_________________________________________________________________ Q U E S T I O N S F O R T H E P R O S: With Dr. Darin Davis _________________________________________________________________ [Interview conducted by Tony D. on May 10, 2001] TD: What's your real name, and what gimmicks have/do you use? DDD: My real first name is Darin. I've been wrestling since '97 with variations of the name "Darin Davis" until 12/98, when I came up with the Dr. Darin Davis character. He is the World's Greatest Proctologist, and of course has a good knowledge of anatomy. A heel when I first debuted it, but the crowd eventually came around and started cheering. TD: Describe "the glove spot" for readers that may not know about it. DDD: I usually give my opponents a drop toe hold into the ropes or some maneuver where they're bent over for an extended period of time. Then I reach down my trunks for the latex glove and put it on. Now it's time for the prostate check, which is occasionally followed up by the mandible claw. TD: What height/weight are you? DDD: I'm 6'1" and about 225lbs. TD: What circuits do you currently wrestle in? DDD: I've worked mostly in the MN and WI area, lately more in MN. I work for Midwest Pro Wrestling (MPW), Minnesota Independent Wrestling (MIW), Wrestle America 2000 (WA2K), French Lake Wrestling Association (FLWA), and occasionally Pro Wrestling America (PWA). TD: What circuits have you wrestled in? DDD: I used to work a promotion near Spooner, WI that I can't remember the name of. Worked for St. Paul Championship Wrestling (SPCW), which is now called Steel Domain Wrestling (SDW). Worked a show for the IWA in Canada (long story). TD: What titles have you held? DDD: I've been the MIW TV champion since 9/00. TD: When did you decide to get into wrestling? DDD: I didn't start watching wrestling much until high school. I didn't actually start doing it until I was out of college and was on a "regular" career path. Got into it later in life than most. TD: And how did you get started? DDD: I had been going to local indy shows for a few years. I saw an ad in the back of a program for a training camp run by the legendary Eddie Sharkey. I gave him a call and asked a bunch of questions. Three days later I was starting camp. TD: Who has been the biggest influence on your career? DDD: I couldn't pick just one. You learn something from everyone you get in the ring with. Of course my trainers, and guys that I've worked out with like Mitch Paradise, Ian Xavier, Magnus Maximus, Prime Time. TD: What has been the greatest moment of your career? DDD: There are a few I can think of... Winning my first title. A match I had with Lenny Lane. The first time someone recognized me outside of the arena. TD: Who are/were you trained by? What kind of athletic background do you have before you got into wrestling? DDD: I was trained by Eddie Sharkey and Terry Fox. Eddie trained the Road Warriors, Bob Backlund, Jesse Ventura, Rick Rude, Barry Darsow, Lenny Lane, and many others. I played some basketball and ran track in high school, but I was never really interested in regular sports. TD: Who is your favorite wrestler to work with in the ring? DDD: I like working with Mitch Paradise, K-Train, Playboy Pete HUGE, Helmut Von Strauss TD: Any major enemies? If so, who, and why? DDD: I try not to make enemies. I try to stay out of feuds but it seems like one way or another the workers get caught in the middle of promotional rivalry. I try to stay neutral. TD: In which promotion are you the most over? DDD: I would say MPW because they usually run in the same area or the same building on a regular basis and the fans get to know you (and wear latex gloves). Some of the other promotions I work for do a lot of spot shows outside of the Minneapolis area so many people are seeing you for the first time. TD: Do you ever consider working in the WWF or WCW if they are interested in your talent? DDD: I don't think I could handle all the travel. I'm more of a person that's ready to come home after a few days on the road. I think once the fantasy wore off I wouldn't be happy. TD: If you had to pick WWF or WCW, where would you go and why? DDD: The WWF is a brand that everyone recognizes and would give a wrestler the most exposure so I would have to pick that. On the other hand (disregarding whatever the current situation is), WCW being a smaller company might give a guy more chance to be in the spotlight. It would be easy to get buried with all the talent in the WWF. TD: Do you have a computer? If so, what do you think of the reporters and sheet writers on the internet? DDD: I basically stick to 1wrestling for national news, the minnesotawrestling.com message board for fan discussion of local indies, and Tim Larson's Upper Midwest Wrestling Newsletter for news and upcoming dates in this area. Believe it or not, I find out about some of my bookings by reading the UMWN (I'm booked there? They never called me). ;-) I don't look at too many other places. Some of the sites are just news pasted from somewhere else. TD: Do you have a college degree or any other higher education? DDD: I have a degree in Computer Engineering and Computer Science. TD: Any advice you'd give a wannabe wrestler? DDD: It's okay to have fun out in the yard, but if you really want to become a wrestler, get the proper training. Also, there is a 1 in 100 chance that you will even get a tryout with the WWF, so don't think about it as a career when you're starting out. Keep it as a hobby, and if it grows into something more, even better. TD: Any final comments for the readers? DDD: Check out my web site. The fans are the reason we're still doing this stuff. Take a look at the archives of the UMWN and how to subscribe (it's free). Be sure to visit a proctologist if you're over 40, and see a doctor if it burns when you pee. Thanks for the interview.