twn-news-2012

Zema Ion Interview

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:58:15 +0100

Michael Paris overcomes obstacles to graduate college, build career as TNA wrestler Zema Ion

CHARLESTON, West Virginia — More than six years after entering West Virginia University, Michael Paris got his advertising degree this month. And for as long as he can, he doesn't plan to use it.

Not while he's traveling the globe for TNA wrestling, which signed him in June 2011 as alter ego Zema Ion, a hair-obsessed Filipino supermodel.

"Right now I'm having the time of my life living my dream as a professional wrestler," said Paris, 26. "Anything I can do to avoid using my advertising degree, I'm going to make the most of those opportunities."

While he spent much of his college career traveling to small-scale wrestling gigs, now Paris flies to a sound stage every week at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, to tape segments that are televised on Spike TV.

Zema Ion's storyline is simple.

"Every two seconds he's spraying his hair, making sure it's still in place," Paris explains. "And, of course, this leads to my opponent constantly trying to messing it up, and Zema Ion then just going crazy and becoming aggressive because his opponent is messing up his hair."

It's a passion that bit Paris at an early age while growing up in the northern West Virginia community of Chester.

His father, a horse trainer, would spend months at a time on the road and return with wrestling figurines as presents for his children. Paris and his father often spent Saturday mornings watching wrestling on television. His father died when Paris was 5.

"It's one of my only memories of him," Paris said. "As my mom told it, I just wanted to be like my dad."

As a ninth grader, Paris received a wrestling videotape in the mail the day he was supposed to go after a spot on the Oak Glen High School basketball team. He never made it to the tryouts.

His father's best friend, Richard Lavell, became the son's mentor, paying for Paris to attend the Elizabeth, Pennsylvania-based International Wrestling Cartel academy when he was 16, driving him an hour-and-a-half every week, then traveling to pro matches across Pennsylvania and Ohio.

"Without Richard, none of this would be possible," Paris said. "He was the one responsible for my whole career."

Lavell downplayed his own role.

"I'm sure he'd have figured out a way," Lavell said. "He was always crazy about it."

IWC trainer Joe McMunn said Paris was one of the youngest students the academy ever had. Yet something made Paris stand out.

"He was more mature than some of the guys who were two, three, four years older than him," McMunn said. "He had good discipline to begin with. We were able to really build on that with him."

While attending college, Paris struggled to make ends meet as he traveled to wrestling performances. His brother, Steve, who had already graduated from WVU, paid for Michael Paris' rent for a year to enable him to continue wrestling.

"My brother is definitely another unsung hero in the story of Michael Paris," he said.

In 2010, Paris was invited to an open casting call for industry giant World Wrestling Entertainment. He was among 60 wrestlers selected to try out from among thousands of applicants. He didn't make WWE's final cut and was told he wasn't quite ready.

Paris started to second guess himself. At 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, he thought, perhaps he was too small for the big time. Meanwhile, the friends who attended advertising school with him graduated in May 2011, while he still was a few credits short.

"That's when I was like, man, there ain't nothing going right," Paris said. "I failed at wrestling. I still haven't graduated college. Is there ever going to be a light at the end of the tunnel?"

Less than a month later, there was.

He got a phone call from a TNA representative asking him to come to a tryout. Nashville, Tennessee-based TNA's top wrestling talent includes veteran wrestler and actor Hulk Hogan.

Paris still doesn't know how the organization got his phone number. He was told a TNA talent representative saw a video of him on YouTube.

He survived his tryout, which was broadcast live on Spike TV, and hasn't slowed down since.

In addition to his weekly trips to Orlando, this year Paris has wrestled in India and Mexico City, along with trips to Canada and places like Chicago and Phoenix.

But there was still that issue of college. When TNA signed him, Paris had been at WVU five years. Despite the travel challenges he got it done, taking one class each semester over his final two years in order to graduate.

When his body won't let him wrestle anymore, Paris not only can turn to his advertising degree, he can try spinning records. He's been training since June to become a disc jockey, a dream that morphed from an interest in music before he realized he had no talent singing or playing guitar.

"I'm not unrealistic about it," he said. "I could break my leg tomorrow wrestling. That would be the end of my career. Without a college career to fall back on, I don't know what I'd be doing with my life."

When it comes to importance, mentor and family friend Lavell said there's no comparing the pecking order of a diploma to a wrestling career.

"Graduation. Most definitely," he said.

Stone Cold Steve Austin WWE 13 Interview

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:56:45 +0100

While promoting WWE 13, Steve Austin spoke about how John Cena would have thrived in the Attitude Era and more. Here are the highlights…

On Working With Bret Hart: Man, working with Bret Hart was some of the most fun matches I've ever had in my life. There was Chicago and WrestleMania 13, over in South Africa, in Germany — and Bret had a pretty good stronghold over in Germany. Man, I loved working with Bret. I've got a lot of respect for Bret as a person, and everything he did as a pro wrestler. Hell, I remember one time we were working a show somewhere and Bret was in the main event. [Bret] got a flat tire on his Lincoln Towncar, and I changed his tire while he was in the ring working. Every day you work with Bret, you could learn something. We had 100 percent trust in each other, and 100 percent respect for each other. He's a badass guy, and I just — every night was a good night with Hart. That's the damn truth.

On John Cena Thriving in the Attitude Era: John Cena in The Attitude Era. Man, that's a good question. Yeah, had he been placed in it, and been dealt with accordingly, the John Cena you see now — the face of the franchise, the leader of the pack? Not so much. But I guarantee if you'd have gotten him face to face with "Stone Cold" in an interview, and you know John cuts a good interview himself, if I slapped the s*** out of that son of a b****, I think we're off and running to make a lot of money. All he needs is to be poked and prodded in the right way. I think John Cena has a hell of a lot of fire and he needs to be in the ring with the right opponent, or the right cat, to bring that out. So in the current environment, you really don't see that in him. Place [Cena] back 10 years in the ring with "Stone Cold"? You'd have rung the cash register, big time.

On Superstar Billy Graham: Oh man, it's like the DVD they made of "Superstar" — "20 Years Too Soon." He was. Man, that guy was just the perfect guy. He could have lived in The Attitude Era rather than "Stone Cold," had he been around a little bit later. I just think everything that guy did was so entertaining back in the day — the promos he cut, the outfits he wore. His work style was a little bit different than mine, obviously, but he had such a great look. You just thought he was a badass, and he was just a highly entertaining guy. Had they known, they could have done with Billy what they did with me, had they had the wherewithal or the chance to do it back then, but they didn't think of it back then.

Tommy Dreamer WWE Return Interview

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:55:44 +0100

Return to Raw was a dream come true By Tommy Dreamer

This past Monday, I made my surprise WWE return on the company’s flagship show Monday Night Raw.

What appeared, on the surface at least, to be a long-planned return for The Extreme Original Tommy Dreamer to his Philadelphia faithful was anything but, actually.

Here, exclusively for my faithful readers, is a behind-the-scenes look into my return.

