|
|
|
|
|
Submitted by Phantom Lord on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 at 6:12 AM EST
 Phantom: All right to start this off, tell me about yourself. How you got into wrestling and what companies you work for. Travis: hm...there's actually a really long story about how I got into wrestling involving Chris Hero sorta prepping me by telling me what to do and what not to do in the business, but most of the in-ring training was with Dany Yamz. Currently I work for GWF and JWA with a few other things upcoming. Phantom: Ok so who are some of the people who inspired you to get into wrestling? Travis: Hmm...Well Rey Mysterio was a huge influence because he single handedly got me into wrestling again. Also guys like Ultimo Dragon, Eddy Guerrero...I'm a big fan of lucha. As far as indies I saw Low Ki wrestle on my first indy show and decided then it was what I wanted to do. Phantom: How long have you been wrestling? Travis: At this point a little less than two years, although bookings were very sporadic for most of my early time. I'm finally starting to make more connections and get more work now though. Phantom: In that time what would you say has been your best moment in the ring? Travis: Hm...It's hard to say because to be perfectly honest I haven't done a lot to stand out. I had a really good match with Rick Silver in NWA North Jersey that the crowd was pretty into, so I was proud of that one. Whenever I can make someone else look good though it's good enough for me. Phantom: Rick Silver works for JAPW as the lawyer right? Travis: Yep, Rick Silver Esq...I owe him a ton because I feel he's one of the main people responsible for the progress I have made as a wrestler. Phantom: That promo video he did for his services is hilarious. One of the problems fans have with the overall product is a lack of original personalities. On the subject of personalities, tell me about you in the ring. What kind of character (if that’s the right term to use) is he? Travis: Hmm...It's hard to say. When I started it was sort of a comedy gimmick called the "Goth Gangsta"...So I was supposed to be like a vampire thug sort of thing. But that passed and as it stands now I don't so much have a persona, I'm just me...Kind of a smartass with an odd sense of style, who tries to do what's right. Although more often than not I get my ass handed to me instead. Phantom: The Goth Gangsta eh? That must have been an interesting gimmick to try and get over with the fans. Travis: Yeah it could have been fun but at the time I was usually so terrified to be in the ring that I never played it up enough. So I was a little better off when I stopped trying to have a character and got a little more confident. That was when I was probably one of the worst wrestlers in USA Pro. Phantom: so over all the more experience one has the better they get confidence wise in the ring. For someone trying to get into the wrestling business, what would you say to them to expect the first time they wrestle on a show? Travis: First time on a show you'll probably be more prepared than I was hopefully, but in general the most important thing is to keep things moving, don't worry if not everything you wanted to do makes it into the match. And try to make sense, that seems to get forgotten too often. Phantom: Speaking of making sense, do you think when it comes to wrestling today that ring psychology is something that many people just don’t seem to appreciate anymore? Travis: Definitely, not to say I haven't been guilty of it myself in the past but it seems like too many guys just want to do cool indyriffic moves that make no sense in the match, as opposed to pacing a logical match. In general a match that makes sense and everyone plays their roles is better than a spotfest. Phantom: Well there’s nothing wrong with a spotfest, but it shouldn’t be for the sake of if you can do this then I can do that. Travis: Exactly, I mean I love the Ring Of Honor scramble type of matches as much as anyone, and they have a certain place but in general it's more important to be able to do a headlock takedown than a bunch of flippy stuff. Phantom: Exactly, well speaking of matches is there anyone your hoping to work with in the near future? Travis: Well I don't know about near future, but I always wanted to work with Dixie, Insane Dragon, Deranged...There's a guy in IWA Mid South named Trik Davis that I think I could have a good match with, and my ultimate goal would be a match with Reckless Youth. Phantom: Well on the subject of the future, where do you see wrestling in five years from now. Will it still be just the WWE or will another company step up and try to give a half way decent challenge to them? Travis: I'd really like to think someone will step up...I think the problem is that too many companies try to start off as the #2 promotion in the country and it doesn't work. ROH is a company that had the right idea, and built up and hopefully one day they'll have enough money behind them to be a genuine competitor. Phantom: You think that’s what ultimately did in NWA-TNA as its pretty clear they are damn near dead in the water? Travis: