Tom Lawlor has set the dinner menu for Donovan Dijak and MSL at MLW’s Superfight 6 this Saturday, February 8, at Center Stage in Atlanta. In an interview with SlamWrestling.net, Lawlor said, “I’m gonna walk them over to the concession stand. Eight hot dogs, 16 bags of popcorn, 14 Dr. Peppers.” For dessert, Lawlor has “about 30 right hands” ready for Saint Laurent. Appetizing.
But some may wonder how it got to this point. How has it reached the point of this becoming a Grudge Match?
“My relationship with Saint Laurent goes back 20 years now. The very first day that I ever took a bump, the very first day that I ever trained professional wrestling. Saint Laurent was there scouting me,” Lawlor recalled.
MSL saw something in Lawlor that he liked. Saint Laurent had been by Lawlor’s side for years, even having him as an integral part of a faction. Throwing away nearly two decades of friendship and mentorship in an instant is not something Lawlor takes lightly.
Nor should he.
It says a lot about a person when they betray someone they’ve seen train and get better. Scouting them, mentoring them, and managing them. All that investment into a talented wrestler, only to drop them for a different toy abruptly.
Back in September 2024, Lawlor faced “Filthy” Bro Matt Riddle in the main event of Pit-Fighters. After losing the match, Lawlor was attacked by his manager and new charge, Dijak. MSL had grown tired of Lawlor, it seemed. This had been the latest in a string of matches where Lawlor lost. It would be the final straw.
The almost-20 year friendship was over. MSL had found a new charge.
Lawlor thinks that maybe he’d be more receptive to MSL’s change of heart had they sat down and talked things through. That’s not how it unfolded.
But Lawlor is at least somewhat sympathetic to MSL.
“I hate to say it, but I understand where MSL is coming from as a promoter. You know, there’s a new big, shiny piece on the market, and it’s Donovan Dijak. It’s not Filthy Tom Lawlor. He had already had me for a while and I think that he tried to extract as much juice as he could out of me. He realized that maybe the future held different things for us.”
“Look at [Dijak]. He’s got everything. He’s 6’5″, big, strong, muscular guy, great moves. He can fly around in the ring for a man his size. It’s unbelievable the things that he can do. So I understand what MSL did but that doesn’t mean I agree with it.”
That’s not to say that he won’t still serve MSL and Dijak the menu he’s prepared for them.
“I don’t want to say he cut his losses, because in the end, he’s going to be the one that loses out.”
Concession workers at Center Stage this Saturday will likely need to prepare a massive rush order when the match ends and there might be some touch-ups required on the concession areas and concourse after the match.
That is, if Lawlor has anything to say about it.
TOP PHOTO: Tom Lawlor takes in his surroundings at MLW’s Pit-Fighters September of 2024, where he took on Riddle in a losing effort. Photo courtesy of MLW.
RELATED LINKS
- July 8, 2021: Tom Lawlor remains focused, funny, and ‘Filthy’ in MLW
- July 23, 2020: Tom Lawlor vows to dominate heavy hitters tournament, issues warning to other participants
- Oct. 18, 2019: Tom Lawlor means business in MLW
- MLW Website
- Tom Lawlor socials: Instagram * Pro Wrestling Tees * X
