Interview: Rockstar Spud on being Dixie’s chief of staff and forthcoming TNA UK Tour

If you watched TNA’s British Boot Camp on Challenge TV this time last year, you’ll doubtless remember my own personal highlight of the series – when Rockstar Spud stepped in the ring with mentor Rollerball Rocco, who then proceeded to batter the hell out of him.

“You didn’t see the half of it,” confesses Spud. “He gave me a slap, and it brought tears to my eyes. Why they didn’t use it, who knows, but I can still feel it now. I can feel the handprint appear on my face.”

Spud was the antagonist of the series, butting heads with Marty Scurll and tormenting the Blossom Twins, and he argues that his role in wrestling is to be an illusionist – to manipulate people to love him or loathe him depending on the circumstance.

“You’re not paying to see people who are ordinary, because why would you pay to see them?” he asks rhetorically. “Have you ever watching a film where it’s really positive the whole way through? If you did, there’s no trial or tribulation – it wouldn’t be very good. If you haven’t got something to overcome, it’s not an interesting tale.”

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Question: has CM Punk left WWE forever?

Everyone in the entire world seems to already know this, but just in case – stories suggest that CM Punk has walked out on WWE, hence his absence from Monday Night RAW.

There’s always the wobble over whether this is real or kayfabe, but, like the Daniel Bryan/Royal Rumble saga, this is also being covered by mainstream media; and although WWE are sticking to their “no comment” line – as they did over the weekend – they don’t need to, there’s enough hysteria (and, obviously, interest) being whipped up without them having to do anything.

Question: what did WWE expect to happen at the Royal Rumble?

@tholzerman Interesting re Bryan. Yep, if he's in and doesn't win, he overshadows whoever does – but if he's NOT in and doesn't win

— Carrie Dunn (@carriesparkle) January 25, 2014

@tholzerman the same thing will happen. I don't know how I feel. Am so confuse.

— Carrie Dunn (@carriesparkle) January 25, 2014

I hate to quote myself, but I was right, wasn’t I?

Thing is, if I could predict this, why couldn’t the WWE?

Interview: Julie Hart talks about Bret, Owen, Montreal…and being a Hart

Julie Hart’s easy to track down on Twitter – and more than that, she’s easy to chat to there as well. However, she’s not so easy to talk to in real time, because she’s a very busy woman.

“I’m currently in credit classes that will enable me to get into social work in the fall of 2014,” she explains. “Four long years of school! I suppose I should have done this 11 years ago when I first went back to university…ah, life! I’m a tad more focused [now] on what I want to do with my remaining years and social work seems like a good fit for me.

“I’m still very much involved in charity work, but my feeling now is to get into the homes of broken families and do what I can for them. I can relate on so many levels. I guess that’s not hard to figure out after reading my book!”

Julie is, of course, the ex-wife of the legendary Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart, and the latest of the extended Hart clan to publish a memoir – hers is called ‘Hart Strings’ and subtitled ‘My Life With Bret and the Hart Family’.

Thoughts on ‘The Squared Circle: Life, Death and Professional Wrestling’ by David Shoemaker

There isn’t enough good literature about professional wrestling, so I was really pleased when David Shoemaker, aka Grantland’s The Masked Man, announced his intent to expand his ‘Dead Wrestler of the Week’ column into a book.

Those musings on the late greats of wrestling have developed into soliloquies on their lives, their impact, and their meaning; fans of Shoemaker’s writing will be very happy with this.

It’ll also be enjoyed by people who share Shoemaker’s background in wrestling fandom – largely NWA/WCW-dominated.

However, it gave me pause for thought in several places – and made me stop reading repeatedly with frustration and anger.

Facts from IPW, Zack v Hero, Angel Centre Tonbridge, January 19th 2014

Well, I told you I was going to drag myself to Tonbridge, (very expensive) rail replacement services notwithstanding.

And frankly I think it was probably the best decision I’m going to make all year.

From the opening triple threat between Party Marty Scurll (resplendent in fur), Mark Haskins and Jonny Storm to the spectacular main event between Zack Sabre Jr and Chris Hero, every match was a gem for its own reasons.

Fact: Fergal Devitt is making his IPW debut this weekend

I’m always a bit loath to go out on a Sunday night, especially when it involves travel.

But when I saw the card for this weekend’s IPW:UK show in Tonbridge, featuring Chris Hero vs Zack Sabre Jr, I decided I’d go, and damn the railway engineering work and its stupid replacement buses.

And now, Prince Fergal Devitt’s been added to the line-up, facing Dave Mastiff. This is going to be good.

“Obviously I’m looking forward to debuting for IPW but I think I’m more looking forward to the fact I’ll be returning to Kent and seeing some of my oldest friends, especially Danny Garnell and Zack Sabre Jr,” says Devitt, “not to mention Jimmy Havoc who I hope does a run-in of some sort and puts someone through a flaming table covered in thumb tacks and pops the crowd!”