Guest BobBacklundRules Report post Posted January 3, 2003 Source: Xtreme.Mayhem.com The following are highlights from Xtreme Mayhem''s interview with NWA TNA and XPW superstar Jerry Lynn. The interview was conducted by Mike Nagel and Jeff Meacham on January 2nd, 2003. Visit http://xtreme.themayhem.com/ to listen to the streaming audio or downloadable version of the 55-minute interview! Growing Up - Lynn has been a wrestling fan since he was six years old, and he mainly grew up with AWA since he lived in Minneapolis. Once there was cable television in the early eighties, he was able to watch territories all across the country. Eddie Gilbert, The Crusher and Ray Stevens were among some of his favorite wrestlers at the time. Extreme Championship Wrestling - "The New F''N Show" phrase was created by the ECW fans. The years in ECW were fun while they latest, and him and RVD always tried to come up with something new and innovative in their matches. According to Lynn, some of those matches took years off his life. He was never really pushed by Paul Heyman in ECW, and he had to rely on his work to get over with the fans. He said that Heyman would give him a little shove in order to help put over somebody else. Lynn said that Heyman didn''t like him and it was Justin Credible who convinced Heyman to make Lynn champion because it was good for business. World Wrestling Entertainment - After being released by WWE, he was upset because he had worked so long to get to "the big time" and once he got there the wrestling and the fun was gone. He thought letting go was a blessing in disguise because he went from being WWE Light Heavyweight champion to working dark matches. Lynn''s promo at Judgment Day was given to him by Paul E. and he didn''t have any heat with JR at that point. He says that Vince won''t push guys just as wrestlers, because he wants them to have whacky gimmicks in order to sell merchandise. In WWE, they would indirectly tell guys like himself and RVD to tone it down in the ring without actually saying it. When he won the Light Heavyweight Title, people would come up to him and tell him how great it was for him to be champion. He would respond: "Really? Having the Light Heavyweight Title means jack shit." NWA TNA - Lynn said that the new financial backers want to give Vince a run for his money. Everyone is hopeful that they can land some sort of television deal so they can expand the company to eventually compete with Vince. He said it was in the works for him to eventually break-out of the X-Division and move into the World Heavyweight division. TNA and himself are going to be starting up a training camp this month. Xtreme Pro Wrestling - He has enjoyed working in XPW so far and said that the locker room atmosphere was great and everyone was very nice. He plans to work steady with them as long as they want him. He said that XPW hopes to be able to become what ECW used to be. His Favorite Matches - He enjoyed some of his early matches with Lightning Kid (Sean Waltman) because, even thought they didn''t know what they were doing yet, they were ahead of their time and they beat the crap of each other in matches while they were trying to be innovative. In ECW, he enjoyed matches with RVD, Lance Storm, Justin Credible, Chris Candido, and others. He used to ask permission as to what he could do in his matches. One night, him and Justin Credible went out there in a two out of three fall match and did whatever they wanted to in the match without permission. World Championship Wrestling - He was known in WCW as Mr. JL. WCW gave him the name which he thought was stupid, but he came up with the gimmick based on the Power Rangers because they were very big at the time. He enjoyed working with Sabu in WCW, but due to politics, they only got around four minutes of television time. He felt that people used politics in WCW because they didn''t have any self-confidence in their own ability. He said that nobody in WCW, not even the production people, gave a damn about the company and were in it just for the money. The WCW/ECW Invasion - He knew from the start that the invasion wouldn''t work because WWE was Vince''s baby and he didn''t want to put guys from "other companies" over his own guys. He heard that it was Vince''s idea not to use him in the angle, but he would have declined the offer anyway because he knew the WCW/ECW guys were just going to be the jobbers. Tough Enough - He has mixed feelings about the show. He feels that making in wrestling is about good timing and he feels good for the people that win. However, he feels that the winners don''t appreciate what they got because they haven''t paid their dues. He said that another bad thing about the show is that the winners will quickly be pushed on