Nick Gage clarifies GCW status, confirms stay in rehab

  • Ian Carey
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Nick Gage has big plans for the future, even if that doesn’t involve Game Changer Wrestling.

GCW signed Gage to a multi-year contract in February 2022. Owner Brett Lauderdale stated at the time that it was the first and likely the last contract GCW would ever offer. Gage recently confirmed to the Blvd Bullies podcast that the deal has expired, and he is now a free agent.

“Brett Lauderdale is my friend, my best friend. He’s done a lot for my career. GCW’s always going to be a place I go, it’s always going to be my home,” Gage said.

“But, sometimes you got to move on in your career, sometimes you don’t see eye to eye with your friends, but, it is what it is.”

Regarding his future plans, Gage said:

“What I’m trying to do is get this MDK media off the ground, man. Podcasts, blogs, I’m going to start opening it up and show a different side of me.”

“I’m starting from the ground up again. So, it’s kind of tough, but it’s good to see people reach out and help out a little because pretty soon I’m going to take that and flip it, and I’m going to be alright because I’ve got a plan here.”

“I’m building bridges right now, podcasts, blogs, maybe a new promotion,” he continued.

Gage also confirmed rumors he went to rehab around the time he missed GCW Homecoming in August, saying:

“I am proud that I went there. I will not ever, ever apologize for that. I was exhausted. I was headed down the wrong path, but I’m glad I noticed that and I’m glad I had people in my corner, and I’m glad I went there.”

Last month, Lauderdale posted to X implying someone had lured Gage out of rehab, writing, “It takes a certain type of person to lure a sick person out of rehab with money and drugs in an effort to launch your shitty deathmatch promotion.” However, Gage said he left rehab because he was ready to.

“I want to clear something up; nobody made me leave that place. I’m a grown-ass man. Nobody makes me do anything.”

“I left because I felt good,” he continued.

Later in the interview, Gage mentioned that Jon Moxley demanded Lauderdale pay Gage the same amount he was getting after learning that Gage would be paid less for the show. Gage and Moxley have wrestled each other twice in GCW, once in 2021 and again in 2022.

Lauderdale has since responded to the comments online, writing:

“I will now make a shocking revelation: Yes, I was paying Jon Moxley – a major tv star of nearly a decade, a world champion, and the hottest wrestler in the industry more money than I was paying Nick Gage for their match in GCW.

Yes, at Mox’s request I did end up increasing Nick’s pay for the match, to an amount equal to what he was paid to wrestle Chris Jericho on television. Not that any of you actually care about Nick, but he is my brother of 20+ years and that will never change.

In this same interview, the hosts repeatedly tried to get him to talk bad about me and he forcefully declined. Nick not only referred to me as his friend, but his FAMILY. We have been thru alot in 20 years. The real ones know. And to everyone else, go f*ck yourself”

Gage also noted that he hasn’t spoken to anyone from GCW regarding the announced Hammerstein Ballroom show in January.

The full interview with Nick Gage is available below: