CAGEMATCH: Hey Mike, before we get to the questions, let me thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.Mike Quackenbush: No problem!
CAGEMATCH: In a few weeks CHIKARA will debut on iPPV. Many Indy-Promotions do this already for months. Why did it take this long for CHIKARA and what do you expect of it?Mike Quackenbush: I think the technology has operated below the expectations of the fans. But the time is finally right. I expect it to be live. I expect it to be seen everywhere. I expect it to be pretty awesome.
CAGEMATCH: At CHIKARAs iPPV debut there will also the first singles champion of CHIKARA be crowned. Why did you come to the decision that CHIKARA needs a singles champion?Mike Quackenbush: CHIKARA stands for something. This is the end of Season 10. It's not like one of those companies that decides to make a champion on their first card, and that really means nothing at all. 10 seasons ago, no one knew who we were. But we have shown the world what we're all about. It is time for a champion to emerge.
CAGEMATCH: The Campeonatos de Parejas are special with their points system. Will the new singles belt have something similar?Mike Quackenbush: I don't believe it has been revealed yet by the Director of Fun, but I would expect the CHIKARA Grand Championship to have a system similar to los Campeonatos.
CAGEMATCH: Related to the iPPV, how much does video piracy hurt CHIKARA and Indy-Wrestling in general?Mike Quackenbush: An incalculable amount. Massive. If our current DVD customers decided tomorrow to pirate or torrent our stuff, CHIKARA would die in less than 60 days. I don't think fans realize how these thieves damage us and what we do. We cannot make our brand of wrestling without fans that support us in dollars and cents (and Euros!).
CAGEMATCH: Let's turn back time and talk about the beginnings of CHIKARA. You founded the promotion with Reckless Youth and Don Montoya was also on the first shows. It's known that you were good friends with both of them. What happened to them and are you still in contact with them?Mike Quackenbush: Reckless Youth pursued that most reckless of careers - he is now an accountant. Montoya was not so reckless - he works in a maximum security prison now. I'm only in contact with Reckless. We exchange emails every once and again.
CAGEMATCH: Does the possibility of a Black T-Shirt Squad reunion with Reckless and Montoya exist?Mike Quackenbush: I don't think so.
CAGEMATCH: Many students have absolved the Wrestle Factory since the beginning. And also several have ended their careers. Are there students of which you regret that they ended their careers and that could be main guys in CHIKARA or the Indys?Mike Quackenbush: Absolutely. I hate to see them give up.
Blind Rage is a perfect example.
CAGEMATCH: Gran Akuma is a student who was nearly from the beginning at CHIKARA. Many fans are missing him. What happened to him? Why isn't he at CHIKARA anymore?Mike Quackenbush: That's a very good question. Last I had heard, he was wrestling for other organizations. I have not seen him since my last appearance at
Dragon Gate USA.
CAGEMATCH: The Chikara Wrestle Factory has had a few trainers besides you like Chris Hero or Skayde. The last one was Claudio Castagnoli who just went to Florida Championship Wrestling to get ready for WWE. This means the second trainer spot at the Factory is vacant. Who will take Claudios place? Maybe one of your students that has been there long enough like Hallowicked or Jigsaw or will you do the training now all by yourself?Mike Quackenbush: We do not always fill that second spot, and there are no current plans to fill it. I had a candidate or two in mind that have been with me since 2002, but scheduling issues ruled them out. We need someone in that spot that can commit to the schedule. For now, we will just continue on as we have always done, and sometimes we will host guest instructors as well, as we had
Marty Jannetty in October, and will have another in November as well.
CAGEMATCH: In the end of 2009 Die Bruderschaft des Kreuzes debuted. CHIKARA even had an event called "The Germans" with no one really from Germany on it as Claudio and Ares are Swiss and the others are Americans. Were there plans to get guys from Germany in?Mike Quackenbush: "The Germans," like the event that opened Season 9 titled "A Touch of Class" are allusions to the British television series Fawlty Towers.
