Kory Chavis (formerly Rainman)
Height: 6’3″ | Weight: 224
Hometown: Dark City, Florida
Website/Myspace: www.myspace.com/kchavis
Pro Debut: March 25, 1998

Where You Have Seen Him: Full Impact Pro (member of Dark City Fight Club w/Jon Davis), Pro Wrestling Riot (member of DCFC & 911 Inc.), NWA Wildside/Anarchy, BANG!, Ring of Honor, IWA Mid-South, TNA Wrestling, Combat Zone Wrestling, Division 1 Pro Wrestling, All Aggression Pro.


Championships Held: NWA World Television champion, NWA Georgia Tag Team champion (w/Homicide), NWA Wildside Tag Team champion (3 times w/Murder One), NWA Wildside Heavyweight champion, NWA Anarchy Heavyweight champion.

Alan Wojcik: What led you to become a professional wrestler and who were you trained by?

Kory Chavis: In 1997 I met this guy who worked with me at the time named Marty Miller. He was telling me he was into wrestling and invited to come with him to the IWU which was an indy wrestling event running in Atlanta at the time. While there, I met Murder One, who wrestling as Homicide at the time. I was in the music business at that time and didn’t think I would have what it took to become a pro wrestler. Murder One was telling me he would train me. About a year or so later, I was offered a record deal with a major label. In the back of my mind, the wrestling offer was still weighing heavy. So, I made the snap decision to turn down my record deal offer to become a pro wrestler. New Jack and a guy named Brian Springer came in about once a week to train us as well. So they trained me for about six months and my career began.

Alan Wojcik: Where did the name Rainman come from?

Kory Chavis: Contrary to popular belief, it didn’t come from the movie. My older brother was in a gang when I was about 11 or 12. I never wanted to join a gang at all, and I didn’t. I just hung out with my brother who hung out with gang members. They later realized that I was a genius with a can of spray paint. So I became their “Rainman” which was their official tagger/graffiti artist. That’s about as close as I ever came to joining a gang. So the Rainman name stuck with me. I thought it had a nice ring to it.

Alan Wojcik: It’s not everyday I get to interview a former NWA World Television champion. That title has a great lineage including Dusty Rhodes, Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson. Talk about that experience and winning the tournament.

Kory Chavis: What an awesome tournament that was. The road to the finals were grueling enough. Then I had to deal with Tony Mamaluke in the finals. That guy is one of the toughest people I have EVER been in the ring with. I went on to hold that belt for 14 months straight, which I was told is the longest that title has ever been held without losing it, including Tully and Arn and Dusty. When that tournament first started, I was one of the most hated people in the state of Georgia. But, by the end of the finals, when Mamaluke shook my hand and handed me the title, that moment alone got about a five minute standing ovation. One of the greatest accomplishments not only in my wrestling career, but in my life. Good times!!!!

Alan Wojcik: You have made NWA Wildside/Anarchy your home for several years. What makes that promotion keep going even after stars leave for TNA and other promotions?

Kory Chavis: The fans just won’t let that place die. When Bill Behrens shut it down when it was Wildside, the people of Cornelia, Ga just wouldn’t go away without a fight. They begged and pleaded to have wrestling brought back into that town. So after a couple of months off, Jerry Palmer, being the awesome human being that he is, brought wrestling back there in the form of NWA Anarchy. They’re still going strong and don’t plan on stopping for a loooooong time.

Alan Wojcik: You and Onyx got into a feud with BLKOUT (Ruckus & Sabian). For someone who has never seen CZW live or on DVD, tell them about the hardcore promotion and it’s boss Jon Zandig.

Kory Chavis: It was always good times working for CZW and Zandig. Nothing bad to say about the company or Zandig. He gave us a lot of freedom and creative control over what we did, which was wierd since I had always heard the opposite. But their fans can be tough at times. I didn’t get it so bad since they knew whom I was from the first time going up there for the Wildside Invasion angle. But, my partner ONYX had a tough time. He just didn’t sit well with the fans in Philly.

Alan Wojcik: You have worked for the BANG! promotion. What is it like being around a former NWA World Heavyweight champion like Dory Funk Jr.?

Kory Chavis: I learned so much from Dory Funk, Jr. He brought me down to work with a lot of his trainees which was a HUGE honor for me. He put that mean streak in me when he was teaching me stuff. Behrens sent me there once a month and I can honestly say, that was a turning point in my career.

Alan Wojcik: What led you to drop Rainman and becoming “the Soul Assassin” Kory Chavis, the “hired bodyguard” to $o Cal Val?

Kory Chavis: It was just the right time to change. I had changed my look, I got my body in better shape, so it was time to basically enter a new chapter in my wrestling career and close the Rainman chapter. Also, I got sick of people telling me that I reminded them of New Jack. There is only one New Jack. He’s original. So, I changed my look and everything else, including my name, to Kory Chavis, which is my real name.

Alan Wojcik: You have been part of Full Impact Pro and Ring of Honor’s rosters. There is a business partnership between the two promotions, do you think any wrestler who doesn’t work for them is losing out on the opportunity of a lifetime?

