Raven on ECW, Cornette, & TNA

**neuicon** · 05-09-2006, 04:52 PM

This is originally from pwinsider.com

http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=17938&p=1

These are just pieces of the interview. And personally, I think he makes a couple of good points on the return of ECW.

Raven said it's a touchy subject because everyone lumps ECW in as one thing. He said that the business had become very plain with nothing new. Wrestlers was in the same business for years and there was no influx of freshness. Before ECW, wrestling had lost it's sense of style. Raven said that ECW made wrestling cutting edge and hip, like the Matrix did for action movies. He said that people irritate him when they don't understand that ECW was a revolution that changed wrestling. He said that there are very few people that have the creativity and understand the trends and styles of 2006. He said that Paul Heyman keeps his fingers on America's pulse, like Raven tries to. He said that for WWE to make it successful, they need to use the older names to establish it, then have a whole new roster of ECW stars. He said that he thinks Heyman is smart enough to know that and putting together a whole bunch of new acts that spark another revolution.

Raven said that he loves TNA and has no interest in working for the new ECW. He said that everything in the business has been done and has to find ways to do new things. He says that TNA tries to do that now and ECW will have to compete with TNA. He said that it isn't easy to recreate wrestling because everyone would do it. He said that he was really impressed by some of the packages Jeremy Borash produced for him and others. He said he loves the six sided ring and the X-Division because it makes the product stand out. ECW is a good idea because WWE has gotten dull. He notes that WWE had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the Steve Austin era and if something can spark there business, it's going to be better for everyone. He then joked we should be talking about his company, TNA.

Raven said he's going to "beat the crap" against Larry Zbyszko. He said that he's beaten Zbyszko once before in WCW and it won't be a contest.

Raven said he's feeling better now. He abused his health for a long time and he pays the price for it now. He said that his body has rebelled against him and was a top draft choice for a death pool. He said he's proud for surviving. He has thyroid and blood sugar issues. He had put on 30 lbs. and was tired all the time. Once they figured out what the issues were, he was able to drop 10 lbs. over several days. He's still not where they want him to be, but it's a situation that he has to learn to manage and he'll be back with a clean bill of health soon. He said he's still able to compete at the level he was at, and he's hoping his health will stay good and he'll continue to wrestle into his 50s. His doctor wants him to get his weight down gradually, and while he's not where he wants to be, he's getting there. He said that he's worn a t-shirt for most of his career, which is good because he was always based on talent and personality, not bodybuilding.

Raven said that he thinks Cornette is a brilliant guy and when you add a new intelligent person with other intelligent people, it adds to the overall company. He said that there's a whole audience today that doesn't know who Cornette is since they didn't grow up watching him. Raven says that he thinks Cornette probably would like to prove to fans today and himself that what he did in the 1980s would work today. Raven doesn't know if he'd be a good fit for the current creative regime, but thinks they would all get along well since Cornette and Jeff Jarrett have a long history and have a shared liking for a particular style of wrestling.

Raven said that he thinks TNA hits all the elements and has a little bit of everything for fans - action, veterans, comedy and more. When asked if TNA needs controversy like ECW did. Raven said that ECW had already been to a certain level when the Sandman crucifixion happened. Raven said that he went to rehab and wanted to have a big impact coming back, but it didn't pop the territory. He said that what popped it was people catching it and wanting to watch it again. He said that TNA has the same thing and it's a matter of fans tuning in and staying.

Raven praised opening up with Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels as something you wouldn't expect. Raven said that fans need to understand that fans needs to understand that you just can't do anything with booking because you need to have something for everyone and nothing can overlap and you don't want to be repetitive. He said you have to tune everything until it comes out perfectly, but the tuning never stops as you have to change it up every time you change timeslots and add new characters, while finding a cultural touchtone at the same time. He said that things like UFC will continue to influence the business and you'll see a lot more holds added to the business.

When asked about his outlook on wrestling changing over the years, he said that when he broke in, he couldn't go to bed because he was coming up with so many things and didn't know how to put it all together. He said that he learned that from the Grappler. He said that there were a lot of lean years for him. He said that when he was let go by Watts and working in Memphis and Global thinking he would never make it. He said in that era you had to be huge and gassed up, unlike today. He said he was made a producer by WWF and was miserable and quit. He found his love for the business again in ECW. He said he loved WCW for awhile but instead of enjoying the ride, he was angry about not being in the top mix. He said he quit and when he went back to WWE, he was put in the gutter and not used, which was good because he was able to get himself together mentally.