I’ll start with last weekend, when I did my usual independent wrestling shows. I worked in Pittsburgh on Saturday for IWC (on Twitter @IWCwrestling), a group of very talented wrestlers who could all easily be on the WWE roster.

I flew home Sunday, watched TV, had some friends over for the holidays, ate pizza, cookies and cake. Yes, I cheated on my diet, but it was a good day of being a couch potato. I was actually kind of sad because WWE had a its TLC pay-per-view in Brooklyn, N.Y., at its new Barclay Arena. I would have loved to have been on that show, being that I trained in Brooklyn and my first match took place there. As I followed the show through tweets on Twitter, I could see it was a rocking show and that only added to my desire to contribute to it. I mean, who can use a table, ladder or chair in a wrestling match better than me? Haha!

Monday, I woke up feeling the guilt of eating all of the fatty food I had consumed the previous day. I restarted my diet goals (which I break daily), did my morning cardio, showered, paid some bills, went grocery shopping and went to the gym; an otherwise normal day.

Later, as I was preparing to go to my wrestling school to train my students, my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, so I send it to voicemail. Another call comes through, same thing. Then I received a text message from a high-ranking WWE official asking me if I was around. Hearing from people in the WWE isn’t out of the ordinary, given that I worked for them in numerous capacities for close to nine years, so I didn’t think much of it.

Then my house phone rang, which is unusual since I only have a land line for fax purposes and nobody calls that number. Everyone calls my cell. I picked up, and was asked if I could go to Philadelphia to be apart of the WWE’s annual Slammy Awards show.

I agreed and asked if I needed to bring a tuxedo or a suit, as I was guessing I would used as an award presenter. This person said they didn’t know and would call me back.

I asked them to please do that on my cell, that the land line is just a fax and emergency line. (Though I would consider this a wrestler emergency, there is a show in Philadelphia and it needs some Tommy Dreamer!

That original call came in at 3:30 p.m. and Monday Night RAW was taking place 100 miles (160 km) away from my house. That’s challenging without even considering traffic. The fun was just beginning. I jumped in the shower to get ready. As I finished, my cellphone rang. I answered it and was told to bring my wrestling gear, and that I would be wrestling but not to tell anyone. This had to be a surprise. The packing part wasn’t a problem, as I hadn’t even unpacked my gear bag from Saturday’s show. I shaved, threw on some fake tanner, made a protein shake and headed out the door at 3:50 p.m.

When that phone rings and I have to be somewhere, this wrestler gets the job done. I hit some traffic on the George Washington Bridge, and, at the New Jersey Turnpike it started raining. The show goes on the air live at 8 p.m. My phone started ringing again. It was the WWE contact, wanting an ETA. He called me every half hour to see how I was making out.

To be honest, this was my favourite part. I love the rush. It was my life for so long in the original ECW; everything happening last minute, or surprises coming into the company, to the elation of the crowd. These days, with social media, keeping a surprise is very hard to do. To keep a secret, it is very easy to do, don’t tell anyone. I have to admit, though, I did tell my mom. She isn’t on Twitter, though, and my grandmother may think Facebook is a new way to read. So, no worries there.

I don’t know how many more moments I will get in my career and I know my mom, and grandmother are proud. I also told my wife because I wanted my kids to see me on TV. I was recently asked in an interview if I have any regrets? I told them that my only regret is that my kids didn’t see me in the prime of my career. They are at that perfect age, eight, where their friends in school love the WWE and I would be the coolest dad in the world.

I began wondering what was in store for me on that evening. What would I be doing? Will the fans remember me? I haven’t been on WWE TV in three years. Who would I be wrestling?

And my god, did I have to pee, between the protein drink and all the rain, but I didn’t have time to stop. So, in a moment of shame, I peed in my blender, and then threw it out the window, only to have it splash back on my arm. (Awesome).

It was close to 7 p.m. and I was almost there, but traffic was brutal. I finally arrived, met my contact and went to hide on a bus with the other surprise for the night, The Nature Boy Ric Flair — and when I found out Flair would be on the bus with me, interally I say “WOOO!” but act I cool when I see my friend and fellow wrestling legend. WWE then has me take a physical, sign a bunch of forms, releases and contracts.

Then I was briefed on what as in store for the night. I was to be a mystery partner in a six-man tag team match with The Miz and Alberto Del Rio against the Three Man Band (3MB).

At this stage, even my partners had no clue what was going on. Eventually, I was allowed into the building, once the show started live. I was told to tell the other wrestlers I was just visiting. I saw so many people with whom I have shared great moments, or actually hired into WWE. I had a great time catching up with a lot of people. At about 9 p.m., I met with my partners to discuss strategy. I felt something I haven’t felt in a long time. Nerves. A thought went through my mind: what if I don’t get a reaction? WWE is, after all, watched by a lot of younger children, a whole new audience. Some wouldn’t be old enough to remember when I was wrestling.

I shook off my doubt and was determined I was going to do my best no matter what happened. Behind the curtain was tense, like it always is. I love that feeling; the calm before the storm. Then The Miz (who did a great job announcing me as his partner) said my name, the fans exploded.

As I walked out from behind the curtain, I saw a sea of people rising to their feet. Words can’t describe how elated and happy I felt inside, hearing more than 15,000 people chant my name. It was euphoric.

The match itself was good, the fans were surprised and most of all, they were happy.

In times of trouble in society, I always say wrestling is a great escape from reality. If you take it from its inner core, it’s good vs. evil, a roller coaster of emotions and one hell of a show. I put smiles on people’s faces and was given an opportunity and created a moment for myself. That really is what it is all about.

When I returned to my dressing area and picked up my phone, I had 117 text messages from friends, family, celebrities and sports figures, with nothing but positive comments and congratulations on my WWE return.

I couldn’t believe the amount of tweets I received, or possibly find time to respond to all of them. I trended worldwide on Twitter, which means, at one point in time, I was one of the most-talked about things happening on Twitter in the world. I drove the two hours home and recapped the perfect evening in my head over and over again.

The greatest part of all was the next day, my kids told me they saw me on TV and all the kids in school saw me and I won for them. They are so proud and love me. So I guess I have no regrets in my career now that I’m the coolest dad ever.

Thanks for reading.

Tommy Dreamer is a legendary and influential pro wrestler and a father and husband who has worked for WWE, ECW and TNA. Follow him on Twitter — @THETOMMYDREAMER — and check out his website at www.thetommydreamer.com, through which he can be booked for personal appearances.

Mick Foley Marvel Interview

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:54:51 +0100

From Cactus Jack to Mankind to Dude Love, three-time WWE Champion Mick Foley has played many roles in his career. However, none of those personas or accomplishments mean as much to him as being able to honor America’s servicemen and women as himself at WWE’s annual Tribute to the Troops, airing tonight on USA Network at 9 PM ET.

We spoke to the Hardcore Legend—and hardcore Marvel fan—about the importance of this event and what Marvel heroes he’d bring to the show.

Marvel.com: So let’s talk Tribute to the Troops! This is an event that you’ve been a part of almost since its inception. Has it changed much since the early years?

