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have you been since the last time we talked? I’ve been doing well and feeling great. I couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable break the last two months. I even gained 3 pounds, which for me is a pretty big accomplishment considering my metabolism level. You are on the verge of your biggest tour. How are things looking for the Honky Tonk Tour? It’s looking great. The publicity in each town is absolutely incredible, just what I was hoping for. I’ve never worked so hard at promoting a tour as I am doing with this one. We should have pleasing turnouts in every town. I’m really looking forward to it, it’s a big step forward for MainStream Wrestling and a great way to jump start the season. You have been accused of not paying some of your wrestlers. You also have been quoted by a few of your wrestlers saying "not getting paid is part of paying your dues". Care to comment on that? I don’t ever recall saying those exact words. What people don’t understand and can’t seem to grasp is that wrestling is its own business. It’s unlike any other, even when it comes to money. If the money is there at the end of the night, everyone gets paid, even the people in non-wrestling positions. Anyone with less than 50 matches who sees a dime after the ring is torn down should be grateful, but instead some of these guys who are stars in their own mind would rather burn their bridges and bitch and moan and call me an asshole and say things like "when I did get paid it was an insult" and "when Dev paid me it was only enough for a meal at Macdonalds". Guys with a handful of matches and especially those who don’t have wrestling attire should be thankful they have a place to wrestle on a weekly basis to better themselves. What happens to a wrestling company that spends money they can’t afford to, just to keep everyone happy even when the gates are low? They close up shop. It’s independent wrestling and that’s the way it works. If you expect to make a living in independent wrestling, at least in these parts, you need to either take your head out of your ass or work for a wealthy promoter. Do you think it is professional to run a business in where some of the employees do not get paid? (other than wrestling) Depends on the nature of the job. I was a freelance writer for newspapers years ago. I would submit my work to various publications and sometimes I got paid well and sometimes I saw shit. When I was just starting out I had only been writing for a short time and my work wasn’t nearly as good as it is now. Back then I’d be happy to take what I got and keep learning because there was opportunity to grow. It’s much the same as independent wrestling. If I was under contract and was required to get paid salary, well of course I would expect to get paid. Things don’t work like that in independent wrestling and never will, at least not in the Maritimes. If they did there would be no indy wrestling circuits because they'd never be able to stay afloat. Recent history speaks for itself. You also worked for a promotion called Canadian Pro Wrestling at the start of August 2003 which I was embarrassed to be seen at. All the legitimate workers that worked for the promotion soon after wrote commentaries about how they were embarrassed to be there too, most of which called the show an abortion. How could you work for a promotion that clearly used so many untrained people? Well, first of all, none of us legitimate workers had any idea that almost three quarters of the line-up were local backyarders. We knew of about two and thought what the hell. Of course it was a different story when they filed into our locker room shaking to death in cold sweats when they seen the professionals they were sharing the space with. Those shows were absolute trash and a total disgrace to wrestling of any kind. Not even the pro matches could save it. It was the absolute worst thing I ever associated myself with. Tom Steers should never have gotten involved in wrestling and should never again. Most of us were ready to walk out on the third and final day and probably should have, but our thinking was "it’s the last one, they’ll never run again and neither will the promoter, and by this time next year no one will ever remember it." We got paid and put it all behind us. As for me working for another backyard outfit later that summer, well, they don’t exist anymore do they? I did that for a reason, I’m not a stupid person. As of February 12th, 2004, how many matches have you had? About 160 Cinder seemed to be a mainstay in MSW, had a strong following with the "Cinder Block" fans, then he seemed to disappear. What happened between MSW and Cinder? Cinder expected to receive all the same benefits as guys who’ve been around wrestling twice as long as he was and it just wasn’t going to happen. He had no respect for me, decided who he was going to wrestle some nights and got upset when I didn’t book him one week. That was the last I heard of him. Shortly after, he blasted me on your web site and should’ve