One on One with Tripp Atkins

[This is an One on One interview with the head of Impact Championship Wrestling; Mr. William Tunney. Impact Championship Wrestling is a growing wrestling company based out of Smithfield NC. The promotion has garnered its share of attention and it's new executive has garnered his share of controversy. Here is the full interview conducted by me, Tripp Atkins]

Tripp Atkins: Mr. Tunney, I would like to thank you for agreeing to this interview. I would like to begin the interview talking about ICW. Impact Championship Wrestling. How did ICW get started?

Tunney: No Problem Mr. Atkins, ICW from what I saw got started around 2004 with a bunch of hungry young wrestlers looking to make a name for themselves on the Indies scene.


Atkins: Prior to you coming aboard to run ICW, things seemed to be a bit out of control. What were some of the problems that you had to deal with?

Tunney: Yes things were a bit out of control when I stepped in as the new man in charge, Some of the problems were "Direction" They had none of it, They were on the right path but, not quite there yet, so I stepped in to make sure it will go where it needs to be.

Atkins: Mr. Tunney, there had been a great deal of concern from ICW fans and wrestlers about your recent decisions mainly as they concern the STP (Sweet Tea Party). It is believed that you are loyal, more loyal to the STP than ICW. How do you address that?

Tunney: Yes, I’ve been hit hard with phone calls, emails, I've even had threats made to me about how things are going now, It's like this, It's not that I'm more loyal to "STP" than I am to "ICW" It's that I know what works and what will not in this business I've been in the Professional Wrestling Business for a very long time, and I've Seen a lot, been with a lot of Promotions and saw what worked and what didn't work. "STP" Has that "IT" Factor, when Broderick G. McQueen was signed I knew he would be the main attraction, With his background and what he has done for this business it was a no brainer on what I needed to do, ICW Is growing and If they stick together they to will have the "IT" Factor but It seems over 90% of the ICW Roster has personal issues with each other and can not work together to take on STP before It takes over ICW and the way It's going now it will not be long.



Atkins: ICW Heavyweight Champion; Rhyze, as made claim that ICW management, You, do not respect ICW nor him as champion. He has said that he will not bring the ICW title with him until the championship and ICW is treated with respect. What is your response to Rhyze and his actions?

Tunney: Yes, I have seen that Rhyze is not to happy with me at the moment, He has it all wrong, I do Respect The champion, He's the Top man in ICW right now, And I understand how he feels and do not blame him for leaving the title at home, There's reasons for everything Mr. Atkins, As of now Rhyze has a brand new ICW Heavyweight Championship around his waist, In the Office we made the decision to drop the old title and bring in a brand new one, In time I think he will understand why I did what I did.

Atkins: There have been several wrestlers and fans who have called for you to step down. Mike Fortune of Profitt has campaigned to replace you. Michael Devine from MSD has even made demands against you. Do you have plans in stepping down and how do you address those who want you to?

Tunney: Point Blank, I'm not stepping down from "Office" I'm under contract for one full year to Help build this company and if The President of ICW Does not think I'm doing the job when my contract expires then we will go from there, But until then I'm not going anywhere.

Atkins: ICW is currently holding a tournament to crown a new light heavyweight champion and the tag team division is growing very competitive. Where do you see ICW's future from this point forward?

Tunney: Yes. The ICW Lightweight Tournament was my idea to showcase Wrestling’s best Lightweights around the globe, its very interesting watching these quick young men show everybody what they got in that ring, Its something special to see. The Tag team division is growing by the day, and that's what I wanted to see which makes for great matches to see who the best tag team is in ICW I'm looking forward to it. The future is waiting for us, I see ICW being at the top of the Independent scene in 2012 nothing but great things for this Company, like I said Before fasten your seat belts and Get ready for some "IMPACT"!!!

Atkins: Thank you Mr. Tunney for your time.

 Tunney: No Problem Mr. Atkins It was my pleasure

Independent Wrestling Promotions Building Community by Ringo Richardson

I became a professional wrestling fan back in the 70's when I would sit on the floor of my grandparent's house with my brother and sister on Saturdays waiting for Mid-Atlantic Championship wrestling to come on. It was an exciting hour watching wrestlers like Blackjack Mulligan, Ric Flair, Rufus R "Freight train" Jones, Greg Valentine, Paul Jones, Chief Wahoo McDaniels and Johnny Weaver. I remember Monday nights going to the Greenville Memorial Auditorium which was a regular Monday night tradition or when we would make a special trip to Columbia to go to the Township Auditorium or slide next door to the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. Between my grandparents, Uncles and cousins I think we spent just about as much time on the road going to wrestling matches as the wrestlers did. We loved it. In those days wrestling was not in your home 24/7. Going to your local arena, auditorium, civic center, or high school to see professional wrestling was not just another outing, it was an event. It was an event that brought generations of families together. It was an event that brought neighbors and communities together. While you sat there waiting for the action to begin; you would talk to a fellow fan, who could be a stranger, and instantly bond; you knew their life story. During that time everyone in the place was one big, happy wrestling family. Those were the days.

