_________________________________________________________________ Q U E S T I O N S F O R T H E P R O S: With Tony Kozina _________________________________________________________________ [Interview conducted by Tony D. on March 30, 2000] TD: What's your real name, and what gimmicks have/do you use? TK: Tony Kozina. That's it. ECCW gave me the nickname "Tornado", but what you see is what you get. TD: What height/weight are you? TK: 5'6" 168 lbs. TD: What circuits do you currently wrestle in? TK: Currently I am in ECCW/NWA-PNW, but also compete for Portland Wrestling, UIWA in Washington State and Pacific Northwest Championship Wrestling if I am not on the road somewhere else. TD: What circuits have you wrestled in? TK: Championship Wrestling USA, ECCW/NWA-PNW, Pro-Mell Lucha Libre, Portland Wrestling, UIWA, British Columbia Wrestling, NWA/CWF in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Can-Am Wrestling, NWF in Washington state, World Grand Prix Wrestling in southern CA. All-Pro Wrestling, WPW Lucha Libre, Bad Boys of Wrestling, NWA Mid-Atlantic, NWA East/PWX in Pennsylvaina, World Legion Wrestling in Pennsylvania, WHIP Pro Wrestling in Saskatchewan, Canada, PNCW in Oregon state, and NWA UK/ Hammerlock Wrestling. TD: What titles have you held? TK: *5 time ECCW/NWA-PNW Jr. Heavyweight Champion. *2 time NWA Canadian Jr. Heavyweight Champion. 1 time and current NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Champion. TD: When did you decide to become a wrestler? TK: I've always wanted to since I can remember. I was continuously turned away by promoters and schools until I was 25 years old and the cruiserweight divisions started up in North America. TD: And how did you get started? TK: I got ahold of Billy Jack Haynes and explained my story to him. He took it from there a began train me. TD: Who has been the biggest influence on your career? TK: The biggest influence on my career would have to be "Gorgeous" Michelle Starr. That's an influence of career guidence, and direction. He has steered me in the right direction and helped me tremendously. As far as an influence of wrestling style I have always been huge fans of Ric Flair, and Bret Hart. TD: What has been the greatest moment of your career? TK: Winning the NWA World Jr. Heavyweight title. TD: Who are/were you trained by? What kind of athletic background do you have before you became a wrestler? TK: I was first trained by Billy Jack Haynes. Then Matt Borne took me under his wing and taught me about the business both in and out of the ring. From Michelle Starr helped me with the fine details at the ECCW House of Pain Wrestling school on BC, and he keeps the door open for me there to this day. TD: Who is your favorite wrestler to work with in the ring? TK: It changes so much. Right now i've been learning alot in my matches against The Black Dragon, but there are several very incredible wrestlers who I compete against fairly regularly. TD: Any major enemies? If so, who, and why? TK: My longest, and most intense feud would have to be against The Ladies Choice. We have beaten each other so many times i've lost track. I have feuded with Torch in the past, but our feud is not built on hatred, but rather on a healthy amount of respect. It's a contest of who can outwrestle the other. TD: In which promotion are you the most over? TK: It changes from city to city. When I brought the NWA World Jr. title to Newport, Oregon in February they gave me an ovation like i've never heard before. It was really unbelieveable- and I had never wrestled there before!!! TD: Do you ever consider working in the WWF or in WCW if they are interested in your talent? TK: Absolutely. When it's all over i'd really like to have worked for everyone at least once. TD: If you had to pick, WWF, WCW or ECW? Where would you go? And why? TK: WWF, because they have, time and again taken wrestlers and brought the very best out of them in the ring, on the mic, and made them into megastars. That's what the WWF does... TD: Do you have a computer? If so, what do you think of the reporters and sheet writers on the internet? TK: Yeah, I do. I think the sheets and internet stuff is interesing reading, but inaccurate to a large degree. It makes for great conversation on long road trips though. TD: Do you have a college degree or any other higher education? TK: No degree yet, but I have almost two years of college done working towards a degree in Astronomy. I hope to one day complete it too. TD: Any advice you'd give a wannabe wrestler? TK: Yes, get an education, so you have something to fall back on. This ride can be over before you know it. TD: Any final comments for the readers? TK: I'd just like to thank you for allowing me to do this interview, and thank the good people out there for taking time out of their day to read my thoughts. For more information on me check out my official website at www.eccw.com/kozina