Yeah they tried to just sign up anyone who the WWE had released and didn't concentrate enough on building up their own stars. They did a great job on guys like Monte Brown and AJ Styles, but that wasn't quite enough. So they came off like WCW did, as the island of misfit wrestlers. Phantom: which is a shame since they were out doing the WWE with damn good wrestling matches. On the subject of wrestling matches do you think a company could get over just show casing wrestling or does a company need some sort of soap opera angle to lure people in? Travis: Well not in as much of a convoluted fashion as the WWE does, but I do feel there needs to be some kind of story behind the match happening to make it a little more interesting. Sure a good match speaks for it self but when everything comes together is when it becomes a classic. Phantom: Very true...but I think we all could do without another wedding on RAW. Travis: Yeah the whole wedding thing is done to death. Someone needs to book a wedding that goes exactly as planned. Phantom: Well that brings up the whole issue of logic and I’m sure entire books could be wrote on the WWE and their lack of it at times. But on the subject of the wwe, is it a hope with Indy wrestlers to someday they will make it to the wwe? Travis: Understandably as that's pretty much where the money is but personally, I never really aspired to get there. I'm too small if nothing else...I'm not in this for money, I just love it and I want to be someone the fans enjoy seeing. Phantom: well you mentioned you wrestled for NWA NJ, is the NWA World Title still considered to be the top belt in all of wrestling or has it lost some of its standing? Travis: Yeah I think it lost a lot of it's prestige in the fact that the company using the title is sort of looked down upon...I think it would be nice to see another mainstream company pick up the lineage if TNA does go under though, as it seems like a waste to let a title with so much history just die out. Phantom: What’s your take on women's wrestling in this country. Is there a market for it? Travis: One of my best friends in wrestling is actually a female wrestler, and we constantly discuss why there's such a different standard for women's wrestling and men's...I guess too many girls in it for the wrong reasons, but that does make the serious ones stand out. As far as for a company, I don't know because the audience has been conditioned to objectify women too much. Phantom: Yeah and the only two real companies that were/are all women W.O.W. and W.E.W. are pretty much comedy and doesn’t showcase the real skill some women have. Travis: Exactly...There are some girls that I believe deserve to be in this business more than some men, but I think unfortunately they're the minority in comparison to half trained girls who want to pose for Playboy as their goal. Phantom: you think there will ever be a time when the women’s title in the WWE is taken seriously or will it always end up being the stepping stone to Playboy? Travis: Well I think they released almost all of the women who could keep the division as having solid matches, but hopefully the cycle will come back around, because it was great when Gail Kim, Jazz, Molly, etc. were in the mix. Now it's down to Trish and Victoria basically. Phantom: Which sad considering how good it used to be, but concerning the WWE is there anyone on their current roster you'd love to work with in a match someday? Travis: Well I mentioned Eddy and Rey before, this seems like a good place to do it again...And Paul London, I'm a huge fan of his. Phantom: How much does it annoy guys on the Indies when fans say they sold out for taking a wwe deal or something? Travis: Even as a fan I felt that was extremely disrespectful...I mean Paul London for example, sure it would be great to see him having great matches on the indies but the fans should understand that it's a business, and if you can make a living off of it, they should respect the decision. Phantom: Well I think I’m almost done, so I guess finally where do you see yourself in the next few years or do you take things one match at a time? Travis: Yeah basically all I try to do is improve and see where things take me. I love this business and I give everything I can in every match. Oh and before I forget, I'd like to give a special shout out to Paul Ratings and his RCW who I will most likely be wrestling for down the line. Phantom: Well thanks for taking the time to do this interview with me. You have any plugs before you go? Travis: yeah i had a blast. Hmm, I have a website at which I'll hopefully update soon and which is the site of Della Morte, a close friend and fantastic female wrestler Well thanks again to Travis for doing this interview and if you want to send him feedback or are interested in possibly booking him for a show you can contact him at TrueBlackchurch@aol.com Plugs from Phantom Wrestling United: The Flagship of the Lordsofpain.net Online Radio Network…The Future of the IWC is here Anarchy Pro Wrestling: New York City's Premiere Underground Fed *NEW GALLERY* Very Rare Photos from MR. KENNEDY'S WEDDING!
|
|