OVW: No Holds Barred is the official deep dive into the world of Ohio Valley Wrestling - the training ground of legends and the home of the next generation of stars.
Hosted by Lewis Costello and Kian Fox, this podcast pulls back the curtain on the business of pro wrestling with raw, unfiltered conversations.
From locker room stories and industry secrets to the future of OVW and beyond, every episode brings you closer to the people shaping the sport. Expect insider knowledge, untold tales, and no-holds-barred discussions with some of wrestling’s most iconic names and rising talents.
Whether you’re a die-hard wrestling fan, an aspiring performer, or just love hearing the real stories behind the spectacle, this is your ringside seat to the world of professional wrestling.
STORIES AS REAL AS IT GETS.
How a Wrestler With No ACL Became OVW Champion: Jamin Olivencia
Get ready for a powerful conversation with a man who defined OVW for more than two decades. Three heavyweight championship reigns, eight television titles, countless battles - and an intensity that made him one of the most respected performers in the company’s history. Today, we sit down with Jamin Olivencia, speaking from Singapore just weeks after stepping into the ring for the very last time.
In this episode, Jamin opens up about:
The final walk to the ring: How a planned 8-minute retirement speech vanished the moment he saw his daughter in the crowd - and why speaking from the heart became the only honest option.
A body pushed beyond its limits: Why he wrestled the last years of his career without an ACL or an MCL, how stem cell treatment brought him back from barely being able to walk, and why the risk finally outweighed the reward.
His unexpected return to the ring: The moment his daughter told him she wished she’d seen him wrestle, and how that one comment pulled him back into an OVW comeback run he never thought he’d have.
The addiction of performance: Why the wrestling ring was the only place he ever felt completely free - and why letting go of that feeling has been far harder than he ever anticipated.
Training the next generation: How working with talents like Kal Herro, J-Rod, Freya, and the Sin City Outlaws reignited his passion for coaching - and why he believes OVW is only scratching the surface of what it can become.
The future of wrestling: From realism and intensity to today’s aerial style, Jamin breaks down the evolution of the business, what today’s performers are missing, and why true emotion will always outlast trends.
Whether you’re fascinated by the psychology of pro wrestling, curious about how legends decide when it’s time to hang up the boots, or simply want to learn from one of OVW’s most respected minds - this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Subscribe for more shoot interviews and no-holds-barred insider conversations from Ohio Valley Wrestling!
Follow Jamin Olivencia: https://www.facebook.com/jamin.olivencia/
Follow Lewis Costello: https://x.com/lewiscostello https://www.instagram.com/lewisblaizecostello
Follow Kian Fox: https://x.com/SlyT_KianFox https://www.instagram.com/slyt_kianfox
27 Nov 2025
She Quit Teaching in Alaska to Become a Pro Wrestler: Freya The Slaya
Her story is one of ambition, reinvention, and absolute fearlessness... Today, we sit down with Freya the Slaya - a 6’1 powerhouse who walked away from a stable teaching career in Alaska to chase the dream and transform herself into one of OVW’s most commanding performers.
In this episode, Freya opens up about:
Leaving everything behind: how she went from a decade in the classroom to uprooting her entire life, moving thousands of miles from home, and committing fully to pro wrestling - all just weeks before the world shut down in 2020.
Her evolution as a performer: from the “Queen of the North” to the far more aggressive “Arctic Amazon,” and why she felt her character had grown stale - and needed to be rebuilt from the ground up.
The grind of becoming great: what it took to train in Alaska with only a handful of wrestlers in the entire state, driving six hours just to find a ring, and eventually landing at OVW - the only independent promotion doing live weekly television.
Learning the TV game: how timing, camera awareness, commercial breaks, and real-time improvisation changed her entire approach to wrestling - and why those OVW reps are unlike anything else on the independents.
Whether you’re fascinated by the behind-the-scenes craft of wrestling, inspired by the courage it takes to reinvent your life, or want to understand the mindset behind one of OVW’s most intense characters, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Subscribe for more shoot interviews and no-holds-barred insider conversations from Ohio Valley Wrestling!
Follow Freya The Slaya: https://x.com/BigZoWrestle https://www.instagram.com/bigzo.wrestle
Follow Lewis Costello: https://x.com/lewiscostello https://www.instagram.com/lewisblaizecostello
Follow Kian Fox: https://x.com/SlyT_KianFox https://www.instagram.com/slyt_kianfox
13 Nov 2025
The Therapist Who Breaks Bones for a Living: Big Zo
Get ready for a conversation unlike anything we've had before. Today, we sit down with Big Zo - a dominant force in the ring, a 300+ pound powerhouse, and, incredibly… a licensed mental health professional helping veterans heal by day.
In this episode, Zo opens up about:
His unusual journey to the top: from growing up just minutes from the OVW arena, to spending nearly a decade working, grinding, and fighting his way toward a long-overdue championship opportunity.
Life behind the persona: how balancing fatherhood, a demanding full-time career, and the physical toll of wrestling has shaped him into both a competitor and a mentor with unmatched perspective.
