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| Adam Cole with the CZW World Junior Heavyweight Championship |
Mr. C.C.: Thanks for taking time to do this.
Adam: Not a problem.
Mr. C.C.: I am sure you are busy getting ready for the ROH iPPV Final Battle with your tag team partner Kyle O'Reilly.
Adam: Oh yea, for sure. Me and Kyle talk about it all the time. This is a dream come true for us. We were at Glory By Honor just watching the show together and saying we have to get here, we have to make it to the big stage. Now we're here, and we are looking to make an impact in New York and in ROH on their biggest stage.
Mr. C.C.: You have been a fast rising independent star since breaking into the business in 2008, how has this fast rise been for you?
Adam: It's been very very motivating. I've always wanted to be a wrestler since I was a kid, so I knew in my mind that I would be involved in some way, shape, or form. I know it's cliche, but it's true when people say that you get out of something what you put into it. I put my heart and soul in this sport every single day, so to see that it's all paying off has just continued to light that fire under me to work harder and keep bettering myself
Mr. C.C.: I know you've trained with Les Thatcher, but he wasn't the one who first trained you, but you broke in Combat Zone Wrestling with DJ Hyde. Or was there another person or promotion you broke in with?
Adam: Nope you got it it was CZW. To be honest I wasn't a life long follower of CZW. I saw my first CZW show at Best of the Best in 2007. CZW gets such a bad rap sometimes as being a "garbage" company, which isn't the case at all. They have great wrestlers, great flyers, the best deathmatch workers in the world. CZW was a great choice for me. DJ Hyde has been nothing less than spectacular when it comes to helping out his students. He's one of those guys that when he sees that you want it, he goes out of his way to make sure you are taken care of and tought. He took me on the raod many times and got me a lot of my early bookings, just because he saw how serious I was about succeeding
Mr. C.C.: You also trained with Jon Dahmer in CZW. How was he to train with?
Adam: Dahmer was great. He's another guy that doesn't get the credit he deserves. Dahmer is an old school guy. He's been around the block and has experienced it all. DJ did a lot of the drills and whipped us into shape, while Dahmer took the time to show us the fundamentals and when and why to do things. He was a great instructor and I wish more people got to learn from him.
Mr. C.C.: Now within CZW, you have made a quick rise as a contender for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship. How were those series of matches with Sabian with you ultimately winning the title?
Adam: Regardless of how I felt about Sabian between the ropes, and how Sabian felt about me, he will always be one of the guys that I truly respect. He was one of the main reasons I even trained at CZW in the first place. That Junior championship has so much history. Guys like Trent Acid, Sonjay Dutt, and Ruckus have all held that championship. It's been defended overseas, both by previous holders and by myself. For me to get in there with Sabian and have a series of matches for a belt that is so important to wrestling was a real cool deal. All of the matches were different and they really tested our conditioning and ability to be diversified. Then finally winning the belt was once again a dream come true for me. I completely intend on having a run with the championship that people remember when it's all said and done.
Mr. C.C.: Where overseas did you defend the title and was in CZW or another promotion?
Adam: I defended the belt at wXw (Westside xtreme Wrestling) in Germany this past November when CZW did a tour over there. I wrestled a guy named Zack Zabre, Jr. who is by far my favorite opponent. I'd love to get in there and tangle with him again, hopefully in a series of matches. You can check out CZW's tour of Germany at smartmarkvideo.com.
Mr. C.C.: As fans may or may not know, CZW does have an agreement with wXw and they've come to North America and did a show.
Adam: Yes, that's right.
Mr. C.C.: How did you get to train with Les Thatcher and Al Snow?
Adam: DJ Hyde had a big part in that. He brought Les and Al in for seminars for the CZW guys. It was great having guys like Al and Les at your fingertips, getting to pick their brains and them being so willing to help out the younger guys. I got to train with Al about five times and Les for two whole weekends. That experience is invaluable.
Mr. C.C.: With you training with those two veterans, did any bookings come from it? Or was it just a learning experience?
Adam: It was mostly a learning experience. I got to wrestle Al Snow at an MCW show in Maryland from one of the seminars, so that was a nice treat.
Mr. C.C.: Al Snow has been in the wrestling business nearly 30 years. When you get to hear him speak about stuff, you get to hear how outspoken and passionate he is about wrestling. Did you get that when you've trained and talked with him?
Adam: Yes, for sure. Al doesn't come to these seminars and clinincs because he has too. He really wants to give back to the business and feels to an extent that if the veterans who have drawn real money don't give back, the business that they loved won't be the same. Wrestling is always changing, as far as what people want to see and whatnot. But Al is there to keep everything in perspective and make sure that pro wrestling stays as pro wrestling.
Mr. C.C.: So whenever you get the chance to work and train with such veterans, you absorb as much as you can?
