Alex Kane | MLW

This time last year, out pro wrestler Alex Kane was celebrating is Major League Wrestling World Heavyweight championship win, surrounded by his Bomaye Fight Club peers, after putting Alexander Hammerstone to sleep.

That moment cemented him as the second out LGBTQ male world champion in pro wrestling history. He added the ACTION Wrestling World title a few months later to become the first out LGBTQ wrestler to hold two world championships simultaneously.

Both of those title reigns are in the rearview for Kane as the anniversary of his monumental win comes and goes. But “The Suplex Assassin” isn’t ready to rest on those achievements. He starts the next leg of his quest for a second MLW World Heavyweight title reign on Friday when he faces his right-hand man in the Bomaye Fight Club, Mr. Thomas, in the first round of MLW’s Opera Cup tournament.

The King of Bomaye joined the LGBT In The Ring podcast ahead of this weekend’s action to reflect on the last year.

“I think it was one of the best runs that MLW has ever had from a world champion. I think the best, but, you know, people will argue with me about that,” Kane said. “I definitely want another run, but I’m glad it ended when it ended because you don’t ever want to overstay your welcome.

“Even though people feel [I] shouldn’t have lost it, you don’t want to run into the territory of being too long. For what I wanted out of it and what I was able to give the people, I love it.”

Kane’s time as MLW World Heavyweight champion ended at 210 days in February at the hands of Japanese wrestling legend and former champ Satoshi Kojima. In Kane’s eyes, Kojima represents his own “final boss” to be toppled.

“He has this illustrious career. He’s this threat, this big challenge. Even though I was on one hell of a run, sometimes you run into somebody who’s just that much more powerful. That’s kind of how I see it,” Kane said. “To have gotten to know Kojima, he’s just one hell of a human being. He gives me major dad vibes. He checks up on me every now and again. He’s always giving me compliments on my gear and how cool I look. He’s just a really good dude, so, to lose it to anybody, it was awesome to lose it to him … who knows what’s going to happen, but it would be awesome for me to win it from Kojima and bring it full circle.”

Before he can set a date for the full circle moment with the Bread Club-repping fan favorite, Kane must add another chapter in the Bomaye Fight Club’s interesting history with the Opera Cup, or “Oprah Cup” as Kane has dubbed it. His matchup against his close friend Mr. Thomas this weekend is more than a year in the making in his mind.

“I’ve wanted to wrestle [Mr. Thomas] in front of people for a very, very long time. He’s charismatic, he can go and he’s a ball of fun to be around,” Kane said. “He’s so passionate. When he really gets going, he’s really into it. It’s going to be a blast getting in there to mix it up with him in front his home crowd because he lives in Florida. It’s going to be fun to get in there in front of people that love him … I go to bat for Thomas any chance I get. He does everything he’s asked of and then some.”

To hear the full interview with Alex Kane and other LGBTQ pro wrestling figures, check out LGBT In The Ring. New episodes drop every Thursday on all major podcast platforms.