Talking about that change in character for you, a change in direction, how much were you involved in that process?
I was involved a little bit you know, but at the end of the day it wasn't my call. But I was happy with it. I was very comfortable and confident in my role and in my character that you see on TV, and I've kind of made it my own. The whole "It Factor" and the "Selfish Generation" thing was all me. That wasn't written for me, that wasn't produced in any way. I wasn't told to say it. It was just something that rolled off my tongue and made it feel like part of the character and part of the persona I carry. I think it's elevated me to a different level and every week I seem more and more comfortable.
Back to you being TNA champion. Is there anything that is expected of you or is everything self-imposed in terms of responsibilities for you now that you are the TNA champion?
There's a lot of other responsibilities you know, other than going out and performing every night on television or pay-per-view. It's the travel. I mean, literally, I've been doing media appearances off and on for the last seven months, travelling overseas, promoting our upcoming tour in January. I got an opportunity to go to L.A. and do red carpet stuff for 'Spike TV' and 'MTV,' so a lot of cool things and a lot of different things, but there's a lot of responsibilities. But I knew getting into it that was going to be asked of me. Kurt Angle was that guy for a couple of years when he first got to the company and had to do all this stuff. He pulled me to the side and told me what to expect. He wasn't far off. It's been a busy time, but it's been a lot of fun and a great learning experience as well.
There are a subset of fans who tried TNA a while ago and maybe got turned off by the product, but it seems now that people are starting to rediscover TNA. Are you feeling that as well?
Absolutely. I think our product is getting better. I think the talent itself has always been there. I think our talent is second to none anywhere in the world. But I think as a machine, you know, all the moving parts have to work together in order for it to be successful and I think we've turned that corner and we've got some momentum now coming off a great pay-per-view at 'Slamiversary.' Every match from the top to the bottom of that card was great and our TV show is getting better and better and better. We've got some different things, things that people don't generally see on a wrestling show; some reality stuff, some stuff that kind of hits home, and some intriguing story lines and some great wrestling matches and putting the importance back on what should be important -- and that's the world title. The 'Bound for Glory Series' is doing that again this year with the 12 guys competing for an opportunity to go to 'Bound for Glory' for the world title, so I think we're doing a lot of good things. And of course, being live every Thursday, you know, when you're live anything can happen. And I think with today's social media, when it was taped, I think people just went online and read whatever they wanted to know and tuned out or maybe tuned in at a certain time. Now with live TV, I think that we're forcing the fans to watch and we're creating new fans.
What are your thoughts then on Impact going live on Thursdays and also the time slot change (to 8 p.m. ET)?
I think it's great. I mean, an earlier time slot's always going to be helpful in trying to generate new fans, younger fans, bringing more attention to our company, to our wrestling product. So I think the time change is great. I think people are just slowly starting to get used to that time change because we've been on at nine o'clock for so long, so that hour earlier is obviously going to be a big change, but I think it's going to be helpful in the long run. And of course, live TV, I think that’s how wrestling should be. I think it should be live. As the performers look at it from my standpoint, you have to be on, you have to be ready and there’s no second takes and there’s no re-dos. So, like I said, it gives that little extra excitement, you know it gets you pumped up a little more and it gets you ready. And I think as wrestling fans go, too, I think the element of surprise is better, too.
If people watch IMPACT they'll see things that they don't normally see. I remember one segment a few weeks ago where, there's Hulk [Hogan] and Jeff Hardy, Kurt Angle sitting in a room with Bully Ray and A.J. Styles talking about how 'We have to derail this Bobby Roode train.' It's just a segment you wouldn't normally envision in a pro wrestling show. What do you make of these new ways of presenting professional wrestling?
The way I look at it, I mean wrestling is so ... everything's been done. And I guess what's old can be new again, but you can try new things as well, things that have never been done before. And we're trying to do that. The wrestling business has been exposed to a certain extent and everybody knows that it's a performance, so to speak, so I think people behind the scenes and seeing what actually does go on give it that reality feel, and with reality TV being so predominant right now on our television over the last several years, I think bringing that element to our wrestling show is going to entertain more people and possibly bring more viewers to our show. Then, why not?
Who are guys that you say, 'You know what? I want to work with this guy in the future?'
We're all really in the same sort of era. Samoa Joe is a guy that comes to mind. He's a guy that's been to the top of the mountain before, but I really think he's got a lot of legs left and he's really underutilized, and I think that him and I can produce something really special. Austin Aries is a guy that has been the longest-reigning 'X Division' champion, has proven himself all over the world before he even got to TNA, and is well-respected in the industry, so I think he's a guy to look out for and I look forward to working with. But like I said, our roster top to bottom is solid as can be. I think Gunner has a hell of a future, too, as a top guy, so this company is not short on talent, that's for sure.
Some great moments and memories for you in TNA, does one stick out for you in particular?
Obviously winning the world title. For that particular reason, winning the world title, wrestling against my partner, my former partner at the time, that whole change in character, that change in attitude really brought me to where I am today. I mean there's been lots of great memories, some that people saw via pay-per-view, via TV. But one of the greatest memories was in January, overseas doing live events in England, I got an opportunity to do a six-man tag every night. My partners were Kurt Angle and Bully Ray, and we wrestled against Storm, Hulk Hogan and Sting. It was pretty surreal, a pretty cool moment four nights in a row being able to wrestle against Sting and Hulk Hogan at the same time. It's something I can hang my hat on. I've had a lot of great opportunities and a lot of great times here, and hopefully they'll continue.
So for TNA's next pay-per-view, Destination X (Sunday July 8), to people reading who may not have purchased one before, why should they?
I mean just coming off the heels of 'Slamiversary,' where top to bottom every match was a main event, literally. We started of with an 'X Division' title match with Samoa Joe and Austin Aries that blew the roof off the place and it just continued on from there. The guys and girls in our locker room give 1,000 percent every night. When it comes to live TV, when it comes to live events for that matter, such as these ones coming up in Oshawa and Hamilton this weekend, I think people that haven't been able to catch TNA IMPACT, the show or live event, need to check it out. Rent a pay-per-view, give us a chance and we'll make you a fan. I promise.
You can read the full interview at Baltimore Sun
