradley is the Crescent City Saint, afterall. He is also Mr. Year Round Tan and Malcolm West. With that many nicknames, he must be a pro wrestler.
I met Michael through Resistance Pro, where he is one of the fine members of the Security squad. He is also a wrestler in training. More importantly, he is a good dude.
Michael has lost a good amount of weight over the few years I have known him. During his heavier days though, I saw him perform a kip up, a move where you pop up from a prone position using your legs and your momentum. It is an impressive feat and even more impressive for a big man like MB. The man has some talent!
He has passion for the business on all ends. You will see him at many shows in many roles. You wil also see him at various comic conventions, where he has met a ton of celebrities, including some of his wrestling heroes.
I am sure Michael will be enjoying the game tonight with his lovely wife. As a Bears fan, I ordinarily would hope he isn't enjoying it too much, but this season, I am actively rooting for the Bears to implode. Nothing short of disaster will get anything changed here. So, Michael my friend, I am rooting with you tonight!
Michael Bradley and me in Merrionette Park, IL-May 2013.
This is a weekly series about my friends who have met celebrities.
Michael Bradley is the pride of New Orleans. He is Mr. Year Round Tan. He is the Crescent City Saint. He is Malcolm West. He's also a good dude and a friend.
I met Michael through Resistance Pro (a recurring theme in my life of late), but I probably saw him at comic cons before our RPro connection. He is a comic con fan and a wrestling fan.
At C2E2 those paths crossed when he met Hulk Hogan . Like him or not, Hulk is one of the most famous wrestlers of all time. It doesn't get much bigger than the Hulkster. I know the feeling Michael had, because Matt and I also met Hulk at C2E2.
Meeting wrestling royalty (or any genre's top people) is always unreal. You don't have to be a huge fan to appreciate the significance, although being a fan puts it into a whole other level.
I know Michael will always appreciate that moment. Stuff like this never gets old.
Michael Bradley and Hulk Hogan in Chicago, IL-April 2014.
Resistance Pro Wrestling kicked off 2014 with "Vulgar Display of Power" at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park, IL. At the risk of being redundant, it was another great night at R Pro. "Vulgar Display of Power" featured the usual core of entertaining R Pro wrestlers, plus wrestling legends Raven, Tommy Dreamer and Tracy Smothers, with the lovely Jessie Belle.
We got a bunch of interviews with the talent on hand, including Dreamer, who wasn't too pleased with the events of the evening (he got double-crossed by longtime rival Raven). We also got Jessie Belle, who was making her return to R Pro after over a year. After his debut match, Michael Bradley spoke to us. We also revisited heavyweight champ Jocephus Brody, Thunderkitty, Chris Hall and Team I.O.U. We finally got Remi Wilkins for the first time. Those interviews are below.
Debuting wrestler Diablo Jones spoke to us briefly and Colonel Jesse Corgan blew us off. Video footage of those moments can be found on the R Pro Girls Girls Girls! Facebook events page.
"Girls Girls Girls!" is the next show for Resistance Pro and it takes place this Saturday, February 22. It features the Samuel J. Thompson Memorial Tournament, an eight women tourney for an R Pro contract. I will be there and I am bringing several members of the Chicago Bliss, 2013 Legends League champions! Will the Bliss get involved in any of the action? You have to come to the show to find out. This one promises to be another winner for R Pro.
This is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.
Michael Bradley is another great guy I met through Resistance Pro Wrestling. Bradley (or sometimes Malcolm West) is another versatile member of the R Pro family. Sometimes he works security. Sometimes he fills in elsewhere. He is also in training for a wrestling career. Whatever he does, he is beloved and valuable.
He made his in-ring wrestling debut for R Pro at "Vulgar Display of Power" last month. He faced Diablo Jones in the opening match and did well for himself.
I was very happy and proud of Bradley. His hard work and determination paid off. He wrestled an actual match and will certainly wrestle more.
Bradley also made his JohngysBeat.com debut when he interviewed New Orleans artist Damon Bowie at Wizard World last year. That interview can be found at On the Beat with Damon Bowie. Bradley did his usual great job and I was very happy to have him join the JohngysBeat.com team, even if it was only for one interview. Maybe like his wrestling match, there will be more in the future! Bradley is always welcome on my team.
