Interview with WWE's Santino Marella by Brian Fritz
Typically when I conduct interviews with wrestlers, they are out-of-character. But there is one person that I wouldn't mind speaking to in character - Santino Marella. When we spoke earlier this week, he instantly broke out his "Italian" accent and laid it on thick. The guy is one of the most original and funny characters in the WWE for some time so I knew it would be fun speaking to the current Intercontinental Champion.
This Sunday, he will defend his championship on the Cyber Sunday pay-per-view where fans can vote on who his opponent will be - Rowdy Roddy Piper, Goldust, or the longest reigning IC champion in history, the Honky Tonk Man. When reading the interview, just imagine him speaking like only Santino can.
Are you looking forward to the show on Sunday?
This is going to be my first time in Cyber Sunday and it's interesting because it's up to the fans. It's truly up to the fans. I've prepared myself to fight all three of my potential opponents and when the time comes, I will fight one of them.
Fans can vote on who will be your opponent which will be either Roddy Piper, Goldust or the Honky Tonk Man. You've got a little bit of a history with Piper.
I do have history that son-um-a-gun. First, I was a fan of Roddy Piper myself, trying to give him compliments but he slapped me in the face. Then I go see him and his friend Cousin Sal and he interfered again. This guy definitely needs a reminder to keep his manners to himself.
Let's talk about the Honky Tony Man. How exactly did the Honk-a-Meter come about?
The Honk-a-Meter is something I devised one day while sipping a Cappuccino. I thought what a better way to document my chasing of this record by creating a devise that the most simplest person could follow – the Honk-a-Meter.
I believe you're a little behind him with you at ten weeks and he is at 64 weeks for his reign as Intercontinental Champion. That's right – this Monday is going to be eleven so in one week's time and one year's time, I will be just about to tie the record. I'd like to beat him. If I were to beat his record – how fitting would it be to beat him and his record?
Do you have any preference on who you would like to face?
I do not know. It's like vanilla, chocolate or strawberry – they're all delicious flavors of ice cream but I can't choose. Either way it's going to be a great night for me. We're going to go, we're going to fight, we're going to win, we're going to have an after-party like we usually do – limousines, nightclubs, everything. We're going to have fun and it's going to be a great chapter in my life but along the way it's going to be a really bad night for someone. Someone is going to have to be a victim to my supreme ability. It's hard to say. I don't want to guide the audience towards one person – Honky Man – but if I had to choose one, I'm not sure. Maybe the Honky Donkey Man.
This last year or so has been a very good one for you in the WWE. What has this been like for you, especially since you haven't been with the company long?
Yeah, it's just over a year and a half. Life has changed pretty much – on the go, on the go. I have work life, family life, social life – my work life is obviously very different. My social life – I had a couple of different girlfriends with the Glamizon and Maria before that. In between those two when I go out, it's pretty interesting being me I must say. Sometimes I miss my family a little bit but that's the price you have to pay to become a real superstar.
You mentioned the Glamizon. What has it been like to work with Beth Phoenix?
Beth Phoenix – she is a consummate professional. She's fun. She has some things to protect – she's the Glamizon. She has an image and sometimes she's a little bit tough to me but she's a big kid. She's fun.
What is it like for you right now performing, having fun and coming up with new material and along the way have some matches from time to time.
I'm love touring. I love putting on shows and entertaining people. I can see in the people's faces that when I'm out there, they’re not thinking about much else. They’re not worrying about the bills or the kids. They’re just having fun and if I can provide that to people all over the world that's not a bad thing. The house shows are fun. The house shows are where I get to wrestle and have some longer matches than on TV and that's where the real magic happens in the ring. TV is great but to see WWE live in action is something else. Then, you're going to go home with some really good memories. I know I have good memories from when I was a kid from watching wrestling.
Who were some of your favorites growing up and maybe you can take from now in your career? I was, of, course, a Hulkamaniac like everyone else. I like Jimmy Snuka, Davey Boy Smith, there are lots of guys – Mr. Perfect, he was good. Mostly guys that are like me – very strong, athletic, charisma. Maybe that's why I became the way I am.
