Show: Wrestling Epicenter
Guest: The Spellbinder AKA Phantasio AKA Del Rios
Date: 04/22/2025
Your Host: James Walsh

A lot of people connect the dots between pro wrestling and roller derby. While some of that probably has to do with the overall nature of it being a work. But, I've always argued that the wrestling business has a whole lot more of a direct line to the world of magic. If you think about it, both are the subject of numerous documentaries, films, and folklore all with the same overtones - How do they do it? Well, today, we welcome the first guy who connected those dots and while his time on the biggest stage was short lived, his tenure in pro wrestling was lengthy and his impact greatly felt. I am speaking, of course, about the SPellbinder who many of you may know better as Phantasio from his brief stint in WWE.

Del Rios, the real name of the Spellbinder, joins us for a brand new interview to discuss his love of magic, his unlikely and somewhat sudden transition into the world of pro wrestling, and his lengthy stay in the Memphis territory in the USWA and Power Pro Wrestling. The most interesting topics discussed include the debacle that resulted in the end of the USWA in 1997 as well as a very detailed, very dark journey through the final days of Del Rios' best friend, "Grandmaster Sexxxay" Brian Christopher. I hope people do read this subject matter and listen to the interview as it really is powerful and tells a very real,never before told story.

Because there is so much great content in this conversation, we opted to send out 2 pieces on it. This first piece features the Brian Christopher content. The second will put a focus on his learning under the learning tree of the likes of "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert, Doug Gilbert, Sid Vicious, and more.

The reason Del Rios joined us is to promote his brand new action figures as part of RUSH Collectibles' Series 2 action figures. That's right! You can add the Spellbinder, Phantasio, however you know him best, to your action figure collection as the brand new action figure is available for purchase. The figure is in the style of the WWF Hasbro line which ruled the roost fo wrestling action figures from 1989 through 1995.

Get the brand new RUSH Collectibles Series 2 Action Figure!

Don't forget to check out https://www.wrestlingepicenter.com for more content like this. We've got over 880 interviews conducted with the greatest wrestling stars of all time. We started this journey in 2002 and our entire archive is available for you to check out 100% free at our site. All we ask is that you check us out. And, if you use this content on your site which we strongly encourage, please remember to link back to our site!

THE SPELLBINDER:

On making his pro wrestling debut on a WWE RAW dark match:
"I was green. I didn't know anything. They knew that. But, they sent me to Memphis to learn how to wrestle. I was the first developmental talent. I did the match in the Manhattan Center and I was told to stick around because Vince McMahon wanted to talk to me. I said "OK" and he told me he liked what he saw and that he would have somebody contact me. A few days later, JJ Dillon called me and that is when they hired me."

On the studio style of wrestling and if it could still work:
"They call it studio wrestling and they call it Memphis style but really, it was anywhere in the south. The truth is that style was about stories. I believe that is why people loved pro wrestling. It had stories. You know, there are soap operas on TV right now that have been on 30, 40, 50 years. That doesn't exist anymore. They've tried to evolve wrestling. But, I don't see it. I just see guys doing a bunch of moves and the fans going "ooh, ahh" and it is like, OK. Whatever! You know? I'm not going to knock what they're doing now. I hope they all make a ton of money. But, for me, it is just not the same."

On Lance Russell:
"Banana Nose! (laughs) Lance Russell was easy. Dave Brown was great too. But, he was a little bit more guarded on what you could do with him. Lance Russell was anything goes. And, he carried a level of respect with him. Because, already, he was a legend. You knew what line not to cross! If he told you something, you knew it was important. He made it so easy!"

