Canadian Wrestling’s Elite (CWE) is returning to Prince Albert with two special guests on Sunday, Nov. 24 as part of the Rumble to Remember Tour.
TNA wrestler Cody Deaner and Lucha Libre Legend Juventud Guerrera will be the featured guests at Plaza 88
Deaner (born Christopher Gray) the universe aligned for him to be a guest after several previous attempts failed. Deaner will be appearing in Saskatoon and Prince Albert on Nov. 23 and Nov. 24 because he’s in the province as part of his other career as a professional speaker.
“I’m going to be out traveling across Saskatchewan from Nov. 18-22 doing speaking at some leadership conferences at some high schools and elementary schools, and I am going to be ending my speaking tour in the Saskatoon area. It just worked out with my schedule that I could also do some CWE dates at the same time while I’m already out there, so it’s a win for everybody.”
Deaner’s professional wrestling career is a big part of his motivational talks. He wanted to wrestly since he was five years old, and his speeches focus on that journey.
He also discusses the lessons he learned and the positive influences in his life that helped him accomplish his goals.
“I grew up in a small town in the middle of nowhere which a lot of young kids from Saskatchewan can relate to so I share my journey into professional wrestling,” Deaner said.
“In sharing that journey, I encourage young people to also follow their dreams and their goals. No matter what they might be and then encourage them to be a positive influence in other people’s lives.”
He also works with many children’s charities across Canada and shares stories of his work.”
“I pretty much use those stories to really encourage kids to be a positive influence in their community,” Deaner said. “They can do that while also following their dreams and whatever it is that they want to.”
Deaner has been a public speaker for almost a decade. The two careers keep him busy travelling across North America.
“I am also a father of four kids, so my life is very hectic and busy, but I don’t do anything that I don’t want to do, which is nice,” Deaner said.
“I’m very much looking forward to coming out to the Saskatchewan and sharing my story with young people and then also looking forward to getting into the ring in Saskatchewan for CWE,” he added.
Deaner always loved wrestling, and began training after graduation. He found a wrestling school three hours away in Niagara Falls. That meant a six hour round trip two or three times a week to train with “Danger Boy” Derek Wylde.
Deaner trained for an entire year before he had his first match. He said that Wylde was one of several positive influences in his life.
“One thing I always stressed to young people and anybody who hears my story is there’s nothing I have been able to accomplish in the wrestling business that I’ve been able to do by myself,” he said. “That’s due to the help of a lot of positive influences that I’ve been able to achieve a lot of my goals.”
Deaner credits his positive start for his long career. He is best remembered for a storyline in TNA where he was married to the wrestler ODB in 2009 before evolving into the leader of the faction The Design, an almost cult like group when he returned to TNA.
“A lot of people first remember me from being in TNA with ODB but I had already been wrestling independently for nine or 10 years before I did that,” he said. “I had been wrestling for a decade before I got my first big break, and that was with ODB.”
He initially returned as part of a tag team called the Deaners. The change required him to take a chance and alter his character.
“That was a difficult decision because I had formed a brand and an identity for myself, he explained. “For 15 years I had built up this this brand for myself and then changing that and going and doing a complete 180. and being this bad guy, cult leader was not an easy decision to make.”
However, it was also an exciting decision for Deaner because he knew he had to freshen up his character.
“It’s extended my career greatly and allowed me to stick with the company and continue to reinvent myself and stay relevant, which is something that every wrestler needs to do if they want to have a long career,” he said. “They have to be willing to reinvent themselves, try new things, go outside your comfort zone and take risks.”
Deaner said that was something he done for his entire 25-year career and taking risks is what made his career so long.
“The risk could be that I could completely fail at that and it not work but I have always kind of followed the people that have gone before me,” he said.
Deaner, who was born in Port Bruce, Ontario said that he was influenced by fellow Canadian Christ Jericho who has also reinvented himself on numerous occasions.
“I look at people who have been doing this for a really long time at a level I’m going OK? What are they doing that I can learn from? And guys like Chris Jericho have reinvented themselves with in order to stay on top and they keep doing what they love, so I decided I was going to do that,” he said.
Another aspect to his longevity is that his body has held up.
“If you want to last a while, you have got to take care of your body,” he explained. That’s something that I’ve been doing for my entire career. I work smart in the ring and then also eat healthy and train appropriately outside the ring.”
The training aspect is also part of his speaking engagements where he talks about making positive choices.
“You need positive influences in your life to help you even when you might not want to do something. I might not want to keep this healthy thing today. I want to eat some junk food, but if you have an accountability partner or somebody that is doing it with you, then it helps you make better choices in all aspects of your life.”
Deaner said that he is often asked why someone who is on weekly television and on Pay Per View would want to be part of an independent show like CWE. His logic for that is that he loves the wrestling business.
“I am currently wrestling on television at a very high level, but I’m also wrestling on The CWE event at the same time and I’m not there because I have to be there. I’m wrestling for CWE because I want to, because I have to,” he said. “I love independent wrestling and I want every fan to know that CWE is a very family friendly event. It’s going to be a whole lot of fun.
“I’m there cause I want to be. I want to spend time with the fans…. I know we’re going to have a great time and I want to be a part of the amazing roster. I don’t care if it’s in front of 20,000 people or in front of 200 people. Whatever size room I’m in, if it’s full of rowdy professional
wrestling fans that love wrestling just as much as I do that I know it’s going to be a good night and I’m going to have a fun time.
On Nov. 24 Deaner will be facing Mentallo for the CWE Championship, other matches include a Three Way Dance with “The Juice” Juventud Guerrera vs. “The Headline” Shaun Martens vs. Fil Deadly, CWE Central Canadian Champion “Hotshot” Danny Duggan vs. “Chiseled” Chad Daniels, CAM!!ikaze vs. “Crude Oil” Cody Mac, 2024 Elite 8 Winner Josh “Cheeks” Holliday vs. “Lion Warrior” Bobby Sharp and an Over The Top Rope Rumble Main Event.
The Meet and Greet is at 6 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. and bell time is 7 p.m. at Plaza 88. Advance Tickets Available at: Colette Portamedic Services or purchase tickets online at cwetickets.com.