After grinding on the independent wrestling scene for years, Brian Johnson was finally able to bring his skills to the next level by joining the first class of the new Ring of Honor Dojo in the summer of 2018. From there, he quickly established himself as a top prospect in the company. The man known as The Mecca made sure to remind fans of this fact every chance that he got both in and out of the ring.
However, when new talent such as the very nice and very evil Danhausen started to get more attention and adoration by fans and management alike, that didn’t sit well with Johnson. Now at this year’s ROH Final Battle, he has the opportunity to squash his opponent’s dreams of earning a Ring of Honor contract. If Johnson can pull out a victory on this December evening, then Danhausen will be gone from the promotion.
Ahead of this high stakes match, “The Mecca” Brian Johnson took some time to chat with us about his hatred of his opponenthausen, a legendary Philadelphia 76er, and (undoubtedly his favorite subject) himself:
GeekAnything: With a motto like “Mecca Vs. Everybody”, it’s pretty clear that Brian Johnson will fight anybody that steps up. Though he has been known to be very evil, Danhausen doesn’t seem to show much animosity towards you. So why target him and his opportunity to be a contracted Ring of Honor wrestler at Final Battle?
Brian Johnson: Danhausen is a parody of the pro wrestling I grew up on. He wears face paint & bought some Halloween costumes from the store and claims to be evil. He’s isn’t evil & I’d argue that he shouldn’t even be considered a pro wrestler. He’s propped up to be some celebrity by clown fans (likely reading this) who have no clue about the real sacrifice and talent it takes to be a professional wrestler. So before he can even sniff a mockery of a career at Ring of Honor, the company with the best wrestling in the world, I’m gonna end him.
GA: Some may consider Danhausen to be an eccentric “internet darling.” The same could be said about a former opponent of yours, Dalton Castle. Do you think that your time spent against Castle could prepare you for Danhausen?
BJ: If you’re saying that both Danhausen & Dalton Castle are pains in the ass, I totally agree. While Dalton is colorful & eccentric, he’s way different than Danhausen. He’s a legit amateur wrestler who’d tie me up like a pretzel (if I wasn’t so elusive). While I don’t disagree that both have built fan bases of bozos who are quite clueless, every wrestler is so unique and it’s hard to compare them when the bell rings.
GA: When the Ring of Honor faithful was first introduced to Brian Johnson, he proclaimed to be Number One and sported an extravagant robe. He was quite a character himself, much like your ROH Final Battle opponent. What happened that caused you to flip the switch to the Brian Johnson we know today? Was it inspired by your former mentor PJ Black, who also broke free from someone who he was not and became successful as his own man? Or was the “Mecca Vs. Everybody” mentality always in you?
BJ: I did show up claiming to be Number One. I wore a robe. I talked the talk. I walked the walk. Because I thought that’s what it meant to be a successful pro wrestler. But while I was proclaiming myself as Number One, my number was never being called by Ring of Honor management. That’s why I started interrupting live streams and commentary. I inserted myself into matches & television broadcasts. It’s a dog-eat-dog world and as we all know hungry dogs run faster. Well, I’ve been starving for an opportunity, so I took it. I did it. All by myself. Mecca vs Everybody
GA: Your hometown of Philadelphia, PA has a deep and storied history with professional wrestling. They also are known for some colorful characters like the Phanatic and Gritty. Do you share the same disdain for the fun-loving mascots as you do for Danhausen?
BJ: Philadelphia is also known for an undersized kid who should’ve never made it. For a kid who almost didn’t make it out of his hometown. For a kid who was drafted Number One, but was constantly overlooked. Until he put the league on notice STEPPING OVER any bullshit in his way in 2001 when he was named the MVP of the league that year. Philadelphia is known for fighters & winners like Allen Iverson.
It’s gonna be known for fighters like The Mecca.
If you’re the type of bozo who knows Philly for freaking Gritty or The Phanatic, you’re the problem.
GA: Speaking of “gritty”, a number of iconic wrestlers made their way through or came out of Philly to test their grit on their way to the top of the wrestling world. Do you find yourself looking to any of them as you prepare for your match at Final Battle?
BJ: No. I’m carving my own path. Creating my own destiny. If I wanted to be some second rate Philly guy, I would’ve never left to spread my wings around the world with ROH.
GA: Finally, since our site is called GeekAnything, is there anything (aside from wrestling) that you consider yourself a geek of?
BJ: Well you finally stumped me. I have no geek qualities. So, unfortunately, I have no answer. If you’re looking for a geek answer, check the mirror or contact some other bozo from ROH. I’m the Mecca. Not a geek.
You can tune in to see how “The Mecca” Brian Johnson does against Danhausen at ROH Final Battle on Friday, December 18th at 8:00pm EST on PPV, Fite TV, or HonorClub.
