AEW star “Speedball” Mike Bailey recently sat down with Renee Paquette on Close Up, where he opened up on a variety of topics—including the unexpected formation of his tag team with Kevin Knight and his deep admiration for MMA legend Georges St-Pierre.
Bailey revealed that his tag team with Kevin Knight, now known as JetSpeed, came together completely by chance.
“Man, it’s crazy how that happened,” Bailey said. “It was just a random pairing. It started in a four-on-four match, but then we just became a tag team off the vibes.”
The natural chemistry between the two high-flyers quickly evolved into a full-time partnership, earning fan praise for their athletic and dynamic in-ring style.
Bailey also spoke about his admiration for UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre—both as an athlete and as a person.
“I think he’s not only a hunk because he’s jacked and gorgeous,” Bailey joked. “I think he’s a hunk because he maintained his dignity, that’s right, despite being in the UFC for many, many years. He was always respectful, and when his opponents would talk smack, he would be like, ‘Yeah, okay. I’m glad that’s how you feel. I’m getting ready for a fight.’”
Bailey went on to explain how GSP’s composed and respectful demeanor resonated with him more than the often-chaotic energy of professional wrestling.
“I mean, I was older by the time he came to prominence. Seeing what he did and how he approached his fights and how he was, like, maintaining his composure was very much in contrast to what I saw from professional wrestlers. I was like, ‘I feel like this works better for me,’ coming from martial arts and having that same philosophy.”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to Fightful for transcribing the above quotes)