After watching the mess that WWE and TNA have been putting out; where do you go for that feeling again? When you go to a WWE or TNA event you are surrounding by a crowd of people but unlike the days when I would go there was something missing, not to say that there isn't a closeness but I felt I was in a mob of people that at times did not feel friendly to me. The whole feel of the event with pyro, loud music, the flash and the flair did not have me feeling like I did when I was a kid back in Greenville, SC watching it live. Today going to WWE or TNA live events or even their TV tapings I feel overwhelmed and honestly not comfortable at all. Like any minute there could be a riot and I would be one of many victims. When I was a kid I use to linger to the last to leave just to get a last look at that ring in hopes of glimpsing one of my favorite wrestlers one more time. At the TNA and WWE events I can't wait to get out of there. Ironically, it was last year, when I was at an event for Old School Championship Wrestling in Goose Creek doing an article. This lady next to me tapped me on the shoulder, she was probably in her sixties. She gave me a smile and told me how much she enjoyed OSCW. How she never missed a show and how for four years she had been coming and bringing her grandkids. "I want them to experience what I did when I was a little girl." In minutes, which felt like longer, she told me her life story and as I listened I felt it again. That feeling that I had when I was a kid. Watching total strangers share their lives all around their love for professional wrestling. She told me she did not allow her grandkids to watch WWE. She said it didn't feel like the professional wrestling she remembered. I had to agree with her and right then and there I watched the OSCW show, not like a reporter covering wrestling but a fan. The fan in me enjoyed the show. The fan in me for that time was transported back as I listened to the nice lady, Emily, sitting next to me with her grandsons; Cody and Ryan, scream like her grandsons when their favorite wrestler came out and boo like crazy when the one they hated entered the ring. I looked around and their were smiles and friendship. People chatted like old friends who had come together for a neighborhood cook out. I could hear my grandfather, good rest his soul, describing the action to my younger brother. I could feel my grandmother, may she too rest in peace, hold my hand as she watched a young Ricky Steamboat when his match. I could see my sister, brother and I running around during intermission. I found the feeling, I found the place and it was not at a WWE event or TNA but right in Goose Creek SC and places like it around the country where independent wrestling promotions are bringing back not just professional wrestling but the true professional wrestling community.

Independent wrestling promotions do not, at least not many of them, have the mega million dollar productions, that TNA and WWE have. Independent wrestling promotions for the most part is run top to bottom by one person; who does everything for the promotion. Independent promotions are the "mom and pop" general store to the huge "Wal-Mart" style super-center that is WWE and TNA. Where the WWE has "superstars" with million dollar contracts. The independent promotions have professional wrestlers, who are hungry and who love this sport, this business and it's fans. The independent promotions brings families together, gathers the community and creates something that WWE and TNA can not recreate; a real community. How? I will explain.

All most all independent promotions are in the same building every week, bi-monthly or monthly. The building become apart of the promotion and the feeling of familiar surroundings for the fans. The promotions talent roster is not as large as WWE and TNA so the fans will see their favorites on a regular basis. They become attached to them, know them and love them. If one of their favorites is not wrestling that night there is a sense of loss. The independent promotions provide fans more opportunities for fans to mix and mingle with their favorite professional wrestler, which little kids and many wrestlers love. Without all the overwhelming million dollar production that TNA offers, the independent promotions allow for the wrestling fans to actually see the wrestlers and the wrestling. And in the two, three and I have seen four hours the fans are in the building, watching their favorites or hated in the ring, those fans begin to bond and become a community. A community so strong that if a certain fan is not presence the others want to know what happened. They become friends, their families bond and connect, there have even been romances that have bloomed into marriages.

Now, I am not trying to take anything away from the "WWE Universe" and TNA or any other major promotion. It just seems to me and to paraphrase Emily. "I want my kids to experience professional wrestling the way I did."

