Doc Gallows Reveals Wild Deep South Wrestling Gimmicks: Tarantulas, Nudity, and Donuts
A veteran performer known today for his work in Bullet Club and as one-half of The Good Brothers, Doc Gallows once endured a series of bizarre and often painful experiences while attempting to break into professional wrestling. Appearing on the Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw podcast, Gallows recounted his time in WWE’s developmental system, Deep South Wrestling, detailing two particularly memorable incidents involving a live tarantula and an unconventional attempt to avoid training.
Gallows explained that, as a “green” rookie, he desperately sought ways to stand out. He developed a character centered around a real spider, purchasing a Mexican red leg tarantula from a pet store. “I got used to this spider, and I would talk in these different voices with the spider, and cut these promos,” he said.
However, the gimmick escalated to a dangerous level during a promo class. “I get this idea I’m going to put him in my mouth,” Gallows confessed. “Open my mouth. He’ll crawl out, and I’ll cut the promo… I go, ‘This will get me called up. I think it’s fucking genius.’” The plan backfired spectacularly when the spider bit his tongue and released irritating hairs into his throat, causing an allergic reaction that constricted his airway. “All of a sudden I realized my fucking throat’s closed,” he recalled, ultimately requiring a trip to urgent care while still in his wrestling gear.
The tarantula incident wasn’t the only outlandish story from Gallows’ time in Deep South Wrestling. He also described the infamous “Donut Day” incident, born out of a desire to avoid a grueling Friday training session. Matt Cardona (then known as Zack Ryder) volunteered to receive a running “stinkface” – a wrestling move – from a naked wrestler while holding donuts in his mouth. “Somehow I, the spider-eating freaking Deacon, got volunteered to be the nude man,” Gallows said, adding, “But you know, I figured it was better to be the guy given’ than the guy sitting in the corner with the donuts in his mouth.”
Gallows performed the stunt, maintaining a degree of modesty with only a Texas Longhorns hat. “Twenty times, bam, wham, wham, wham, every time they’re feeding him another donut, smash. We didn’t have to practice, though.”
Despite these unconventional and often painful attempts to gain recognition, Gallows’ early characters didn’t immediately catch on. He would eventually find success in WWE as Festus, a member of the Straight Edge Society, and later as one-half of The Good Brothers alongside Karl Anderson. Today, the team continues to thrive in the tag team division, competing in high-profile matches on the independent and international wrestling circuits.