On when Brian Christopher started showing signs of not being well:
"Brian was the best man at my wedding. I was the best man at Brian's wedding. We were of no blood relation. But, he and i were brothers. Brian, I remember he and I would have conversations for hours and hours from one city to another. Or, flying. We would spend more time in each other's company than we did our own families. He was a super, super guy. But, his whole demenor changed. Everything changed when he went full time with WWE> It is not their fault. I don't blame that company for anything. We as men do whatever we want to do. But, I remember his wife, at the time, coming to me. There were two shows (in WWE), the B team and the A team. I was on the B team. He was on the A team. We all met one time and we did a show in Memphis. It wasn't at the Forum. It was at the Pyramid which was the biggest venue in Memphis. I was on the show, he (Brian) was on the show, The Rock was on the show... The Dudley Boyz... All the guys were on there. But, I remember something was wrong. I had done an 8 shot with WWE. Every night, I was working Mark Henry. Well, we were all booked on a show in Chattanooga.... And, I knew something was wrong because Dwayne (The Rock) wasn't riding with him anymore. Myself, Dwayne, and Brian were tight. We trained together. So, I thought that was strange. Anyway, Brian jumped in the rental car with me and Downtown Bruno. But, I thought it was strange. I wanted to ask The Rock what had happened, why he wasn't riding with Brian anymore. And, there was a few times I had him alone and I was about to ask him and somebody would walk in and I didn't get to. The crazy thing was about a month later, I was in the gym and Brian's wife came in and I talked to her for a few minutes. She asked, "Hey, what happened between Brian and Dwayne?" I told her, "I was wondering that myself." What it was - Dwayne didn't get high or do drugs or anything. And, Brian started getting in with some of the guys that did. Sean Waltman and all those guys. I have nothing against those guys. Sean Waltman and all of that group always were great to me. But, to this day, I've never gotten high, I've never drank. I'mno saint. I've done my fair share of anabollic steroids. That is how I was able to walk around at 300 pounds. But, I never was into recreational drugs. Sean Waltman, and I don't mean to keep using just his name but a lot of the guys were doing the same things he was doing, a lot of those guys are still here. They're alive. They could handle it. Brian wasn't one of those guys. He couldn't handle it. And, Brian just went south.Those guys could still work... And, those guys kept their jobs. Brian got fired. As a matter of fact, Brian got fired twice by WWE."

On if Brian Christopher killed himself:
"As as much as I loved him, I had taken a break from wrestling. I had been doing it for 18 years. I started competing as a bodybuilder again. I was working as a personal trainer. Brian wasn't doing well... He was doing little small shows here and there. But, nothing... I remember making sure Brian had what he needed. But, it just went too fast. I remember I was driving home with my wife and it was about 9 o'clock and Kevin, Brian's brother, called me and he said, "Brian tried to kill himself." I said, "What? Where are you at?" He told he he was where he was and it was a big time trauma center. I told my wife, "Get set, we've got to go." She said, "What's going on?" I said "Brian tried to hang himself." She said, "Oh my God!" and we ran down there... And, man, we got there at about 9:45. They had us waiting in the downstairs. King (Jerry Lawler) coudln't get there because he was stuck in Charlotte and couldn't get a flight out. They let us in to see him at about 2:30 in the morning. The first person we saw was his mom. She said the first person she wanted to come in the room was me. Then, my wife. Then, Jerry Lawler's girlfriend at the time. We stayed for a few hours. I took my wife home to get something to eat and grab a shower. By the time I got back, King was in the room... From the moment I first saw him before I left, I knew Brian wasn't going to make it. I knew that was not Brian anymore. That was just a body. Brian was already gone. About 2:30 in the afternoon ona Sunday, an Argentinian Doctor came in to check Brian. In Spanish, so no one could understand me, I told him, "Hey, that man right there and I don't have the same mother or father. But, he's my brother. He's not in there, is he?" He just looked back at me. I said, "You can tell me. They can't understand us. He's gone, isn't he?" He looked back at me and he nodded yes. So, I said, "Let me ask you this, what is the point of this machine slamming on his chest keeping him breathing?" He said, in Spanish, "That's the family's decision." So, I said, "What you're telling me is that if we stop this machine, he's going to go?" He said, "Yes. It could take 10 minutes, it could take a day, it could take week." I told him I appreciated what he told me and shook his hand. He said, "I'm sorry." I said, "No, you just made things easier for me." Believe it or not, the first person I turned to when I turned around was Jerry Lawler, his dad. Jerry was looking dead at me in my face. He said, "Del." I said, "Yeah." He said, "What did he say?" I said, "You know I love you and I love that man. But, he said Brian's not here with us." King looked at me and looked down. He looked back up at me, he turned and looked at Brian's mother, brother, and King's girlfriend... And, I think the referee Jerry Calhoun. He said, "All right. Lets take him off the machine." I said, "Are you sure?" He said, "Yeah, I'm sure." We called the Doctor back in and we told him the decision. He looked at King and King made the gesture with his hands to turn him off. Now, this was one of the kindest things I've ever heard. They wanted it to be only family. So, the immediate family was going to stay. King turned to me and said, "No, Del. Stay. You're part of the family." Everybody else had to go. Just me, his mom, his dad, and Kevin. They turned the machines off. And, Brian was gone in about 80 seconds. It felt like somebody punctured my heart."

On Jerry Lawler not believing Brian killed himself:
"At the end of the day, Jerry Lawler has to live with the fact that he doesn't know. The thing is, nobody knows what really happened. Nobody knows. Sometimes I think Brian was trying to do something and it backfired. You know? Brian was also on some medications and they weren't giving it to him in the prison. That had to have an impact on his psyche. But, the fact is, he's not with us anymore over some stupid stuff."