Did you have any kind of background in comedy before you started in pro wrestling?
I was just the class clown, that's about it. In school, I was very funny. My grandmother and my cousins think I'm funny but no formal training.
One thing I really enjoy is Santino's Casa which you do every week on WWE.com. How is that going and where do you come up with the material for it?
Ah, Santino's Casa seems to be going really good. I think there are more viewers week after week. The material is what's current and in the news. Just something I want to talk about, things that are on my mind – current issues. It's fun. Santino's Casa is every Monday at Raw before the show I go into a room and do the Casa. It's fun and I look forward to it every week. It's a chance for me to express myself. It's like a blank canvas for me to paint my opinions.
You know, at Cyber Sunday you could run into Stone Cold Steve Austin who you've had some problems with in the past. What will you say to him if you cross paths?
I'm going to demand an apology from him. I'm going to bring him my shirt which I've been carrying around for months and months now for him to dry clean. I'm going to have a nice, long sit down talk with Mr. Stone Cold Steve Austin. He has a bad attitude and maybe I can reach him and make him change because what he did was disgusting.
You haven't watched his movie The Condemned again, have you?
There are several major news items to report from the live HD "iMPACT!" broadcast on SpikeTV:
- The big announcement to come from the event is that wrestling legend Mick Foley is the new Executive Shareholder of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling after striking a deal with TNA founder Jeff Jarrett! What does this mean for the face of TNA Wrestling? How will Foley change TNA in his new role with the promotion? Foley and Jarrett came out to make the announcement, but were interrupted by TNA's newest alliance of The Main Event Mafia. Kurt Angle headbutted Foley, but after taking the punishment, Foley dropped the bomb on his new role and told Angle "You just headbutted your boss!". To end the broadcast, Foley had some more parting shots for Angle, telling him he was free to work for TNA - or not! Foley asked Angle if he wanted to be a part of history with TNA - or BE history!
- The other huge news to come out of the broadcast is the major alliance of TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting, Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash and Booker T as "The Main Event Mafia"! In the battle of respect, will anyone be able to stop what looks to be the greatest collection of superstars of the past decade? It looks like young lions such as Samoa Joe and AJ Styles are now at a major disadvantage.
- Speaking of Booker T, he unveiled the newest title in TNA Wrestling - "The Legends Championship". According to Booker, he is introducing the gold as his own personal title, as it signifies the fanfare that is his and that he deserves (according to Booker!). After the unveiling, Christian Cage came out to get in Booker's face and challenge him for the title at "Turning Point". However, Booker added a stipulation - if he beats Cage, Cage must join the alliance of Sting, Angle, Nash and Booker! Cage didn't respond - but just smiled and walked off! According to sources, Cage has promised to answer the open challenge next Thursday on "iMPACT!"
- In the main event of the broadcast, the team of TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting and Kevin Nash defeated Samoa Joe and AJ Styles when Nash beat his former friend in Samoa Joe after smashing him with the TNA World Heavyweight Championship! After the bout, The Main Event Mafia continued to punish Joe and Styles and left them bloody in the ring.
- Awesome Kong regained the TNA Knockout Women's Championship when she defeated Taylor Wilde on the live broadcast
- Christy Hemme defeated Velvet Sky of The Beautiful People in Knockouts action
- Sheik Abdul Bashir successfully defended the X Division Championship against number-one contender "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal. Later in the broadcast, Bashir and "The War Machine" Rhino got into an altercation when Rhino told Bashir he didn't care for his anti-US rants. As a result, Bashir attacked Rhino and left him laying after choking him out!
- TNA World Tag Team Champions Beer Money, Inc. won the Text-Off Gauntlet, last beating Team 3D to claim the bout.
- Kurt Angle once again called out TNA founder Jeff Jarrett and challenged him to a fight, but Jarrett told Angle there was already a locker room full of superstars that wanted to fight him - as behind Angle was Abyss, who attacked the Olympian! Will Angle continue his mission to get Jarrett to agree to a rematch?
On Thursday night, it will be one of the biggest nights in TNA "iMPACT!" history as we will be live from Las Vegas with the first HD broadcast on SpikeTV!
