Credit: PWInsider.com
TNA held a media conference call this afternoon with TNA champion EC3 and his Bound for Glory challenger Drew Galloway.
The conference call opened up with TNA’s Jeremy Borash welcoming everyone to the call and running down the lineup for Sunday’s PPV in Concord, NC.
I asked them about the pressure of stealing the show and having a great PPV main event in order to put the attention back on the in-ring product as opposed to outside issues they cannot control. EC3 said that he feels no pressure because they want to be here and this is their company now and they are confident in their skills. Drew said he worked on the independents and in TNA over the last year to make his name and it’s not pressure but opportunity for them to make something special.
Drew was asked what he learned since his last TNA title shot. He quipped not to let Eli Drake get involved. He said that until you are in the ring, you don’t know what someone can bring to the ring and EC3 can bring it. He’s been touring Australia and working all over to prepare for what the biggest match of his life is. EC3 played up his character saying he’s been doing massages and naps to prepare as only the champ can.
They noted the show would be airing live in France at 2 AM. Drew said that he would stay up for PPVs when he saw a kid because of the spectacle of the show. He said that as a fellow European, he promises them the show of a lifetime.
EC3 was asked by Scott Fishman if he felt vindication winning the TNA title. EC3 said that there was an immediate sense of gratification and vindication but he knew it was time to move onto the next thing, which was trying to be the next TNA champion of all time.
Drew was asked about being signed during the rebuilding period of TNA the last year and what that experience was like. He said that he had no goals of returning to American TV so quickly after leaving WWE but John Gaburick reached out and told him they were going to be going in a new direction and giving younger talent a chance. He said he came into the locker room and saw how passionate and good everyone was and realized there was no way this wasn’t going to work. He said they have a wrestling show and they get it done in the ring. Everyone gets fired up and they create a passionate environment.
Drew was asked about his plan to win the belt and take it all over the word defending it and whether he’s spoken to TNA about it. Galloway said hasn’t spoken about it but his goal is to be the first traveling World champion since Ric Flair. He said you won’t ever recreate that era but he’d like to do his best to recreate that as much as possible.
EC3 noted he’s been traveling all over the country defending the title against whatever champions the different podunk towns he is in are.
They were asked about the post-PPV Louisiana tour and the UK tour that kicks off 2016, noting that they might be representing the company going into an area where TNA means a lot. EC3 went into promo mode for the Haunted Halloween tour. He then said it’s his goal to go to one of TNA’s hottest markets globally. He said he became a megastar against Rockstar Spud on the tour last year and then Drew debuted. Now he will get to return to make it a successful return as champion.
Galloway said for him to come home champion to his home market, the UK, is a huge deal. He said the indy scene there is really on fire, selling out 2-3 thousand every month there. He said he is asked why the UK is so different and it’s that the crowd is like a soccer or football crowd doing chants and passionate the entire show. To come home champion in front of those maniacs means the world. He said he’s afraid to not come back champion.
They were asked if they expect a mat classic or a brawl. EC3 said it could be going either way as the “mistake prone” Galloway tries to make it a brawl to protect himself by being aggressive.
EC3 was asked what he would do next if he lost the belt. He said no comment.
They were asked how it feels to being in the main event position in such a short time. EC3 said he works the hardest he can to be awesome and be the champ. Galloway said it was just a big deal for him to wrestle and be Drew Galloway no matter where he went as opposed to another character. He wanted to wrestle and be himself and that was his big goal. He said he eventually wanted to walk up and wanted to deserve the opportunity. He said that wrestling is all he thinks about. He said fans and the boys in the back react positively to what he does in the ring
EC3 said that Galloway mentioned wrestling being his life’s work and said the TNA title is his life’s work but wanted to give Drew his props for being himself and working so hard before he beats him to retain the belt.
Drew was asked his chances of being TNA champion when he wrestles in Germany on 10/16. Galloway said he just filmed a promo for it and is excited about returning to Germany to wrestle. EC3 said German promotions can book him to appear because unfortunately, while Drew is wrestling there, the champion will be doing important TNA business since the company is all built around him.
They did some storyline stuff promoting Dixie Carter’s announcement on TV.
They were asked about how they have grown since leaving WWE and coming to TNA. EC3 said that when you come to a place where they believe in your character, it’s led to him becoming a champion as opposed to a forgotten casualty in the business. Galloway said he didn’t have a plan when he was hired by WWE. He was on TV at the age of 22 and got to grow up here. He said he didn’t really get the chances to show what he could do because he was still growing but thanks to WWE, he was able to book himself everywhere so he could show who he could really be. They’ve been taught the right way and want to show the world what they are made of and not just settle for being like everyone else.
Galloway said the Rising wasn’t a bust because it gave him the chance to give an opportunity to Eli Drake and Micah. He said that everything he said during that era was from his heart. When Drake turned on him, they had a backstory and got to create a feud and show the true Drake. They have stuff they can go back to down the line. He wants to see Micah get another opportunity and Drake is a very unlikable bad guy.
They were asked about Earl Hebner going into the TNA Hall of Fame. They agreed the was deserving of the Hall. EC3 said he didn’t want a HOF induction as much as he wants to be seen dragged kicking and streaming never to be seen again. Galloway said when he debuted, the last image was Galloway and Grado having their hands raised by Hebner and how crazy that was. Galloway said he doesn’t want to leave the business ever but if and when he does, he wants to leave happy. EC3 said they want to be happy with their life’s work and be proud of what they did. They joked that Hebner was responsible for all the Biblical screwjobs as he was refereeing for 8,000 year
They were asked about the PPV being in Charlotte and how it will play into the match. Galloway said there are places with great wrestling history and Charlotte is one of those cities. EC3 said he’ll be throwing a lot of chops, poking a lot of eyes and will go to the top, not to get thrown off, but to hit a move.
I noted they have a lot of passion for TNA and asked them how they get the fans who are down on TNA and are negative on the company and get them to reinvest in it. Galloway said he’s seen its mostly from fans who aren’t really watching the show and havent in some time. He advises them to hit the reset button because everyone is busting their ass and not taking advantage of the company for themselves. You can feel the passion in the live experience. He asked fans to live their life and enjoy. EC3 said they have a hard working passionate locker room. They have a mix of creative, veterans and young talents right now. He said they aren’t going to keep asking for chances but if you take a step back, you will see that things are different and that there’s a lot of passionate people working to make the company the best they can.
They were asked about the special referee and ducked it since that storyline twist won’t air until tomorrow night.
They were asked about what they were going to do the night before. Galloway said he was going to party all night. EC3 preached abstinence. It was funny character-based stuff.
They were asked if they prefer being in a small pond or a big pond. EC3 said they are not at the level of WWE but worldwide they are competitive and do great business. He said it’s always difficult to succeed but here they have been given an opportunity. Drew said that the cool thing about TNA is their chance to build something up. WWE is in its own corner. Wrestling has a lot of people and groups trying to do their own thing and things are healthier than they have been in years. Having the chance to build something as opposed to just being a gear in the machine is special.
