Show: Wrestling Epicenter (http://www.WrestlingEpicenter.com)
Guests: TNA Superstars Konnan and Gail Kim
Date: October 21, 2005
Your Hosts: Chuck D, James Walsh, & “The Queen of Extreme’ Francine
Recap By: James Walsh
Just days before TNA presents a pay-per-view spectacular more than 2 years in the making, 2 of their top superstars are bound for the Epicenter, the Wrestling Epicenter.
First, she’s a gorgeous young woman who once was a top WWE Diva and now is a top TNA Knockout. She’s a fighting female Phnom and one of TNA’s fastest rising stars. She’s Gail Kim.
Then, a member of the hottest face faction in TNA history. He’s been with the WWE, WCW, ECW, and now is a big star in the rising TNA promotion. He’s none other than “K-Dawg” Konnan.
Plus, Francine stops by to discuss how she used to party before wrestling and so much more. Check her out right now at http://www.MissyHyattandFrancineTV.com.
You can hear these two great interviews in their entirety right now at http://www.WrestlingEpicenter.com. We apologize for the fact that the entire live show is not complete as we had sparks flying from our board at the Blaze and the tapes were damaged. Hey, it’s not called the Blaze for nothing, right?
KONNAN:
— The interview begins with Chuck and James discussing a mega AAA event that was run on the Spanish channel here in Arizona over the weekend that featured Konnan against Vampiro in the main event. Konnan says that was basically AAA’s “Wrestlemania” event and he was glad to be a part of it. “It was great to be in front of a lot of people again because I’ve been wrestling in front of small crowds for a long time now.”
— Working in Mexico is very different than wrestling in America. For one, Konnan is a heel there. And, his thug character from the United States is not the case in Mexico. In fact, he wears a Kurt Angle-like singlet in Mexico because when he was a big star in Mexico prior to WCW, he didn’t think the Mexican audience would understand the rap element of his character.
— Konnan is good friends with the rapper Baby Bash and Daddy Yankee and he loves that Mexican rap. Chuck, who hosts a rap show on the Blaze every Friday afternoon called the “Rap Attack” discuss rap. James sits quietly in the corner wishing someone on the phone knew something about KISS.
— Konnan has not heard John Cena’s CD. He thinks Cena’s a “cool cat” but doesn’t believe he has “anything to say that I want to hear.” In Konnan’s opinion, Cena’s “kiddy rap” like Will Smith who BG James loves.
— As for Konnan’s Wolfpack mate’s rap CD by ‘Macho Man” Randy Savage, Konnan says it’s simply “beyond brutal.” Konnan thinks Macho was smart enough to try and ride a pop wagon for money.
— Konnan says “real recognizes real” like Cena says but feels if you look at a rapper or rap fan that didn’t grow up around what rap is about, you can tell that’s not what they really are about. Might I suggest this be a foot note for suburban white males between the ages of 15 and 25? Wake up!
— Back on wrestling, Konnan is excited that TNA is now on Spike TV. He’s used to being a part of companies that change the business as he was in ECW and WCW but with TNA, “I never thought we’d get here. When I started with TNA, we were in Tennessee at that arena. No offense to the fans but the place was like a barn yard or a place they have swap meets. It was really hard to believe we’d ever get on national TV. To be where we began to where we’ve come is really incredible. ”
— About WWE TV, “Vince has fallen asleep at the wheel… I think the product they’re putting out is pretty boring by and large. Watching the McMahon’s on TV again is just murder.” Konnan also feels seeing Cena against Bischoff is just another attempt to do Austin VS McMahon.
— Konnan says his friends in the WWE tell him they always have to watch what they say and do and that it isn’t fun.
— About the Radicals and WCW, Konnan was going to go to the WWE if Eric Bischoff would’ve let Rey Mysterio go as well. Bischoff said, “No, and if you stay I’m going to make your world miserable.. Konnan says, “He certainly kept his word on that one.”
— “They have the stars but we have the work rate,” says Konnan about how the TNA talent matches up to the WWE’s.
— Is the 3 Live Kru a stale act? “We’re definitely getting stale but that’s not our fault. The writers don’t listen to us and they do what they want. I think they’re going to break us up soon anyway. I think BG is going to go with Kip James. We’re looking to bring in a kid from ROH called Homicide.”
— Konnan says in 3 years of being the 3 Live Kru, they’ve only had one angle to work in and that was the angle with Kip James. He’s amazed they have stayed over given the fact they haven’t done much and have been “the same old crap.”
— As for the throwing of the shoes, “The most ridiculous things in wrestling get over.”
— Konnan says TNA doesn’t do house shows yet traveling because they aren’t sure they can draw all over yet as the WWE is having trouble drawing these days. Konnan says that will come with more TV exposure.
— Konnan thinks the WWE has a few big problems right now. First, the McMahons come out and yes they get heat but they get the “ugh not again” heat whereas Kurt Angle gets genuine heat because people still care. The other problem? “Vince is animate about using big muscle guys that look great but can’t work.”
— About the role production plays in wrestling, Konnan feels it plays a major role. For example, John Cena’s a terrible worker but gets over because of his ability to talk and the way his character plays out on TV. Konnan feels it’s all about “were you entertained” at the end of the day. He says better talkers get over better than those who can’t talk but might be great in the ring.
— One thing Konnan tries to teach the guys in the locker room today is if you are a heel, be a heel. He hates when the heels look for approval from the audience and says he’s gotten on Christopher Daniels for that in the past. He thinks Daniels is fantastic and has gotten better with that but it was something Konnan couldn’t stand.
— Konnan thinks the future of wrestling is smaller and more athletic wrestlers be them the X Division workers or what he is trying to do now by bringing Lucha Libre to American television. Konnan says SmackDown is the most watched show among young Hispanics because they have Rey and Eddie on there and truly believes a Lucha show would draw huge in that audience.
— The 3LK will be in full force this weekend on pay per view during Bound for Glory. Be sure and tune in. The first 30 minutes of the PPV are free and it truly is TNA’s version of Wrestlemania.
— To hear this interview and our original interview with Konnan from 2003 covering his entire career up to that point, visit http://www.WrestlingEpicenter.com.
Be sure and tune in this coming Wednesday night as Chuck, James, and Francine come at you with more wrestling talk and major superstars. On tap for next week already is the one and only Buff Bagwell and he is prepared to shoot and shoot hard. So, tune in for that at 11:30 EST this coming Wednesday night on “The Blaze” 1260 AM or through our live stream on http://www.WrestlingEpicenter.com.