Adam: Yes, you have too. If you don't it is such a waste of your time and theirs. You can't be one of these guys who thinks they know it all, because you don't. There is ALWAYS things to learn and experience. Especially from the guys who have paved the way for guys like me to even be wrestlers.
Mr. C.C.: Now aside from CZW, you have been up and down the East Coast, primarily in the Northeast. Is that were you want to stay for now? Or you are going to branch out to other parts of the United States and the world?
Adam: I love the East Coast I really do. It is the hotbed for independent wrestling, but I definitely don't want to limit myself here. You have to stay fresh and you can't learn all that needs to be learned in this area. I would love to wrestle all over the U.S. in Florida, the Carolinas, Texas, California and everywhere in between. Going back to Canada and Germany is on my mind, as well as England. I would love to go to Puerto Rico, Japan, Australia. Pretty much if you can put a wrestling ring there, I want to go.
Mr. C.C.: Where abouts in Canada did you wrestle and in what promotion?
Adam: Ring of Honor just did a show in Mississauga, right by Toronto, Ontario. The fans there are INSANE. Just a great crowd to wrestle for. I'd love to work for a company that regularly runs in Canada if they'd like to have me, cause it rocks up north!
Mr. C.C.: Toronto does have a history with pro wrestling going back to the old Maple Leaf Wrestling days. There are a number of good promotions in Canada that would be great if they got you.
Adam: I'd sure love too.
Mr. C.C.: Aside from CZW, you have competed in various promotions in the Northeast such as CHIKARA, how was working against your ROH tag team partner O'Reilly in the Young Lions Cup? How was the tournament in general?
Adam: Me and O'Reilly originally met as competition for each other. We were both rising stars, and we both wanted to take that next step, so it was natural that we'd find each other across the ring on more than one occasion. O'Reilly always brings out the best in me in the ring, and I take great pride in the matches we've had. It was great getting to wrestle for CHIKARA at the Young Lions Cup. CHIKARA is probably the fastest growing independent in the world, and it's for good reason. I would love to get in a CHIKARA ring again, and hopefully 2011 will be that time.
Mr. C.C.: It's no surprise, you and O'Reilly find yourself in the same promotions such as EVOLVE. How was your experience in EVOLVE as it works on a different format then most promotions?
Adam: EVOLVE is one of those promotions that I think people will look back on and say wow, that was something special. I absolutely loved every second of it. Gabe Sapolsky is a man with a great vision with whatever he doe and EVOLVE is no different. I have faith in Gabe and in companies like EVOLVE and DGUSA because they truly are cutting edge.
Mr. C.C.: Since working with Gabe Sapolsky in EVOLVE and DGUSA, do you find that you are more easily able to get in either promotion because of that? You are more able to regular bookings in those promotions?
Adam: Well it's no secret that Gabe is the figurehead for both companies, so if Gabe wants to bring you in, your brought in.
Mr. C.C.: You worked with World Xxtreme Wrestling and their sister promotion WXW C4, did you get to meet the Wild Samoans?
Adam: Yes. All the Samoans are great wrestlers and they treat everyone like family. Always a pleasure to work there.
Mr. C.C.: Backstage they are vastly different then what you see on TV or when they are in character.
Adam: Yes, they couldn't be nicer people.
Mr. C.C.: How about some word association? You say the first thing that comes to mind.
Adam: Ok sounds good.
Mr. C.C.: Kyle O'Reilly
Adam: The future.
Mr. C.C.: I've been hearing good things about him (Kyle O'Reilly) and he seems to have a bright future. Tommy Dreamer.
Adam: Great teacher. I got to wrestle Tommy at MCW and it was a learning experience the whole way through. Great guy.
Mr. C.C.: The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castignoli).
Adam: The best tag team in the world bar none.
Mr. C.C.: Jimmy Jacobs.
Adam: An inspiration. Jimmy is a smaller guy just like me, but he's proof that if you work hard and don't settle, you can be a great performer no matter what your height and weight is.
Mr. C.C.: Very true. Rich Swann.
Adam: Another guy who is on the brink of breaking out. Just wait until the end of 2011, We'll all be talking about Rich Swann.
Mr. C.C.: Tyler Veritas, the man who defeated you for the CZW Wired TV Championship.
Adam: My best friend.
Mr. C.C.: Steve Corino.
Adam: A mentor of sorts. Steve has been great to me since we've met, and he's always taken the time to help me out in anyway possible. A man to watch on the mic that's for sure. I have nothing but great things to say about Steve.
Mr. C.C.: Arik Cannon
Adam: had probably my most talked about match all year with him at DGUSA's Enter the Dragon pay-per-view. He's a guy I'd love to get one on one. Very talented.
Mr. C.C.: Any upcoming shows you want to let the fans know about?
Adam: Ring of Honor's biggest show of the year is THIS Saturday in NYC (New York City). Final Battle 2010! Be there or order on gofightlive.com.
Mr. C.C.: Thanks for your time.
Adam: No problem. Take care.
Facebook: Adam Cole's Cole Miners
