Source: Jan Murphy of The Kingston Whig-Standard
Recently, former TNA World Tag Team Champion Christopher Daniel spoke with Jan Murphy of The Kingston Whig-Standard. Topics covered include his thoughts about CM Punk and Daniel Bryan’s success in WWE, his time working in theater while in high school, and why he never caught on in WWE. Highlights of the interview are included below, but much more is contained in the full interview which you can access by clicking here. Enjoy!
On Watching Wrestling While Growing Up
As a kid, I got the opportunity to watch the Mid-Atlantic territories, which was a part of the NWA, which then turned into WCW. I got to grow up and watch Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes, and the first incarnation of the Four Horsemen, the Rock ’n’ Roll Express, the Midnight Express. Everybody that was coming through the Carolinas, I got a chance to watch live. So yeah, I was a huge fan.
On Working in Theatrical Arts in High School
First, I was trying to be an artist, until I found out I didn’t have any talent for that. So I sort of passed into a theatre class, in high school, and decided to go into that as my chosen career. When I graduated, I did some children’s Theatre, I did some summer stock theatre. When I lived in Chicago, (and) I was doing children’s theatre, in between gigs, I found out about a wrestling school.
On the Success of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan
We’ve been very fortunate to sort of stick with it and not take no for an answer. And it took us a while to finally break through. Those guys worked a long time to get to where they are now. They’re weeks away from their next WrestleMania.
On Why He Never Caught on in WWE
I think that they never really saw anything that they could really sink their teeth into. Which is OK, because you know, the truth of the matter is I was never really their type of wrestler. Or when I was, or now that I am … I don’t know … I’ve already got ties to TNA, or Ring of Honor, or wherever I was, at the time A lot of it was timing, but I think a lot of it was just preference. You know, there was a period of time, when I was a younger guy, when I was trying to get a job there, but they were more interested in guys that were taller, and heavier. Guys that were built more like Ryback, (instead of) me. If it wasn’t for places like TNA, Japan, and Ring of Honor, I might not have had the career that I’ve had. I’ve had a lot of great opportunities, despite WWE’s reluctance to ever give me an opportunity.