Mick Foley: It’s changed a lot in that we’re doing them in the U.S. as opposed to overseas. It’s a major difference. By doing it in the U.S. we’re able to show our support, have a great time, and not put the guys who are on the road full time through quite as much.

Marvel.com: Say you’re getting ready to head to the event, and you’re able to book a match with a Marvel super hero against a WWE Superstar—which heroes are allowed on the bus, who gets booked, against who, and why?

Mick Foley: Well for starters, I can’t bring the Hulk. He’d take up too much room and according to the John Belushi depiction, he can be rough on the bathroom.

Marvel.com: So Hulk definitely doesn’t get to go?

Mick Foley: No, but you have to bring Captain America, that’s a no brainer. And some of these guys are great crime fighters but the fact that they deliver charming humorous dialogue while engaging in battle is probably not something our troops need to pick up from them. So go with the more silent types like Doctor Strange.

Marvel.com: The Master of the Mystic Arts?

Mick Foley: I don’t know where I pulled Doctor Strange out of—he seemed good just a second ago. But sure! Why not!

Marvel.com: All right, so if you had to book Captain America in a match, who would you put him up against?

Mick Foley: Let me see…you know when led to a fight and a duel is do, the red and the white and the blue will come through when Captain America throws his mighty shield. I do know the lyrics to the 1964 cartoon. [Laughs] I’m trying to think do we have a heinous anti-American [in WWE]? You know what I’d put him against 3MB. Not because they have any anti-American sentiments, just because they’re jerks. Yeah I’d like to see Captain America come in and just clean house with 3MB.

Marvel.com: That would be a Tribute to remember, for sure. Speaking of which, do you have any favorite moments from past events?

Mick Foley: Yeah! I think my favorite moment was announcing that we have been signing a lot of autographs and that it was time for them to sign some autographs for me. So I threw a t-shirt out into the crowd for them to sign, and an hour later it made its way back into the locker room covered. It was like a work of art. It just had hundreds of signatures in every conceivable place. After holding on to it for several years, I thought that it really should be displayed at WWE headquarters. So I sent it along and I believe it’s framed and hanging there. But I also had the chance dressing up as Santa to vanquish the bad Santa Claus who turned out to be JBL in a Santa’s toy match where I ended up pummeling [him] with an oversized sack. A match so bad it was good.

Marvel.com: To close this out, you know as well as we do, comic fans love a good tease, so what should folks be looking for on the show?

Mick Foley: If anyone detects the Mick Foley cameo they will know that it is one of the greatest moments not only my career, but my life.

Tribute to the Troops airs at 9 PM ET on USA Network tonight with a replay this Saturday on NBC! Tune in to see Mick Foley and all your favorite WWE Superstars and learn more at WWE.com!

Ricky Morton Interview

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:54:25 +0100

Kayfabe Wrestling Radio
Check out the archive: http://www.wildtalkradio.com/kayfabe/kayfabe121812.mp3

One half of the legendary tag-team “The Rock N’ Roll Express” Ricky Morton joined Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Tuesday Night. In a nearly 30 minute interview, he discussed how the ‘Rock N’ Roll Express’ came together, facing the Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane and Steve Keirn), working for Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett in Memphis back in the day and how he got started in wrestling, the differences with wrestling today, on moving to and working with the Crockett’s NWA promotion, being part of Starrcade ’85 and selling out two arenas for one event, the iconic match between the Rock ‘N Roll Express and the Andersons from Starrcade ’86 and that being named Steve Austin’s favorite match of all time, working different styles and the role of the babyface back in the day, his times as Richard Morton in WCW with the York Foundation and what as more fun: being Ricky Morton or Richard Morton, his upcoming match with Jerry Lynn vs Kid Kash and MMA fighter Josh Shockman at Crossfire Wrestling’s TV Taping and more.

On how the Rock N Roll Express come together as a team: “Well, I knew Robert real good; but in 1983, matter of fact this is our 30 year anniversary that Robert and I have been tag team partners, Jerry Lawler in Memphis, Tennessee put us together in 1983. We were, back then, were looking for a place; they had the Fabulous Ones in there and were looking for another tag-team, so he (Jerry) put Robert and I together and they came up with the “R N’ R Express”, the Rock N’ Roll Express, and that’s what we stuck with man.

Working for Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett in Memphis and how he got into wrestling: “Oh, they were great. But you got to remember; we were back in the time when Memphis was real hot, that was after when Jerry and Jeff Jarrett and all of them came up there. Working for Lawler, you got to understand; not only working with Lawler, you had Bill Dundee too; they were two great, great thinkers, booker wise, for business. You got have to understand, you had to keep this territory going; you had to have new ideas. If you were working on top and you didn’t sell Memphis and Louisville and Evansville out, they moved you down the figurative spot.

That’s why I followed my dad’s footsteps; my dad was a referee there. He wrestled in the early days but he was a referee there in Memphis. You’ve got to understand, I’ve been in the business all my life; I broke into the business. I started when I was a very young kid, I’m talking back in elementary school, going with him and putting the rings up. But eventually I started in Memphis; I started out, first of all, with a promoter of the name of Nick Gulas in Nashville, Tennessee and then when I switched and went to Memphis and it was like going to the show, going the big leagues. When you stepped into the Memphis Coliseum, it was 10-12,000 people and that was every Monday night and working with these guys from all over; when you stop and look, some of the greatest stars that ever been in this business came out of Memphis, Tennessee because there you had to learn to carry the load, you had to learn what to do. You had Lawler, you had Jarrett and you had Bill Dundee and that was the main three that really ran that territory and kept it going, giving the people something to see every week and bring excitement to them. To me, it was a great pleasure to be there, you understand?”

The differences working back then as opposed to today: “Now-a-days, and I’m not taking nothing away from nobody, and understand these younger guys don’t have the opportunity to learn like we did and how sacred our business was too. You wrestled every night and you got into the programs and you were on a bicycle tape of the towns if you know what I mean by that; you went around from town to town and it wasn’t that you had the same match every night because you had to follow your TV shows and your shows were on a bicycle tape; it was a week late getting from Memphis to Louisville the next night. You might start an angle on Saturday with somebody that went to Memphis that Monday, but on that Tuesday, you had to wrestle from a week before that, which you shot on TV. And it was a great experience learning, not only that but watching how these guys ran these programs and kept them going. And another thing about back then, and I don’t know if you understand, the heel and babyfaces kayfabed; we didn’t even dress in the same locker rooms, so we didn’t have the time, like these guys do today, to go over every move of your match. When you went out, you called everything in the ring, you know, your finishes, well not the finish but every move you did. That was just the way it was back then with our business and I’m sorry that guys missed out, but business was different back then.”

What was more fun: being Ricky Morton or Richard Morton from this time with the York Foundation in WCW: “To tell you the truth, I’m Ricky Morton, that’s who I am and that’s who I’ve built my character off of for years. Robert (Gibson) got hurt, that’s what that was all about and I was lost in the shuffle. So, I had to keep a job, so they turned me heel and made me part of the York foundation. It’s not like I had a choice; I just needed to change a bit of character and it didn’t last for long because it wasn’t me and I didn’t stay in WCW much longer than that; that’s when Robert and I went to Smokey Mountain Wrestling and we toured. They only reason Robert and I weren’t together was cause Robert got injured and was out for about a year. So I had a lot more fun being Ricky Morton. We were just lost in the shuffle.”

