Post by Robert Lotti on Jun 8, 2009 23:45:31 GMT -5
Welcome to the 1st edition(I hope there will be more) of No Punches Pulled.
This first edition is with former ECW & NYWC heavyweight champion Mikey Whipwreck.
Robert Lotti: After ECW folded, did the WWE try to contact you?
Mikey Whipwreck: There was interest from the WWE, but my body was so wrecked by that point and working 4-5 nights a week wasn't something I was physically capable of doing. They were going to keep me & Tajiri together but even doing tag matches I don't think I would have held up.
RL: How did you end up working for USA Pro Wrestling?
MW: I honestyly don't remember the details. I had spoken to Frank Goodman while I was still working for ECW to come in and replace someone who canceled on him. Somewhere shortly before ECW closed or soon after I started working for Jac Sabboth and Frank at the same time but I honestly can't remember the details. I do remeber Frank always paying before the show started and the shows being really long but it was a good time.
RL: What are your memories of winning the JAPW tag team title with JT Jobber at the ECW arena?
MW: That was a good time. I think JT had the "get kille and do jobs" gimmick I had and I got to work with Hit Squad so it was fun. They had the reputation of being stiff and killing guys and I told them "there is no need to hit me hard, I'll fall down when you hit me and if need be, I'll lay there until you pick me up". It was a fun 2 matches. I remember doing the finish in Bayonne, NJ where Monsta Mack hit me with a plastic water bottle and Dan Maff schoolboyed me. Afterwards, they were both surprised how big the pop was on them hitting me with a bottle filled with water. I told them you don't need to kill people just make it look good and the fans will appreciate it. Even in JAP. lol
RL: What are your thoughts on JAPW then & now?
MW: I reall enjoyed JAP back in the day. I haven't had a chance to really keep up with what is going on there every month. From what I hear, they have a really good product.
RL: What made you retire back in 2001?
MW: My body was so beat up and I was really burnt out. I wasn't a big fan of working indies and chasing dates and promoters. So retiring was definitely something I was looking forward to.
RL: How did you come up with QWA(Question Mark Wrestling Alliance)?
MW: I don't remember. It was something Harry Slash & I came up with. Seemed like a good idea at the time. It was a self contained promotion and too many hands in the mix. You can't run something correctly when you needto deal with things third hand. In other words, we couldn't just do what we wanted. It was definitely a good idea and if we could do it again knowing what we know now, it would work.
RL: What made you come out of retirement in 2003?
MW: I was bored. I wa sitting around the house and needed something to do. It wasn't even something I planned on. Steve Corino had asked Guillotine LeGrande if I would be interested in doing something and it just took off from there. I only planned on doing 2-3 shows.
RL: What are your memories of working for ROH?
MW: I hated it. I loved the shows and the guys. But the spot I was in definitely wasn't for me. Joey Matthews was doing the Special K leader deal and he fit that spot perfectly. I didn't fit in with 18 year old rave kids. 18 year old devil worshiping psychopaths maybe. But certainly not rave kids.
RL: How did you end up working for NYWC?
MW: I helped train John Curse a little bit when he was at the ECW school and Wayne asked if I would come down and work a few shows for them teaming with him and it was only 20 minutes from my house at the time so I said yes.
RL: What are your memories of winning the NYWC tag titles on your 1st night there?
MW: I remember Spyder shitting on my finish. I told him we can do crossbody-roll through as a false finish and we could do a stunner for the actual pin. He looked at me like I suggested the worst possible spot in history lol. I still razz him about it today. I did the crossbody-roll through a few months later and the people really bought into it. When I came back through the curtain he finally admitted I was right and as he would come to learn I'm always right. Yesssss!
RL: What are your memories of winnin the USA Pro tag team title?
MW: That was a fun night. I think we auditioned for Knight Life earlier in the show and we came out dressed up in mismatched plaid suits with Hawaiian shirts underneath. We did the Night at the Roxbury routine until we snapped and dove over the judges table and beat them up setting up the match.
RL: I was sitting in the front row for that one. What are your memories of winning the NYWC heavyweight title at Psycho Circus 2004?
MW: I remember the fans being into the entire match from top to bottom. All the heels had great heat and all the faces were over against their respective heel rival. It built up perfectly and to this day I think it's one of the best Psycho Circus matches we've done. The one with Terry Funk was real good from what I remember but 2004 sticks out in my mind. I have it on good authority that the 2010 Psycho Circus is going to be the most intense and most creative ever.
RL: What are your memories of Tyler Payne?
MW: I miss Vito. He and Wayne butted heads a lot but I always got along with him. He got a nice job as a corrections officer and that was the end of Tyler Payne. But we had good matches and had fun in and out of the ring.
