Exclusive interview with former WWE star and current TNA World Champion EC3, Ethan Carter the 3rd

The hosts of Ring Rust Radio – Donald Wood, Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin – recently had the chance to speak with former WWE star and current TNA World Champion, Ethan Carter the 3^rd – also known as EC3. Having won the title from Olympic gold medalist and wrestling legend Kurt Angle, EC3 has been a dominant force in TNA. EC3 defends his title against Drew Galloway in the main event of Bound for Glory and you can hear his opinion on his opponent, the current state of TNA as well as its future in the YouTube link below or continue past to read the entire interview here!

Ring Rust Radio: It was just announced that you will be defending the world title against Drew Galloway in the main event of Bound for Glory on October 4. How are you approaching a match of this magnitude and what does it mean to you to be main eventing the company’s biggest PPV?

Ethan Carter III: Well I just mentioned how my sports car is European, and that is the extent of how I like Europeans, is in my cars.  Professional wrestlers that are European I don’t care for.  Drew Galloway hails from Scotland, he is six foot 5, weighs 260, and is one of the toughest guys in wrestling. For me to have the chance to main event Bound for Glory with him is a huge opportunity and I couldn’t be more excited for it.  It is the biggest show of the year for TNA and I am the biggest thing in TNA, seeing it as I am the world heavyweight champion, I am unbendable, unbreakable, unbeatable, undefeated, and undisputed it only makes sense.  It’s only fitting that I main event Bound for Glory but it is still a great honor and responsibility to deliver.

Ring Rust Radio: Many fans felt yourself and Drew Galloway didn't get a fair shot in WWE, so heading into the Bound for Glory main event, so have you two spoken about the faith and support you've received from TNA to give you two the chance many feel you deserve?

ECIII: Yes, I would say that.  You caught me off guard with a serious question of that nature.  This has been an opportunity for us and we have proved our detractors wrong since we stepped foot in TNA.  It’s just another opportunity to exploit that chip on your shoulder that helps make you great in this business.  I think you need the angst and energy to motivate your performance.  Not that that would motivate me more than I was previously motivated, but it’s there and real and we are ready for that chance.

Ring Rust Radio: You still haven’t lost a televised singles match in TNA by pinfall or submission. Long undefeated streaks can lead to some backlash from fans from time to time, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for you as a heel, but how do you go about keeping things fresh and ensuring that the streak doesn’t become a detriment?

ECIII: Man, this is a championship caliber question!  There has not been a pinfall or submission on me since my debut with TNA as a singles wrestler.  It was kind of happenstance and also unique what we have going on.  As an antagonist, it’s a great boasting point for me to constantly refer to me as being undefeated while most of my wins come at dastardly deeds.  As far as a detriment, I could see that more so if I was being portrayed as an unconquerable world beater like a Bill Goldberg when he was undefeated.  As far as me, I think there is an opportunity for when that time does come; they must absolutely create a brand new star out of that.

Ring Rust Radio: During your run with TNA, you have worked against Kurt Angle, Bobby Lashley and some of the top talents in the business. Who have you enjoyed working with the most and how has the talent around you helped elevate your game?

ECIII: You mentioned three names that are pretty significant in the industry.  Kurt Angle definitely, that title match with him and being able to defeat him was a dream match come true to me.  One guy you didn’t mention is Matt Hardy.  Matt came over to TNA and he was the first credible challenger for my title.  He helped bring the best out of me in different way from working a full metal mayhem match to other natures.  Being able to be in the ring with those guys and TNA giving me the chance has helped in making me great.

Ring Rust Radio: I say it on this show all the time, but I consider you a top talent in the wrestling industry due to your mic skills and ability to generate heat. Why do you think WWE never gave you the proper chance to shine and what has TNA done to help you become a top star in the business?

ECIII: As far as what happened in the past, there is an old saying, “I heard from someone over there” and it is what it is.  Why didn’t I get the chance?  Maybe I did something wrong, maybe I didn’t hold up my end, or maybe I held in a little too much as opposed to being more who I am.  TNA has given me the opportunity to creatively express myself and the freedom to go out there and try something whether it fails or succeeds.  I’m the first one to know if I did something good or bad out there.  Having the ability to go out there and do that, coming to the back and it’s not something you’re being modest about. That’s where constructive criticism helps.  Basically I feel you get better in wrestling through having more confidence and TNA has done everything to give me great confidence by giving me a great opportunity and the best opponents.  Everything they have given to me has been so good, pure, pristine, and awesome to where if it didn’t succeed it would be because I suck, and clearly I don’t.