For more information the upcoming Crossfire Wrestling TV Taping on January 5th, go to Crossfire’s website (www.crossfireLLC.vze.com), their Facebook (www.facebook.com/CrossfireWrestling) or through their Twitter page (@CrossfireLLC) to get the latest information, updated card of matches and more. A portion of proceeds from the event will benefit the Make-A-Wish foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Heyman, Dreamer, Styles & Foley Discuss WWECW

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:27:39 +0100

In spring 2006, devoted fans of ECW were shocked by the news: The promotion that went bankrupt in 2001 was making its return. They were more surprised by the brand name attached to the announcement: WWE. To say hardcore fans were cynical about the introduction of ECW as WWE’s third brand would be an understatement.

There were plenty of questions being bandied about ahead of ECW’s official relaunch at One Night Stand 2006. How extreme would the brawlers be allowed to get in a WWE ring? Would it be the counter-culture, envelope-pushing wrestling they had come to know and love passionately? At first, it seemed that way. But as 2006 continued, it became more and more evident that as much as the three letters appeared on TV every Tuesday night, the ECW of old was gone.

To get the real story behind the relaunch of ECW and find out whether it was “doomed from the start,” WWE Classics reached out to the people who lived it. Most were more than happy to speak at length about the new ECW. However, one person was not.

When we initially approached Paul Heyman about the subject, the ECW architect went on a lengthy tirade, accusing WWE.com’s reporters of engaging in yellow journalism and trying to ruin his current relationship with WWE.

Heyman tweeted his outrage at the topic, suggesting our time would be better served focusing on WWE Champion CM Punk’s record-breaking reign.

Later, he reluctantly agreed to talk with us. This is what he, and many of the men who worked for him, had to say.

Paul Heyman: Mr. McMahon first came to me right after Thanksgiving 2005 and said he had a concept of Shane [McMahon] running the business end of a relaunched ECW, with me heading the creative end, where the model would be digital distribution.

Mick Foley: I heard it was because of the success of the first ECW pay-per-view. The fact WWE had put together a successful ECW show gave an indication there was some interest in the product.

Tommy Dreamer: The two biggest proponents that put it together, and I don’t think a lot of people know this, were Shane McMahon and John Laurinaitis. From the corporate side, they were pushing hard for it and fought a lot to make it happen, due to the success of the [“Rise and Fall of ECW”] DVD and the first One Night Stand.

Stevie Richards: I was training with Shane McMahon for his match against Shawn Michaels on Saturday Night’s Main Event. Tommy Dreamer was there for a few of the sessions. That’s when I first heard about the relaunch of ECW, or at least the One Night Stand heading into the relaunch. The idea sounded great when we talked about it.

Matt Striker: WWE realized the popularity of ECW. Just because ECW went away doesn’t mean the fanbase did.

Joey Styles: I was told they were bringing Jim Ross back to Raw and that I was going to be hosting the relaunch of ECW, which would be happening following One Night Stand 2006. I knew it was a possibility, because when the company signed me to call One Night Stand 2005, they made it clear there would be one in 2006. That’s why it wasn’t called One Last Stand, but One Night Stand.

As work went into bringing the hardcore company back from the ashes, mixed feelings permeated among the ECW Originals who were going to be instrumental in the new brand. They were given signs of reassurance as the relaunch date of June 16, 2006, quickly approached.

Heyman: Mr. McMahon had a meeting with the heads of every department and announced that WWE was going for three brands: Raw, SmackDown and ECW. He made his intentions known that he fully expected every department to offer its resources and create a third global brand for WWE. He got up, announced that Shane was going to run the division and that I was not just the on-air, but the behind-the-scenes brand manager, then he left the room.

I never saw Mr. McMahon delegate authority that way, ever. Ever.

Foley: I’m one of those guys who thinks if anyone can do it, Mr. McMahon can. I just didn’t know if you could recreate the grassroots magic of ECW with anything but a grassroots company. I was skeptical.

Styles: I had no doubt that it was a bad idea.

Dreamer: I was told from day one it was going to be different, they wanted it to be different. They wanted smaller venues and a place to groom talent, what [the original] ECW essentially was.

Heyman: The moment Syfy was willing to pay a license fee for this program, I knew we had to adhere to certain philosophies that would negate the effectiveness of telling people that we are the alternative to WWE.

Styles: ECW was meant to be a throwback to pro wrestling. A Philadelphia newspaper once described coming to an ECW show as “feeling that you were witnessing something illegal” and that it was an “underground, secret event.”

Heyman: WWE had the obligation to present to the public a certain level of production value, shot a certain way, with a style that was identifiable as WWE’s. We were dead before we were ever born.

Still, the crew of ECW Originals plugged on toward One Night Stand, with the hope of putting on a show that was unique enough to appeal to the faithful devotees of the original ECW that were sure to tune in, while attracting a new generation of fans. Before the show even hit the air, it was apparent that was going to be a challenge.

Heyman: I thought, if left to carve its own niche, we could create a new style, using some unseen new talent rubbing up against the few handpicked WWE Superstars we’d move over to the new ECW. We had a legitimate chance to create an authentic style that had a fighting chance.

Dreamer: That night, I thought it was great. Behind the scenes, I could see the signs that this was going to become more of a WWE project. We were starting to get a little “Hey, don’t do this, don’t do that,” when in the original ECW, we had freedom.

Styles: One Night Stand 2005, to me, felt like I was with the original ECW. Fast forward a year, we’re back in the Hammerstein Ballroom and I’m watching [producers] run through The Sandman’s entrance. I don’t know what else I could say to drive home the point that this was a bad marriage. The Sandman’s entrance couldn’t be more anti-WWE. It was never rehearsed. It was a real life barroom brawler, who happened to become a wrestler, walking through the fans because he was one of them.

Richards: One Night Stand [2006] captured the feeling that made all the guys who were part of it or even watching think that they were going to make this an alternative-type product under the WWE umbrella. Obviously, we couldn’t go as far as we did in the original ECW, but it seemed like that feel and environment was going to be reinstated.

Styles: What really stood out was the World Heavyweight Championship Match between Rey Mysterio and Sabu. It ended in a No Contest when both of them went through a table. That’s not ECW. That would never happen in ECW, unless you fell off the top of the Hammerstein Ballroom, through the table, on the concrete.

Heyman: My gut feeling was always that it should have ended with the 2005 One Night Stand, although Rob Van Dam beating John Cena for the WWE Title (WATCH) made all the sense for the second One Night Stand, but because the original crew was so much older and the business itself had moved on from what the legend of ECW had become, it was doomed to fail.

