Impact Results 04-26-2010
Posted on 30 Apr 2010 by Kerrie
The Pope’s music hits as he makes his way down to the ring with his right arm in a sling and a patch over his left eye. We see highlights of his match at Lockdown and Dinero wants to know who AJ Styles thinks he is as he tried to take away his career by jabbing a pen in his eye. Dinero says Styles is no longer champion, but he hasn’t forgotten about him and he is watching him as the Pope is not through with Styles.
The Pope is then interrupted by Mr. Anderson who comes down to the ring and grabs his special microphone. Anderson runs down Dinero a bit before saying that he looks to be a bit injured and says that Kurt Angle is also injured and he is at home licking his wounds. Anderson asks the Pope if he is going to go and nurse his injuries or get in the ring against Anderson at Sacrifice. The Pope then says his one arm is in a sling but his pimp slap still works before slapping Anderson across the face. Anderson then goes off and attacks Dinero and sticks his finger in Dinero’s eye before security runs down and breaks it up.
The Pope is then interrupted by Mr. Anderson who comes down to the ring and grabs his special microphone. Anderson runs down Dinero a bit before saying that he looks to be a bit injured and says that Kurt Angle is also injured and he is at home licking his wounds. Anderson asks the Pope if he is going to go and nurse his injuries or get in the ring against Anderson at Sacrifice. The Pope then says his one arm is in a sling but his pimp slap still works before slapping Anderson across the face. Anderson then goes off and attacks Dinero and sticks his finger in Dinero’s eye before security runs down and breaks it up.
Lockdown 2010 Results
Posted on 21 Apr 2010 by Kerrie
Mr. Anderson vs. Kurt Angle
The winner of this match will be the first one to exit through the cage door. Out first comes Mr. Anderson, which the cage door key around his neck that he earned on iMPACT. Anderson's mic drops from the ceiling and he cuts a promo on tonight's match before heading down to the ring. Out next comes Kurt Angle to a nice pop.
The bell rings, and this one is ready to go. Anderson looks to wrestle this match with the key to the cage around his neck. Anderson calls for a test of strength, but he uses it as an opportunity to hit a cheap shot on Angle. Anderson ducks a blow from Angle and hits a low dropkick, trying for the cage door right away. Angle is able to prevent Anderson from leaving the cage, but Anderson fights back, using the chain and the key to beat at Angle's head. Anderson goes back to the padlock, but Angle is right back on him, with a belly to back suplex. Angle beats on Anderson in the corner, stomping away at him in the corner. The lock looks to have the key in it and might be open. Angle hits a snap suplex on Anderson.
Angle sends Anderson into the ropes, and he charges, but Anderson blocks it, and elevates Angle, sending him face first into the cage wall, and Angle is busted open. Anderson punches at Angle's forehead, working over his wound. Anderson rakes Angle's head against the cage wall, before pulling his neck back against the top rope, and slamming him head first into the cage repeatedly. Anderson takes his hand, which is covered in Angle's blood, and wipes it across his body. Anderson hits a leg drop on Angle and goes back to the cage door, but Angle stops him again, slamming him head first into the door. Anderson responds by launching Angle straight into the cage door.
Anderson tries for a back body drop, but Angle reverses it. Angle notices that the key is stuck in the lock, but Anderson crashes into Kurt with a low knee, sending Kurt into the cage door head first. Anderson climbs to the top rope, but Angle is up out of nowhere with a huge super belly to belly suplex and both men are down.
Angle is back up to his feet, and Anderson is unwrapping his wrist tape. He uses it to wrap around Angle's throat and he chokes Angle, taking him down to his knees, and eventually down to the mat, where he grapevines his legs around Angle's body. Angle starts to fight back, working up to his knees, and up to his feet. He gets out of the hold with a quick back suplex and both men are down again.
Both men are up to their knees, where they trade right hands. Both men up to their feet still trading punches, and Angle gets the upper hand with a big clothesline, and another. Angle sends Anderson into the ropes and hits a big back body drop. Angle sends Anderson into the corner, blocks a big boot and comes back with a release belly to belly overhead suplex. Angle tries for the Angle slam, but Anderson counters and hits the Green Bay plunge. Anderson goes for the pin,but realizes he can't win that way. Anderson goes for the mic check, but Angle fights out of it and hits seven German suplexes, holding on until the last one (Tenay incorrectly calls it at six). Angle goes over to the cage door and looks at the lock, but he turns back to Anderson.
