Were you a fan of wrestling growing up?
You bet! I don't think anyone who is in wrestling was not a fan before they
got into the business. I was a Hulkamaniac like the majority! lol
How did you get started in the wrestling business?
After graduating from Mount Allison University I decided it was either teachers
college or wrestling. I started researching wrestling schools and once I found
the one I felt comfortable with, my choice became easy. I had been wanting to
be a wrestler from an early age.
Who trained you?
I trained with Al Snow. I will add though that when I trained Al was not in
the WWE he was wrestling for a large independant called Smoky Mountain Wrestling
run by Jim Cornette.
What qualifies someone to be a good wrestling
trainer?
Actually being trained themselves!!!!!!!!!lol. Meaning they have more then 1
match or 1 year under their belt before they start training people! We have
to much of the blind leading the blind in the wrestling business! If your trainer
has never wrestled anywhere then how can he help you get anywhere? Common sense
people!
What was the hardest part of your training?
The hardest part was breaking myself of my amateur back round. Al would always
say "You big lug, you don't have to throw me, I will bump!" He told
me the only one harder to break of this then me was Dan Severn (UFC Champion)
Tell us about your first match
WOW, my first match will surprise most people. My very first match was July
16 1995 in Koreaken Hall, Tokyo Japan vs Koji Kitao in the main event of a inter
mixed martial arts show. I was by myself and boy was I nervous! I made $2000
U.S. for my very first match and a full week in Japan. I flew back to Ohio,
my tag team partner Dlo Brown picked me up and we drove 5 1/2 hours to Ashland
Kentucky, I worked 3 times and made $15, lol. Aint wrestling grand!
Where does your ring name come from?
They called me Crusher Kline in my first tour of Japan and it stuck from there.
If you could be compared to any wrestler who
would you want it to be? why?
VADER- Big, Strong, Athletic
If you could work anybody past or present who
would you pick?
VADER- for all the same reasons! lol
Who do you feel is the best indy wrestler in
Canada?
The best indy wrestler in Canada? Tough, there are many good ones but I would
go with my boy MVP- Michael Von Payton. Check him out if you have not seen him
work.
Did you ever get any offers to come to the Maritimes
to wrestle?
Yes actually way back in the mid 1990's when Emele Dupree was running steady.
A friend of mine Scott Damore had set it up but I was running the World Wide
Wrestling Alliance at the time and scheduling just never worked out.
Your thoughts on the current success that fellow
Canadian Sarah Stock (Sarita) is having in TNA?
I have great admiration for anyone that works hard for what they want and she
has worked hard! She deserves all the success!
Your thoughts on MMA and if you think its popularity
will hurt wrestling
Wrestling has had its battles before and it has always survived! I believe a
real up swing is coming!
What are your thoughts on the Kardinal Sinners/
Wrestling Reality TV show?
I think everything the boys are trying to do is great! Any exposure you can
get can open up doors. They always know that if they need my services or If
I can help them in anyway I will do that!
Your thoughs on if the WWE or TNA comes to town
should other local wrestlers go and sit in the audience?
Absolutely NOT! The same fans that go to independant shows go to WWE and TNA.
Why would they then pay $10-$15 to see a guy that was sitting beside them at
the WWE show.
Who has been your favourite promoter to work
for?
OTTO WANZ - C.A.T.C.H in Germany was a great promotion to work for! To bad it
is not around anymore.
Do you have a least favourite?
There are many least favorites! lol but none that stiffed me on pay so No!
What was your favourite wrestling territory you
worked in?
Smoky Mountain Wrestling - The Armstrongs, Rock and Roll Express, Buddy Landell,
Gangstas, Cornette, Al Snow, Unibomb (Kane) so many guys to learn from. It was
great!
Do you think that going to the gym is something
alot of indy workers overlook?
YES - notice all in capitals! Get in the gym boys!
What would you say was your best match?
My best, hard to say, most memorable? Al Snow and I went 45 minutes in Metcalfe
Ontario near my home in front of 1000 people. The match moved so well the referee
puked over the side of the ring. (If I could find the tape its hilarious!)
Could you share a good road trip story with us?
Okay, here is one that might be a little different! One of the times over in
Germany I was brought into Bremen to fight on a Super Card. I was scheduled
to fight Duke Droese for the Heavyweight Title. Other guys brought in for the
card were Ice Train (WCW), Doug Gilbert, Masa Chono, Savio Vega and Ludvig Borga.