Just two days after One Night Stand, the relaunched ECW kicked into full gear with the first edition of ECW on Syfy. The first episode was almost a mashup of WWE and ECW styles featuring characters like The Zombie interacting with hardcore originals like The Sandman. The main event saw Sabu defeat a mix of new and original ECW Superstars, including Big Show, in an Extreme Battle Royal. The show got mixed reactions from those involved and those who watched.

Dreamer: There were little glimmers of hope for the ECW fan. I felt like the fans knew what we were going through, because it wasn’t what we were told it was going to be.

Foley: I really enjoyed [the first shows]. I understood it couldn’t be what the original ECW once was, but I liked the spirit of the show. Kevin Thorn and Ariel stood out as an entertaining duo. It was quite different from SmackDown and Raw, which was probably the goal.

Heyman: I tried to find a way to save [the fans’] image of that brand for them. I kept thinking that by anointing Rob Van Dam as the World Champion and building a new generation around CM Punk, with Kurt Angle implementing an MMA hybrid style, we had a 1-2-3 punch that could get the audience hooked without alienating the original audience.

Striker: The thing that stands out to me the most is The Sandman hitting The Zombie with the Singapore cane and all the dust coming off his jacket. (WATCH) It was very interesting. It wasn’t the ECW I remember, but it was also something new. I was excited that something new was out there.

Styles: [The first show] in Trenton, N.J. was awful. Original ECW fans were so disappointed with One Night Stand 2006 and the fact that it was so different from the original. I got in the car and drove home realizing this wasn’t ECW. This was WWE’s ECW.

Dreamer: The biggest case in point was the last time WWE’s ECW went to the Hammerstein Ballroom, one of the original ECW’s home venues. They said the show needed more star power, so they gave them Big Show vs. Batista. Audibly, you could not even hear the announcers at the time. The fans just tuned out because it wasn’t what they signed on for.

Styles: I think that audience specifically bought tickets to boo us out of the building.

Richards: [The early episodes] sucked. We knew it wasn’t going to be what we saw at One Night Stand. However, I think [the fans’ treatment of Big Show vs. Batista] was overreaction. That kind of strong reaction can lead to a lot of interest.

Heyman: It looked like a show that was undergoing a struggle. You could see the square peg of where we wanted to take it and you could also see the round hole of it being the third WWE brand. It was a terrible fit.

Though the new ECW was struggling to figure out its place, a crop of new Superstars was emerging. Somewhere latching on to a straight-edge, tattooed grappler from Chicago who unleashed a flurry of martial arts strikes on unlucky foes. (WATCH CM PUNK'S ECW DEBUT) They were enamored with a pretty blonde so nice, they named her twice. Plus, they had throwbacks like Dreamer, Sandman, Sabu and Van Dam to remind them there was still a spark of the original ECW.

The brand would get another chance to shine on pay-per-view in December 2006. December to Dismember, for better or worse, marked a major turning point in the future of ECW as a WWE brand.

Richards: [December to Dismember] was set up to fail. It was in between two other pay-per-views, there was only 10 to 14 days from the previous one.

Heyman: The pay-per-view was scheduled right after Survivor Series in Philadelphia, where the audience reacted to CM Punk as such a huge Superstar that Triple H and Shawn Michaels let him do the “Are you ready?” portion of the D-Generation X routine.

There was no doubt in my mind that CM Punk was ready to explode and carry ECW. But because the headbutting had gotten so out of control between me and Mr. McMahon, I couldn’t get him on board.

Styles: On the show, every ECW Original lost. Bobby Lashley leapfrogged over Rob Van Dam and CM Punk [by winning the ECW Championship] (WATCH EXTREME ELIMINATION CHAMBER), which I believe was Paul’s breaking point and led to the confrontation between him and Vince. December to Dismember confirmed that this was a bad idea.

Richards: I know it’s popular to say you’re a Paul Heyman guy. I’m not a Paul Heyman guy, but he was right to walk out.

Heyman: The struggle over the course of the brand had turned personal between us. One of us had to go. I dare suggest that [Mr. McMahon] needed to stay, which left the other person in the equation, Paul Heyman, on a course back home for a much needed break.

Richards: Tommy Dreamer and I asked for our releases after the show. John Laurinaitis said no. I’m glad he did.

Dreamer: It was the worst pay-per-view ever. I had a long meeting with Mr. McMahon. I went to quit and he told me no. I told him how fed up I was with everything and we had a great talk. He told me not to quit. That was that.

Striker: What stands out most to me is seeing Paul Heyman cry. The show went off air, I believe a half-hour or 45 minutes earlier than any other pay-per-view does and Paul Heyman is crying. It told me that Paul knew something I didn’t, as usual.

Heyman: You can’t put a price on happiness and I was no longer happy in an industry that always fulfilled me. It was time for me to go.

After the controversy at December to Dismember, Paul Heyman left to focus on other opportunities outside sports-entertainment. It was nearly six years before he would be seen in a WWE ring again, at the side of his chosen one, CM Punk.

ECW soldiered on as a brand without him until February 2010, when it ended with the birth of WWE NXT. The whimper it went out with left everyone wondering what could have been done differently.

Dreamer: Everything should have been done differently. It should have been left alone and been autonomous. It would have been one hell of a show.

Heyman: I would have never called the brand ECW. Anything else, I had a million ideas. Every week, I pitched ways to change the name. But WWE’s investment was in the ECW brand and they had the right to exploit that.

Foley: I just don’t think [original ECW fans] thought it had the right to bear those three initials. I think if it had been called anything but ECW, it would have been OK. I think they saw the first two One Night Stands as an authentic tribute and that everything after that couldn’t measure up.

Richards: The opposite of everything they did [should have been done]. It’s not coming from a bitter place, but from the place of someone who cares about putting the best product out there. I cared deeply about my job and wanted everybody to [succeed], especially with the relaunch of ECW.

Styles: I don’t think anything could have been done differently, except not doing it to begin with. I really think WWE had all the best intentions and really thought they could make it a success.

Despite the negative feelings the relaunched ECW might drum up in its most fervent supporters, many of those who were part of it look back on it with fond memories of what it meant to them, as well as the future of sports-entertainment.

Heyman: I don’t regret that [the relaunch] happened. Closure is painful for a lot of people. There was no way to get ECW out of the conversation without it happening.

Styles: It gave career validation to Tommy Dreamer, Sabu and The Sandman, who got to team with Rob Van Dam and win at WrestleMania 23, with Tazz and I calling the match in front of 80,000 fans at Ford Field.

Dreamer: The same people who rip WWE’s version of ECW come up to me and say, “The night you won the title was great.” That happened in WWE. It was a great victory because it proved to me, mentally and physically, that I could still hang and have good matches. That’s what it’s all about.

Striker: It was an opportunity for a lot of guys in our locker room that weren’t getting one. It was an opportunity for me to go and out and wrestle every night and learn every single night. I learned from Tommy Dreamer. I learned from my friend Test. I learned from Sabu.

Styles: And me constantly giving Mr. McMahon suggestions to improve WWE.com led to him moving me into digital media, where I’m much, much happier than announcing.

