Regardless of the ring he performs in, Tommy Dreamer's love for wrestling is evident in all that he does.







Since debuting in 1989, Dreamer has worked with ECW, WWE, TNA, his own House of Hardcore and a wide array of various promotions, working both in-ring and behind-the-scenes positions.





Dreamer will defend the IWC World Heavyweight Title against fellow ECW alum Rhino at IWC's Night of Superstars 4 at Meadville Area High School on April 11.



Dreamer will defend the IWC World Heavyweight Title against fellow ECW alum Rhino at IWC's Night of Superstars 4 at Meadville Area High School on April 11.

As Dreamer was attracting attention for his oft-violent in-ring work at ECW, he also became a vital behind-the-scenes asset as the company grew. When Dreamer debuted there, it was one of many regional promotions, though under the guidance of Paul Heyman, it soon set the brand apart.





“I believed in the product. They started running all of the time. At first, they were running every couple of months to once a month to running weekly shows. I was never under contract, but I was able to show my worth to the company, and it worked out for me.







“It stood the test of time, and it was different. The wrestling business at that time in the 90s was very garnered towards kids and sports entertainment. Everyone was just characters and we kind of went with the wrestling that I grew up with, which was, at first, more the violent aspect and feuds and stuff like that. The fans wanted something different, and we gave it to them.”







As Dreamer proved his worth in front of crowds, he had a hand in booking his feud with Raven, regarded as one of ECW's best story lines, and eventually having a hand in the larger ECW landscape.







“One of the best parts about ECW as well as working with Paul Heyman, was he allowed us to have that creative freedom and/or to actually say, 'Well, what if we do it this way?' He was great with that; it wasn't just his way or the highway. Probably around '95, myself and Raven, we had a really good, storied feud and we would add to it and Paul liked that direction. I would drive in with Paul, and we would talk not just about my character, but other things, and that's kind of how it all came to fruition.”







Unlike many wrestlers who find themselves with booking power, Dreamer kept the big picture in mind, rather than using his power as an opportunity for self-promotion.







“I never wanted people to say that I got what I got because I was friends with Paul, I kind of always wanted to earn it. And once I hit a certain point, I didn't need a title. I tried actually to go my entire ECW career without having a title because a title helps build guys, but I was already built there, and why not give it to some other guys. I was kind of the staple of the company, to me, you don't need that belt when you're already established.”







His focus on the overall product, as well as a level of transparency informs Dreamer's dealings with wrestlers when booking.







“I always treat people how I want to be treated. I always pretty much tell people, 'Hey this is the truth. This is what I have for you, this is what I don't have for you.' My behind the scenes in WWE was a lot different, when I went to the guy who hired people, I ran developmental for them. I was your first shot at your dream. Then I wrote ECW One Night Stand in 2005, and then when I went to TNA, I wrote their Hardcore Justice, which was my last kind of ECW tribute.







“With my own stuff it's, 'Hey guys, this is my vision, this is what I want.' There's guys, who I will say 'You're the first match. Don't go out there and do 10,000 things,' because you're the first match, and there's a bigger picture, which is the actual show. It's kind of know your place on the card.







“I always view wrestling, even though it's predetermined, like it's a real sport. There's time where in baseball, I'll ask you to drop down a bunt because that's what I need for the team, and guys will drop down a bunt. I always want my main event to score a home run or touchdown every time. As long as you guys go out there and do what you're told, it's really the easiest way. I've never really incorporated any real people's egos because most people get it, and if they don't, I really have no use for you.”







In 2012, Dreamer started his own promotion, House of Hardcore, named after ECW's training school.







“I made a lot of money for a lot of other organizations, and I always wanted to do one show on my own. It was successful and I always said as long as they are successful, I would do more. I just had my eighth show, and it's got some momentum. It's funny how the business is cyclical. The business is changing because of social media, and fans are demanding something different like back in the days of ECW and I give them something different.”