embarrassed his colleagues by the things he said. I know where he trained and I doubt very seriously he was taught to act the way he did when he was in MSW. I don’t think he’s the person everyone makes him out to be. How is the MSW/NWH alliance going? Well, New Wrestling Horizons and MainStream Wrestling will be working together for the first time next week on the Honky Tonk Man Tour and so far everything is right on track. Who knows how it will go down the road. Time will tell I suppose. I think it will prove to be successful for both companies. What was your low point wrestling-wise in 2003? Working for 2 backyard feds and my match with Seaman White over the summer in Halifax. Vance Nevada or Rob Stardom, who is the true Canadian Champion? Vance Nevada is of course. He is the consummate professional and a true champion. When you are done in the wrestling business, how would you like to be remembered? As a promoter: I would like to be remembered as the hardest-working promoter in Eastern Canada and the one guy who put his heart, mind, and soul into his dream and persevered through every setback to keep his wrestling promotion alive. As a wrestler: I would like to be remembered as the best skinny wrestler in the Maritimes who was never afraid to act a certain way or hide who he really was, or show his white bare ass to get a reaction. I did it all with guts and I did it with pride. In what ways would you like to see wrestling changed? I would like to see the green wrestlers show more respect for the people who helped them on their journey and for the business itself. There are way too many smart-ass punks in wrestling who should never be allowed to go near a wrestling ring. That's actually one of the few things Lincoln Steen and I agree on, lol. As far as wrestling itself goes, I’m extremely pleased that there is less "shock wrestling" and hardcore wrestling now. I don't give a shit what anyone’s opinion is, any idiot can jump through 3 tables and split their heads open with the jagged edge of a garbage can, but that’s not what wrestling is all about. There is a time and a place for that gimmick and it’s certainly not every night of the week. I love the WWE’s new "return to wrestling" approach where the matches are starting to make sense again. If promotions don’t adapt to that in some aspect, wrestling will grow stale and eventually plummet. How has wrestling changed for you over the past year? My outlook and opinion on nearly every aspect of the wrestling business has altered a bit over the past year. Our schedule certainly changed, we were so busy on a weekly basis there was more pressure, more stress, more things to deal with on a nightly basis and it all started to really catch up with me. By our last show in December I was mentally, physically, and emotionally drained. You have to take time for yourself and gather yourself up again after so much or it becomes hazardous to your health, in more ways than one. I was glad to have worked and worked with a bunch of new guys regularly last year and I think for the most part I managed to deal with the pressure pretty well. It was a true test for me to wrestle weekly and keep everything going. It made me a smarter, stronger, and prouder promoter, wrestler, and person. I’ve learned a lot and am still learning with each passing show. You don’t learn this business overnight, especially with only a little over 3 years experience. I look forward to this year, which is shaping up to be even bigger than last year. Who do you feel stepped it up the most in MSW in 2003? Tony Armstrong, no question about it. Tony has listened, learned, accepted criticism, and really applied himself each night. His heart was often in the right place too, although he had to sit back a couple of times and look at the bigger picture and realize exactly what was going on around him. Talent-wise Tony is right up there and will prove to be a dominant force wherever he wrestles. I honestly feel that when the time is right, there is not a territory in the world where Tony won’t be able to adapt to. If he can get his body prepared he can take the next step. He has the tools necessary to prove to anyone who doubts it that he is the best BIG man in all of wrestling. Expect big things for Tony over the next 3 years. He's also one of very few people in the entire wrestling business I consider a friend. Who do you think will step it up the most in 2004? CN Power and Johnny "Scotia" Soul. Say what you want about CN Power. Yes he is still a rookie, doesn’t have a great physique, but he can wrestle and is willing to learn, so he’s got half the battle won. Power is like a sponge in the locker room and the most respectful and helpful rookie there ever was. He’s going to be an actual WRESTLER and turn some heads this year, as is Johnny Soul if he dedicates himself fully. Keep a close eye on how these two progress this year. What are your thoughts on Matt Henstock trying to start up his own promotion? Word has it he already has contacted some of the bigger names from around the Maritimes. You're right, he is