Heyman: We did get to launch a lot of new talent, one of whom is your current, reigning, defending WWE Champion. If for no other reason, because it provided the launching pad for CM Punk, the new ECW, as miserable as it was, left behind something in its legacy that’s a major positive for WWE.

Jerry Lynn Interview

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:26:24 +0100

Jerry Lynn recently spoke with Tony Z, Eddie and Matt at Shining Wizards about his career and more heading into his match at ROH Final Battle. Check out the highlights:

On his run with WCW and the creation of Mr. J.L: "Brad Rheingans had ties with them, and he had asked me to come to his camp and help train the session he had at the time, and I asked him "It's been seven years, what do I have to do to get a break?" And Brad said, "Well, it's all changed, it's TV now, you have to come up with something visual." So I had an idea in my mind before he mentioned that, 'cause I'd been going to Japan quite a bit for Universal Pro and Michinoku, and saw a lot of cool masks, and no one was doing that in the states. And at the time the Power Rangers were pretty popular on TV so I thought I'd come up with something similar to that but not exactly like it. And they (WCW) said that was exactly what they were looking for. So when I showed them the outfit, they brought me in, but they gave me such a lame name. But I was probably the last thing they had on their minds, because they had a lot of heavy hitters, with the NWO and stuff. I would tell people, no, that's Jushin Liger."

On his time in ECW: "It was ironic that I even went to ECW because when I was living in Atlanta wrestling for WCW I'd get together at my buddy's place and watch ECW, and I always swore up and down that was one company that I would never work for. I was watching Balls and Sandman trading chair shots, then they'd hit each other with anything the fans handed over the rail; frying pans, Super Nintendos, and microwave ovens. It was crazy. But I ended up there anyway...I had a tryout match in WWF with Taka Michinoku, and when that aired, Paul E. knew I wasn't with WCW anymore, and he had Chris Candido hunt me down. He asked me if I wanted to do a couple shots. So I was like OK, this is what I want, and one more thing: I don't want some idiot hitting me in the head with a frying pan. It worked out alright at first, but then I wound up getting clocked in the head with that kendo stick, a few chairs here and there, and I don't know how many tables I went through, and how many Van Daminators I took."

On working with Justin Credible and taking the next step: "At first, I would come up with ideas involving here and there, tables and who knows what else, and I always asked permission first, and I'd get shot down. And finally, Justin and I had a 2-out-of-3 falls match at the Arena, and I told Justin before the show that we're not going to ask permission to do anything out there. We're just going to go out there and do what we do. And after that, everything changed. I was just tired of being held back. I had more freedom."

On working with Rob Van Dam: "The first time I wrestled Rob, I came back through the curtain, my nose was bleeding, my lip was bleeding, I had blood coming out of my shoulder, my head was stuck turned to the side, and Al Snow sees me and said "you look like you've been through a war," and I looked at him and said "it's not supposed to be like this!" It's funny, Rob and I played rough, and it seems like every match either he or I or both of us got popped open. And the more they (the fans) were digging it, and the louder and rowdier they are, the harder we worked."

On the creation of the "New F'N Show" gimmick: "This is the coolest thing. I never could never think up a weird, wacky gimmick for myself, you know, some show biz name or anything like that. And in Asbury Park at Living Dangerously, I think it was Rob and I in his first PPV match, after a series of moves, one whole section of the crown started chanting 'New F'N Show.' And the name just stuck. It was kinda cool that the fans gave me that name."

On the current state of pro wrestling: "When you have the bookers and storywriters hired from Hollywood, and they know absolutely nothing about wrestling, it becomes, you know, what do you do? When I do seminars, I tell guys watch older wrestling from the 80s. It was working, they must've done something right. Like in the earlier days of TNA, I liked the way they were furthering storylines. When I was in the feud with AJ Styles, we would do stuff like one of us would jump the other in catering, and we're fighting over tables and stuff instead of going to the ring and having a Def Comedy Jam with microphones. It's ridiculous. There's so many times with guys out there sounding like two kids on a playground going 'my dad can beat up your dad.' If you're really pissed off and you're serious, and you're in a built up feud and there's heat, you're like alright, shit's on, let's go. That's why I miss the old NWA days where the Four Horsemen followed Dusty into the parking lot of the TV studio and jumped him. Stuff like that. Or when Eddie Gilbert and Tommy Rich in the USWA, Tommy Rich just bloodied him and Eddie came out and apologized, he had tears in his eyes, a heartfelt apology, and then he turned on him again. It was brilliant. Old school worked. Old school psychology will still work, you just fit the fancy new moves like a piece in the puzzle, where they make sense. Otherwise it's just a stunt exhibition. There's a lot of guys that are in this to prove how tough they are. It's not about that. If you do this for any significant amount of time, you're gonna lose. The human body wasn't made for this whatsoever... Brad Rheingans, the guy who trained me, told me the secret to having a good match every time is if you and your opponent go out there and try to make each other look like a million bucks. But now it's so many guys that are like 'I wanna get this in.' It's all me-me-me. And when I'm gonna be in there with someone like that I'm just like 'oh, God, this is gonna be like pulling teeth' and 'am I gonna get out of this alive?' and all, and they forget the show isn't about one person, it's a team effort."

On if there was anyone he didn't look forward to working with: "I'll have to admit, Rob and I were practically married it seemed for a couple of years there, and there were some nights I just wanted an easy night. And when I saw my name with Rob I was like 'oh, boy.' 'Cause he wasn't going to let up, I wasn't going to let up, we were wrestling each other three nights in a row on a weekend, it was crazy, and all those house show matches were PPV matches, I think."

On if he plans to open a wrestling school: "That's a tough gig. You gotta have a building, you gotta have a ring, you gotta have insurance in case someone gets hurt. Most people who wanna get into wrestling don't have money. I wouldn't want to put someone on a payment plan 'cause who's to say they won't quit after a few weeks and then run around and say Jerry Lynn trained me, and they're the drizzling shits. So I'd collect all the money up front, but no one has money. So that's a tough gig."

Eve Torres Gives Self-Defense Tips

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:25:34 +0100

Self-Defense Tips From WWE Divas' Eve Torres

Eve Torres is an engineer-turned-professional wrestler whose talents include solving Rubik's Cubes, weathering broken noses, and applying her own fake lashes. Still, the WWE Divas champ found herself vulnerable when a group of guys ganged up on her at a gas station while she was on the road solo. She's since learned to protect herself through Jiu-Jitsu-based techniques and is sharing her self-defense tips to help keep you safe.

Embrace Girl Power
"You don't have to be a tomboy to defend yourself. You can be feminine and wear heels, dresses, and makeup, and still be a powerful woman—physically, mentally, emotionally. My WWE Divas championship belt is pink and sparkly, but it doesn't mean I'm a princess. It means girls can kick butt!"

Know Your Enemy
"Having the right mentality is a huge part of self-defense. We need to understand our predators. We always think it’s the guy lurking in the alley or the parking lot. What we don’t always think about is 78 percent of sexual assaults are actually by people we know.