CAGEMATCH: Colt Cabunny just made his comeback in CHIKARA as Archibald Peck's mascot. I'm sure Colt Cabana, the model for Cabunny, likes it and doesn't take it too serious. But I've heard different things of CM Punk's opinion on his animal version CP Munk and that he doesn't like CHIKARA in general. Is this true? Punk was on a few of the first shows of CHIKARA. Does he have a problem with CHIKARA?Mike Quackenbush: I've heard the same things you have. In my opinion, characters like Colt Cabunny and CP Munk are harmless fun. They are the most benign kind of humor there is. But who is to say what might offend someone?
CAGEMATCH: Have you followed the Punk-Story at WWE? If yes, what's your opinion on the progress from the Punk 6:00 Promo until SummerSlam?Mike Quackenbush: I have not, sorry. The only WWE stuff I've seen lately was a free broadcast they did of a 1989 house show from MSG with Hogan/Savage on top (and
Blue Blazer/
Greg Valentine in the opener!)
CAGEMATCH: Woman’s wrestling is important in CHIKARA and in December you will promote JoshiMania with several Joshi-Promotions from Japan. How did this cooperation come about? Did Manami Toyota open the door to that or do you work together with SHIMMER?Mike Quackenbush: Actually, this was the brain-child of
Itsuki Yamazaki of the
Jumping Bomb Angels. She told me that it was her dream to one day bring the stars of Joshi to the US, but the circumstances were never right. After she saw the debut of Manami Toyota in New York City (where I teamed with her against
Sara Del Rey and Claudio Castagnoli) she felt like it was something CHIKARA could help her make real.
CAGEMATCH: CHIKARA has worked a lot with Japanese promotions like Ice Ribbon and the other Joshi-Promotions, Osaka Pro or even Big Japan Pro-Wrestling. Even though the two promotions have little in common BJW was in the States a few years ago and a few CHIKARA guys were in Japan. How did that cooperation happen? And what do you think about it now?Mike Quackenbush: At the time, I think the BJW thing really happened because they wanted to thumb their nose a bit. There was a competitor of ours they wanted to send an overt and specific message to. They were nothing but professional, and a lot of fun to train with and wrestle against. Incredibly talented wrestlers there at BJW. But I did come to understand that their interest in CHIKARA was politically driven. We all enjoyed it for what it was, for as long as it lasted.
CAGEMATCH: Today CHIKARA works with Osaka Pro. A few guys of the CHIKARA roster have been there. Does the possibility exist that you will be there yourself?Mike Quackenbush: There has been a lot of discussion of that, and I always feel bad turning down the opportunity to do tours in Japan. I spent 13 years of my life working for a chance to do that, and now I get offers to do that exact thing that I cannot accept. I have many responsibilities here in the US that make it impossible for me to go spend a month in Japan. I would love to find a way to do it though.
CAGEMATCH: What were the reactions of the guys that were in Japan when they came back?Mike Quackenbush: Almost every Japanese company we have partnered with over the years has led to a very positive experience for us and our whole crew. We are very happy to be working together with Osaka Pro, and hope to see the relationship grow in 2012.
CAGEMATCH: Through the internet kayfabe is almost dead. CHIKARA is one of the few promotions that attach importance to it. Why do you think kayfabe is still important today?Mike Quackenbush: For the same reasons books, or the cinema, or any other form of escapism is important. Sometimes we want to suspend our disbelief and be entertained. We should not be made to feel foolish when we do so. You cannot regard your audience with that kind of contempt and expect them to be loyal.
CAGEMATCH: Even though you were NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Champion for 1275 days you have never defended the title on big stage or in Japan. Do you regret that?Mike Quackenbush: If it were my decision to make, yes, I would regret it. But it was never my decision. Once I won that belt, it was like the NWA lost my phone number for 3 years. I think I defended that title more times on CHIKARA events than on ones organized by the NWA. Their methods of doing business are as out-dated and backwards as any organization I have ever dealt with. Ever. And I've been to some crazy stupid promotions over the years.