Raven said that you get jaded along the way. He said that he and Jeff Jarrett think similarly but they sometimes don't get along and end up on the outs. He said that the best thing that could have happened to him was being sent home, because it allowed him to deal with his health and revitalize his love for wrestling again. He said that sometimes others know better then you do, because he was saying it wasn't what he needed, but he did.

He said the problem is that he was trained from day one that you can't take time off because you'll lose your spot. He said everyone needs time off to recharge after a few years and knowing that they'll come back to the same spot. He said that he knew they would work everything out and most of the things that were screwed up were because of him. He said that they have butted heads but in the end it works out. He says that the business is like a marriage, where sometimes you love your wife and sometimes you hate her. It's a complicated business and it's a job like no other in the world. He said that he's taken every drug there is and there's nothing better then having the fans in the palm of their hands.

**The One** · 05-09-2006, 05:36 PM

The One

Raven

**weather vane** · 05-09-2006, 05:42 PM

He is unreal. I could listen to him talk all day.

**St. Jimmy** · 05-09-2006, 06:24 PM

*sigh* what is TNA offering these guys not to jump ship?

**6to1** · 05-09-2006, 06:34 PM

raven hates vince thats why alot of them don't jump ship.

**Innovator** · 05-09-2006, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spilchuk

He is unreal. I could listen to him talk all day.

Go buy his Secrets of the Ring series at ROHwrestling.com, best interviews I've ever listened to

**94 SVT Cobra** · 05-10-2006, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6to1

raven hates vince thats why alot of them don't jump ship.

I give it all of TWO years if ECW works, that people jump ship to it...the whole "OMG I CANT BELIEVE HE CAME BACK AFTER SAYING HE WOULDNT" shock you get from the crowd when u RANDOMLY show up in a totaly unforseen way...is like the epitomy of being a wrestler, next to winning the WWE title. No guy can turn down being the center of attention for a few weeks...and not even have to wrestle the first 2 weeks cause there buzz alone is worthwhile to the fans, and u gotta make em wait.

**Pinnacle Charisma** · 05-10-2006, 01:27 AM

Raven is probally one of the most intelligent guys in wrestling today.

**6to1** · 05-10-2006, 09:14 AM

i don't see this ecw lasting 2 years, vince will screw it up in about 2 months.

**What Would Kevin Do?** · 05-10-2006, 10:53 AM

I love Raven.

Seriously.

Love.
Also, Pinnacle, apparently Scott LEvy is a certified genius. (His IQ is like 135 I believe)

**The Fugitive** · 05-10-2006, 01:57 PM

I thought that that number was about 140-145.