One on One with Chris Damm

ONE ON ONE 

Never let be said that Chris Damm lets grass grown beneath my feet. As promised this is my One on One interview with Michael Devine over the phone. A little information about Michael Devine. For the sake of full disclosure I have known Michael Devine for over ten years first encountering him when he wrestled in Hemingway, South Carolina for a promotion called ECPW where he was both a heavyweight champion and tag team champion. Trained in Columbia SC by Johnny Z, Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young he has done just about everything there is to do in professional wrestling; from manager to referee; General Manager to wrestler, he was worn more hats in professional wrestling than I personally know. He is currently a member of Pain and Agony with Ali Steele and Big Bad Bully as well as the current Power Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion and the first and former Power Pro Wrestling General Manager. Not one for keeping his opinions to himself and telling it like it is (Hmmmm...just like yours truly) when I contacted him about an interview to discuss the return of Power Pro Wrestling he was more than ready to talk about it. So here is the interview. Oh...Opinions expressed in this interview are those of the person being interviewed and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts and opinions of the interviewer or Wrestling Reporters. (Okay Trip I did your damn disclaimer...Jesus)

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Chris Damm: Michael Devine it is a pleasure to speak to you and I want to thank you for this interview.

Michael Devine: Not a problem, what's on your mind.

CD: Power Pro Wrestling. In June of 2011 Power Pro Wrestling suspended regular operations. At that time you were General Manager. How did you hear the news and what were your thoughts when that happened?

MD: I got a message that there was going to be a major announcement concerning Power Pro, which was a surprise for me since I was General Manager. I went to P2WOnline.com and read the message where Power Pro Wrestling was suspending full time operations. My thoughts were what the fuck. I called Dick Foley, who was owner of Power Pro Wrestling and he confirmed and explained the reasons behind the decision.

CD: Now at that time you and Dick Foley were not on friendly terms.

MD: No, things between the two of us had gotten personal.

CD: Very personal from what I understand.

MD: Are you going to let me do this or are you going to just keep bumping your gums? Yes, very personal. I became General Manager of Power Pro Wrestling when the Four Corner Cartel won a best of five series of matches. Dick Foley could not handle the fact that he was not in day to day control of Power Pro Wrestling. In his mind the Four Corner Cartel were in control and his ego could not take it.

CD: This began a battle for control of Power Pro Wrestling. You fired Mark James and many of your decisions were questioned. It seemed like you were protecting then Heavyweight Champion Ali Steele; who was a member of the Cartel while you seemed to keep Scotty Mathews, another member, on a tight leash. You were not a popular man.

MD: You know Chris, you and I are friends and all that but you are working on my nerves son. Yes, I was not popular but when you are General Manager its not about being popular, its about being profitable. Dick Foley...I don't know he snapped. He went from being the man the fans loved to the man the fans hated. And in the meanwhile I'm trying to keep Power Pro moving forward while Foley and Mark James and Scrapyard Dog worked against that. It was a very difficult time. So when I got word of the suspension of operations I knew this was a Foley trick to get rid of me as General Manager.

CD: Which he did.

MD: Yes. Once Power Pro Wrestling ceased regular operations the position of General Manager was eliminated.

CD: How did you feel about that?

MD: Honestly, relieved...happy...I could breath. Don't get me wrong; I have been in the office before but this time there was so much going on, plus I was not finished as a wrestler. As General Manager I could still wrestle but it was just difficult to do that and try to run a company like Power Pro.

CD: But Power Pro Wrestling still ran the fair shows.

MD: Those were contractual obligations and remember there was a suspension of daily operations. So Power Pro was operating under those rules. Foley as owner had full authority, which was fine with me because I was doing what I loved doing wrestling and before you ask, yes...I made sure that my wrestling contract remained strong and it is a good thing I did.

CD: Right because in October 2011 you faced Dick Foley in a Fatal Four Way match in Chatham County where you won the Heavyweight title for Power Pro Wrestling.

MD: Yes...it was me, Mark James, Kenneth Franklin Carter and Dick Foley. Things had twisted up at that point. Moses Manson was back and running things. Foley was the Heavyweight Champion and the Youngbludz were the tag team champions. They were running all over everyone.

CD: Sounds like the same thing you and the Four Corner Cartel were doing.

MD: You know it's pretty difficult to drink a big glass of Shut your damn mouth with your whopper choppers on the floor. And for the record the 4CC ARE different than any other group and that is not part of this discussion. I had a victory over Foley at one of the Fair shows, I believe in Moore County and in Lee County he BAMBOOZLED and HOODWINKED Scrapyard Dog with the help of Moses Manson to become heavyweight champion. So at Chatham I called him out and in true Foley fashion he made it a fatal four way elimination mass of confusion until he could take advantage of me in a weakened state. But this old war horse still got some beat in my hoofs and well I became the champ. 

CD: How did that feel?