The moment everything changed: the 2020 accident that left him lying in the street - and how that near-miss pushed him to write his book Cooking Up Counseling, share his knowledge, and commit even deeper to the things that matter most.
The dual existence: what it’s really like switching from therapist to champion, how his work with trauma fuels his in-ring storytelling, and why he believes wrestling is its own form of healing.
Whether you’re fascinated by the psychology behind wrestling, inspired by stories of resilience, or want to understand the man behind the United States Championship, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Subscribe for more shoot interviews and no-holds-barred insider conversations from Ohio Valley Wrestling!
Grab Big Zo's book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooking-Up-Counseling-Recipe-Unsavory/dp/B0BCZXTT2N
Follow Big Zo: https://x.com/BigZoWrestle https://www.instagram.com/bigzo.wrestle
Follow Lewis Costello: https://x.com/lewiscostello https://www.instagram.com/lewisblaizecostello
Follow Kian Fox: https://x.com/SlyT_KianFox https://www.instagram.com/slyt_kianfox
30 Oct 2025
The Wrestler Who Died And Came Back To Life: Tegan Thorne
Get ready for a story of grit, determination and ambition! Today, we sit down with rising star Teagan Thorne - a fierce competitor whose journey back into the ring is nothing short of extraordinary.
In this conversation, Teagan opens up about:
The horrific crash that nearly ended it all: at age 11 she was in a coma for two weeks, was pronounced dead at the scene, and told she’d likely never walk - let alone wrestle.
Her triumphant comeback: defying expectations to not only walk and play sports again, but debut in the ring at age 15, and later make her mark in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) this year.
Her ambitions for the future: how every scar, every setback, fuels her dream to reach WWE’s big stage.
Whether you’re drawn to the underdog narrative, fascinated by what it takes to fight your way into pro wrestling, or simply want to get to know one of OVW’s most promising talents, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
Subscribe for more shoot interviews and no-holds-barred insider conversations from Ohio Valley Wrestling!
Follow Teagan Thorne: http://twitter.com/thorne_teagan https://www.instagram.com/thorne_teagan
Follow Lewis Costello: https://x.com/lewiscostello https://www.instagram.com/lewisblaizecostello
Follow Kian Fox: https://x.com/SlyT_KianFox https://www.instagram.com/slyt_kianfox
25 Sept 2025
Eugene Reflects On His Wrestlemania Moment With Hulk Hogan
In Episode 3, we’re joined by one of the most memorable WWE superstars of the 2000s - Eugene.
In this conversation, Eugene opens up about:
His unforgettable WrestleMania moment alongside the late Hulk Hogan
A hilarious road story from life on the road
Coaching the next generation of talent at OVW
What it was like working with future stars like John Cena in OVW
Whether you grew up watching him in WWE, want to hear behind-the-scenes stories from the road, or are curious about the next wave of OVW wrestlers, this episode has something for everyone.
Subscribe for more insider interviews and no-holds-barred conversations from Ohio Valley Wrestling!
Follow Lewis Costello: https://x.com/lewiscostello https://www.instagram.com/lewisblaizecostello Follow Kian Fox: https://x.com/SlyT_KianFox https://www.instagram.com/slyt_kianfox
#NoHoldsBarred #Eugene #HulkHogan #Wrestlemania #ProWrestling #WrestlingPodcast
11 Sept 2025
Life After Netflix’s Wrestlers: Jake Lawless on Redemption
Today we sit down with Jake Lawless - one of the most unforgettable figures from Netflix’s Wrestlers and the current OVW Digital Media Champion.
In this episode, Jake opens up about:
His fight through addiction and the harsh spotlight of Wrestlers
What it means to rebuild his career and claim the OVW Digital Media Championship
His vision for the future, both inside and outside the ring
Subscribe for more insider interviews and no-holds-barred conversations from Ohio Valley Wrestling!
Follow Lewis Costello:
https://x.com/lewiscostello
https://www.instagram.com/lewisblaizecostello
Follow Kian Fox: https://x.com/SlyT_KianFox
https://www.instagram.com/slyt_kianfox
Check out the video version: http://linktr.ee/OVWNHB #OVW #NoHoldsBarred #JakeLawless #ProWrestling #WrestlingPodcast
26 Aug 2025
Al Snow On The Truth Every New Wrestler Must Hear
We’re officially here - the brand-new podcast bringing you unfiltered, inside access to the world of professional wrestling. Each week, we’ll sit down with the biggest names, rising stars, and voices shaping the future of the business. No scripts. No limits. No holds barred.
And what better way to kick things off than with a true legend?
Our very first episode features Al Snow - veteran of WWE, ECW, and the driving force behind the evolution of Ohio Valley Wrestling.In this debut episode, Al shares:
🔥 Must-know industry secrets every aspiring wrestler should hear
🇬🇧 Personal stories from his time wrestling in the UK
🔮 What’s next for OVW and where the company is heading
Whether you’re a lifelong fan, an up-and-coming wrestler, or just love hearing what really happens behind the curtain, this is one you won’t want to miss.
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