Angle locks in the Ankle lock, but Anderson is able to fight out of it, and connect with the mic check, putting Angle down. Anderson crawls over to the cage door, and he opens the padlock and opens the door. Angle connects with an Angle slam, and he walks over to the door, closing it, locking it back up, and taking the key out of the lock. Angle throws the key away, but it looks like he's still got it in his hand, possibly. Anderson rips at the chain, holding the door closed. Anderson goes to the top of the cage, but Andle pulls him down. Anderson takes Angle down with a right hand and climbs up to the top rope again. Angle follows him up, and Anderson comes back with right hand after right hand. Angle grabs Anderson from behind and hits a big belly to back suplex from the top rope.
Angle looks up to the top of the cage, but he turns back to Anderson, setting him into position. Angle goes up to the top turnbuckle, and then looks to the top of the cage. Angle climbs up to the top corner of the cage, and he jumps off with a GIANT moonsault, connecting with Anderson's face.
Angle does indeed have the key, and he goes over to the door, unlocking the padlock. Angle goes to the outside, but Anderson goads him, flicking him off with both hands. Angle comes back in, but he gets a low blow, and Anderson connects with a mic check.
Anderson crawls over to the cage door, and he gets the upper half of his body out of the cage, but Angle grabs him by the ankle, locking in the ankle lock and dragging him back into the center of the ring. Anderson is tapping but it doesn't matter. Anderson flips over and Angle ends up going head first into the cage.
Anderson crawls for the door again, but this time, Angle is able to grab him from behind and choke him with the chain from his medal. Angle chokes Anderson, using the ropes for leverage. Anderson spits in Anderson's face, climbs over him, and stomps on his groin on the way out for good measure. Angle's feet his the floor, and this one is over.
Winner: Kurt Angle
- After the match, a bloody Angle heads up the ramp and talks to the fans on the mic. He says he's going to step back, take some time off and regroup. Angle says when he returns, he will be going after the TNA World Title. Angle's music hits again and he heads to the back.
The winner of this match will be the first one to exit through the cage door. Out first comes Mr. Anderson, which the cage door key around his neck that he earned on iMPACT. Anderson's mic drops from the ceiling and he cuts a promo on tonight's match before heading down to the ring. Out next comes Kurt Angle to a nice pop.
The bell rings, and this one is ready to go. Anderson looks to wrestle this match with the key to the cage around his neck. Anderson calls for a test of strength, but he uses it as an opportunity to hit a cheap shot on Angle. Anderson ducks a blow from Angle and hits a low dropkick, trying for the cage door right away. Angle is able to prevent Anderson from leaving the cage, but Anderson fights back, using the chain and the key to beat at Angle's head. Anderson goes back to the padlock, but Angle is right back on him, with a belly to back suplex. Angle beats on Anderson in the corner, stomping away at him in the corner. The lock looks to have the key in it and might be open. Angle hits a snap suplex on Anderson.
Angle sends Anderson into the ropes, and he charges, but Anderson blocks it, and elevates Angle, sending him face first into the cage wall, and Angle is busted open. Anderson punches at Angle's forehead, working over his wound. Anderson rakes Angle's head against the cage wall, before pulling his neck back against the top rope, and slamming him head first into the cage repeatedly. Anderson takes his hand, which is covered in Angle's blood, and wipes it across his body. Anderson hits a leg drop on Angle and goes back to the cage door, but Angle stops him again, slamming him head first into the door. Anderson responds by launching Angle straight into the cage door.
Anderson tries for a back body drop, but Angle reverses it. Angle notices that the key is stuck in the lock, but Anderson crashes into Kurt with a low knee, sending Kurt into the cage door head first. Anderson climbs to the top rope, but Angle is up out of nowhere with a huge super belly to belly suplex and both men are down.