MD: It was great. It really was. I had been a tag team champion with Foley and later with Ali Steele. A Legends Champion, PPW MVP for 2009 and those were great accomplishments. But to be the heavyweight champion was like a trip to the moon. I never thought I would get there. It felt like things had come full circle.

CD: You were a champion of a promotion that wasn't running regular operations. That could not have been what you expected. For all you knew you were the very last Power Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion.

MD: See that is where you are wrong. I knew in my heart and soul that Power Pro would be back. I knew that I would not have climbed to the top of the mountain for the mountain to be reduced to a hill. Of course life moved on. Ali, Bully and I formed Pain and Agony; promotions wanted us from ICW to ACPW to UPWA just to name a few. We are a team...a unit...that can't be stopped. And in the back of mind I just knew Power Pro Wrestling would return.

CD: How did you get the news?

MD: Like everyone else...Twitter and Facebook. I called Dick Foley when I got it and he confirmed it.

CD: So Power Pro Wrestling is back and you lead the promotion not as General Manager but as it's Heavyweight Champion.

MD: That's called irony.

CD: So do you know what the plans are for Power Pro Wrestling? What will you be doing?

MD: What will I be doing? You are just plumb ate up with the insidious disease stupid-osis. I am the heavyweight champion and I will be defending it against any challenger who steps my way. As for the Power Pro plans...well, it's not your old Power Pro Wrestling. Its a new year and a new Power Pro Wrestling. I know Dick Foley has definite plans for PPW and I can't wait.

CD: So you and Dick Foley are friends now?

MD: This is professional wrestling, it is what it is. It's a new year and what is in the past stays there. My focus is on Pain and Agony and on defending my title at the Power Pro Wrestling return show in Sanford NC on February 25th. You like how I got that plug in?

CD: I would have mentioned it.

MD: You still can. Anything else on your mind?

CD: Well...how are things between you and the Four Corner Cartel?

[At that point he just hung up the phone]

Power Pro Wrestling has scheduled it's return show at the National Guard Armory in Sanford, NC on February 25, 2012. You may visit  powerprowrestling247.com  for more updates and information concerning this event. I am hopeful to have an interview with Power Pro Wrestling Owner Dick Foley very soon. So until then remember this; If you wake up in the morning and feel like someone is better than you, you are right and it's me!

Chris Damm!

THE LOOSE CANNON REPORT by Chris Damm

Just when you thought it was safe to show your head, Chris Damm; The Loose Cannon returns to blow your frickin' head off!

For those who know how I write and what I do, buckle your seat belts it's gonna be a bumpy ride. For those who don't know...well, sit down, take your hands out of your pants and get ready to learn something.

So The Wrestling Reporters are back but we aren't the only return to make note of in 2012. Unless you were under a rock this past week, you saw on WWE programming the debut (hell, it's a damn return in my book) of "The Funkasaurus" Brodus Clay. Brodus came out wearing a throwback outfit tribute to RUN-DMC...I'm talking about a red ADIDAS style jump suit, a red hat and two RED HOT sexy dancers (Naomi and Cameron) and what does he come out...SOMEBODY CALL MY MOMMA which was last used by Ernest "The Cat" Miller...well scratch that it now belongs to The Funkasaurus. Now normally when the WWE pulls of things like this I barely react...positively BUT I came out of my seat when I heard the music and out came Brodus. He looked great, he lost some good weight and though he is still a big man, he moved like he was lighter weight. His moves, gyrations and verbalization (okay...for those of you with a substandard education; Gyrations = movements, verbalization = talking) reminded me of Dusty Rhodes back in the day. The thing that sent me over the moon to giving the WWE a thumbs up was the finisher for the Funkasaurus...the running cross body. Not only did he get up for it and made it look great, it made since to me that a 370 man launching himself into the air like a super-sized flesh missile could and would be a devastating move. So to WWE...I have to save they did a great job with Brodus and apparently the WWE Universe (McMahon Universe) loved the repackaging of Brodus Clay, he was trending world wide on Twitter after his appearance (well that may not mean everyone liked him but we will go with that anyway) talked about on Facebook and featured on WWE.Com with an after match segment. NOW...let's see how long it takes for WWE to mess up a good thing. SOMEBODY CALL MY MOMMA!

