The first interview I did at Classicfest was with Mike Sanders. Mike was a very approachable guy. This was shortly after Mike made a big impression on the wrestling world with his first interview on Nitro when the Natural Born Thrillaz came together. You get the feeling from Mike that if he wasn't in the ring wrestling, he'd be out in the first row raising hell with the rest of us. He seems to have a deep respect for the business, is a big fan of it, and is proud to be doing what he's doing. If you haven't checked out my interview with Diamond Dallas Page, you can go find it on the main page above the board or right here. I also have an interview with Chuck Palumbo coming for all of you, as well as an interview I did last night with the HWA's Brock Guffman. Brock is getting a lot of attention for his mic skills in the HWA, and did a fantastic job verbally assaulting the crowd at Classicfest. Imagine Jim Coronette circa the mid 1980's, and that's close to the style of heel interview he gives.
Anyway, I'd like to say thank you to Mike for letting me have this opportunity. Hopefully we'll see more of him in World Championship Wrestling. I'd also like to thank Marty Adams of The Wrestling Guys and of http://www.ccc4u.com for setting this and all of the other interviews I've done so far.
BJ Bethel: Ok, who were your favorite wrestlers growing up?
Mike Sanders: My favorite wrestlers... Growing up I watched guys like Wrestler #2. I grew up with Georgia Championship Wrestling with Gordon Solie and loved the show... just loved the show. Tony Atlas, you know, all the heroes, Ric Flair, those guys. I liked Wrestler #2, I had a couple uncles that knew him, and I got to meet him a couple of times when I was litte, you know.
BJ: So how long have you been doing this?
Mike: I tried out in January of '98 at the PowerPlant and trained down there for a year and a half. I didn't get a break until '99, April of '99, so that makes around two and a half years.
BJ: You enjoying all this time on National TV now then?
Mike: Oh yeah man, I couldn't ask for a better spot. The creative team in WCW Vince Russo, Bill Banks I can't thank them enough. They are doing some stuff and putting us out there, and letting us go with it. I couldn't ask for a better group.
BJ: Where do you see yourself lining up? Do you see yourself as a lightweight like a Kidman, because your kind of in between them and the bigger guys.
Mike: I can do the luchadore stuff, I can do that heavyweight stuff. I can go both ways. I'm finding out that everyone's saying I can talk, and I got mic skills and I'm trying to work on it because I'm not a big guy so I'm trying to develop every aspect so I'm rounded. If you notice, the business is aimed for the guys that can talk. Road Dogg, the Rock, those guys...
BJ: That first promo you did, when did you find out you were going to be out there on Nitro in front of all those people doing that?
Mike: They told me I was going to cut a promo, I get to Nitro, and its the Gettysburg Address *laughs*. I looked at this and said "man, this looks like its about five minutes." I went up to Bill Banks, and those guys they want to give you the ball and let you run with it. And, I could give you something, and it might not exactly be how you'd say it, and its the same with this. I had to put it in words like I would say it. And we worked on that, and they gave me some pointers like looking at the camera and keeping one foot pointed one way and that helped me out. And after that first promo, I got through it, And man, I was nervous *laughs* after I seen it I was like "there ain't no way in HELL I'm cutting this." Well, I looked at it, and looked at it, and kept looking it over...
BJ: So, are you now officially the mic piece for the Natural Born Thrillaz?
Mike: I guess, but all the guys can talk. You can put Jindrak and O'hare on the mic, Stasiak had a promo on Thunder the other night. Bill Banks told me that Vince wants me to be the spokesperson right now, but all the other guys can talk, too... and their big *laughs" some of them are 6'5 and they can do damage *laughs*.
BJ: Is there anyone your looking forward to feuding with? Maybe a group or wrestler ?
Mike: I'm gonna be honest with ya, I like working with all the guys. I liked working with Buff, and my WorldWide match I had with him. He's really a good guy to work with. As far as teams go, this feud with the Filthy Animals is fun. I like it a lot, they can talk especially as babyfaces... I worked with Booker T. It was supposed to be a 5 minute match, it got cut down to a 2 minute match. You know, but its ok, Booker T is a super nice guy.
BJ: Now a match like that, where you work only two minutes. Do ever wish that matches were a bit more old school, where you could get more time to go out and work and the matches were a little bit longer?
Mike Sanders: Oh yeah...Definitely. If you want to get yourself over, you have to build a match right, and in order to build a match right you have to have time. If a big guy goes out there, and squashes someone and beats the shit out of someone, he hasn't beat anyone, he's beaten a piece of shit. But if a guy goes out there and he's got some competition and both guys make each other look good that's what its about. Time, yeah I'd love to have more time. I'd love to go out there and do a Benoit/Malenko. I love those guys.
BJ: Well man, thanks a lot.
Mike: Anytime man...
BJ: Hopefully we'll be seeing more of you in the future.
