Bam Sullivan on Punk Rock, Danny Havoc and Hardcore Wrestling
All Guts, No Glory interview #2
You made it to issue number two! It’s weird to be reflecting on 2022, partially because this newsletter started at the end of it and partially because 2022 has just been a wild year. My favorite parts of indie wrestling this year were everything Mike Bailey touched and the rise of Sawyer Wreck, Drew Parker and HoodFoot, as well as Matt Tremont’s general reign of terror since unretiring late last year.
Today’s issue of All Guts, No Glory features an interview with NY/NJ indie wrestler Bam Sullivan. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram, and visit his store.
When opportunity knocks, you have to show up, which is exactly what Bam Sullivan did. The H2O wrestling regular became the promotion’s inaugural Danny Havoc Hardcore Champion on Halloween 2020, winning over veteran deathmatch wrestler Alex Colon. From there, the Jersey favorite branched out to a variety of promotions around the East Coast and Midwest even as the coronavirus pandemic threatened to halt everyone’s momentum. Though Sullivan dropped the title in 2021, he’s remained a fixture on the east coast, appearing for GCW, Jersey Championship Wrestling, H2O, ICW No Holds Barred, No Peace Underground and more.
Bam and I spoke about his original intentions as a wrestler and his introduction to hardcore, how punk influences his daily life, Danny Havoc and the toughest parts of indie wrestling.
You’ve been wrestling for about seven years now. What made you want to become an independent wrestler in the first place?
This March will make it eight years since I first stepped foot in wrestling training. My first "official" match was that October. Absolutely crazy. I've loved wrestling since I was 12 years old. I loved the WWE video games, which inevitably got me into the TV product. Naturally, I became a yarder not long after that. It was just the coolest, most fun thing ever. I knew I wanted to do it professionally. I emailed my local wrestling school to see how old I needed to be. They told me 18. For some reason, I waited until 22, but then I took my shot!
A few years into your career, you seemingly developed a taste for the deathmatch and hardcore styles of wrestling. Was that something you were always interested in or did something happen to flip that switch for you?
Yeah, that's right. I had a little sample of hardcore wrestling in February of 2016, roughly a year after I started training. But it wasn't until I was invited to H2O where my love of that style blossomed. I always loved hardcore wrestling. Anytime I saw it on TV, I was glued. Went back and watched ECW too, I love all that stuff. But truly, I always envisioned myself as a grappler. Think ‘05/’06 Jericho, Angle, etc. Funny how things work out, I couldn't be more the opposite now!
You were the inaugural Danny Havoc Hardcore Champion in H2O Wrestling. Danny was one of the most beloved wrestlers on the indies in his time—what did it mean to you to hold the title for the roughly half a year you did?
Danny was someone I held in the highest regard. Not just for his unique wrestling style, but also because of his warmth as a person. He treated me like I was "one of the boys" way before I ever earned my stripes. He was incredibly kind and far more intelligent than most. Being the first person to honor his legacy like that is something I will cherish close to my heart forever. I wish we had more time, I would have loved to really get to know him. I just hope he is proud, and I love being so close to H2O that I get to continue to watch his legacy be honored for years to come.
Your love for punk music comes across in your character, entrance music, merch designs and things like that. Would you say that punk rock ethos also affects the way you approach the wrestling business and how you conduct yourself?
The punk ethos is something I live and die by, every single day. To me, punk is inclusivity. It's creating art. It's having fun, picking others up and dusting them off. It's doing things yourself. It's a lifestyle that permeates my various interests like a sucker punch to the teeth. I draw a lot of my own merch, I even sewed my own gear! A lot of people see punk and assume it's being shitty and obnoxious, being mean, gatekeeping, etc. To me, that's not punk, that's a caricature of "punk" employed by those who don't actually understand it at all. (Okay, maybe a little degeneracy here and there never hurt nobody.)
What is the hardest or most difficult part of indie wrestling that fans might not think about when we’re watching your matches?
I speak only for myself here, as I'm sure this answer varies quite a bit from wrestler to wrestler. But to me, the hardest part of wrestling is the mental game. Living up to your own expectations and the paralyzing horrors of falling short of them.
It's making sure the people who bought those tickets were fully entertained and then some. It's seeing your bookings slow down and the imposter syndrome kicking in. Or being on a hot streak and then all of a sudden feeling forgotten about. To me, physicality isn't a big deal. Physical pain is far more easily diagnosable (in most cases). I can get cut bad or hurt my shoulder and go "OK, I am hurt bad. My shoulder is messed up,” and then move on with my life. But the mental stuff? That's constant torture that never fully goes away, rather comes and goes like a rollercoaster.
If someone reading this interview is unfamiliar with Bam Sullivan, what matches would you tell them to watch to get a feel for you as a wrestler?
I am my own worst critic. This is not a good question for me [laughs]. I would strongly suggest to sign up for IWTV and search Bam Sullivan. Gun to my head, though, I can definitely recommend:
v. Alex Colon at GCW TOS666.
v. Kit Osbourne at H2O Subterranean Violence 7
v. Blake Morris [Dog Collar] at NYWC Going The Distance 2019
v. Casanova Valentine [No-Ring Death] in Texas 2021
Based on your social media, it looks like you’ve been pretty seriously hitting the gym and training recently. What are your 2023 goals?
I have been into bodybuilding since I was about 18 years old. I love resistance training so much. That stuff is easy for me. It's the nutrition I’ve always struggled with! I have an awfully bad sweet tooth. But my goals have never changed. Get into the best shape I can be, wrestle as best as I can and hopefully perform on TV. Those are the goals and they will continue to be the goals.
Anything else you’d like to share with the class?
I just want to thank everyone for taking the time to read. Wrestling has truly been the most amazing experience of my life. The highs are high and the lows are real low, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's forced me out of my comfort zone (I have terrible anxiety), it's allowed me to travel places I otherwise probably wouldn't have. It's made me laugh, it's made me cry. And I have to thank the fans for sticking by and believing. Check me out across social media @BamSullivan and grab some merch if you want to support further by visiting BAMSULLIVANSTORE.COM. Thank you for having me!
10 Matches I Really Loved This Year, In No Particular Order
Yes, they all have blood. Sue me!
Matt Tremont v. Sawyer Wreck (H2O Torn to Shreds)
Big Joe v. SHLAK (XPW Beautiful Disaster)
John Wayne Murdoch v. Masashi Takeda (GCW Planet Death Japan 2022)
Jun Kasai v. Daisuke Masaoka (FREEDOMS The Gekokujo 2022)
Cole Radrick v. AKIRA (GCW Planet Death US 2022)
Hoodfoot v. Abdullah Kobayashi (ICW No Holds Barred Volume 39)
Masashi Takeda v. Drew Parker (FREEDOMS Go For It FREEDOMS! 2022)
SLADE v. York (ICW No Holds Barred Volume 32)
Mance Warner v. John Wayne Murdoch (GCW Wisconsin Death Trip)
Orin Veidt v. Cole Radrick (GCW Don’t Tell Me What to Do)