Kory Chavis: I DO think that you’re missing out on an opportunity of a lifetime if you’re not working with FIP. Although I have been on some ROH shows, I was never officially a part of the roster. Since I work for FIP, hopefully that will change. That’s the goal I am working towards. I think I would fit in with the ROH roster. So that’s what I can see myself doing down the road a bit.

Alan Wojcik: You did some work for All Aggression Pro out of Jacksonville. checking out their website reveals their events feature wrestling and MMA on the same card. What do you think of that concept and could you ever see yourself in the UFC or other MMA promotions?

Kory Chavis: I thought it was a great concept for all types of combat fans. As “Pro Wrestler” we had to beat the crap outta each other just to keep the crowd with us. That crowd liked to HEAR forearm shots and chops. They like to see people get slammed and dropped. So we had to give it to them. As far as me going to MMA or UFC, no way. I’m a HUGE fan of the UFC right now. Those guys are great at what they do. But me, I’m a dirty fighter. I wouldn’t be able to follow their rules. Honestly. I take all the cheap shots I can to win a fight. But I love and respect what they do while watching it….lol!

Alan Wojcik: You are part of one of the most brutal tag teams, the Dark City Fight Club. How did your partnership with Jon Davis come about and how does he compare to previous partners?

Kory Chavis: DCFC was the idea of Sal Hamaoui. I briefly moved back to Georgia when I wasn’t working for FIP. When I moved back to Florida, I got in contact with Sal and he told me about his idea for me tagging with Jon. From day one it just clicked. Sal Hamaoui is the MAN and has an awesome mind for the wrestling business. I have had a handful of partners, but Jon is by far the best one. We compliment each other’s style without even having to say anything to each other. It’s actually kinda scary. He is one the guys I met while working for Dory. The first I saw him in for BANG! I can remember thinking “Damn that dude’s got skills”.

Alan Wojcik: In Pro Wrestling Riot, the DCFC is partnered with Ron Niemi’s 911 Inc. What does the “Hardcore Giant” bring to the DCFC that wasn’t there before?

Kory Chavis: Guidance. I have been knowing Ron Niemi for years. I came down from Georgia to Florida to do a few IPW shows. So I knew what Ron was capable of taking care of. He is a dangerous man with a lot of power. Why wouldn’t anyone want guidance from him. He has done lots for the business and lots for other wrestlers’ careers. Being around him makes our jobs easier. A great man that Ron Niemi.

Alan Wojcik: You guys didn’t make any new friends when you put Sideshow’s sister Danielle through a table.

Kory Chavis: Honestly, we weren’t there to make friends. We were there to hurt anyone who stood across from us. She stood across from us. She got hurt. Period. When you have guys in a ring like Frankie Ciatso, The Shanes, AND DCFC, why would wanna be on the opposite side of us? SHE made the decision to cross over the rail. She was in OUR world. That could’ve easily been anyone in that crowd that night. Too bad it was her. But, oh well. SHIT HAPPENS!!!!

Alan Wojck: On night one of the Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup your partner Jon Davis will be in the tournament. Give the fans some insight why he should be the odds on favorite to win it all and if you widh talk about any thoughts you have on this prestigious event.

Kory Chavis: Jeff Peterson meant a lot to a lot of people. I am honored to be able to go and compete and spill blood and sweat in his honor. Jon will win the tournament, bottom line. That guy is an unstoppable beast. No one in that tournament can touch him. There are no losers in the Dark City. Only winners. Davis will win. That is all!!!!

Alan Wojcik: At the second evening you and the rest of 911 Inc. (“Hardcore Giant” Mike Shane, Francisco Ciatso & Shawn Osborne) will enter the WarGames to take on ” the Marquee” Bruce Santee, Sideshow, Sedrick Strong & The Black Market( Joey Machete’ & Shawn Murphy). My question is have all of you gone completely insane!! WarGames is going to brutalize all ten of you, making you bleed from places no one knew was possible.

Kory Chavis: I AM insane. I have been involved in Wargame matches since wayyyyy back in the Wildside days. I think my first one was 2001. So I’m no stranger to Wargame. Bruce, Sedrick, Sideshow, and Black Market will all find out how insane I am when it comes to Wargames. It’s one of the most brutal matches ever and I ENJOY being locked in a steel cage and making people bleed. 911 Inc. will leave the Wargames victorious. The others will leave the Wargames on a stretcher, if they leave at all.

Alan Wojcik: I’m sure I know the answer to this question. What is Team WTF (listed on your Myspace as wll as CJ O’Doyle & Kenny King)?

Kory Chavis: The second rule of TEAM WTF is you DO NOT TALK ABOUT TEAM WTF!!!!!!

Alan Wojcik: TNA Impact fans recently saw you wrestle Kurt Angle and Matt Morgan. Do you think becoming a TNA roster member is in your near future?

Kory Chavis: Honestly, I don’t know. I talk to them lots still. But at this point, my focus is on Dark City Fight Club. I think we are onto something with this tag team. And if TNA wants to talk to us about some stuff, fine. But I’m focusing on the team right now. I think that we both are great singles wrestler, but as a team we’re unstopable. If TNA recognizes that, awesome. If not, ah well.

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