How did you get started in the wrestling business?
At the age of 16 I started training with Doug "The Canadian Destroyer" Chevalier. He was my brothers baseball and hockey coach and it took me a while to build up the nerve to call. I called and hung up at least 10 times before I was able to say hello.

What was the hardest part of your training?
Getting metally focused. I was 16 and a little imature still to be training. I didn't take it serious enough. I really wanted to do it but I wasn't ready to make the sacifices.

Can you tell us alittle of what it was like working for Emile Dupree and Grand-Prix Wrestling?
It was a great experience. Edge and I packed up my old Jeep and headed out to NS. We meet up with Glen Kulka, Rodney Blackbeard, and "Tiger" Mike Anthony. Christian headed out a short while latter.
I would never trade the experiences I had out there for anything. I learned a ton and gained so much experience. I wil always look back fondly on the summer of '97.
I ended up there again for a little while in '98 and '99 and it was cool. THere was a lot of good talent out there. Chi Chi Cruz, Joe Legend, a real young Renee Dupree, Kingman (who at the time was Hurcules), and Mike Hughes. It was also cool to work with Leo Burke, The Beast, and some of the great legends that were out there.

Alot of people say if you were alittle bigger that you would have been one of the top stars in the business. How does that make you feel?
Like going over to my parents house and punching them for not being taller!
Honestly, there is nothing I can do about it. You play with the hand you were dealt. Nobody promised me anyhting when I got into it and lots of people told me I was too short and too pudgy. Well, I have been in the business for 13 years and made my living from it business for the past 10. I have helped alot of people along the way and been helped by a ton of people along the way.
I've traveled around the world and seem more by 30 them most people will ever get to see and experience in their whole lifes.
I wouldn't trade it for anything.

You are currently part of Team Canada in NWA-TNA. What is that like?
It's a great experience. I am getting to work with some great young guys that because of the TNA and Team Canada deal are getting to show there stuff. I was able to go out and hand pick the wrestlers I wanted for the Team. It's a really cool deal. We really are a team. If one member is hurt or sick the others pick up the slack and they all really work well together. I am real proud of how all of them have done,

Tyson Dux has stated that Bobby Rude got his spot in Team Canada because Dux was hurt at the time. How do you feel that Rude has filled that spot?
Bobby (last name is Roode by the way not Rude) has done great. He is a breakout star who is on the verge of doing some great things. I have been a fan of Bobby's work since I meet him in '99.
I see big things from Bobby Roode in 2005 and beyond.

Many people including myself feel that Bobby Roode is the best wrestler from Canada today. Do you think he will get a push as a top singles star?
Like I said above Bobby has all the tools to be a top guy. He is a little undersized for being a top guy but his work is there to overcome it. You don't have to be 6'5" to be a top guy if you can work like Bobby can.

Back in the 1990's you worked alot of dark matches for WCW, even Al Snow gives you credit for helping him out when he first got to WCW. What was WCW like back then?
A great experince for me. I was just a job guy that was happy to be there. It was a great experience and I learned a ton. Jody Hamilton was nice enough to let me hang around him backstage and learn from him. I learned so much from Jody and all the other people there. Arn Anderson and Terry Taylor were also great to me. If it wasn't for Jody and WCW I don't think I would have been able to make the transition from wrestler to front office worker.

You have wrestled in many different countries such as Japan, England you have competed for ECW, and Tony Condello. What was it like doing so much travelling at such a young age?
Awesome. The things I have gotten to see and do because of the wrestling business are unbelievable. I had never really been anywhere when I got into the business and now I really have seen the world. I have gotten to meet people I grew up watching on TV and looking up to, and I have learned so much.

Did you enjoy working for any the above promotions or promoters more than others?
Japan was great.
ECW really did have a special feel to it. It was a us against the world kinda feeling. I never really got to establish myself there but I really do owe ECW because I was thinking of getting out of the business Al Snow told me to come to an ECW show and it recharged my batteries.
Tony Condelo is one of the classic characters in the wrestling business. I love him as much as I hate Don Callis!
I really owe WWA for giving me a chance to work backstage and show I could be a front office guy. Andrew McManus took a chance on me and I will always owe him for that. Disco Inferno really went to bat for me there and I will never forget that.
Disco also was a big part of me getting a chance in TNA. Jeff Jarrett didn't really know me well. We had worked together on some WWA stuff but Disco really pushed him to give me a chance.

When you went to ECW for the try out match you didn't really want to go. Why not?
I was sick of the business. I was thinking of quiting. I felt like I was never going to get my chance to prove myself. Going to ECW and having Tracey Smothers, Paul Heyman, Taz, and Tommy Dreamer treat me with repect and tell me I really did have it is what keep me going.
The appreciation I have for Sabu for everything he has done for me of course goes without question.

You had to stop wrestling in the United States due to a Visa problem. What happened?
I didn't have one and Immigration found out. Any non US citizen needs a work visa. A wrestler needs a P1 visa and they are very hard to get. I got kicked out of the US and had to hire a lawyer to clear things up. It really is tough being a Canadian in the wrestling business. If you don't have a company willig to hire you on you can't get one.
It's a real tough deal.