The event will take place at "The Joint" at the Hard Rock Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Tickets are on sale now at the Hard Rock Hotel box office, all Ticketmaster locations, and www.ticketmaster.com.
The below is the official preview for the huge broadcast (card and talent are subject to change):
- The big main event for the broadcast will feature TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting teaming up with Kevin Nash to face Samoa Joe and "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles! With the war for respect in TNA heating up, you don't want to miss this collision between the top stars of Total Nonstop Action on TNA's biggest night on Spike!
- What is the big announcement that Mick Foley and Jeff Jarrett will make on Thursday night? Foley made his farewell speech this past Thursday, but Jeff Jarrett apparently talked him out of leaving! What did they discuss in private? What is their big plan? Does it have anything to do with Kurt Angle? The wrestling world wants to know - and we'll find out on Thursday's live broadcast from Las Vegas!
- Booker T has promised to finally reveal the contents of the mysterious briefcase to the world on the live broadcast! What's inside, and why has he been keeping it a secret? Tune in Thursday night to see the reveal live on SpikeTV!
- In an X Division Championship match, it will be Sheik Abdul Bashir defending the gold against number-one contender "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal
- The Knockout Women's Championship will be on the line as Taylor Wilde faces her nemesis Awesome Kong
- Christy Hemme made the challenge to The Beautiful People to fight her on the live iMPACT! Which one of the Beautiful People will step into the ring against the vixen of The Rock N' Rave Infection? Tune in and find out!
- It will be TNA World Tag Team Champions Beer Money vs. Team 3D vs. Matt Morgan & Abyss vs. LAX in a "Hard Rock Hardcore Tag Team Text-off Gauntlet"
Fans decide the order that the eight TNA wrestlers will enter the ring for the "Hard Rock Hardcore Text Off Gauntlet". From now until Thursday October 23rd at 9pmET fans can pick the order of the wrestlers that will under the Gauntlet. The order will be determined with the wrestler with the fewest votes entering first, with the wrestler with the most text votes being the last to enter the ring. Fans can cast their vote by texting the keyword (listed below for each wrestler) to the number 81676. Vote now and vote often. Standard Text Messaging rates apply.
Text Keyword to 81676
Wrestler Keyword Hernandez HERNANDEZ Homicide HOMICIDE James Storm STORM Robert Roode ROODE Brother Devon DEVON Brother Ray RAY Matt Morgan MORGAN Abyss ABYSS
All this and much more on the live HD iMPACT broadcast from Las Vegas, starting at 9pm ET on SpikeTV - plus news on the huge November 9 "Turning Point" Pay-Per-View event!
Pro Championship Wrestling Chicago issued the following announcement today:
Pro Championship Wrestling (PCW) is proud to announce today that Reid Flair, the son of the Legendary "Nature Boy" Ric Flair will be stepping in the ring for his Debut Match at PCW'S "4ever Flair". This historic debut in the squared circle will take place on Saturday November 22 at the Oak Lawn Pavilion, 9401 Oak Park Ave, Oak lawn,IL.
Reid's opponent will be former PCW Triple crown winner "The Feature Presentation" Johnny Mac. With Johnny Mac's PCW Championship credentials, Johnny Mac looks to take the son of the Nature Boy to his limit in his first match.
Reid at age 20, standing 6'1, 218 pounds has the height, weight and body of a professional wrestler. But he has something no other young man with dreams of entering the ring has, the Nature Boy's DNA, being the son of 16-time World Champion and professional wrestling legend Ric Flair.
Reid was a member of the National Collegiate Wrestling Championship team at Blair Academy. He also holds two New Jersey state wrestling titles.
Since graduating, he's been working hard with his father, learning the ropes and the moves of the master. He's also training under NWA wrestling legend George South at his famous Exodus Wrestling School in Concord, North Carolina.
When he's not learning from the best in the business, Reid makes his home in Charlotte, NC.
So not only at "4everFlair" will Reid Flair make his in ring debut, you will also see the 16 time World Champion,"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair make his return to the Chicago Land area for a rare autograph session. Don't miss out on this once in a lifetime event.