To Be Continued
This first edition is with former ECW & NYWC heavyweight champion Mikey Whipwreck.
Robert Lotti: After ECW folded, did the WWE try to contact you?
Mikey Whipwreck: There was interest from the WWE, but my body was so wrecked by that point and working 4-5 nights a week wasn't something I was physically capable of doing. They were going to keep me & Tajiri together but even doing tag matches I don't think I would have held up.
RL: How did you end up working for USA Pro Wrestling?
MW: I honestyly don't remember the details. I had spoken to Frank Goodman while I was still working for ECW to come in and replace someone who canceled on him. Somewhere shortly before ECW closed or soon after I started working for Jac Sabboth and Frank at the same time but I honestly can't remember the details. I do remeber Frank always paying before the show started and the shows being really long but it was a good time.
RL: What are your memories of winning the JAPW tag team title with JT Jobber at the ECW arena?
MW: That was a good time. I think JT had the "get kille and do jobs" gimmick I had and I got to work with Hit Squad so it was fun. They had the reputation of being stiff and killing guys and I told them "there is no need to hit me hard, I'll fall down when you hit me and if need be, I'll lay there until you pick me up". It was a fun 2 matches. I remember doing the finish in Bayonne, NJ where Monsta Mack hit me with a plastic water bottle and Dan Maff schoolboyed me. Afterwards, they were both surprised how big the pop was on them hitting me with a bottle filled with water. I told them you don't need to kill people just make it look good and the fans will appreciate it. Even in JAP. lol
RL: What are your thoughts on JAPW then & now?
MW: I reall enjoyed JAP back in the day. I haven't had a chance to really keep up with what is going on there every month. From what I hear, they have a really good product.
RL: What made you retire back in 2001?
MW: My body was so beat up and I was really burnt out. I wasn't a big fan of working indies and chasing dates and promoters. So retiring was definitely something I was looking forward to.
RL: How did you come up with QWA(Question Mark Wrestling Alliance)?
MW: I don't remember. It was something Harry Slash & I came up with. Seemed like a good idea at the time. It was a self contained promotion and too many hands in the mix. You can't run something correctly when you needto deal with things third hand. In other words, we couldn't just do what we wanted. It was definitely a good idea and if we could do it again knowing what we know now, it would work.
RL: What made you come out of retirement in 2003?
MW: I was bored. I wa sitting around the house and needed something to do. It wasn't even something I planned on. Steve Corino had asked Guillotine LeGrande if I would be interested in doing something and it just took off from there. I only planned on doing 2-3 shows.
RL: What are your memories of working for ROH?
MW: I hated it. I loved the shows and the guys. But the spot I was in definitely wasn't for me. Joey Matthews was doing the Special K leader deal and he fit that spot perfectly. I didn't fit in with 18 year old rave kids. 18 year old devil worshiping psychopaths maybe. But certainly not rave kids.
RL: How did you end up working for NYWC?
MW: I helped train John Curse a little bit when he was at the ECW school and Wayne asked if I would come down and work a few shows for them teaming with him and it was only 20 minutes from my house at the time so I said yes.
RL: What are your memories of winning the NYWC tag titles on your 1st night there?
MW: I remember Spyder shitting on my finish. I told him we can do crossbody-roll through as a false finish and we could do a stunner for the actual pin. He looked at me like I suggested the worst possible spot in history lol. I still razz him about it today. I did the crossbody-roll through a few months later and the people really bought into it. When I came back through the curtain he finally admitted I was right and as he would come to learn I'm always right. Yesssss!
RL: What are your memories of winnin the USA Pro tag team title?
MW: That was a fun night. I think we auditioned for Knight Life earlier in the show and we came out dressed up in mismatched plaid suits with Hawaiian shirts underneath. We did the Night at the Roxbury routine until we snapped and dove over the judges table and beat them up setting up the match.
RL: I was sitting in the front row for that one. What are your memories of winning the NYWC heavyweight title at Psycho Circus 2004?
MW: I remember the fans being into the entire match from top to bottom. All the heels had great heat and all the faces were over against their respective heel rival. It built up perfectly and to this day I think it's one of the best Psycho Circus matches we've done. The one with Terry Funk was real good from what I remember but 2004 sticks out in my mind. I have it on good authority that the 2010 Psycho Circus is going to be the most intense and most creative ever.
RL: What are your memories of Tyler Payne?
MW: I miss Vito. He and Wayne butted heads a lot but I always got along with him. He got a nice job as a corrections officer and that was the end of Tyler Payne. But we had good matches and had fun in and out of the ring.
To Be Continued