CAGEMATCH: For years you were a regular for the German wXw. Now you haven't been over here for about two years. The wXw co-owners Christian Jakobi and Tassilo Jung recently answered a listeners question in their podcast "Pro Wrestling Anderswelt" about you. He asked them what happened to you and why you aren't in wXw anymore. They answered that they knew you as a nice guy but after the not much successful Tag World Grand Prix in Germany you broke off contact with them and said that the two promotions don't fit because of the fans. One year later the contact was restored and you were at the Dragon Gate Shows in Spain and Germany and at a wXw Show. Everything was fine there in their opinion. But afterwards you complained very much about bad scheduling and abandoned the contact afterwards completely. Even when they wanted to book you for the 10th Anniversary of wXw you didn't respond. In their opinion it all depends on you and you just don't want to come back to Germany. In my opinion things like that have always two sides. So, what's your point of view?Mike Quackenbush: The German fans are probably my very favorite in all the world. If there is a wrestling company in Germany that treats its guests with respect, knows how to conduct themselves like a business instead of "playing" wrestling, and operates with professionalism, I am more than eager to have the opportunity to come wrestle for you in front of my favorite fans on Earth.
In various degrees, wrestling is about allowing yourself to be mistreated for a certain price. And sometimes, the real compensation is not in currency, but in getting to perform for the most passionate fans out there. You will tolerate, humor, excuse and overlook the various indignities and impositions because the reward is worth it. But eventually, everyone has a breaking point. Even if you can overlook the way you yourself are treated with total disregard and a complete absence of professionalism for months and years, to see your idols, your heroes treated that way is something else entirely. At some point you simply have to take a stance and say - this cannot stand. I am of the opinion that if you cannot abide the way you are treated, or the way others are treated at your place of employment, and complaints, suggestions and criticisms are met with ignorance or disregard, then your only recourse sometimes is simply to leave.
CAGEMATCH: You have wrestled many matches here in Germany. Who was the your favorite wXw opponent? (except the obvious Johnny Saint)Mike Quackenbush: I have always enjoyed wrestling Claudio Castagnoli, no matter where in the world we lock up.
CAGEMATCH: Do you know guys like Steve Wright or Mile Zrno? Have you seen Matches from Germany between 1990 and 2000? Do you think you could have catched at this time with these guys if you would have been a wrestler already?Mike Quackenbush; I do know Steve Wright, I am a fan of his matches with
Tiger Mask I. I wish I would have had the chance to wrestle that pure catch style with some of the German masters.
CAGEMATCH: What do you think about Beyond Wrestling?Mike Quackenbush: I think it's an intriguing concept, to say the least. Maybe even ahead of its time.
CAGEMATCH: You have wrestled many of your own heroes like Johnny Saint, El Hijo del Santo, Jushin Thunder Liger and Great Sasuke. Is there anyone left that you want to wrestle against?Mike Quackenbush:
Max Moon, I suppose.
CAGEMATCH: You have already written a biography called „Headquarters“ a few years ago. In the meantime you have experienced a lot. Will you write a sequel? Maybe after your career?Mike Quackenbush: I wish I had more time to write. There are books loose in my head that never seem to get put on paper.
CAGEMATCH: Speaking of the end of your career. You are now 35 years old and you have suffered several injuries. Have you thought about retiring in the last years?Mike Quackenbush: There are a few of us at CHIKARA, as each season ends, that talk about retirement. It comes up a lot more than people probably realize. But wrestling is my life. I've dedicated too many years to it. And the sad truth is, I don't know how to do anything else any more. It's too late for me to put in a CV at the maximum security prison or accounting office.
CAGEMATCH: Once again, thank you for answering my questions. Do you have anything you'd like to say?Mike Quackenbush: Please check out our first iPPV - available all over Europe - through GFL.tv. Just look for CHIKARA's "High Noon" event on 13 November, with a 16:00 (editor's note: 22:00 in Germany) start time. Danke!