Tickets for "4everFlair" are $15 for General Admission, Reserved Ringside Seats are $25. Doors open at 5:30 PM with a bell time of 6:30 PM. For more information go to www.PCWWRESTLING.NET
A limited number of SUPERTICKETS are available for $75.00, which includes a ticket to the event, a GUARANTEED Photo op with The Nature Boy and 1 item autographed. An Unbelievable Bargain!
Johnny Devine is a multi-talented wrestler -- a guy with skills, plenty of charisma and an appreciation for tradition.
He could have just cashed his TNA paycheque for another year, but he recently walked away, looking to branch out into another passion -- broadcasting. He's hoping to enroll in the Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts in Detroit.
"It's just something that's grown on me," says Devine. "I did acting before I got into wrestling. It's something that's always been a viable option."
It's not that the 34-year-old Devine is sour on wrestling, he still loves the sport he began watching in Calgary when he was four. But it was just time to make a change in his life.
"In the long run, I'll end up the better for it," he says. "I'm not going to regret leaving that way. I really enjoyed my time there, but I was at a point where I'd rather have somebody else in my spot. It was time to move on."
So why quit? Why leave a promotion that seems heading in the right direction, adding marquee stars like Sting, Mick Foley, Booker T, Kurt Angle and Christian Cage in the past couple of years?
"The hard part to swallow is the difference in pay," says Devine. "Yes, they're legends. But the salaries aren't even remotely close. I don't want to get into specifics, but there's a big difference. Word travels fast in the locker room. There was frustration. But I'm not the squeaky wheel type. I threw my two cents in when I could and tried to expand what was being done with me (in TNA)."
Devine refutes reports that he made $30,000 a year and had to pay for his own airfare, hotels and car rentals with TNA.
"I made more than 30g's and flights were covered," he says.
To say it was all about money wouldn't be true. Devine is a guy with principles, a Canadian who worked his way to the big time. A career highlight, he says, was winning Stampede Wrestling's Commonwealth Mid Heavyweight championship ... "all my heroes held that one," says Devine, who has also spent plenty of time in Winnipeg over the years and now lives in Windsor, Ont.
"To me, it was never about title bouts," he says. "Your job is to make sure fans go home happy."
Devine's career took a big step back four years ago when he was stabbed in the stomach outside a Nashville bar. He had his gall bladder and a foot of intestine removed.
"That really set me back," says Devine. "Maybe the office looked at me and thought, "We can't trust this guy with the ball.' If there was anything I could do differently, I would have avoided that situation. I had two surgeries and it cost me a tag-team title run (with Eric Young).
Unlike many wrestlers, who crave the chance to be a heel, Devine says it's much tougher to be a babyface.
"Whether you're a babyface or a heel, you want to be the best," he says. "I'll always be able to draw heat because I'm a natural a--hole. Having people hate me is natural.
"People don't understand how hard it is to make people like you. It's way harder to be a good babyface than to be a big heel. Anybody can insult fans and make them hate you. So I'd prefer to do the harder job and be good."
So where does he go from here.
"I will never give up on the wrestling business," says Devine, who provides a helping hand at Scott D'Amore's Can-Am School in Windsor.
Devine made some WWE appearances prior to his TNA deal, basically becoming a punching bag for wrestlers the WWE juggernaut was trying to put over.
"What you're doing is a job," says Devine. "Maybe if I was 6-foot-10 and 300 lbs., I'd look at it differently. If you're looking to crack their roster, you have to be able to offer something different. But if you show them what they want and that requires being squashed for three minutes, then you do it."
WWE SmackDown superstar Funaki is officially going under the name "Kung Fu Naki" now. WWE.com has changed all references to his name in his profile to reflect his new ring name. On last week's edition of SmackDown, the Japanese wrestler was nicknamed "Kung Fu Naki" in a backstage segment with R-Truth. On last Friday night's show, he appeared in a karate outfit in a backstage segment with Big Show and Vickie Guerrero.
Interview with WWE's Santino Marella by Brian Fritz
