Interview with WWF Superstar Val Venis

Thanks to Chris Koontz for the following interview. For more of his material, check out HWAOnline.com and you can e-mail him at ckoontz@cinci.rr.com.

Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with WWF Superstar Val Venis. We have all seen Val rise through the ranks of the WWF as an ex- star and converted Right Winger. Recently, however, Val has been off TV and helping our guys at the HWA become the best wrestlers they can be. It was here that Val rediscovered his role as a lady killer as he blasted his way through the ranks of the HWA elite. his match with Jamie "By God" Knoble, then the HWA Cruiserweight Champion, and a man half Val's size, will go down in the annals of HWA history as one of the best technical matches ever held in HWA Arena. I was surprised with Val's openness and willingness to share not only the details of his career, but his political and personal beliefs as well. I had a rare opportunity to see Val outside of the ring setting when I escorted him and D'Lo to visit Roselawn Condon Elementary School (part of the Cincinnati Public Schools). I listened as Val related his four commandments to the young students and watched them gaze in awe, soaking it all up. Val is not only a dynamic ring personality, but a dynamic speaker in real life. He will always have my respect. I may misspell the names he gave me, as my lack of foresight prevented me from asking him how to spell the names. My apologies to all concerned.


Crusher: Let's start off with who you are.
Val Venis: Shawn Morley. I play a character called Val Venis.

C: And how long have you been wrestling?
VV: About eleven years now.

C: Eleven years, wow. Did you start in the WWF?
VV: Nope. I was actually trained by the guy who used to do the Missing Link gimmick in the WWF. he trained me my last year in high school every single weekend. And the day after I graduated from high school, I got my first full time wrestling job over in England with my tag team partner, Shane Sool who is now wrestling in Puerto Rico. Shane and I went to England for a year. I was in Arkansas for a year. Went down to Puerto Rico and spent six years down there, and went to Mexico, bouncing between Mexico and Japan for two years. Then I finally came to the WWF.

C: Did you go to them, or did they come to you?
VV: The first time they came to me. I was actually called to come to Des Moines, Iowa for a tryout. So I went to Des Moines, tried out and went back down to Mexico City to work. And then they called me again and asked me to come to the first training camp. When I went to training camp, there weren't really Developmental territories like there are now, there were just small territories. The first camp is really a test for developmental talent, to see how it works.

C: So is wrestling what you have always wanted to do?
VV: I originally wanted to become a helicopter pilot. I always loved wrestling, though. I always loved to watch. It's one of the greatest forms of entertainment. So, when I started training to become a wrestler, I was just training to just run out and do it, and have some fun. You know, just something I wanted to do on the side. When I got my first full time job wrestling over in England, I didn't know a lot about wrestling. I mean, I knew the moves and all that, but I didn't know the politics. When I went over to England, I just fell in love with the business. It was a full time job. I was there twice a day I would do the camp in the afternoon and then would drive to a town and do a town show at night. So I spent a year over in England with Dave Taylor and all those guys, and I just fell in love with the business. the original plan was to go over to England for the summer, and to return to school in the fall. But I just fell in love with and kept on wrestling full time past the summer.

C: So, What do you think about the state of Professional Wrestling today? It's a lot different than it was even just two years ago.
VV: It has evolved to become one of the biggest media conglomerates of all time. Everywhere we go, people know wrestling. They either love it or they hate it, but they know it either way. It's everywhere. Where else are you going to find controversy, story line and athleticism all rolled into one?

C: What do you think of the HWA? You have been down here for a few weeks now.
VV: Yeah, I think it's a great company. You have a great product here. Some of the guys are ready right now, in my view. Steve Bradley, he's been ready for a long, long time. Jamie Knoble, despite his size that guy is entertaining as hell. He is.

C: He really did prove that size means nothing in his match with you a few weeks ago. I mean, that was one of the best matches we've had around here in a long time.
VV: Well, thank you very much. He's a hell of a talent, he's very entertaining, it's just a matter of pulling it out of him. You know certain people get a little shy, and he's one of the people that just let's it all out, and that's the way you got to be. To me, his character is just an extension of himself, and there are a lot of different ways they can go with it. My personal opinion is that he would make a great addition up there (at the WWF). The WWF is about entertaining the fans, and he is an entertainer. There's no question about that.

C: I believe the same thing. I can't wait to watch him on TV, because I have no doubt that I WILL see him on TV. You've been wrestling for a while now. What would you say, out of all the matches that you have wrestled in your career, has been your favorite match overall?
VV: Of all the matches? I would have to be against my first Tag Team partner in Puerto Rico. WE had some matches that were just awesome. Also, with D'Lo Brown at my first Summer Slam in the WWF. We had a really good match. I was very, very tired during the last half of that match. Oh, and I can't forget the match with Jamie Knoble. I wanted to show him how to make the people believe that he had the talent to take down a guy twice his size. I think the people actually believe that Jamie isn't just a flash in the pan.

C: I was going to ask you if you had a favorite match while you have been here in the HWA, and it seems that makes the list. Are there any others that stand out?
VV: I enjoyed a match that I had with Leviathan down in OVW. I think that if he can learn to loosen up, and increase his aggressiveness, he could have a shot.

C: I guess that's about it. If there was one thing you could tell somebody about the HWA or wrestling in general that you think would get them to come here.
VV: I would just say that if you are very serious about pursuing a career in professional wrestling, it can't just be something that you say, "Oh I'll just go and do it." This is a business that takes it's toll on your body. It's a business that is extremely tiring and demanding. I truly believe that if someone has it in their heart and they think they want to do it, and they love the business, then this is the place to come. But those people have to ask them selves if they have the desire to want it. Then they have to have the strength to endure the challenge of professional wrestling. if they have the desire and the strength, the third thing they need is the attitude to become it. The last thing they need if they have all that is the commitment to achieve that goal. I think that is something that if you are missing any one of those ingredients, forget about it, you're done.


At this point the real interview is pretty much over. I chatted with Val a great length about his four commandments and the WWF Developmental territories. WE talked about how hard it was to be in Puerto Rico, even though he loved being there. WE also had a very interesting chat about Val's political beliefs. Val is a staunch Libertarian. Now, if you aren't familiar with their ideals, one of their main gimmicks is that they are for the principals of Life, Liberty and Property. One of their more famous crusades is the abolishment of the income tax, which they believe is illegal and unconstitutional. WE talked for the better part of an hour and a half, and in the interest of keeping this interview relatively terse, I won't go into our exact discussions (even though Val wanted me to tape them). Much respect to Val and his cause, but I can only type so fast, and I have reviews to get out.


My next installment of the Koontz Interviews will be with everyone's favorite man to hate, "Above Average" Mike Sanders.

Until next time.

CRUSHER