Angle is back up to his feet, and Anderson is unwrapping his wrist tape. He uses it to wrap around Angle's throat and he chokes Angle, taking him down to his knees, and eventually down to the mat, where he grapevines his legs around Angle's body. Angle starts to fight back, working up to his knees, and up to his feet. He gets out of the hold with a quick back suplex and both men are down again.
Both men are up to their knees, where they trade right hands. Both men up to their feet still trading punches, and Angle gets the upper hand with a big clothesline, and another. Angle sends Anderson into the ropes and hits a big back body drop. Angle sends Anderson into the corner, blocks a big boot and comes back with a release belly to belly overhead suplex. Angle tries for the Angle slam, but Anderson counters and hits the Green Bay plunge. Anderson goes for the pin,but realizes he can't win that way. Anderson goes for the mic check, but Angle fights out of it and hits seven German suplexes, holding on until the last one (Tenay incorrectly calls it at six). Angle goes over to the cage door and looks at the lock, but he turns back to Anderson.
Angle locks in the Ankle lock, but Anderson is able to fight out of it, and connect with the mic check, putting Angle down. Anderson crawls over to the cage door, and he opens the padlock and opens the door. Angle connects with an Angle slam, and he walks over to the door, closing it, locking it back up, and taking the key out of the lock. Angle throws the key away, but it looks like he's still got it in his hand, possibly. Anderson rips at the chain, holding the door closed. Anderson goes to the top of the cage, but Andle pulls him down. Anderson takes Angle down with a right hand and climbs up to the top rope again. Angle follows him up, and Anderson comes back with right hand after right hand. Angle grabs Anderson from behind and hits a big belly to back suplex from the top rope.
Angle looks up to the top of the cage, but he turns back to Anderson, setting him into position. Angle goes up to the top turnbuckle, and then looks to the top of the cage. Angle climbs up to the top corner of the cage, and he jumps off with a GIANT moonsault, connecting with Anderson's face.
Angle does indeed have the key, and he goes over to the door, unlocking the padlock. Angle goes to the outside, but Anderson goads him, flicking him off with both hands. Angle comes back in, but he gets a low blow, and Anderson connects with a mic check.
Anderson crawls over to the cage door, and he gets the upper half of his body out of the cage, but Angle grabs him by the ankle, locking in the ankle lock and dragging him back into the center of the ring. Anderson is tapping but it doesn't matter. Anderson flips over and Angle ends up going head first into the cage.
Anderson crawls for the door again, but this time, Angle is able to grab him from behind and choke him with the chain from his medal. Angle chokes Anderson, using the ropes for leverage. Anderson spits in Anderson's face, climbs over him, and stomps on his groin on the way out for good measure. Angle's feet his the floor, and this one is over.
Winner: Kurt Angle
- After the match, a bloody Angle heads up the ramp and talks to the fans on the mic. He says he's going to step back, take some time off and regroup. Angle says when he returns, he will be going after the TNA World Title. Angle's music hits again and he heads to the back.
Impact 29 March 20120
Posted on 01 Apr 2010 by Kerrie
The cage is up, but before we get to the main event, Kurt Angle comes out to cut a promo saying that after Destination X, people think Ken Anderson might be as good as Kurt Angle. Angle doesn't believe it, and he wants to give some insight as to who Kurt Angle really is. He's an Olympic Champion who's made a living out of winning and playing by the rules. He's always in command and always in control, but somehow he lost his control. Maybe it was because of Anderson spitting in his face, or cutting him up with his warrior tag, or maybe it was because Anderson degraded the troops of the USA, or maybe it was all those things, but there's one thing for sure: at Lockdown, it'll be Angle vs Anderson one last time, in a cage, no rules or regulations, and no control, and the only way to survive is to walk out the door. Angle promises that the ending of that match will be Angle covered in Anderson's blood. This brings out Ken Anderson, who would like to share his
thoughts as well. Anderson thinks it's about time for them to be, as Kurt would put it, damn real. Anderson says their feud has to stop before they kill each other. Week after week they bloody each other, lay each other out with chairs, and they beat each other. They're cancelling each other out, so TNA managment put them in a cage to settle it once and for all. Anderson says a little birdie came and sat on his shoulder in the back, and says he sanctioned a match for next week's Impact between Angle and Anderson, and it's not just any old wrestling match, it's going to be...a ladder match! And at the top of that ladder is going to be a key to open up a lock, which will open up the door to the cage at Lockdown. Ken Anderson says the better man will not win, because he admits that Angle is a better man than he is: he's a better father, son, and role model than Anderson will ever be. He says Angle's a nice guy, but nice guys finish last, and next week and
again at Lockdown, he's an a(bleep)hole...A(bleep)HOLE!