Ring Rust Radio: There’s been a lot written and said about TNA regarding its future, specifically with Destination America. As the world champion and top guy in the company right now, how do the rumors and speculation impact you, and what are your overall thoughts on them?

ECIII: They are just rumors and speculation, my only problem is when people portray those as facts.  I do not know our future besides Aunt Dixie telling me we are on Destination America through the end of the year, I have full confidence in the higher ups and the office and my sweet Aunt D that we will be well taken care of and somewhere on television.

Exclusive Ring Rust Radio interview with former TNA World and tag team champion Bobby Roode

The Ring Rust Radio team is back with another exclusive interview and this time Donald Wood, Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin get to talk to TNA star Bobby Roode! The guys at Ring Rust Radio have a chance to talk to Roode about his long career with TNA, competing in both the singles and tag team division as well as the upcoming Bound for Glory event taking place in Japan. You can read the entire interview below or listen on the YouTube link below:

Donald Wood:  TNA's Impact Wrestling has recently made the transition for Thursday nights to Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET. What are your thoughts on the move and TNA's future on Spike TV and beyond?

Bobby Roode: I think the Wednesday night move is a great idea especially this time of year trying to compete with NFL football games on Thursday nights now.  Without going to a different network, I think going to Wednesday nights now there isn't any real serious competition on those nights.  I think the adjustment has gone quite well.  We didn't expect the ratings to be as good so fast.  I think overall it was a great move and I hope in the future we will continue to go Wednesday nights.

Mike Chiari: You recently fell just short of winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for a third time in an entertaining, hard-fought match with Lashley. While Lashley’s title reign hasn’t been nearly as long as yours, how do you feel it stacks up in terms of overall dominance, and what is it going to take for someone to take him down?

Bobby Roode: I've only held the World Heavyweight Championship once but I held it for a very long time. This was my second attempt at becoming World Heavyweight Champion.  I've held the Championship longer than anyone else in the history of our company.  Lashley is the most dominant Champion our company has ever had.  Sitting back and watching the matches he has had with our top stars like Austin Aries, Eric Young, Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy, he dominated those guys.  Those guys are no slouches either, they are the top guys in our company and some of the best wrestlers in the world right now.  Lashley is definitely the most dominant champion that our company has ever seen no doubt about it.

Brandon Galvin: You've been widely regarded by fans and other professional wrestlers as somebody who would be a main-event player in any company. What do you feel is your greatest asset or skill as a professional wrestler?

Bobby Roode: I'd like to say my passion and my love for the sport.  Over time the business itself has evolved and changed almost seemingly every year.  I've been able to adjust and change my style and adapt to whoever I'm in the ring with.  Whether it’s a smaller, faster guy like an Austin Aries or a bigger guy like Lashley.  I'm able to adjust my style and change with the times so to speak.  I study a lot of tapes, I have a passion for the business, and I've always wanted to be the best ever since I got in the business.  I have a love for this sport and just want to be the best in it.  At the end of the day when I hang up my boots for the last time, I hope I have the respect from the other wrestlers and fans alike who enjoyed my matches and thought that I was one of the best.

Donald Wood:  During your first run with the company's championship, you became the longest reigning TNA World Heavyweight Champion in history. How did your run at the top impact your drive to return to that level?

Bobby Roode: I got into this business for one reason and I stayed in this business for one reason - to be the World Heavyweight Champion.  I think if you are in professional wrestling and you don't have that dream or aspire to be the best and carry that World Heavyweight Championship then you are in the wrong business.  The first time around I got to experience a lot of things:  I got to experience main eventing pay-per-views, main eventing live events, main eventing television shows, carrying that title outside of the ring, doing a lot of media appearances, representing the company, and being the face of the company for 8 months.  It's something I look forward to all the time to be that guy and carrying the weight of the company.  There is a lot of responsibilities being the World Heavyweight Champion both in and out of the ring and it’s something I look forward to doing again.

Mike Chiari: TNA has recently placed a ton of emphasis on the tag team division with The Hardys, Team 3D and The Wolves vying for the tag titles. As a five-time TNA tag champ and formerly one half of Beer Money, does seeing these elite tag teams going at it and having great matches ever give you the itch to jump back into the tag team ranks even just on a temporary basis?