Also at Wizard World last year, Bradley met legendary WWE ref Tim White. This was a great encounter. I would have loved to meet White. He reffed so many of the matches I saw as a youngster. Leave it to Bradley to score this gem.
When Bradley wrestles again, I will be sure to cover it for ResistancePro.com and right here. Once again, congratulations Michael Bradley. It could not have happened to a better and more deserving guy.
Tim White and Michael Bradley in Rosemont, IL-August 2013.
Last moth, Resistance Pro Wrestling held "Alive" at St. Laurence High School on the far south side of Chicago. It had been about 30 years since I stepped foot in St. Laurence and then I was cheering for their rival Mt. Carmel (my alma mater).
"Alive" was a benefit for the St. Laurence wrestling team. Wrestling Coach Joe Phelan worked hard with the Baron Brothers to make this event special. The action of the evening did not disappoint. Once again, R Pro blew the roof off of the place and even got some in-ring help from Coach Joe.
During the course of the night, JohngysBeat.com had the pleasure of interviewing several members of the R Pro roster and Coach Joe, too. This is an interesting mix of interview subjects. It includes three relative newcomers (Team I.O.U., Jake O'Neill and Chazz Moretti), two managers (C Red and Warden Myers), the Head of Security (Michael Bradley), the Merchandise Maven (Nicole Bellcaster), two R Pro wrestlers (Jocephus Brody and Eric St. Vaughn) and Coach Joe.
Each brought something new to the interview. Whether newcomer or R Pro veteran, each is making a difference in R Pro.
This is just one of the beautiful things at R Pro. There are 10 very different people featured in these interviews. Some of them will go at it in the ring, but all are great folks outside of the ring. All have a voice and all contribute to making R Pro the best thing out there.
I thank everyone involved with R Pro. It has been a great ride and I look forward to staying with R Pro for the long haul. I encourage everyone to check them out at ResistancePro.com and to check them out in person. Their next show is Friday (tomorrow) at the Barn in Willowbrook.
JohngysBeat.com is all about meeting celebrities. Over the years, I have written about hundreds of celebrities. Today, I am writing about being with a music legend, two wrestling company owners and several wrestlers, but more important than that, I was with students from the Southside Occupational Academy for the debut of the R Pro Positive Outreach Program. The full report, including an interview with C Red, the man behind POP, can be found on the Patch at On the Beat with Resistance Pro's Positive Outreach Program.
R Pro's Creative Director Billy Corgan (also of the Smashing Pumpkins) believed in POP so much that he took time from his insanely busy schedule to be there and speak. R Pro owners Jacques and Gabriel Baron were both there. Wrestlers Eric St. Vaughn, Matt Knicks, Marshe Rockett and Suge D were also joined by Michael Bradley and Stoney McGee (both of many roles within R Pro). This was a large assemblage of talent and all believed enough in the cause and in R Pro to make this happen.
The goal of POP is to be a positive force in the community. I have seen for the last two years how things don't begin and end with the ring of the bell. It might sound cliche, but R Pro is really one giant family. People don't just show up for wrestling and then leave. We see each other, talk regularly, support each other and do the things that a family does. I have never felt more accepted by any organization.
The goal of POP and R Pro was to be a positive in the lives of these students (and others in the future). I gave a bit of my time and walked away feeling more positive than I ever had before.
Thank you C Red. Thank you R Pro. I love you all.
The Resistance Pro crew in Chicago, IL-September 2013.
This is a weekly series about friends who have met celebrities.
I met Michael Bradley through Resistance Pro Wrestling. (Chalk up another good thing attributed to R Pro). later, I saw him as a guest on the T3 podcast and I was amazed to see a man of his size do a kip-up. Clearly, the man was athletic.
Over the last couple years, I have seen Michael work very hard at...well, just about everything. He has done some in-ring training. He has appeared on several wrestling shows, most notably R Pro's events. He works at various conventions. Michael seems to be everywhere.
He also has dropped some weight and looks to be making a run at a potential run as a wrestler. He has the athleticism already (as witness with the aforementioned kip up). He has the attitude, charisma and look. Why not? Plus he is a good guy.
At last year's Wizard World, Michael met Kevin Nash. Somehow Michael or other R Pro people got Nash to don the R Pro shirt. That is definitely cool. I have my own collection of JohngysBeat.com shirt-wearers, but I have yet to get Nash, but I digress.