trying. Anyone can contact the bigger names from around the Maritimes if they find their e-mail address on the internet now can’t they? Ask Robin "Kingpin" Cody, he calls Frank Parker once a week just to discuss the weather in Truro. No joke! What do you think was the best MSW match in 2003? The best match in MSW or anywhere in the Maritimes in 2003 was Flexx Falcone vs. JDL, Scott Savage at the beginning of September at Dave Doolittle’s in Dartmouth. It was picture perfect. With Sarah Stock making it all the way to Mexico to OVW to WXW to Ring of Honor, do you think we will see her back in the Maritimes? It is very likely yes, but I like to surprise the fans so I’ll leave it at that for now. What did it mean to you to have 19-year veteran Chi Chi Cruz in your ring? It was a great privilege to have Cheech in MainStream Wrestling, we all learned a lot from him, although I wish some guys would have taken more advantage of his time here. Cheech is a valuable asset to any company he works for and he certainly did good business for MSW while he was here. It was nice to work with him. He’s a great guy and one of my favorite people in wrestling. Back in June of 2003 you walked out on a match with Seaman White. What happened that made you decide to leave the match midway through it? Well, see, Seaman White and I ended up on the floor outside the ring shortly after the bell sounded where he caught sight of a big steal toolbox that was full of more steal and metals. Just then, something told his brain to pick it up, raise it over his head and drop it on my back. I didn’t even know he had picked it up until I felt it come down on me. So then I was just a tad pissed off because I realized I could have been killed had I raised my head as it came down. Then, something else told his brain to pick me up, put me on a table and attempt a piledriver on top of it. I backdropped him onto the table, the table legs broke off, a glass broke on the floor, and all hell broke loose. I just lost it and decided to leave before it broke into a full-scale fist fight, which is what it would have led to. Neither one of us were in a normal state of mind at the time either, so you can imagine what could have happened. Needless to say, because of the damage he did on the floor, we lost the building and it was our last show there. That’s really where the trouble started with Seaman White and the rest of MSW. What was your experience like in Maine in December 2003? It was a lot of fun. The first two nights I was booked against a 7’2" tall giant so I really couldn’t show the fans what I could do, but that’s the way things go. I enjoyed meeting Gangrel while I was there and made some good contacts. I ate at Denny’s for the first time and they make terrific Mozza Burgers there. The trip home was a bit displeasing at first because I knew I was going to be layed over in St. John, NB due to the snowstorm. But alas, things were looking up when I found myself sharing a room with two beautiful young girls, one of Korean decent, the other Japanese, who also just so happened to be headed back to Halifax but had suffered the same fate we me. Damn that snow! I was a bit disappointed that none of us had swimwear because there was a great swimming pool in the hotel we stayed at. We had fun though, it was a great trip. I taught them how to play poker and drink beer. They even giggled when I tucked them into bed - their own bed of course. I’ve learned one important lesson as a result of it, too - always carry 3 pairs of swimming trunks in your bag, even if it is December. Anything else you would like to say? Yes. Be sure to check out our upcoming tour featuring WWE legend, Honky Tonk Man at the town nearest you! You can visit www.mainstreamwrestling.tk for complete details. Name Association: Seaman White: Loves violent, bloody, shock wrestling, in whatever twisted form it comes in. Didn’t fit in MSW. Jerry Martell: Used to be a decent wrestler, don’t have the slightest clue how he thinks or whatever happened to him. Gary Williams: Great guy, good wrestler, enjoyed having him in MSW. I’m sure you’ll be seeing him back sooner than later. Chi Chi Cruz: Great person all-around. It’s sad that he doesn’t have a contract. CN Power: Good ‘ol Lambchops. Nice guy, polite, hard worker, willing to learn. Johnny "Scotia" Soul: A little too fast, too soon, but time and effort will mend it all. Nice guy, terrible hair. The black man with the permanent smile. Can be found on a web site all about guys getting drunk and pissing on the ground. Cinder: That’s right. Vinny Glyde: I like Vinny. He’s a pretty good wrestler, knows how to conduct himself, easy to get along with. Hardest working guy at CKEC radio. He makes it all happen. Skott Phoenix: A bright young talent. He has balls. Sore ones, or big ones, but they don’t call him T-bag for nothing. Tony Armstrong: Good guy, a bit on the large size, tries very hard to be a comedian. Plans to go to Nfld to retrieve porno tapes from someone who likes hitting people with tool boxes. Good luck. Thanks New Scott, come tape my matches. |