ironworks
01-29-2013, 03:29 AM
Sky News Radio recently spokehttp://www.skynewsradio.com/ to Hulk Hogan. Here are some highlights from the interview.
On British Boot Camp and how the idea came about: "Well, it was all about trying to find a specific piece of talent that we needed, a specific groove that we're missing in TNA Impact Wrestling. At the end of the day, we started talking about all the American wrestlers and started mentally thinking about where we could go. Oh, my God. It's a no-brainer. The finest talent in the world is right here in the U.K.
"If the history books were to be open, from Big Daddy to Haystacks to Rollerball Rocko to the British Bulldogs Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid. On and on and on, there's a wealth of talent here. So, we decided to put out what we would call a shout out or a casting call and we no idea we would have hundreds of youngsters who were very talented and very capable.
"The hardest thing was having to narrow it down to the four people we had in the finals; the Blossom Twins, Party Marty and Rockstar Spud. I felt horrible about having to choose someone because I wanted all four pieces of talent. I was very selfish. I didn't want to eliminate anybody.
"So, that's what it was. British Boot Camp was a search by our company, Impact Wrestling, to find a specific piece of talent to help us move forward way beyond where we're at."
On finally deciding to go with Rockstar Spud: "Well, when you talk about the assessments and trying to find out what these people were made of and the challenges that were thrown in front of them. We were trying to find out if they had the it-factor to the core. You can teach people certain things, people can reguretate or repeat certain things. Or peope can imitate, like a parrot, certain movements or certain verbage or a cadence.
"But, we were actually looking for that it-factor, in instinct in the talent, that would take us somewhere we needed to go. So, when we got down to it -- like I said, it was so hard for me to even make a choice. That's why we have the Blossom Twins and Party Marty on the tour with us. We're going to give them another opportunity to move forward with us.
"But, we had to pick one. We had a certain need with Rockstar [Laughs.]...The Rockstar is without a doubt the most charismatic, the most aggressive. He had the most instinct out of anybody that we had at the time. So, that's why we chose him."
On whether or not Rockstar Spud's smaller size will work for or against him in America: "Well, those rules have changed. If we're going to go by those rules, very few of the wrestlers you see on TV today would even be in this business. Because, if we're going by the rules of the eighties, I was 330 pounds and I was a medium-sized guy. King Kong Bundy, Big John Stud, Don Morocco and Andre The Giant. Tugboat and Earthquake. All these guys that were the main event guys were these monsters.
"So, if we went by those rules, any of the guys that you see on TV today, it'd be a question that they'd even be in this business. But the business has re-invented itself, the business has changed and it's to the point where size doesn't matter. I mean, there are certain situations where if you have a little extra weight, things could lean your direction. Basically, the moves, the speed, the instinct, the charisma, the well-oiled performance really leans towards be a little smaller nowadays.
"These guys do more moves in one match than I would do in a whole year. The business has changed, everything moves faster. The matches move faster, the story lines move faster. So, in this instance, Rockstar Spud's size works for him."
On much much Rockstar Spud's life is going to change: "Well, that's not completely in my control. It's not completely in Dixie's control. Basically, I would say 90% of it lands in his lap. If he steps up and he woes the crowd, if he steps up and has 6 star matches, if he steps up and really makes this work, he's going to be someone we can't live without. He's going to be someone that as you watch the demos, you'll see the demo that SpikeTV in the United States and Challenge has cater to him.
"You'll see the minute-by-minute when he's on the show spikes in the numbers. So, it's pretty much up to him to control his destiny at this point. We gave him the opportunity, now it's up to him to take advantage of it."
On whether or not there will be more Boot Camps: "We had this discussion yesterday behind closed doors and there was a suggestion to move to other countries. I think the overall consensus among Dixie and everybody involved -- Jeremy Borash, Eric Bischoff -- everybody feels there's a wealth of talent here. We're U.K.-friendly. There's no reason to go anywhere else.
"I mean, the pool of talent that we tapped before, I'd like to go back again and give to those same individuals and give a lot of those people another chance. There is a wealth of talent here, this is like a goldmine for talent.
"So, I vote to come back here year after year. I'd like to do the show a couple of times a year. The nature of this business is a revolving door, the nature of this business is to renew the talent and keep it here. So, I vote for keeping it in the U.K."