Don't Phone It In
"A lot of us have a radar when we're in dark alleys or walking alone, but it should be common practice. Look over your shoulder. Get off your phone. Predators look for those who are unsuspecting and if you’re involved in your text message conversation, you’re probably not thinking about who's approaching you."

Help a Sister Out
"If you see a woman who is struggling with bags or looks struggling in general, help her. Don’t leave her vulnerable to someone else."

Shout It Out
"If someone is scaring you, don't hesitate to make yourself known. The second you feel unsafe, put up your hands and say 'Stop!' If they were just going to ask you the time, the worst that can happen is they’ll be like, 'Sorry lady, I didn't mean to scare you.' If you say 'stop' and they keep going, now you have some warning."

Scream, Kick, Punch
"If a predator tries to get a hold of you, yell, kick, and punch. Do all of the typical self-defense measures you've heard of—eye-gouging, knee to the crotch. Anything you can do to cause a scene. A predator will want to isolate you and get you to the ground or a surface. Anything you can do to avoid that and get home is great."

Don’t Panic
"If someone gets you to the ground, all of the chaos has to calm down. This is something to really learn in self-defense training: Conserve your energy and you let them exhaust theirs. Hold someone so close so that they can’t punch you. When they shift from focusing energy on subduing you to attempting a sexual assault, the second they start to loosen up, act on your escape opportunity right away."

Go on the Offensive
"If you cannot break free from a predator, there are many techniques you can learn in self-defense that focus on leveraging your body to defeat someone stronger than you. One of the most powerful positions we teach is to choke a man when he's between your legs. You can render him unconscious."

Nigel McGuinness Interview

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:24:20 +0100

Kayfabe Wrestling Radio interview with Nigel McGuinness

Former ROH World Champion, TNA star and current ROH “Matchmaker” Nigel McGuinness joined Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Tuesday Night. In a nearly 30 minute interview, he talked about the creation of his documentary “The Last of McGuinness”, using Eddie Edwards as a cameraman for the project, his thoughts on some calling him a ‘modern day ROH legend’, does he hope wrestling will return more towards wrestling and away from gimmicks and storylines, his views on blood in wrestling today, how to move forward training people perhaps against blood loss and unprotected chair shots in wrestling, the testing standards in some of the major wrestling federations, being named ‘Matchmaker’ of ROH, his experiences with improve comedy and more.

His inspirations for doing the final tour and DVD documentary: “It was really (Colt) Cabana; ‘Cabana’s Road Diaries’ I think was really a big inspiration. You know, cooked him a little bit and he was happy how it turned out. Took a long time from the time they started filming it to actually get it finishing, I think two and a half years for it to finally get out there but he said it turned out well for him, so I thought well, you know, I’ll give it a shot. I didn’t know anything about it at the time, I didn’t know how to even shoot footage or even the first thing about editing it but like he said to me ‘You just gotta give it a go’. So I did, I gave it a go and you’ve seen the results.”

His thoughts on some calling him a ‘modern day ROH legend’: “Well, thank you, I appreciate it. A lot of people were involved, from day one when Gabe had that idea of what Ring of Honor was going to be and toeing that fine line between putting too much into storylines and letting the boys go out there and sort of get over on their own; that’s why Gabe (Sapolsky) was so good at what he did and Cary (Silkin) obviously standing behind the company when we had some difficult financial times. Some many guys came through there: Alex Shelly, Austin Aries and the list just goes on of some many talented guys who came through Ring of Honor.”

Does he have hope wrestling will return to wrestling and not just storylines and gimmicks: “Um, no. You know, I think Ring of Honor is doing a great job of trying to fill that niche, fill that niche for people that want to see more action bell to bell, believable sort of stuff. But, for it to become mainstream like it used to be in the 70’s; where you’d see a Dory Funk and a Jack Brisco go out there, or those sort of guys on a national level, I’m not really sure if people have the, what’s that word, the patience to watch it, to watch a story develop without the backstory behind it. It’s tough, it’s difficult; I think that with Ring of Honor going forward, that’s what we have to do; we have to try and understand our audience and decide which direction we’re going in. And I think now, with Delirious at the helm, we’ve certainly got a good game plan to do that.”

His views on the use of blood in wrestling today: “What’s that say when you see someone covered in blood now? How do you feel; do you just brush it off and go ok, or does it have an effect where now… I’m hoping, I would hope now that anyone watching that sort of thing would have a stronger appreciation for the dangers involved. I’m not going to tell anybody how to function; I’m not going to tell any company necessarily; I think changes need to be made. I don’t think there’s anybody in this day and age that can look at unmitigated blood loss, intentional blood loss in a match and thing that’s really a good idea. You know, TNA, they test guys every 6 months; they’ve vaccinated all of their wrestlers for Hepatitis B. So, they’ve certainly taken some steps to protect their guys, which I fully applaud. My concern is with Ring of Honor, because it is the company I work for now, and I’ve talked to the people in charge and everyone is on the same page; intentional blood loss, I don’t think, is a prudent thing in today’s world and I think they all agree with that and we’re currently in the process of basically trying to get some kind of working protocol, to where we can protect the guys but, at the same time, insure that people who paid money and arguably driven 4-5 hours to watch a show, aren’t going to be disappointed and feel as though they spent their money for nothing. So, we’ve got to find a happy medium and, as I said, we are working on that.

In the independents, or in Ring of Honor, we kind of have to police ourselves, and that being the case, I should hope we see, in the future, if it’s a big match and people can get tested before hand, then I think, to a certain extent, that should mitigate a lot of the concerns and a lot of the fears. I talked to a very prominent infectious disease specialist this week and, as we discussed, you have to find that happy medium, you know what I mean? You can’t be testing guys every week before every single match they wrestle because it’s just not practical and at the same time, the chances of someone getting something if they were tested the week before, obviously, is very slim so you’ve got to find that sort of middle ground; how far is too far and how far is too short? So, we’re working on that, we’ve got some things in place for the show this weekend in New York City to make sure that we are going to protect the guys. I just think that, if someone gets cut open on accident and it’s a little bit of blood, I don’t think it’s crazy to say ‘Ok, let’s just let this match continue. But to let it happen intentionally, whether there’s a ton of blood, given what we know now about infectious diseases and how easy it is to transmit them; I don’t think it’s conscionable in today’s industry. But, again, that’s just my feeling and that’s why I made this movie, one of the reasons I made this movie, it to try and explain how I feel and hope that other people would understand. In my mind, it’s an archaic thing, much like chair shots to the head; 10 years ago, no one blinked an eyelid about that and just accepted that it was part of the business and I would hope now, in the future, that I know intentional blood loss will be one of those same sort of things. But we’ll have to see; we’ll have to see how fans react to it, if fans really care or not.”

How do you move forward in the future training guys against blood or unprotected chair shots: “You know, you just got to go out there and do it, really. And more importantly, you know who has control? The people who have control are the fans; en masse, the fans have control because if the fans do want to see something; I’ll tell you now, when I watch independent matches and, every now and again, I see an unprotected chair shot or something like that. When I see that, you feel the energy go from the crowd because half the crowd just goes ‘I don’t want to watch this’ because they understand how dangerous this is. So, they are the people that have control; this is how to get this thing through and I hope, not just because of me, but there are lots of other instances didn’t get the same sort of profile because it wasn’t done in a documentary but there are plenty of other people who are other there now with Hepatitis C that could have passed it on to someone else, and thankfully didn’t.”

