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Q U E S T I O N S F O R T H E P R O S:
With Matt Murphy
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[Interview conducted by Tony D. on November 7, 2000]
TD: What's your real name, and what gimmicks have/do you use?
MM: My ring name is the same as my real name, Matt Murphy. My nickname,
"All That", was given to me by the countless ladies of all ages who
wish they can be "all that", but since they can't be "all that", they
wanna be WITH "All That" Matt Murphy.
TD: What height/weight are you?
MM: I am six feet and 212 pounds of perfection. I know that I am small
by wrestling standards, but whatever I may lack in stature I compensate
for in speed, grace, talent, and God-given great looks. Honestly,
I look great! Check out my webpage, www.geocities.com/wlw_all_that_mm.
I have a few pictures on the webpage, and I gotta tell you... I am
quite scenic.
TD: What circuits do you currently wrestle in?
MM: I wrestle mainly for World League Wrestling, but I'll wrestle for
whoever has the money to book me, along with the rest of the Gold
Exchange. My manager, Johnny Gold, has advised me that several
wrestlers throughout the independent scene are out to get me right
now because they know when "All That" rolls into town, their jobs
are at risk and their ladies are lookin' at what's lookin' good!
TD: What circuits have you wrestled in?
MM: I have wrestled for about two dozen promotions in nine different
states: Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, Kansas,
Iowa, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. I am currently working
on a few international bookings as well.
TD: What titles have you held?
MM: I have held the NGW Light Heavyweight Title twice, the NGW Kansas
State Heavyweight Title, and the WCCW Junior Heavyweight Title. I won
the WCCW title with a frog splash from the top of a steel cage, but I
tore my PCL in the process. Since I was on the shelf and could not
defend the title, I was stripped of it.
TD: When did you decide to become a wrestler?
MM: I decided to become a wrestler the first time I watched it on t.v.,
when I was about six years old. I never wondered what I'd be when
I grew up... I always knew I'd be a wrestler.
TD: And how did you get started?
MM: I drove to a New Dimension Wrestling show in Thomasville, NC on
Christmas night, 1998. Thier website did not say that the show
had been moved to December 26th, so I pulled into the parking lot
of an empty National Guard Armory. I slept in my car that night
and then met wrestler Sgt. Max Rhodes and (former WCW Nitro announcer)
Chris Cruise and helped set up the ring. The following week, I began
training at the NAWA training center in Lynchburg, VA. I attended
three sessions before making my pro debut. I soon moved back to
Missouri, and in July of 1999, I enrolled as a student of the Harley
Race Wrestling Academy.
TD: Who has been the biggest influence on your career?
MM: I owe a lot of people a lot of thanks for their influence on my career,
but mostly, my biggest influences were and still are my trainers,
Harley Race, Derek Stone, and Griz. As far as inspirations, I was
forced to be inspired by myself. When I first tried to break into the
business, no one believed that (at the time) a 5'10", 175-pound runt
had a chance in hell of becoming a wrestler except for me. But doubt
me and I'll make you a believer.
TD: What is the greatest moment of your career?
MM: I can't honestly say that beating Bobby Eaton and the Harris Brothers
or going to a draw with Mark Jindrak or winning any title was any
greater than the joy of signing a single autograph for a fan or than
having a fourteen-year veteran tell me how much respect he has for me
as a wrestler. I make it a point not to take anything for granted,
because it can all end in a heartbeat.
TD: Who are/were you trained by? What kind of athletic background do you
have before becoming a wrestler?
MM: I was the first graduate of the Harley Race Academy. I played
football in high school and in the Navy and I had a college
baseball scholarship, but I decided to pursue my wrestling career
instead of going to college.
TD: Who is your favorite wrestler to work with in the ring?
MM: Every match is a learning experience for me, and I love that. My
favorite wrestler to work with is Disco Inferno. I learned more in
five matches with him than I did in the forty matches before.
TD: Any major enemies? If so, who, and why?
MM: Trevor Rhodes. His ego is bigger than Texas and he cares more about
himself than the business that puts food on his table.
TD: In which promotion are you the most over?
MM: Wherever I go, women will love me and men will hate me with jealous
envy.
TD: Do you ever consider working in the WWF, WCW, or ECW if they are
interested in your talent?
MM: There was a time when I hoped and prayed every single night as I waited
for "the Call." But it seems as if there's no place for a professional
wrestler in professional wrestling any more... except in World League
Wrestling and maybe a few other independents and internationals.
TD: If you had to pick WWF, WCW, or ECW, where would you go and why?
MM: There are pros and cons of working with each company. I'd have to see
the details of the contracts and read all the fine-print before I could
choose one.
TD: Do you have a computer? If so, what do you think of the reporters and
sheet writers on the internet?
MM: Yes, I own a computer. I think that the internet has brought the
BUSINESS to a higher level, but I also think that it has brought the
SPORT to a lower level in many ways. I think that some sheet writers
are legit and some of them are the lowest form of scum on the face of
this earth. Picture this: Some writer is sitting at home, lonely,
and he wishes people would call him so he starts a rumor that a
wrestler has died just so someone will call him for "the story".
Can you imagine being that wrestler's wife while he is out on the
road? "Hey, Mrs. Doe, this is So-and-so, I read on the internet that
your husband died in a car wreck. Can you confirm this?" The wife
goes absolutely nuts and tries to call everyone to find out what has
happened to her husband, who is 1,000 miles away, eating at a
restaurant. That is b.s. no matter how you look at it.
TD: Do you have a college degree or any other higher education?
MM: No. Like I said earlier, I chose wrestling over college.
TD: Any advice you'd give a wannabe wrestler?
MM: Wanna be an entertainer? Learn to juggle and join the circus. Wanna
be a wrestler? Go to the Harley Race Academy. Be sure you're in the
best shape of your life and get your head on straight. It's a lot of
HARD WORK, but it is very rewarding. And MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A BACK-UP
PLAN!!! If you can't hack it in the REAL pros, find something else to
do. Don't do that backyard crap. On behalf of the wrestling industry,
we are not impressed!
TD: Any final comments for the readers?
MM: Yeah, check out my website. It is www.geocities.com_wlw_all_that_mm
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