thoughts as well. Anderson thinks it's about time for them to be, as Kurt would put it, damn real. Anderson says their feud has to stop before they kill each other. Week after week they bloody each other, lay each other out with chairs, and they beat each other. They're cancelling each other out, so TNA managment put them in a cage to settle it once and for all. Anderson says a little birdie came and sat on his shoulder in the back, and says he sanctioned a match for next week's Impact between Angle and Anderson, and it's not just any old wrestling match, it's going to be...a ladder match! And at the top of that ladder is going to be a key to open up a lock, which will open up the door to the cage at Lockdown. Ken Anderson says the better man will not win, because he admits that Angle is a better man than he is: he's a better father, son, and role model than Anderson will ever be. He says Angle's a nice guy, but nice guys finish last, and next week and
again at Lockdown, he's an a(bleep)hole...A(bleep)HOLE!
Impact - March 4th 2010
Posted on 08 Mar 2010 by Kerrie
Footage of what happened between Mr. Anderson and Kurt Angle at Against All Odds is aired. Angle’s speech about his dog tags and Angle nailing Anderson with a steel chair last week is also shown.
Angle’s music hits as Mr. Anderson comes up through is entrance and is wearing a cookie sheet with ‘loser’ written on it, along with a singlet like Angle and a "Bald" ..wig. Anderson mocks Angle by saying he is one of the most injury prone wrestlers in the industry and recounts many different imaginary scenarios where Angle has broke his neck.
Kurt Angle finally makes his way to the ring and the two get into a brawl with the real Angle dishing out most of the punishment. Anderson tosses someone’s drink into Angle’s face and then takes him down with the Angle Slam. Anderson then takes the necklace off Angle and leaves with it.
Click Here to view screencaptures
Angle’s music hits as Mr. Anderson comes up through is entrance and is wearing a cookie sheet with ‘loser’ written on it, along with a singlet like Angle and a "Bald" ..wig. Anderson mocks Angle by saying he is one of the most injury prone wrestlers in the industry and recounts many different imaginary scenarios where Angle has broke his neck.
Kurt Angle finally makes his way to the ring and the two get into a brawl with the real Angle dishing out most of the punishment. Anderson tosses someone’s drink into Angle’s face and then takes him down with the Angle Slam. Anderson then takes the necklace off Angle and leaves with it.
Click Here to view screencaptures
Mr. Anderson 'Feeling Reborn' With TNA Wrestling - Between the ropes
Posted on 08 Mar 2010 by Kerrie
It was just a few years ago when Mr. Kennedy looked to be on the fast track in the WWE, destined to a champion with the company. But things can change very quickly in the wrestling business.
He dealt with some injuries – one of them that cost him a chance at winning the world championship – and rumors began to swirl about him having a reputation for being very opinionated behind the scenes, something that can be very bad in the industry. The next thing you know he was stuck in the middle of the card. Then last May, the WWE decided that it was time to move on and released him.
Most thought he would pop up quickly in TNA Wrestling. Instead, he took his time put eventually made his way over to TNA, signing with the company in January. Now, Mr. Anderson (real name Ken Anderson) is feeling good again and is ready to make a difference at his new home.
He'll definitely get his chance as TNA Impact moves to Monday nights beginning next week on Spike TV, going straight up against WWE Raw from 9:00-11:00pm ET.
Last night on my Between The Ropes radio show on ESPN 1080 in Orlando, FL, Mr. Anderson was a guest and spoke about the decision to join TNA, his time with WWE, how close he came to leaving the wrestling business and more.