On being named ‘Matchmaker’ and if it was known or a surprise: “Yeah, we discussed it before hand; I talked with Delirious and I had talked with several of the guys beforehand about the possibility of it and it just adds another string to my bow; I’ll still be doing commentary from time-to-time in some of the big matches. Obviously, the ‘Matchmaker’ would certainly have an interest in being there at ringside. So, I think I’ll still be doing some commentary but certainly doing the Matchmaker side of things as well.”

To order a copy of his “Last of McGuinness” DVD documentary or t-shirt, you can visit www.nigelwrestling.com for all the ordering information and options. You can also follow Nigel on Twitter (@McGuinnessNigel) or through his Facebook (www.facebook.com/nigel.mcguinness.7). You can also see Nigel weekly on Ring of Honor television programming, through your local Sinclair Broadcasting Group stations and at this weekend’s “Final Battle 2012” iPPV; visit www.rohwrestling.com or Ring of Honor on Twitter (@ringofhonor) for the latest on upcoming events and listing of stations showing Ring of Honor programming.

Michael Elgin Interview

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:23:33 +0100

Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Interview with Michael Elgin

ROH star, 2011 ‘Survival of the Fittest’ winner and AAW Heavyweight Champion “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin joined Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Tuesday Night. In a nearly 20 minute interview, he talked about missing the 2007 Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup due to injury, what it is like returning from a severe injury back into the ring, his first ROH run back in 2007 and what he learned from it, his strength training what is on his ‘no eat’ list, what made him say yes to being in the ‘House of Truth’ stable, was it management’s choice or his own not to talk on camera for a while, the potential “Match of the Year” he had with Davey Richards from ‘Showdown in the Sun’ and if he can go back and critique his own work objectively, tougher opponent to face: Davey Richards or Kevin Steen, if he’s comfortable with Nigel McGuinness as ‘Matchmaker’ over Jim Cornette, his upcoming match with Roderick Strong at ROH’s ‘Final Battle 2012’, his Title defense at ‘AAW Wrestling’s ‘One Twisted Christmas’ and more.

Returning to the ring after a severe knee injury and what it was like to be back in the ring: “You’re kind of cautious, but you’re more cautious before you even get in the ring, to the point where you go ‘Can I do this; can I do that? I’ve got to take it easy’ but then you wrestle and you just don’t take it easy. But, luckily, I had a good brace that kept everything together. I came back a little too early, but that’s just how we operate usually and luckily it’s held together. I’ve had a scare or two since then but nothing’s wrong with it so hopefully it continues to stay whole for me.”

His first run in ROH in 2007: “Ring of Honor had been a goal ever since it had started. It was a show I’d watched when I started training and just instantly became a fan of it. So, I definitely wanted to be there, I just felt it would help me get more exposure and also it was a great company and to be a part of something like that would be kind of a right step to fulfill a career. Looking back though, I kind of happy that nothing came about it, in 2007, because I don’t think I would have been prepared for it.
I was still really young and I’m sure that I probably would have stepped on some toes and definitely not been at the point in my career now and as good as I am now. So, I think that, luckily, I knew what I needed to work on back then and being so long till I got back to the company in 2010, gave me 3 years to sit back and work on myself, to better myself, so that when I did get a big opportunity in Ring of Honor I can sting instead of being in and out.”

What made him say yes to being in the ‘House of Truth’ and if it helps that Truth Martini was a former wrestler: “Yeah that’s definitely a big help and also actually Truth Martini has been very influential throughout my whole career. He actually gave me my first match ever as well as when I was on the road he came and often hung out and he was close friends with guys who were on that show, so I got a lot of time to spend with him and he’s such a knowledgeable person that he’s the type of guy you want to have on your side.”

His match with Kevin Steen from ‘Showdown in the Sun’: “Well, I definitely can watch my stuff but I’m definitely one of the guys who critique everything I do. As a wrestler and as a perform, I think most of us; I don’t want to speak for everybody but I know the people I’m close to, we want to be as good as we can be and we want to give everybody a ready to watch us and to do that, we have to be on top of our game. So, you definitely want to critique every little thing and you don’t get better unless you do; you can never sit back and say ‘Oh, I had a perfect performance. I did this great’. You need to look at it as ‘What can I do better to better myself for the next time I’m in the ring.’ So, I definitely watch it and say ‘Oh, I can do this better’ or ‘It would have been good if I do this’ because you always want to make sure your next performance is better than your last. So I definitely do watch it and critique it.

As for the match, I knew going in to the match that it was a big opportunity and I knew that if I didn’t perform, the faith wouldn’t be there to put me in an opportunity like that again. And, from a fan perspective, I wanted to make sure that everybody knew that I was a guy to watch and I was a guy to count on to say ‘Oh, he’s going to have a good match tonight’. Because I think that goes a long way, when fans pay for a live show or a DVD or an iPPV; if you’re one of those guys they like to watch, it’s definitely going to help your career. So, going into it I was definitely prepared and it was one of those times where I had to put all the pressure on myself to make sure I could perform with someone like Davey, because without a doubt and no matter what anyone else says, he’s definitely one of the best in the world and I wanted to show everyone that night that I could hang with the bets in the world and one day be the best in the world. So, it’s definitely one of those times where I felt all the pressure was on me to perform, and I’m just glad everything worked out the way it did and Davey is a great opponent and my favorite opponent.”

Who was the tougher opponent he faced for the ROH Heavyweight Title: Davey Richards or Kevin Steen: “You know, it’s tough to say. Both men are so different in their styles and what they bring to the table. It’s hard to just pinpoint, you know, which man is more difficult to be in the ring with and which is the harder opponent; because they are both hard opponents and they’re both amazing. And they both have held the Ring of Honor World Title; one currently and one prior and that’s a big feat. I mean, if you look at the list of names of Ring of Honor World Champions, it’s a who’s who of pro wrestling. So, definitely both are amazing wrestlers and very hard opponents, as you can tell; I mean I’ve had two opportunities at the World Title and I have yet to win it. So, they definitely had my number on those nights; I have recently gotten my win back from Davey, so now, next I need to get my win back from Steen.”

You can follow Michael on Twitter (@ROHMichaelElgin) or you can also see Michael weekly on Ring of Honor television programming, through your local Sinclair Broadcasting Group stations and at this weekend’s “Final Battle 2012” iPPV; visit www.rohwrestling.com or Ring of Honor on Twitter (@ringofhonor) for the latest on upcoming events and listing of stations showing Ring of Honor programming. You can also see Michael defend his AAW Heavyweight Championship at ‘One Twisted Christmas on December 29th. Go to www.aawrestling.com or follow AAW Wrestling on Twitter (@AAWPro) for information on the card and all the latest news.

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