Michael Landsberg: Welcome to Off The Record. I am your host Michael Landsberg and you are in for a couple of great upcomming shows. This is an excitting week for the wrestling communitee in Canada and especially in Toronto as the XOW will host their X-Fest pay per view this Sunday in the Skydome. On our next show we will have Mike Trojan and Renegade, two Toronto boys, who will compete against Krow at he pay per view for the intercontinental championship. But right now, I have the pleasure of bringing you another Toronto boy and his Toronto fiancee, Midnight Thunder and Stacey.
(camera zooms out to a picture of all 3)
Michael Landsberg: Welcome to OTR you two.
Midnight Thunder: Thanks Michael.
Stacey: It's good to be here.
Michael Landsberg: Lets get down to business. On today's show we will be discussing a number of topics. We'll talk about the upcomming pay per view, Midnight Thunder's match for the xtreme title and the overall business of wrestling today. But first I would like to start off by asking you how it feels to be back in your hometown.
Stacey: It's a great feeling Michael. Being in this business means that their are alot of nights on the road. You don't get to see your family for numerous days and sometimes even weeks. Just getting the chance to have a pay per view in your hometown is a confidence builder.
Midnight Thunder: I have to agree with Stacey on that. Being a profesionnel wrestler is very time consumming. We don't get many days to ourselves and if we do we usually spend them at the gym working out. Having X-Fest here in Toronto is a bonus for those in the XOW who are from Toronto because we do get to visit our family and friends and sleep in our actual homes instead of a hotel.
Michael Landsberg: Do you ever have second thoughts about making the choice of being a wrestler?
Midnight Thunder: No way. Never have and I doubt that I ever will. Sure there were some bad times were I was homesick, but ever since I met Stacey it has become much better for me. I've dreamt about being a wrestler since I was a little kid. I wanted it more then anything in the world and now that I've accomplished it I am looking forward to making a name for myself.
Michael Landsberg: What was it like hearing that X-Fest would be held at the Skydome?
Midnight Thunder: It was unbelievable. Just being part of a pay per view is amazing but having it in your hometown is like nothing else. Just knowing that I will have the crowd on my side and cheering me on makes me even more determined to win this match. I just can't wait to get into the ring and look out into the crowd to see all of my family and friends who will be in attendance.
Stacey: I think just walking out to the ring will bring goosebumps to both of our skins. I'm sure we will get a bigger ovation there then out of any other arena that we have been to with the XOW.
Midnight Thunder: This is just a great wrestling city aswell. We get tremendous support whenever we are here and the buildings are always sold out whenever their are wrestling shows in town. I've been told that Fan Fest 2K2 has been sold out every single day so far. It's just fun to meet those fans and to have a few words with them.
Michael Landsberg: Lets talk about your match itself. What can the fans expect from you this Sunday?
Midnight Thunder: They can expect to see one heck of a match with me comming out as the new xtreme champion. It will definitely be an excitting match considering that it is a triple threat match and there is no rules and no disqualifications. It should be a pretty wild match.
Michael Landsberg: One of your opponents is Hunter McKnight. A couple weeks ago, with the help of outside interference he managed to defeat your good friend Renegade to retain that xtreme championship that is no longer his now. Since that match, Hunter has joined the hated cWo. My question to you is if you have any worries that the cWo will have some kind of interference in this match and possibly cost you the belt.
Midnight Thunder: Well whenever you are facing a member of a group like the cWo, you have to be aware of some possible outside interference. They are known to get involved in their members matches. They've done it before and I'm sure they will do it again. I'd even bet money on it. Now, whether or not they will attempt to help Hunter in this match is beyond my knowledge. Hopefully Hunter will be man enough to tell his buddies to stay backstage and try to win this match by himself. The cWo is making alot of enemies really quickly in this federation. Most of the guys in the back aren't going to take much more of their crap.
Michael Landsberg: What about your other opponent? The current xtreme champion Rage. What are your thoughts on this newcommer who has made a name for himself quickly in the XOW and already won a title?