I like seeing people like Michael with other celebrities. Michael works with these people, but still likes to meet them and get pictures. Some day, Nash might even say he had a picture with Michael. Fortunately, I already have a few pictures with Michael.
Michael Bradley and Kevin Nash in Rosemont, IL-August 2012.
When Matt and I arrived at Wizard World 2012 for our pre-event meeting of official video bloggers, we put in our claim for the Resistance Pro Wrestling booth. Who would be better at talking to the R Pro family than Matt and me, sort of the odd cousins of the family. Because of our previous work with R Pro, the fine folks at Wizard World handed the R Pro duties to us.
We started off by talking to Jacques Baron, who along with brother Gabe, is the man behind Resistance. Jacques is a cool guy who has welcomed us with open arms. We have seen R Pro grow in so many great ways in less than a year. Jacques is certainly responsible for a lot of that success. Check out ResistancePro.com to learn more about this exciting wrestling organization.
While Eric St. Vaughn has yet to make his wrestling debut, his presence at ringside is certainly noticed. He also has a large contingent of fans at every event especially the Johngy's Beat crew. We look forward to watching his career develop. To follow him and get his updates, check out the Eric St. Vaughn Facebook page.
R Pro's Women's Champ Melanie Cruise has held the belt since Day 1 of R Pro. She is one of our favorite interview subjects. For more info on Melanie and to follow her career, check out Melanie Cruise's Facebook page.
Nikki St. Johnstarted in R Pro as an associate of Melanie Cruise. Now Nikki is gunning for Melanie's title. Another of our favorites, Nikki shows her big heart with her work for the Animal House Shelter in Huntley (IL). Go to Nikki St. John's Facebook page to keep up with all things Nikki.
"The Ego" Robert Anthony has been involved in some of R Pro's most memorable matches. The Ego definitely has a bright future. To learn more about him and keep updated, go to the Robert Anthony Facebook page.
Jay Bradley is one of the first breakout stars at R Pro. Jay puts on 5 star matches with everyone he faces and is currently in the thick of the title picture. Jay is bound for stardom. Follow him on the Jay Bradley Facebook page.
Michael Bradley is part-comedian, part wrestler-in-training and an all around great guy. Like all members of the R Pro family, he is all over the place at each event. Check out Michael Bradley's Facebook page to keep up with his latest activities.
Jacques Baron and brother Gabe are the men behind Resistance Pro Wrestling. These guys work tirelessly to put out the best product possible. They are definitely "hands-on" and highly visible and active at each event. They have been great to JohngysBeat.com since the beginning and we love the entire R Pro family. Head over to ResistancePro.com to learn all about this exciting wrestling company!
Resistance Pro is having their next event, "Just a Game", tomorrow night at Excalibur in Chicago (IL). Gene Snitsky is on the card, Johngy's Beat will be in the audience and you should be there, too!
At Resistance Pro's "Taken By Force", JohngysBeat.com's Scott Beatty handled the interview duties solo, as Johngy was off in Canada covering the Toronto Blue Jays. Scott was able to round up four talents who had previously not been interviewed by Johngy's Beat.
First up is the #1 contender, Lonesome Jay Bradley. Bradley is one of the most popular wrestlers at R Pro. He has bided his time and is primed for a title run. After watching our introduction interview, check out Jay Bradley's Facebook page to keep current on his activities.
Josephus Brody is a relative newcomer to R Pro, but he is already making a big impact. We look for Brody to insert himself into the title picture in the very near future. Watch the Brody interview and then head over to Jocephus Brody's Facebook page to learn more and keep updated.
Next up is the high-flying Mr. 450. We have been trying to land an interview with this young star for a while. A noted high-flier, Mr. 450 can also battle the big guys. After you watch the interview, check out Mr. 450's Facebook page to get all news on him.
Michael Bradley is not a wrestler, but he is definitely part of the R Pro family. He also can do a pretty good kip up, as witnessed on the T3 Universe. Bradley's real skill is humor and he is very funny. You can look for him at R Pro and on the comedy scene. After you watch the interview, check out Michael Bradley's Facebook page to learn more about this very talented man.
Resistance Pro's next show, called "Fair Warning", is Friday July 27 at the Teamster Auditorium in Chicago (IL). Wrestling superstar John Morrison will also be there and will surely get involved in some way. Go to ResistancePro.com for all of the detail and to get tickets.