You've been with TNA for a little while now after transitioning from the WWE. How do you like it so far?
I love it. I feel like I'm reborn. Anybody that knows me knew that for the past couple of years I was in kind of a rut. Really, it was creative differences and that is a very common problem in the wrestling business. I just felt like I wasn't allowed to be myself and here in TNA they hand me a piece of paper that says 'Ken Anderson interview'. The first night they gave me that I was like 'ah, what do you want me to say?' And they were like whatever you want. Here are your points, just hit those points and whatever else, whatever comes to your mind. To me, that's unheard of, especially coming from the place I was in the last five years. Right then and there, in my mind I thought this could be something special and for the past month and a half, two months that I've been there it has been nothing but great. I think everybody is on the same team. We're all shooting for the same goal and that is to have the best wrestling product out there and hopefully I can be a part of that.
Watching you, it looks like you're having fun again when you come to the ring or cutting a promo. How much does that really affect you when it comes to doing your job?
Well, I'm living the American dream right now. I had a dream – I had a dream! That one day...I would entertain masses of people. When you're told constantly don't do that, don't look that way, act this way, don't say this, say this and you don't agree with it no matter what you say, no matter what you do, no matter how hard you fight they keep pushing you back. It gets to the point where... Outsiders looking in probably say like 'oh, whoa is you, you have such a rough life'. Well, it is because I look at us as artists and you can't tell an artist how to paint his paintings. Nobody told Andy Warhol hey man, that doesn't look right what you're doing. That doesn't look like everybody else's paintings. No, he did his own thing and he's very famous because of it and made a lot of money along the way. I just think that when you hold an artist down and tell them they can't do things, it doesn't lead to a positive outcome. Here at TNA, I am just thrilled. I feel like I'm reborn. I've had so many people tell me that you look like you're having fun, like you're a new man. Honestly, I didn't watch wrestling for the past year. I didn't watch it. I had no desire to. I didn't know if I was going to continue on with the wrestling business. I thought, you know what, I might just call it quits now. I was actually pretty reluctant in going to TNA and I'm so glad that I actually did it.
How close were you to leaving wrestling all together following your tenure with the WWE?
I went home the night of the last match I had – that five-on-five – and I said I don't think I want to do this any more. I told my wife I think I'm done. That's pretty tough. I got into wrestling because I never wanted to be that guy that says maybe I should have, maybe I could have, what if I had done this. I did it. I spent six-and-a-half years toiling away on the independent scene and driving up and down the highways and byways, doing 15 hour car rides one way, 30 hours total to get paid $40 and do it all over next week. People used to think I was crazy and that's what you do when you're passionate about something, when you want to achieve success. Then I got there. The first couple of years it was great and then all of a sudden it just came to a screeching halt. At that time I was like, this is the top of the food chain where I can't go any higher than this in the wrestling industry so I would rather just bow out now rather than just try to cling on to something. I'm so glad that I stuck around and I think TNA has a real fighting chance. I know that we are the underdogs by a long shot. Not as far as talent goes but WWE has been around for a long time and they have a lot of money. TNA has, I think, the foundation, a very solid foundation and it's going to take time. But I believe we're going to stick this out. I can tell you right now, and I can't speak for anyone else, I can say it for myself that I'm going to go out there and give 100% every single week.
What exactly made you change your mind for you to decide to continue with your wrestling career?
I talked to a lot of different people that told me the landscape is different over there. It's different in TNA. You know, you hear mixed reviews. I talked to some people who had been there and left and didn't like it, didn't like their experience. I guess I took a lot of people's, their own perception, I took those into consideration and came up with my own conclusion and that was I still wanted to make a go at this and I'll give it a shot. I got them to reduce the length of the contract. They initially wanted two years and we wanted six months because I really wasn't sure man, I really wasn't sure. So we got it down to a year and now I don't see myself leaving any time in the near future. I'm here to stay. I know a lot of guys in the past have come to TNA with the intentions of sweetening a deal to go back up north (WWE). I have no intentions of doing that – none whatsoever. I'm here to stay and I'm part of the team.
You talked about your frustrations with the WWE. Do you think things would have been different if you hadn't suffered the injuries you did and the times you had them?
