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June
23rd/2001
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
How did you feel when ECW closed down? Was it a sad feeling?
RHYNO: Well, you really didn't know
cause there was no "Okay, we're shutting down for good"
so it didn't hit you for good -- it was all a phase. Obviously,
I was sad. I really stunk and I'm glad I accomplished all I did
there as far first ever to win the heavyweight and television
titles. [I had] a lot of great memories -- some bad but the good
memories definitely outweigh the bad ones.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Was it a little disappointing to get the big title right at the
end of the run there?
RHYNO: I'm glad I got it and I actually
still have it at home -- it's at my brother’s house locked
up safely. I'm glad I got it, I'm glad I was a part of that, and
I'm glad I'm a part of the World Wrestling Federation now. It's
actually been a treat. One treat after another.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Let's talk about some of the differences in the locker room. What
struck you as the biggest difference between ECW and the WWF?
RHYNO: Just the size of the company
and the people they have working for them. Every time I turn around,
I'm meeting someone new for the first time and I've been working
here for four or five months now. The locker room is great --
everybody's great. Everybody's really nice and they treat everyone
with the utmost respect. That was the same in ECW too as far as
everyone going out there and working hard in house shows and TV
shows. Everybody went out there and gave 110% and we do the same
here. The only really big difference here is the size of the company
with employees, the houses, and stuff like that.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
It must be a little mind-boggling at times eh?
RHYNO: Yeah, at times.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
What about Paul Heyman? Has he made it easier for all of you ex-ECW
guys that have made the transition into the WWF?
RHYNO: He has made it a lot easier
for me because I've worked with a lot of guys like the Dudley's
and Tazz beforehand as well as Edge and Christian before on the
independent scene and just to have him come over because he knows
Rhyno better than I know Rhyno (what Rhyno would do in the ring
as far as what Rhyno would do and what Rhyno would say). He's
made it easier in that way.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Was the Rhyno character a complete Paul Heyman creation?
RHYNO: No. Basically, he brought
out my strong points. Before I went to ECW, I never had any exposure
to working with TV and doing promos. What interested Paul Heyman
and me (as a wrestler) was my intensity and my in ring work. That's
what he saw and he liked and so he took it from there. He developed
a character. The kid from Detroit (and I really am from Detroit)
just goes out there and has been fighting every day of his life
and he brings it to the ring with the attitude that I just want
to fight. He developed the character and he brought out my strong
points and he taught me how to do a promo.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Just quickly while we're on the Rhyno character... Why the spelling
change?
RHYNO: Merchandise reasons with Rhino
Records and that stuff I guess. I really couldn't get the "i"
down.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
[Laughing] Easier for you to get the "y" down? You mentioned
how you were good friends with Edge and Christian...
RHYNO: It's a lie; everything's a
lie.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
[Laughing] When they first brought you in, they put you with Edge
and Christian. Are we going to see more of that?
RHYNO: Yeah, I think you'll always
see us helping each other out like how Kurt is. They're great
guys -- I can't stay enough good things about them. I go to Adam's
(Edge's) house in Tampa because he's got a place down there and
up here [Toronto] and I eat all his food, swim in his pool, and
dirty up his house.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
I guess you're looking forward to the next couple days because
aren't you going to Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa after this?
RHYNO: Yeah, so I'll be eating good.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
[Laughing] Yeah it's good to see you guys back together again.
I think the three of you work together quite well.
RHYNO: Yeah and as far as coming
in, what better guys to be put with? There is a history with us
with Thug Life like you said up in Canada and in and out of the
ring.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Let's talk about what you've done so far in the WWF because really,
you've done quite a bit in a short period of time in the WWF.
You won the hardcore title already...
RHYNO: Twice.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Yeah, and you've pinned Chris Jericho like three times. There's
a lot of good stuff happening to you.
RHYNO: Yeah, I've done a lot and
I'm grateful for everything. I'm just having so much fun.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Did you think things would happen this quickly for you though?
RHYNO: No, not really.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Usually you come in and it takes a long time.
RHYNO: Like I said, I've got the
easy job -- go out there and work hard. They see that and compliment
me on seeing the things I've been doing. I'm still learning and
you'll always learn until the day you retire. When I retire, I'll
learn about married life.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
[Laughing] Or you'll write a book like everyone else does.
RHYNO: I wouldn't mind doing that.
I've actually got too much to tell.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
We're also hearing about the King Of The Ring tournament and everyone's
trying to second-guess who's going to win the tournament. Your
name is actually coming up quite a bit. Any insights there?
RHYNO: I'm the last to find out everything
(even things that involve myself) so I'm not really the one to
ask. It would be an honour and a compliment to myself from the
WWF to win the King Of The Ring. You just look at all the people
that have won the King Of The Ring and it would just be a compliment
to be put over in the tournament like that. Like I said, I've
got the easy job to go out there and work hard. If not, I'm not
going to be sore about it because how far will I make it if I
don't win? Like you said, I've come a long way in a short time
and I'm just looking to keep going towards the world title.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
In some cases, it tends to elevate a guy but in other cases, it
doesn't. There's been certain King Of The Ring winners like Billy
Gunn or Ken Shamrock where it didn't really do much for them so
I guess it depends on the person.
RHYNO: Well, Billy Gunn has done
a lot in wrestling and Ken Shamrock, when he was here, has done
a lot. As far as elevating a person, I think it does when you
win a tournament like that. It's the only tournament that I know
of in wrestling that has its own pay-per-view so I think it does
elevates someone's career. I don't look at it like "I have
to win this tournament and if I don't, it's career suicide."
I don't look at it that way. It doesn't mean that if you don't
win it, you're not going to be the champion. That's my ultimate
goal and boy I'd love to win it. I'm going to collect belts here
and there all the way to the championship.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Is it a little intimidating because ECW was a promotion based
with a lot of smaller guys and you were like the big man and now
you come in here and you're not the biggest guy?
RHYNO: It's kind of like you see
Kane, The Undertaker, and Big Show walk by and you say "Where
did the sun go?" There are a lot of large men in this company
and like I said, you just go out there and work hard. There's
not too much you can do to those men except get swatted by their
big monkey paws like the Big Show. I'd hate for him to swat me
across the face.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
You've been having quite a few matches with him lately.
RHYNO: Yeah, and actually it's been
fun except for when he chops you with those big hands.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
I bet.
RHYNO: It's kind of like you feel
the air go out of your lungs and you think "Shouldn't the
air now come back into my lungs?"
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
How do you try getting yourself passed those challenges to make
yourself larger than life so you fit in with these guys?
RHYNO: Trying to stand on my tippy-toes.
It's hard to answer that question. Whether it's better to be a
heel or better to be a babyface... whatever turns someone on to
you. I always like to be a heel but you all gather a fan base
or something and you're larger than life to those people. That's
how you can stand out from other wrestlers even if they're physically
bigger than you.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Everyone wants to see Goldberg in the WWF…
RHYNO: I'd like to see Goldberg in
Vince's WWF but in WCW and then he comes in to wrestle Austin.
I think everybody wants to see that.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
I think you're right. In the battle of the spear/gore between
Rhyno and Goldberg, who's going to come out on top?
RHYNO: Actually, I read this in a
magazine (it's obviously fact)…
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
[Laughing]
RHYNO: I want to go on the record
saying this as a fact. They said that my gore is more devastating
than the spear; why? Because I have a lower centre of gravity.
The whole centre of gravity type thing. I don't have shorter legs
he just has longer legs.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
I just think after the stuff they did with Austin, [it would be
a great program].
RHYNO: I smell money.
DAN
LOVRANSKI:
Yeah, I agree
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