10. His Ring Name Is Meant To Be Taken Literally...
When it came time to christen young Tom Laughlin for the wrestling ring, he settled on the name Dreamer, because thats what he felt like he was, a dreamer who was lucky enough to be living his dream. Its the sort of name that speaks directly to the Tommy Dreamer characters outlook, but also to the real-life feelings of Laughlin, who grew up in an upper-middle class neighbourhood in Yonkers, New York, wishing he could be a pro wrestler. Says Dreamer; It was always my dream to be a pro wrestler. Before my first match, Johnny (Rodz - WWE Hall of Famer and Tommys trainer, who also trained Bully Ray, Devon Dudley and Taz, amongst others) said you need a name and I came up with that The name was also adopted in honour of Tommys childhood hero, The American Dream Dusty Rhodes, one of the most charismatic and influential figures the wrestling business has ever seen. Although he briefly wrestled as T.D Madison at the beginning of his career, the name Tommy Dreamer perfectly encapsulated everything you needed to know about the ultimate fan turned pro.
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