Dreamer travels around the country participating regularly in various promotions.





“Independent wrestling is hot as can be. I left WWE in 2009, and I want to say I've had 4 weekends off since then. I work just as much, but I'm my own boss. Instead of working 300 days a year, I work anywhere from 150 to 200. You have to look at it as an entertainment industry as well as a sporting event. If you give a quality show, people will come see your movie. If you give a quality a good team, people will come pay to see your team play. If an organization doesn't have a good team out there, people won't come. You can see that evident with the Pirates. When the Pirates didn't have a good team, no one would go there. Now the Pirates have a good team, and fans realize management is investing in them and people will come out.”







While WWE is easily the most dominant player in the industry, Dreamer sees plenty of opportunities around for both promotions and independent wrestlers.







“There's a lot of guys out there making a living between Ring of Honor, TNA, New Japan or just working indies. You have to have built your name up. Guys like me, Matt Hardy, Carlito, we built our name up, our reputation. We pick and choose, and see what we want to do, who we want to work for. Without television, it's almost impossible for a company to compete against WWE, nor should anyone want to compete. To me, it was the greatest part of the Monday Night War era, but there is enough pieces of the pie to make everyone a great living. WWE is one thing, TNA is another, ROH, and all these other places. To me, it's go out there, establish your own self, your own brand, your own identity, and hopefully your company can take off.”







With Dreamer returning this Saturday to IWC, he is looking forward to facing off with Rhino, in a title match that is fitting Extreme Rules.







“Rhino and I just wrestled recently, and we were talking after the match. We've probably wrestled each other 50, 60 times, and I came in back saying, 'Dude, I beg you hit me any harder with that cane. You killed me.' He hit me about 14 shots. He's like, 'Dude you hit me so hard with that chair,' but we're laughing about it. Rhino still at 40 years old moves so well, he's one of those guys who I want to say that he almost doesn't age. He's still believable, credible, and the best part about him and I we'll entertain. I want to say it's a really hard hitting match, and I've got the bruises and welts on my body today to prove it.”







Whether an opponent that's he faced before, or someone with whom he's locking up for the first time, the veteran wrestler is ultimately seeking quality, fulfilling matches.







“I don't want to be the guy who's put in there to make other guys look better. I like going out there and having really really good matches. The last time I was in Pittsburgh for IWC I wrestled Colin Delaney, and we had a really good match, and I was very, very happy with that. Colin and I had wrestled only one time. He's a younger guy and I still have that chip on my shoulder of I don't want someone to be carrying the old man, I want younger guys to say 'Dreamer's still got it.' I just wrestled an independent wrestler called Chris Hero, who's a really great talent, and man we had a great match. There's nothing like the feeling of coming back from a match that's like, 'thank you for that match.' I love that stuff.”







Dreamer has said that he never wants to be somebody who has to wrestle, but to be someone who wrestles only as long as he is passionate.







“I've been living my dream since I was 9 years old, this is all I've ever wanted to do in my life. I'm at the tail end of my career, I know it is going to come to an end. I'll watch some of my matches, and physically I don't look the same, I put on some weight because I had a knee injury, but I can still go out there and put on a quality match. There's no feeling like coming through the curtain, or having a good wrestling match. After my match with Rhino, I had a 6 am flight, which meant I had to be up at 4 to go back home, and I couldn't sleep because I was so amped up from having a good match, and to me that proves that I still love it. I don't want it to ever just be a job or for me not to like what I do. That's been my thing because to me once you lose your passion or you're just there for a paycheck, this isn't worth it to your body physically, as well as mentally.







“With IWC, they have a lot of really, really talented guys and women, and I love that. They're a roster that's hungry, and they're a roster of guys who could be the next generation of big superstars, and that company has been around for quite some time. That's a testament to the fact there there's nothing wrong with being a local star. In the original ECW, that's all I was, I was a local star. As the company grew, I grew with it and it's been the greatest ride of my life.”