Midnight Thunder: As I've said before, I have alot of respect for Rage and what he believes in. He is a great competitor and a worthy opponent. I'm not too sure if he's such a great champion considering that this will be his first title defence ever. But Rage seems like someone who can hold his own in the ring. Now whether he has what it takes to keep up in the ring with me will be found out this Sunday.
Michael Landsberg: Alot of viewers would like to know how they can get into the wrestling business and what path you followed to get in.
Midnight Thunder: Well I trained at a wrestling gym right here in Toronto. It took my countless hours of practice five times a week just to be as good as I am right now. I worked in some minor federation just to get experience and some knowledge and after that I started joining bigger and better federations like the XOW. The competion is great here and just about anyone can win a title.
Michael Landsberg: What type of advice would you give a young fan who wants to get into wrestling?
Midnight Thunder: I would tell them to inroll in a wrestling school and to work their butt off. Stay healthy and in good shape too. It's very important in the wrestling world to take care of your body. Taking those bumps isn't the easiest thing in the world. You are usually very soar after a show. But if you really want to get in you have to stay focused all the way.
Stacey: They also have to realise that their are many sacrifices of entering a business like this. As we said before, you are barely at home and you don't get to see your family much. You have to get used to the life of a celebrity and getting recognised everywhere you go. Of course many things in your daily life change.
Michael Landsberg: We will head to commercial break now. We'll continue this conversation with Midnight Thunder and Stacey as soon as we come back.
Quirky Fact Midnight Thunder took a year off from wrestling after retiring as the IWF's final world champion, as that federation closed down. Other superstars such as Maverick and Renegade were in the IWF and held the world championship there aswell.
OOC...For those who have never seen the show before, Quirky Facts is shown right before they head for a commercial break
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Michael Landsberg: Welcome back. We are here with XOW stars Midnight Thunder and Stacey. Now one thing many fans would like to know, is what exactly is going on between you two?
Stacey: That's simple Michael. I met Midnight Thunder about two years ago. We have been dating ever since. We are now engaged and are hopping to get married soon.
Michael Landsberg: Has a date for the marriage been set?
Midnight Thunder: We were hopping for some time this month but with my career in the XOW just starting to launch, we have decided to put it on hold.
Michael Landsberg: I would like to get your thouts on this Eclise match and what it could mean to you.
Midnight Thunder: Well to be honest, I have never even seen nor heard of a match like this one. That's what makes the XOW special though, the staff comes up with things that the competition would never even think of. But this is a match where ten guys go into. Nobody knows who the exact ten will be. All we know is that the five title holders will be in the match for sure and the staff will pick five more worthy opponents to compete. So it means that lets say I somehow lose my match, I might still be able to compete in the Eclipse match if the XOW staff chooses me. Lets get one thing straight though, I rather earn my way into that match by winning the title. I want to go into that main event with the xtreme title and succesfully defend it and hopefully come out with another title. What's amazing about this match is that someone can go in without a single belt and walk away with five including the world title. You better believe that once I have securely defended my xtreme title that I will go after the world champion. I don't care if it's Scotty Flash or Spaz, my goal comming into this federation was to be the best and to prove that you are the best you must have the world title across your waist. I really don't know what could turn out in this match and who might win what belt. It will definitely be hectic with non stop action. Either way, I will walk out of the Skydome this Sunday with atleast one belt and alot of great memories.
Michael Landsberg: Before we end the show, could you update us on what you two will be up to for the next couple of days leading up to X-Fest this Sunday?
Stacey: Well tomorrow night, me and Midnight Thunder will be signing autograph infront of the Skydome between 5pm and 6pm.
Midnight Thunder: Other then that, we will just be hanging out with our family and relaxing until this Sunday.
Michael Landsberg: Well thanks alot for being here we really appreciate it. It was a pleasure to meet you two.
Stacey: It was great being here.
Midnight Thunder: Thanks for having us on the show.
Michael Landsberg: You two are always welcome here. Now fans remember to watch Off The Record tomorrow. Renegade and Mike Trojan will be on the show. Once again we thank Midnight Thunder and Stacey for joining us and we wish them the best of luck this Sunday at X-Fest.
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Stacey 