Alex Barie spent over thirty minutes recently interviewing one half of the best tag team in the “Biz-I-Ness” Frankie Kazarian. Here is a partial transcript of that interview:
I want to personally think Frankie for taking the time out of his busy schedule to take our questions. In the interview, Kazarian hits on a variety of topics from his early days in TNA Wrestling, Jeff Jarrett, Global Force Wrestling, his time in WWE, stars in TNA like Kurt Angle, Christian, and more. Kazarian tells us his current status with the company and their decision moving forward. He also talks about the current projects he is working on as well as his future in the wrestling business.
Follow Kazarian on Twitter – @FrankieKazarian
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Check out Kazarian and Chris Daniels’ Bad Influence comic book
Hello everyone, I am Alex Barie, lead editor of TNANews.com, and I would like to welcome wrestling great, Frankie Kazarian! Hey Kazarian, how are you doing today?
What’s going on man? I’m doing great!
First off, I want to thank you Kazarian for taking time out of your busy schedule so we can interview you!
We are going to hit on a variety of topics in this interview about your extensive career. So, to get us started, how did you get involved in the wrestling business? Who was your inspiration and what made you want to become a wrestler?
Like any kid during the time, I loved wrestling. I first discovered it after watching Rocky III with Hulk Hogan and watching Wrestlemania 1. After watching Wrestlemania 1 I was hooked. I loved the athleticism and larger than life characters. And then I immediately became obsessed. I just completely enamored in pro wrestling – All of the books, videos, video games, everything. Early on I liked the larger than life guys. I liked The Ultimate Warriors. He was my favorite. The pure wrestlers is what I always liked – The British Bulldogs, Tito Santana, Rick Steamboat, Shawn Michaels and guys like that. It is one of those things you grew up wanting to do and sometimes you either grow out of it or you don’t so I decided to make it a career and decided to pursue it after high school.
You made your debut in TNA Wrestling in 2003. What was TNA like back then from the backstage atmosphere to pay? Who was the one who brought you in?
I got in by meeting with Jeff Jarrett overseas for a tour by the promotion called WWA, a tour of Europe. I met Jeff Jarrett and Scott D’Moore. They liked what they saw in me and shortly after that tour ended I was asked to come to Nashville for a tryout match. I guess I got the gig because I continued to be brought back and became a regular guy. Back then it was still kind of like gorilla TV – it was still like flying by the seed of the pants. It was a really good atmosphere from the Nashville days/Fairgrounds. The company was still very young and growing a lot. It was an exciting time back then.
Do you still have a good relationship with Jeff Jarrett? If you were asked to join his newest company, Global Force Wrestling, would you be part of it?
I have a good relationship with Jeff, I mean the guy gave me a huge break. He was my boss for a long time. He became a pal. He’s got a great vision. He has wrestling in his blood. I’ll wait to see how everything pans out before, I mean, let’s wait till GFW is actually an existing entity. Right now everything is speculation, so until there is an actual wrestling company to go we’ll see. I mean, I can’t really answer a question that the possible answer is that you have to guess. Anything Jeff puts his name on I would jump at the chance to be part of because he is a brilliant business man when it comes to professional wrestling.
Your run in the company lasted till 2005 where actually signed with WWE. Did you think you fit the “WWE mold”? Does it bother you that you have never had a long run with them?
I don’t think there is such a thing as a mold – You either get over or you don’t. At the time I just wasn’t mentally prepared for WWE the machine and the big business that it is cause that is exactly what it is. I don’t know what I was expecting but I just wasn’t mentally prepared. I wasn’t mentally mature enough cause it is such a huge business. It is not just a wrestling promotion, it is a business and it is run very smoothly and it is run by people are the best in the industry and have been doing it forever. There is a reason why they are the best. So, at the time I was a little bit young, a little bit naïve about things and that’s all 100% my fault. You know, just being a little unprepared for the business side of things and a little bit overwhelmed also.
Read the rest of the interview here!