television while the guys who have been wrestling for years are lost in the shuffle. Vince Russo - Lynn met Vince Russo for the first time in TNA, and while he doesn''t agree with some of Russo''s booking ideas in WCW, he hasn''t had any problems with Russo in TNA. He said that Russo has helped him with his promo work. One of his beliefs is that anyone who is booking should not be wrestling at the same time. Other Notes - He thinks Justin Credible is a great heel because, unlike some current heels, he never tried to play the cool heel and just went out there and got the entire crowd to hate him. - He said Tommy Dreamer would do a lot of gross things backstage for shock value. - He said that Low Ki is stiff with his kicks, but he is able to control them better than Tajiri. - He called Jeff Jarrett a great businessman. - He called RVD one of the most gifted athletes in the business. - He called Eric Bischoff an asshole who is full of shit. He said that the only "genius" on Bischoff''s part was that he spent Ted Turner''s money to buy WWE''s stars. - He called Paul Heyman a sorry excuse for a human being and the lowest scumbag on the face of the earth. He''s surprised that Heyman is even still alive. - He still considers Flair one of the best in the business who can continue to outperform some of the younger guys. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest William E Report post Posted January 3, 2003 - He called Eric Bischoff an asshole who is full of shit. He said that the only "genius" on Bischoff''s part was that he spent Ted Turner''s money to buy WWE''s stars. - He called Paul Heyman a sorry excuse for a human being and the lowest scumbag on the face of the earth. He''s surprised that Heyman is even still alive. Ouch Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ShooterJay Report post Posted January 4, 2003 Xtreme Pro Wrestling - He has enjoyed working in XPW so far and said that the locker room atmosphere was great and everyone was very nice. He plans to work steady with them as long as they want him. He said that XPW hopes to be able to become what ECW used to be. Even though I am a huge CZW fan, and thus really really hate XPW, I hope no one jumps on Jerry for this. I mean, he obviously didn't like ECW or Paul E. a whole lot, so the Heatwave thing probably doesn't bother him. Since he probably doesn't know the Messiah, he has no emotional involvement like the CZW guys do. If he likes working there, fine, more power to him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted January 4, 2003 Good read. Jerry just hates the WWE and Heyman and I was a little surprised about his comments towards Paul Heyman. Of course I never worked for the man though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest SiMania Report post Posted January 4, 2003 Even though I am a huge CZW fan, and thus really really hate XPW Why do you need to hate XPW if you're a CZW fan, aren't you allowed to like them both? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest CoreyLazarus416 Report post Posted January 4, 2003 Because XPW has tried to fuck over CZW oh so many times. Not only did XPW buy out a lease on Viking Hall, AKA The ECW Arena, for a year and a half, thus limiting the venues CZW could perform in, but they also: Are connectedto the mutilation of one of CZW's most popular, respected, and well-known stars, The Messiah. Stole talent from them in the form of Youthanazia (Josh Prohibition & M-Dogg 20) and others. Made deathmatches, CZW's specialty, banned in Pennsylvania Are trying to make the Northeast indy circuit an XPW monopoly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted January 5, 2003 I agree that XPW is really screwing with Indy wrestling in the Philidelphia market. It really was unfair IMO to make that arena the "XPW Arena" since CZW, 3PW, and ROH would have all run shows there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest subliminal_animal Report post Posted January 5, 2003 How did they get death matches banned? When did this happen? And doesn't XPW do a lot of death matches, too? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted January 5, 2003 Death matches were banned back in November I believe. XPW used death matches quite regularly, and they even have a death match title so I'm not sure what they will do to get around the new rule. My guess is that they will have hardcore matches that are slightly toned down. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Basswitch Report post Posted January 5, 2003 Yeah... i live about 2 hours away from the ECW arena. I was hoping that as soon as I get my car i would be able to go see CZW some weeks..... but I guess not now. I wonder where tehy will end up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