I don't know. I'm sure that injuries played a part in my "fans" backstage in the WWE. I'm sure that that helped them in their cause. Injuries in the wrestling business? I know that I've had the label of being injury-prone but I don't believe I've been injured more than anybody else in this business. Injuries are a common occurrence. Everybody is just constantly hurt in this business. It's just the name of the game. I don't know. I don't really try to dwell on what could have or how things might have played out. Things happened the way that they did and I'm actually kind of happy that they did happen that way because I always try to turn everything into a positive. Like I said, stuff happened and it's time to move on.
What do you think is the biggest misconception it is about you from what people think they know about you and what is really you?
(laughs) Umm....well, I don't know. I guess I'm just a normal guy. I like hanging out with my wife. I like playing video games. I like going to movies. I like watching wrestling. I like watching sports. I'm a normal guy. But I'm also passionate about a number of things. I'm passionate about my business. I'm passionate about politics. I speak my mind a lot. I guess some people perceive that however they want to perceive it as. I would rather have somebody that speaks their mind as just tells it as it is rather than someone who just toes the company line. That's what I've tried to do. Sometimes it's backfired in my face, other times it has helped. There are people out there that hate me for that and there are people out there that really appreciate it and understand it.
Can you clear up one misconception because there was a lot of talk about when you left WWE and what exactly happened to make the company decide to give you your release. There was talk about a match with Randy Orton where afterwards he chewed you out. Can you explain what exactly happened?
First of all, I did not get injured in that last match. I know that a lot of people were saying that I had broken my wrist or something like that. I was holding my wrist because I had just got the snot pounded out of me for about ten minutes by five of the top guys in the company. I was just selling. Actually, my physical therapist called me the next day and she said 'did you re-injure your shoulder?' I said no and she was like you were holding your wrist and that's an indicator I guess for those people in that profession. That's something that they look for, for recurring shoulder injury is holding the wrist to immobilize the shoulder. He (Orton) told me to give him a belly-to-back suplex and I did and I thought everything was fine. I got to the back and he was holding his neck, saying that I dropped him on his head. He went to the back and lectured me about how I need to be safe and all this other stuff. He got three huge bags of ice – one on his neck, one on his left shoulder, one on his right shoulder. He got them all saran wrapped up, put his shirt back on and we walked to the locker room and he chewed me out the whole way there – calmly and quietly – but he told me that you need to be careful, blah blah blah. I felt bad about it because I didn't know. I hadn't seen the tape so I thought I really dropped him on his head. Then I went home and saw the tape and saw that he landed flat. If you slow the video tape down, his neck never comes into contact with the mat. So, I'll let you...you watch the tape and you let me know what you think. He landed flat as flat can be and then he went and complained to Vince (McMahon) and then (John) Cena went and complained to Vince and said that they didn't want to work with me anymore because I was dangerous and that is what ended up being the final straw. I wouldn't say that's what got me fired because there were so many other things before that. It was like they were looking for a reason to get rid of me.
Did you ever think you'd be in a wrestling company in 2010 with Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair and both would be getting back in the ring?
No. It doesn't surprise me though. I never thought it would happen but it doesn't surprise me. After all the things I've seen in this wacky, crazy ride that I've been on for the last ten years, nothing, nothing at all surprises me any more. But I think it's great. There are people out there going 'oh, those guys need to hang it up'. To me, it's entertainment and to a lot of people it's entertaining. At the end of the day, that's all that really matters. I understand there's wrestling purists out there who want just wrestling and I understand that. I like wrestling matches. I like really good wrestling matches. But there is something that those guys bring to the table that a lot of guys today just don't have so they're still here and that really says something.
He dealt with some injuries – one of them that cost him a chance at winning the world championship – and rumors began to swirl about him having a reputation for being very opinionated behind the scenes, something that can be very bad in the industry. The next thing you know he was stuck in the middle of the card. Then last May, the WWE decided that it was time to move on and released him.
Most thought he would pop up quickly in TNA Wrestling. Instead, he took his time put eventually made his way over to TNA, signing with the company in January. Now, Mr. Anderson (real name Ken Anderson) is feeling good again and is ready to make a difference at his new home.