05-09-2006, 04:52 PM	#1
neuicon ER IST ALLES. Posts: 104	Raven on ECW, Cornette, & TNA This is originally from pwinsider.com http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=17938&p=1 These are just pieces of the interview. And personally, I think he makes a couple of good points on the return of ECW. Raven said it's a touchy subject because everyone lumps ECW in as one thing. He said that the business had become very plain with nothing new. Wrestlers was in the same business for years and there was no influx of freshness. Before ECW, wrestling had lost it's sense of style. Raven said that ECW made wrestling cutting edge and hip, like the Matrix did for action movies. He said that people irritate him when they don't understand that ECW was a revolution that changed wrestling. He said that there are very few people that have the creativity and understand the trends and styles of 2006. He said that Paul Heyman keeps his fingers on America's pulse, like Raven tries to. He said that for WWE to make it successful, they need to use the older names to establish it, then have a whole new roster of ECW stars. He said that he thinks Heyman is smart enough to know that and putting together a whole bunch of new acts that spark another revolution. Raven said that he loves TNA and has no interest in working for the new ECW. He said that everything in the business has been done and has to find ways to do new things. He says that TNA tries to do that now and ECW will have to compete with TNA. He said that it isn't easy to recreate wrestling because everyone would do it. He said that he was really impressed by some of the packages Jeremy Borash produced for him and others. He said he loves the six sided ring and the X-Division because it makes the product stand out. ECW is a good idea because WWE has gotten dull. He notes that WWE had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the Steve Austin era and if something can spark there business, it's going to be better for everyone. He then joked we should be talking about his company, TNA. Raven said he's going to "beat the crap" against Larry Zbyszko. He said that he's beaten Zbyszko once before in WCW and it won't be a contest. Raven said he's feeling better now. He abused his health for a long time and he pays the price for it now. He said that his body has rebelled against him and was a top draft choice for a death pool. He said he's proud for surviving. He has thyroid and blood sugar issues. He had put on 30 lbs. and was tired all the time. Once they figured out what the issues were, he was able to drop 10 lbs. over several days. He's still not where they want him to be, but it's a situation that he has to learn to manage and he'll be back with a clean bill of health soon. He said he's still able to compete at the level he was at, and he's hoping his health will stay good and he'll continue to wrestle into his 50s. His doctor wants him to get his weight down gradually, and while he's not where he wants to be, he's getting there. He said that he's worn a t-shirt for most of his career, which is good because he was always based on talent and personality, not bodybuilding. Raven said that he thinks Cornette is a brilliant guy and when you add a new intelligent person with other intelligent people, it adds to the overall company. He said that there's a whole audience today that doesn't know who Cornette is since they didn't grow up watching him. Raven says that he thinks Cornette probably would like to prove to fans today and himself that what he did in the 1980s would work today. Raven doesn't know if he'd be a good fit for the current creative regime, but thinks they would all get along well since Cornette and Jeff Jarrett have a long history and have a shared liking for a particular style of wrestling. Raven said that he thinks TNA hits all the elements and has a little bit of everything for fans - action, veterans, comedy and more. When asked if TNA needs controversy like ECW did. Raven said that ECW had already been to a certain level when the Sandman crucifixion happened. Raven said that he went to rehab and wanted to have a big impact coming back, but it didn't pop the territory. He said that what popped it was people catching it and wanting to watch it again. He said that TNA has the same thing and it's a matter of fans tuning in and staying. Raven praised opening up with Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels as something you wouldn't expect. Raven said that fans need to understand that fans needs to understand that you just can't do anything with booking because you need to have something for everyone and nothing can overlap and you don't want to be repetitive. He said you have to tune everything until it comes out perfectly, but the tuning never stops as you have to change it up every time you change timeslots and add new characters, while finding a cultural touchtone at the same time. He said that things like UFC will continue to influence the business and you'll see a lot more holds added to the business. When asked about his outlook on wrestling changing over the years, he said that when he broke in, he couldn't go to bed because he was coming up with so many things and didn't know how to put it all together. He said that he learned that from the Grappler. He said that there were a lot of lean years for him. He said that when he was let go by Watts and working in Memphis and Global thinking he would never make it. He said in that era you had to be huge and gassed up, unlike today. He said he was made a producer by WWF and was miserable and quit. He found his love for the business again in ECW. He said he loved WCW for awhile but instead of enjoying the ride, he was angry about not being in the top mix. He said he quit and when he went back to WWE, he was put in the gutter and not used, which was good because he was able to get himself together mentally. Raven said that you get jaded along the way. He said that he and Jeff Jarrett think similarly but they sometimes don't get along and end up on the outs. He said that the best thing that could have happened to him was being sent home, because it allowed him to deal with his health and revitalize his love for wrestling again. He said that sometimes others know better then you do, because he was saying it wasn't what he needed, but he did. He said the problem is that he was trained from day one that you can't take time off because you'll lose your spot. He said everyone needs time off to recharge after a few years and knowing that they'll come back to the same spot. He said that he knew they would work everything out and most of the things that were screwed up were because of him. He said that they have butted heads but in the end it works out. He says that the business is like a marriage, where sometimes you love your wife and sometimes you hate her. It's a complicated business and it's a job like no other in the world. He said that he's taken every drug there is and there's nothing better then having the fans in the palm of their hands.

05-09-2006, 05:36 PM	#2
The One Boss Posts: 17,611	The One Raven

05-09-2006, 05:42 PM	#3
weather vane quesque fuck? Posts: 23,552	He is unreal. I could listen to him talk all day.

05-09-2006, 06:24 PM	#4
St. Jimmy Last of a Dying Forum Posts: 16,215	sigh what is TNA offering these guys not to jump ship?

05-09-2006, 06:34 PM	#5
6to1 Posts: 1,279	raven hates vince thats why alot of them don't jump ship.

05-10-2006, 01:27 AM	#8
Pinnacle Charisma Posts: 1,981	Raven is probally one of the most intelligent guys in wrestling today.

05-10-2006, 09:14 AM	#9
6to1 Posts: 1,279	i don't see this ecw lasting 2 years, vince will screw it up in about 2 months.

05-10-2006, 10:53 AM	#10
What Would Kevin Do? Ninja Mod, Esquire Posts: 12,676	I love Raven. Seriously. Love. Also, Pinnacle, apparently Scott LEvy is a certified genius. (His IQ is like 135 I believe)

05-10-2006, 01:57 PM	#11
The Fugitive Posts: 1,907	I thought that that number was about 140-145.