Anyway, we had a full week to kill before the show the next Saturday, needless
to say we drank plenty of beer and had plenty of fun. By about Thursday Ludvig
and I had become fast friends and decided we were going to sweat out some of
the beer in the sauna. So in we go and we are just talking and in walk 4 Japanese
photographers that were part of Chono's entourage. Now before I tell you more
you have to understand Ludvig Borga. Before his run in WWF he was a legitimate
MMA fighter and had fought many times for PRIDE in Japan. Needless to say the
Japanese were not his favorite people at all! Anyway back to the story, so in
walk these 4 little Japanese guys. Now remember Borga is 6ft5, 295, ripped up
and at that time he is the Finnish Heavyweight Boxing Champion. So these lads
sit down across from us and all of a sudden Borga jumps up, naked as a jay bird,
walks across the room, lets out this big grunt and then turns his back to them
and points with his thumb to his back and all 4 Japanese jump up and run out
of the sauna! I was just sitting there like what the heck just happened. Ludvig
sits back down chuckling and mumbling. I looked at him and said what the heck
just happened. He turned his back to me and showed me the tattoo that he had
running from his neck down his spine. I asked him what it meant. It was Japanese
markings and it stated that he was the White Samurai. Then he proceeds to tell
me that in Japanese legend the white samurai wipes out the whole Japanese race.
Borga would like to do it for real. I still don't know why he is like that but
those 4 Japanese guys certainly must believe because they left their towels
behind. I thought it was funny anyway! lol
Why did you decide to become a trainer?
I don't think I ever really thought about becoming a trainer. I think it is
something that just happened. When I originally trained, Al's school had dorm
rooms. There was very little wrestling going on in Canada at the time so he
suggested I stay as long as I could. I never expected it to be 12 years! lol.
At first I was like a helper, DLO Brown was Al's assistant at the time. I would
help Dlo or Al demonstrate whatever was being taught. I did that for about 1-2
years. Then Both Al and Dlo were away and I had to teach for a week. When Al
got back the students told him that they enjoyed my training so I became an
assistant. Dlo left the school and I took over Dlo's duties and started getting
paid to help train. As time went by I had my room in the back of the gym where
I lived for the next 8 years. So when I say I literally ate, slept and breathed
pro wrestling! I did. Being able to do that has given me the understanding I
have of Phsycology and the business. Iam no smarter then the next guy just created
some opportunities and absorbed from veterans as much as I could. Honestly,
if you look at the majority of Bodyslammers Students they understand and respect
where they came from and where they need to go.
Tell us about the wrestling promotion you run
Rage Entertainment is a presenter of Big Time Pro Wrestling. Right now we are
building our fan base in Ottawa. We run monthly shows at the training centre
at Rideau Carleton Raceway and slots. We are working closely with the Ottawa
67's hockey club to bring good family entertainment. Anyone can check us out
at www.ragewrestling.net
Your thoughts on one of your students Josh Kelly
(JJB) getting a WWE tryout this past September.
Well it was a good week for Bodyslammers. I sent 6 guys for try outs that week.
5 were at Smackdown in Hamilton-Damian Styles,Reggie Marley, Frank Bradley,
Michael Von Payton and Dave Titan. Josh got to try out at the pay per view in
Montreal. When WWE called me they wanted to know if I had guys a certain age,
size etc. Josh had followed everything I had told him about getting work and
being professional. He had also added some muscle mass and you could tell he
was really pushing to get better in every way. That makes it easy to choose
who to send. I have plenty of students all learning the same stuff but do not
follow through. Josh will go far if he keeps developing and stays a professional
(Don't let it go to your head kid! lol I'll kick your ass! lol)
Any closing comments?
For all those looking to get into wrestling, please research wrestling schools!
Ask questions like: Who are the trainers? Where have they worked? Do they have
contacts? Get to a good school and legitimate trainers and never stop developing.
I was always told by Jim Cornette " Kid, the minute you think you know
everything, get the hell out!"
For all those that have emailed me about training in Saint John N.B. Iam in
Ottawa Ontario now. If you want quality training in Atlantic Canada I recommend
only 2 places. If Gary Williams is training at his Wildman Academy in Halifax
or the Kardinal Sinners I believe (Mike Hughes, Brody Steele) are opening a
school in PEI. If you are serious contact either of these schools. New Scott
Iam sure could hook up the contact numbers.
Name Association
Brody Steele - Straight Shooter (gotta respect it!)
Kowboy Mike Hughes - Great performer
Trash Canyon - Intense
Gary Williams - Consumate Professional
JJB -Determined
Al Snow- Forgets more in a day then I will ever know!lol
Shawn Morgan - ?
Robert Roode - Hard Worker
Chi Chi Cruz - They missed the boat on him
Thank you for doing this interview - Anytime