He'll definitely get his chance as TNA Impact moves to Monday nights beginning next week on Spike TV, going straight up against WWE Raw from 9:00-11:00pm ET.
Last night on my Between The Ropes radio show on ESPN 1080 in Orlando, FL, Mr. Anderson was a guest and spoke about the decision to join TNA, his time with WWE, how close he came to leaving the wrestling business and more.
You've been with TNA for a little while now after transitioning from the WWE. How do you like it so far?
I love it. I feel like I'm reborn. Anybody that knows me knew that for the past couple of years I was in kind of a rut. Really, it was creative differences and that is a very common problem in the wrestling business. I just felt like I wasn't allowed to be myself and here in TNA they hand me a piece of paper that says 'Ken Anderson interview'. The first night they gave me that I was like 'ah, what do you want me to say?' And they were like whatever you want. Here are your points, just hit those points and whatever else, whatever comes to your mind. To me, that's unheard of, especially coming from the place I was in the last five years. Right then and there, in my mind I thought this could be something special and for the past month and a half, two months that I've been there it has been nothing but great. I think everybody is on the same team. We're all shooting for the same goal and that is to have the best wrestling product out there and hopefully I can be a part of that.
Watching you, it looks like you're having fun again when you come to the ring or cutting a promo. How much does that really affect you when it comes to doing your job?
Well, I'm living the American dream right now. I had a dream – I had a dream! That one day...I would entertain masses of people. When you're told constantly don't do that, don't look that way, act this way, don't say this, say this and you don't agree with it no matter what you say, no matter what you do, no matter how hard you fight they keep pushing you back. It gets to the point where... Outsiders looking in probably say like 'oh, whoa is you, you have such a rough life'. Well, it is because I look at us as artists and you can't tell an artist how to paint his paintings. Nobody told Andy Warhol hey man, that doesn't look right what you're doing. That doesn't look like everybody else's paintings. No, he did his own thing and he's very famous because of it and made a lot of money along the way. I just think that when you hold an artist down and tell them they can't do things, it doesn't lead to a positive outcome. Here at TNA, I am just thrilled. I feel like I'm reborn. I've had so many people tell me that you look like you're having fun, like you're a new man. Honestly, I didn't watch wrestling for the past year. I didn't watch it. I had no desire to. I didn't know if I was going to continue on with the wrestling business. I thought, you know what, I might just call it quits now. I was actually pretty reluctant in going to TNA and I'm so glad that I actually did it.
How close were you to leaving wrestling all together following your tenure with the WWE?
I went home the night of the last match I had – that five-on-five – and I said I don't think I want to do this any more. I told my wife I think I'm done. That's pretty tough. I got into wrestling because I never wanted to be that guy that says maybe I should have, maybe I could have, what if I had done this. I did it. I spent six-and-a-half years toiling away on the independent scene and driving up and down the highways and byways, doing 15 hour car rides one way, 30 hours total to get paid $40 and do it all over next week. People used to think I was crazy and that's what you do when you're passionate about something, when you want to achieve success. Then I got there. The first couple of years it was great and then all of a sudden it just came to a screeching halt. At that time I was like, this is the top of the food chain where I can't go any higher than this in the wrestling industry so I would rather just bow out now rather than just try to cling on to something. I'm so glad that I stuck around and I think TNA has a real fighting chance. I know that we are the underdogs by a long shot. Not as far as talent goes but WWE has been around for a long time and they have a lot of money. TNA has, I think, the foundation, a very solid foundation and it's going to take time. But I believe we're going to stick this out. I can tell you right now, and I can't speak for anyone else, I can say it for myself that I'm going to go out there and give 100% every single week.
What exactly made you change your mind for you to decide to continue with your wrestling career?
