Spencer Burke: Hello everyone and welcome to this FGA Online exclusive. I'm Spencer Burke and joining me today are the current FGA World Tag Team Champions, Luke Jackson and Ricky Valero. Gentleman, welcome!
Luke Jackson: Thanks for the welcome Spencer. Glad to be here.
SB: Before we get into title talk, I wanted to touch on last week's match that pitted you, Ricky, against Molly Reid. This is a woman that you have a ton of respect for. Tell us how it was going in there and competing against someone like Molly Reid.
Ricky Valero: I’m always excited to take on new competition I’ve never stepped in the ring with before, and knowing some of what Molly has accomplished, I knew coming out with a win would be big for me, even though I had expressed that I don’t believe Molly is anywhere near the level she was just a few years ago. She brought the fight and made sure I knew she wasn’t someone to take lightly. I was happy for that, and I think we ultimately put on one hell of a match that kept the fans entertained throughout. In the end though, I came out on top, just like I knew I would.
SB: Now Luke, you were not in action last week. However, you'll be in action this week when you take on Aries Reed. Aries is quick witted and even quicker in the ring. Give us your thoughts as you head into this matchup?
LJ: Aries is going to be a tough match up and I know that. But I have started this wave of momentum that I feel like I can keep going. I know that I will have to be on the top of my game man and not take him lightly and I won’t.
SB: Now of course, you two are the reigning World Tag Team Champions. Bring us back to that night at Canadian Stampede, when you were about to win those titles.
LJ: It was an amazing moment for me. I didn’t think that something like that would happen to me seeing as I had never been that close to a title in FGA. Being overlooked was part of it as well. I was always the man that wouldn’t be able to get it done. So to get it done was amazing.
RV: Like Luke said, the moment was amazing. All the buildup to that match, having to overcome some outstanding competition just to get there, and then to see all our plans come to fruition...It could not have been more perfect.
SB: Some of your critics will say that the match was two on one. At the same time, you had to go through Dexter Jacobs to win those titles. We've heard of stories of how tough he was. But in your own words, how tough of a challenge was Dexter?
LJ: Yeah, he was by himself. We had to go through hell though, man, and he made us earn the titles. All the stories of him being tough, well man, they are very true.
RV: We earned those FGA World Tag Team Championships through blood, sweat, tears and determination, and there’s no one who can take that away from us. Every obstacle that was thrown in our way and every doubt people had about us working as a team, we crushed it. It wasn’t our problem how that title matchup went down. Dexter Jacobs wanted to go alone, and that was his prerogative. Ours was leaving the Ricoh Coliseum with the World Tag Team Championships in our possession and we made that happen. Those beautiful leather belts clad in gold were in our grasps and that’s all we cared about at the end of the night.
SB: You guys are now the new champs. You're one of the top performers here so far in 2016. But now everything was great between the two of you. But you were willing to let the past be the past, work through your difference and now you're reaping the benefits. With that being said, let me bring your attention to this tweet.
SB: Ricky, what would possess you to put something like that out there?
RV: I’ll admit tweeting that maybe wasn’t the best way to go about that, but I felt like Larissa was calling me out. The girl had it coming. She wanted me to attach her name to what was being talked about, so I did it. Now the world knows. I slept with Luke’s sister. I can’t deny it. It’s apparently becoming a running joke in the locker rooms. I did what I did...and then I put it out there for all to see. It was wrong. I’ll own up to that.
SB: Now Luke, I'm sure that didn't sit well with you right.
LJ: Spencer we are all human mistakes happen.
SB: Luke, I'm not trying to stir up trouble. I understand that Ricky and your sister are two consenting adults that are free to do whatever they want. However, when you see your tag team partner, a man that you have an "interesting" past with, to say the least ... When you see that tweet, where he brags about having relations with your sister, that's got to make you feel some type of way, doesn't it?
LJ: Do you really want to bring that issue up man? Look, yeah, it pisses me off a little bit because it is my sister. Man, we are the FGA World Tag Team Champions. We can’t let this crap define us.
SB: Well I just want to apologize for bringing up the issue. However, you could also say that since Ricky tweeted about it, the topic is up for public consumption.
RV: And we’re just going to have to deal with how the public takes it. That’s something I’m going to have to take in stride. That’s our burden to bear now, Spence, and I think we’re more than up to the challenge. The past is the past, like you said, and just like all the issues we had before were buried, so too is this. There’s no personal angst here between Luke and I. We’re friends, tag partners and tag champions. We have a lot of goals to accomplish now that we do hold this gold, and we’re not going to same old news sidetrack our journey.
SB: Well myself and your fans will be relieved to know that you guys aren't going to let this issue come between you. Especially since new challengers are on the horizon.
LJ: We are the champions ,right? We will have to take on whomever comes down the pipeline when we are told we have to defend the titles we will defend them to the best of our abilities.
SB: Well I'm not sure if you guys have been told, but new number one contenders have been determined for your titles. In fact, I've been told that this team will be confronting you guys at the next Vertigo.
RV: In the words of a wise, physically gifted and really really good-looking man: It’s game time baby!
LJ: Bring them on we will be ready.
SB: Gentleman, thank you for your time.
