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!
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