On British Boot Camp and how the idea came about: "Well, it was all about trying to find a specific piece of talent that we needed, a specific groove that we're missing in TNA Impact Wrestling. At the end of the day, we started talking about all the American wrestlers and started mentally thinking about where we could go. Oh, my God. It's a no-brainer. The finest talent in the world is right here in the U.K.
"If the history books were to be open, from Big Daddy to Haystacks to Rollerball Rocko to the British Bulldogs Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid. On and on and on, there's a wealth of talent here. So, we decided to put out what we would call a shout out or a casting call and we no idea we would have hundreds of youngsters who were very talented and very capable.
"The hardest thing was having to narrow it down to the four people we had in the finals; the Blossom Twins, Party Marty and Rockstar Spud. I felt horrible about having to choose someone because I wanted all four pieces of talent. I was very selfish. I didn't want to eliminate anybody.
"So, that's what it was. British Boot Camp was a search by our company, Impact Wrestling, to find a specific piece of talent to help us move forward way beyond where we're at."
On finally deciding to go with Rockstar Spud: "Well, when you talk about the assessments and trying to find out what these people were made of and the challenges that were thrown in front of them. We were trying to find out if they had the it-factor to the core. You can teach people certain things, people can reguretate or repeat certain things. Or peope can imitate, like a parrot, certain movements or certain verbage or a cadence.
"But, we were actually looking for that it-factor, in instinct in the talent, that would take us somewhere we needed to go. So, when we got down to it -- like I said, it was so hard for me to even make a choice. That's why we have the Blossom Twins and Party Marty on the tour with us. We're going to give them another opportunity to move forward with us.
"But, we had to pick one. We had a certain need with Rockstar [Laughs.]...The Rockstar is without a doubt the most charismatic, the most aggressive. He had the most instinct out of anybody that we had at the time. So, that's why we chose him."
On whether or not Rockstar Spud's smaller size will work for or against him in America: "Well, those rules have changed. If we're going to go by those rules, very few of the wrestlers you see on TV today would even be in this business. Because, if we're going by the rules of the eighties, I was 330 pounds and I was a medium-sized guy. King Kong Bundy, Big John Stud, Don Morocco and Andre The Giant. Tugboat and Earthquake. All these guys that were the main event guys were these monsters.
"So, if we went by those rules, any of the guys that you see on TV today, it'd be a question that they'd even be in this business. But the business has re-invented itself, the business has changed and it's to the point where size doesn't matter. I mean, there are certain situations where if you have a little extra weight, things could lean your direction. Basically, the moves, the speed, the instinct, the charisma, the well-oiled performance really leans towards be a little smaller nowadays.
"These guys do more moves in one match than I would do in a whole year. The business has changed, everything moves faster. The matches move faster, the story lines move faster. So, in this instance, Rockstar Spud's size works for him."
On much much Rockstar Spud's life is going to change: "Well, that's not completely in my control. It's not completely in Dixie's control. Basically, I would say 90% of it lands in his lap. If he steps up and he woes the crowd, if he steps up and has 6 star matches, if he steps up and really makes this work, he's going to be someone we can't live without. He's going to be someone that as you watch the demos, you'll see the demo that SpikeTV in the United States and Challenge has cater to him.
"You'll see the minute-by-minute when he's on the show spikes in the numbers. So, it's pretty much up to him to control his destiny at this point. We gave him the opportunity, now it's up to him to take advantage of it."
On whether or not there will be more Boot Camps: "We had this discussion yesterday behind closed doors and there was a suggestion to move to other countries. I think the overall consensus among Dixie and everybody involved -- Jeremy Borash, Eric Bischoff -- everybody feels there's a wealth of talent here. We're U.K.-friendly. There's no reason to go anywhere else.
"I mean, the pool of talent that we tapped before, I'd like to go back again and give to those same individuals and give a lot of those people another chance. There is a wealth of talent here, this is like a goldmine for talent.
"So, I vote to come back here year after year. I'd like to do the show a couple of times a year. The nature of this business is a revolving door, the nature of this business is to renew the talent and keep it here. So, I vote for keeping it in the U.K."