By now, it's pretty clear we're big wrestling fans here at Metal Injection. We have an entire podcast dedicated to the intersection of heavy metal and pro wrestling, Squared Circle Pit, where we interview metal musicians about wrestling and wrestlers about heavy metal. So our ears perked up when WWE Raw announced a "Symphony of Destruction" match between current top badass, "The Monster Among Men," Braun Strowman and WWE's resident acoustic crooner Elias.
Slightly before the match was to begin, Braun cut a promo and it was clear that whomever scripted it did their research on Megadeth.
“I know you’re sweating bullets, because tonight, you find out about my symphony of destruction” Strowman said at the top of his promo. While not metal fans might be confused by this lingo, Braun certainly had my attention. He conclude the promo saying “Tonight starts the countdown to your extinction.”
The Symphony of Destruction match is a glorified weapons match, where all the weapons are musical instruments found in a symphony. During the carnage of the match WWE announcer and fellow Megadeth enthusiast Corey Graves had plenty of fun weaving in Megadeth puns during the match. Here are some highlights that Loudwire picked up:
“This could be reckoning day for Elias at the hands of Braun Strowman.”
“Like a runaway train… A train of consequences.”
“I think we’re about to witness Elias rust in peace.”
“Pain is Braun’s business and business is good in Milwaukee.”
At the end of the match, Graves quipped “If I don’t at least get free Megadeth tickets after that, I never will.” WWE released these highlights from the match:
We spoke to Braun Strowman last summer during a WWE promotional event and he revealed he loves metal bands like Tool:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glFNptJTxSk][/youtube]
We also spoke with commentator Corey Graves not too long ago, where he revealed that fellow WWE superstar Baron Corbin turned him onto Ghost:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUBd2GKbnuI][youtube]
Megadeth are no strangers to the world of pro wrestling. 20 years ago, their song "Crush 'Em" was briefly used as WCW world champion Goldberg's entrance music and they performed on an episode of WCW Monday Nitro.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTPHzKV9V2I][/youtube]
Check out previous Squared Circle Pit interviews about wrestling with Slipknot's Corey Taylor, Chris Jericho, former WCW boss Eric Bischoff, NJPW star Kenny Omega, Cannibal Corpse's George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, Jamey Jasta, Every Time I Die's Andy Williams, Zakk Wylde, Killswitch Engage's Mike D, Converge's Jacob Bannon, Neurosis' Scott Kelly, former WWE announcer Justin Roberts, ROH star Frankie Kazarian, EVOLVE booker and former ROH booker Gabe Sapolsky, and more.