Do you still run your training school?
Yes. We have a great group of trainees and touring pros that really work hard. Rhyno, Chris Sabin, Petey Williams, Alex Shelley, and Team Canada's newest member Al "A1" Ralphz have all done great. We also have some great trainees right now that I think will really do some good things. We have a few more trainees that will be appearing on TNA real soon. Anybody that is interested can email canamwrestling@hotmail.com and 519-969-1245

East Coast Pro Wrestling is starting up in 2005 in the Maritimes Kingman, Gary Williams, current TNA star Bobby Roode any many others are being contacted to wrestle for ECPW . Have you been contacted? Would you return to the Maritimes if they did contact you?
I haven't been contacted. I enjoyed my time spent there but I really am not in a position to be out there for a long period of time. If I could go out for a few days and do a couple of shows I might be able to do that. Between TNA, the selected indies I am doing right now and my non wrestling business I am really short on time. I would never rule out returning to the maritimes for a short stint. It really is a great place.

Do you like your role as manager for Team Canada or would you rather be in the ring as a wrestler?
I can't wrestle anymore on a fulltime basis. In 2000 I suffered the last (I hope) in a long line of conncussions and it lead to Post Conncussion Syndrome. That really put an end to my wrestling. Between that and my neck injuries there is no way I could be a fulltime wrestler.
Last year I got an opertunity to wrestle a few matches with TNA. I really enjoyed it. The two big matches I has were singles matches with Dusty Rhodes and Jerry Lynn. It was great wrestling Dusty because he is a legend and was a childhood hero of mine. Wrestling Jerry was one of my favorite experiences in the business. Jerry is one of the most talented wrestlers this business has ever seen. I had worked with Jerry in the past before I was hurt and really wanted to see if I could still do it. I know a lot of internet fans didn't like the match we had but I thought that we did a good job of doing what the office wanted us to do. The match was longer then it would have been ideally but it built to a climac and has a satisfying finsh. I am proud of it.

Who has been your favourite person to work with so far?
Non wrestling work? Working under Jody Hamilton was a great experience. Al Snow is a class act to work with on any level. Jimmy Hart is a super upbeat person with a great passion for the business. Terry Taylor is one of the most smartest people in the business and I hope TNA allows him to do more to help out. There are so many I am leaving out tons of people I am sure.

Who has been your favourite person to wrestle?
I'll give you my top 5.
1. Christian - he's the most under rated performer of our generation
2. Johnny Swinger - a great talent and if WWE lets him he will do great
3. D'Lo Brown - he is a talented guy and a great friend.
4. Sabu - pushes you to work harder and you need to go 100% to have a chance to keep up to him
5. Joe E. Legend - a true pro and somebody that can always make me smile

What do you feel has been your best match so far?
Well Sabu always told me to say my next one but honestly, I usually hate my matches. The one in TNA with Jerry Lynn was special because lots of people told me I wouldn't be able to do out there and work with a guy like Jerry anymore.

As of April 6th 2005 how many matches do you have?
Not a clue. more then I ever thought I'd be lucky enough to have.

What does the future hold for Scott D'Amore
Not sure. Enjoying a second chance at a wrestling career. When I couldn't wrestle anymore I thought I would have to get out of the business but between training young wrestlers, working backstage and on air for TNA, doing select indy dates, and still working with Border City Wrestling I am busier then ever wrestling wise.
I also have some non wrestling business going on including a Sports Bar and resterant that opens in the Windsor, Ontario area the end of next month.
Hopefully I will get to keep doing things I love and getting paid for it!

Any closing comments?
-- Just keep supporting TNA and you local indies. Wrestling fans are a big part of the business. Thanks to the fans I have had the pleasure to meet and their kind words are greatly appreciated.
Oh, and one more thing. To Kathy in Moncton, hope things are great with you. You're awesome and I think of you often.

Name Association

Mike Hughes - Was just starting out when I meet him. Respectful guy with a good attitude.

Bobby Roode - He is a superstar in the making and somebody I am proud to be associated with.

Kingman - Big guy that I really questioned wether he would stick it out and I am glad to see he proved me wrong. Before he got in the business I think he lacked respect for how tough it was but he quickly learned. I will be seeing him at a show in a couple of months and I look forward to catching up with him.

Jeff Jarrett - Gave me a huge break. We had only done a few shows together and he had no real reason to give me the chance he did. He often gets bad mouthed from wrestlers that aren't happy with TNA but he is a hard working guy with a great sense of humor and a big heart.

Al Snow - Somebody that was and is one of the best even if he never really got to show it. Al treated me great when I first broke in and he has taught me so much. He is somebody I consider a good friend to this day.

Doug Chevalier - The Godfather of Windsor/Detroit wrestling. If you are from this area and know how to work chances are you were trained by Doug or a student of Doug's. I owe him everything. He was a father figure, a mentor, and a true friend. I miss him still and think of him all the time, I hope he is looking down and watching everything that is going on and is proud of it because without him there would be no Scott D'Amore, no Rhyno, Chris Sabin, Petey Williams and so many other things.
He was the best.

Jody Hamilton - A legend and soembody thet WWE better realize how lucky they are to have on board with their developmental system. He knows so much and can is such a great teacher. If guy today could work like Jody did we'd be a much better business for it. He was a great promo and a heel that could draw real white hot heat.

Michael Shane - A great younf talent who is a student of the game. I got questioned when I brought him into TNA because he didn't do big highspots. He is so much more then that. He is one of the great young workers out there.

Tracy Brooks - A great girl who has worked hard. When I first meet her she was a tomboy of a farm girl and now she is a super hot and talented performer. I love her to death

Angel Williams - Somebody that just keep pushing. No matter how many times she got a door slammed in her face she just keep knocking on the right doors. I think she has a real chance to do well in WWE.

Alex Shelley - One best chain wreslter I have seen. He studies wrestling the way a doctor studies medicine. He is one of the most talented young wreslters out there. His style is so different then all the other young guys out there. HE is a throwback to the days when heels grounded babyfaces and made faces fight from underneith. I think TNA will regret letting him get away.