I talked to a lot of different people that told me the landscape is different over there. It's different in TNA. You know, you hear mixed reviews. I talked to some people who had been there and left and didn't like it, didn't like their experience. I guess I took a lot of people's, their own perception, I took those into consideration and came up with my own conclusion and that was I still wanted to make a go at this and I'll give it a shot. I got them to reduce the length of the contract. They initially wanted two years and we wanted six months because I really wasn't sure man, I really wasn't sure. So we got it down to a year and now I don't see myself leaving any time in the near future. I'm here to stay. I know a lot of guys in the past have come to TNA with the intentions of sweetening a deal to go back up north (WWE). I have no intentions of doing that – none whatsoever. I'm here to stay and I'm part of the team.
You talked about your frustrations with the WWE. Do you think things would have been different if you hadn't suffered the injuries you did and the times you had them?
I don't know. I'm sure that injuries played a part in my "fans" backstage in the WWE. I'm sure that that helped them in their cause. Injuries in the wrestling business? I know that I've had the label of being injury-prone but I don't believe I've been injured more than anybody else in this business. Injuries are a common occurrence. Everybody is just constantly hurt in this business. It's just the name of the game. I don't know. I don't really try to dwell on what could have or how things might have played out. Things happened the way that they did and I'm actually kind of happy that they did happen that way because I always try to turn everything into a positive. Like I said, stuff happened and it's time to move on.
What do you think is the biggest misconception it is about you from what people think they know about you and what is really you?
(laughs) Umm....well, I don't know. I guess I'm just a normal guy. I like hanging out with my wife. I like playing video games. I like going to movies. I like watching wrestling. I like watching sports. I'm a normal guy. But I'm also passionate about a number of things. I'm passionate about my business. I'm passionate about politics. I speak my mind a lot. I guess some people perceive that however they want to perceive it as. I would rather have somebody that speaks their mind as just tells it as it is rather than someone who just toes the company line. That's what I've tried to do. Sometimes it's backfired in my face, other times it has helped. There are people out there that hate me for that and there are people out there that really appreciate it and understand it.
Can you clear up one misconception because there was a lot of talk about when you left WWE and what exactly happened to make the company decide to give you your release. There was talk about a match with Randy Orton where afterwards he chewed you out. Can you explain what exactly happened?
First of all, I did not get injured in that last match. I know that a lot of people were saying that I had broken my wrist or something like that. I was holding my wrist because I had just got the snot pounded out of me for about ten minutes by five of the top guys in the company. I was just selling. Actually, my physical therapist called me the next day and she said 'did you re-injure your shoulder?' I said no and she was like you were holding your wrist and that's an indicator I guess for those people in that profession. That's something that they look for, for recurring shoulder injury is holding the wrist to immobilize the shoulder. He (Orton) told me to give him a belly-to-back suplex and I did and I thought everything was fine. I got to the back and he was holding his neck, saying that I dropped him on his head. He went to the back and lectured me about how I need to be safe and all this other stuff. He got three huge bags of ice – one on his neck, one on his left shoulder, one on his right shoulder. He got them all saran wrapped up, put his shirt back on and we walked to the locker room and he chewed me out the whole way there – calmly and quietly – but he told me that you need to be careful, blah blah blah. I felt bad about it because I didn't know. I hadn't seen the tape so I thought I really dropped him on his head. Then I went home and saw the tape and saw that he landed flat. If you slow the video tape down, his neck never comes into contact with the mat. So, I'll let you...you watch the tape and you let me know what you think. He landed flat as flat can be and then he went and complained to Vince (McMahon) and then (John) Cena went and complained to Vince and said that they didn't want to work with me anymore because I was dangerous and that is what ended up being the final straw. I wouldn't say that's what got me fired because there were so many other things before that. It was like they were looking for a reason to get rid of me.
Did you ever think you'd be in a wrestling company in 2010 with Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair and both would be getting back in the ring?
No. It doesn't surprise me though. I never thought it would happen but it doesn't surprise me. After all the things I've seen in this wacky, crazy ride that I've been on for the last ten years, nothing, nothing at all surprises me any more. But I think it's great. There are people out there going 'oh, those guys need to hang it up'. To me, it's entertainment and to a lot of people it's entertaining. At the end of the day, that's all that really matters. I understand there's wrestling purists out there who want just wrestling and I understand that. I like wrestling matches. I like really good wrestling matches. But there is something that those guys bring to the table that a lot of guys today just don't have so they're still here and that really says something.
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