I guess I should give a mention to a couple of returns in WWE both which have me shaking my head. The return of the Masked Monster Kane...I liked it. (I always liked the masked Kane) what I did not understand at first was why was he going after John Cena. Then I sat down with a bottle of Jack Daniels and a cigar as the realization came to me. Kane was the last in a line of individuals brought in to capitalize on the "CENA SUCKS...RISE ABOVE THE HATE" adventure that we have been living with FOREVER! Now I am not a total idiot I know WWE is playing one end against the other to make money. The WWE Universe who love to hate Cena spend their money to share that with everyone just like the WWE Universe who love him do the same. Several legends of the WWE have urged Cena to deal with the "dark side" with all the hate from those who hate him but the smiling John Cena continues to remain loyal and true (reminds me of my dog Blue. Loyal and true til the day I had him put to sleep) defending everyone's right to love or hate him while vowing to never change. And then comes the monster...KANE who wants Cena to embrace the hate...blah blah blah blah blah BLAH! Just so EVERYONE KNOWS...neither John Cena nor WWE care if you hate Cena...especially if you are watching their programming, going to their shows and buying their merchandise. When the money stops they will care...but digress. Kane returns...or as they say RESURRECTED...to keep things interesting until Wrestlemania...making people think that...OOOH Maybe Cena will become a villian...(News Flash: He began as a villian so it's no big stretch). I'm glad Kane...the Masked Kane is back as for what they are doing with him...No So Much!

And THEN THERE'S JERICHO! SOOOOOOO we are supposed to believe that all the cryptic promos were to herald the return of Jericho (I still don't believe it...it doesn't fit to my mind). So He comes out like a rock star, brings the crowd to it's feet and then after long minutes and crazy fans cheering...he turns and leaves and the WWE Universe are stunned into confusion. The next week he comes out to the same fanfare, the same crowd reaction but this time he gets sooooo emotional that he can't speak and leaves in tears. The WWE Universe are stunned into confusion...again. To the WWE Universe who reacted I have three words for you...DANCE MONKEY, DANCE! It's GREAT to have the maestro...Chris Jericho back and I can't wait until next week for another edition of Chris Jericho's new show "DANCE MONKEY, DANCE!"

Now, I am not really big on WWE and The Hogan/Bischoff TNA: IMPACT WRESTLING gets on my nerves at times. I do appreciate the fact that TNA is not subscribing to the PG ratings like WWE is currently doing. I have said it before and I will say it again...WWE is now boutique wrestling. It's where the elite in entertainment come to be seen. To rub elbows with WWE Superstars. WWE has sports entertainers...Sports Entertainers??? So there is a Sports Entertainers School? Okay, whatever. TNA, does give us more than a PG rating...they definitely are keeping the censors on their toes they have their share of God Damns, Shits, Motherfuckers and such that just barely get clipped by the infamous [BLEEP] from the censors. So TNA does...in it's crazy way...tries to stay true to the term professional wrestling and not sports entertainment. For the record, every sport is sports entertainment. If you are watching your favorite sport and you are entertained...well need I say more? But the NFL doesn't call it's players...Sports Entertainers, they are football players. The NBA has basketball players, Major League Baseball has baseball players...I think you get the point, unless you live in SC, NC, VA, GA, ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI, WVA, MD...so to the WWE...when you took the F out you also took the wrestling out. I say put the wrestling back and get the sports entertainment the FUCK OUT!

OKAY, let me take a sip of Jack. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH satisfied! Now the big news for me is on the independent circuit (where real professional wrestlers live, breath and roam) in North Carolina. For those of you who know. I use to do a column for Power Pro Wrestling based out of Sanford, NC. I enjoyed it, even though I had run ins with Dick Foley and the Power Pro Wrestling Management at times. Power Pro Wrestling was that promotion that wrestlers wanted to be a part of. For six years PPW...formerly known as AWA Power Pro Wrestling...made wrestling history and featured the best in professional wrestling [What? Did someone say PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING?]. When Power Pro Wrestling suspended operations the world continued to turn but it didn't seem to turn as fast as it use to. The sun still rose but it didn't seem as bright. Cats and dogs started living together, black became white and white became black. Well things are getting back to normal as Power Pro Wrestling has returned to full operations. Now there are still some questions such as who is actually in charge of Power Pro Wrestling? Is this a reorganization? To get to the bottom of this I attempted to contact former Power Pro Wrestling General Manager, Michael Devine. I have set up a One on One interview between us to discuss Power Pro Wrestling and its return. I also hope to conduct an interview with Power Pro Wrestling's Owner, Dick Foley. Once I have completed these interviews they will be posted here for all of your to read (for those of you who can't read...find someone to read it to you before you take your nappy nap).

THAT'S ALL FOLKS! Feel free to leave comments about this report and in mean while remember this;

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt. SOOOOO KEEP YOUR TRAP TIGHTLY SHUT, FOOL!"

Chris Damm