Bobby Roode: My main focus right now is being a singles competitor and being the World Champion.  I love tag team wrestling and I came into TNA as part of tag team with Team Canada.  Being a part of Beer Money was one of the greatest parts of my career so far.  When James and I were part of Beer Money there was a lot of great tag teams we could run with.  Looking back, teams like Motor City Machine guns, Main Event Mafia, British Invasion, Team 3D, there was a lot of great tag teams.  Since that point the tag team division has fizzled until recently.  The Hardys, Team 3D, and the Wolves coming off the Full Metal Mayhem match.  It was such an unbelievable match and those guys put everything on the line and that definitely brings back some memories of tag team wrestling.

Donald Wood:  You've had extended runs in both singles competition and in the tag team division. As a wrestler who has achieved the top titles in both divisions, which do you prefer and which has been more rewarding?

Bobby Roode: I think to me personally they both have positives and effects on my career thus far.  To be able to be the best at tag team wrestling and an individual star it means a lot.  As part of a tag team at the time in TNA, with such great tag teams and having the tag titles at that time with all those other teams around us meant a lot.  I'd like to think James and I became one of the greatest tag teams of all time during our tenure together.  Holding the World Heavyweight Championship is something that you can't put into words and being able to hold onto it as long as I did is something that I'm extremely proud of.

Brandon Galvin: You've excelled as part of a tag team and on your own as a singles competitor. Do you approach or prepare for those matches or story lines differently and if so, could you explain how?

Bobby Roode: There's not a lot of difference really.  I've been doing this for almost 17 years now, little over 12 with TNA.  I approach every match the same.  Whether it’s a tag team, singles, 6 man tag, 4 way, whatever the case may be, I always mentally and physically prepare for matches the same so there is no difference.

Mike Chiari: There’s been a lot of speculation about TNA and what the future holds for it lately. As a guy who’s been with the company since 2004 and as presumably a locker room leader, do you ever feel a need to address the other wrestlers when a negative report comes out, or do you just kind of roll with the punches when that happens?

Bobby Roode: I guess in a way I could be looked at as a locker room leader.  Unless someone comes up to me and asks me my opinion on something I don't usually go and talk to anybody or say how I feel about things.  I just try to focus on what my job is and my job is to go out there every week and put on great matches with great storytelling and be the “It Factor” every Wednesday night now.  With all the behind the scenes stuff and rumors it’s just that; rumors.  As far as the locker room and I are concerned the negotiations are ongoing not only with Spike but a bunch of networks.  Everythings a positive.  There’s been nothing shown by Dixie or the TNA offices that would make us think that things are going to go bad.  It’s been positive and our show on Wednesday night has reflected that positivity.

Brandon Galvin: Many people have considered you the franchise player of TNA. What does it mean to you to be recognized as such a talent and what type of pressure do you put on yourself to maintain such a status?

Bobby Roode: Lot of pressure on myself, I am my own worst critic.  It’s a good thing I guess.  I got in this business to be the best and I'm going to continue to try to be the best.  If I am out there for five minutes in the ring or 30 second backstage interview or a 20 minute match I am going to try to make my segment of the show the best that it can be.  I am a perfectionist like most everybody else in the business.  I'm hard on myself sometimes but I always want to get better.  I study tapes of guys and different wrestling all over the world and I always want to get better.  I think that's key to being the best in the business.

Donald Wood:  You've had legendary feuds as a singles competitor with top stars like Kurt Angle, James Storm and Austin Aries. Are there any feuds or matches in particular that stick out as unforgettable moments in your career?

Bobby Roode: I've been blessed to have a lot of great moments in this company.  Right off the top of my head the run with James in Beer Money being so successful is one.  Taking a nothing tag team and turning it into something big is something that I will always remember.  My matches that I had with Aries, I love working with Austin Aries and hope to work with him again someday.  I think one of the things that sticks in my mind are the matches with Kurt Angle.  In my opinion he is the best wrestler that has ever been pound for pound.  He can wrestle, he can go every night, never had a bad match, he’s entertaining, and can do anything.  I was able to go out there and compete with Kurt and stay at his level.  I just really, really enjoyed our matches.  I loved the professional wrestling aspect of it.  It was a special moment being able to wrestle with Kurt and be on his level and have great matches.

Mike Chiari: TNA’s biggest pay-per-view, Bound For Glory, is going to take place on Oct. 12 in Japan. There’s a lot of intrigue surrounding the event now that TNA has announced the card, but your name is conspicuous by its absence. Can fans expect to see you added to the card? And if not, is there any disappointment on your end that you’re not part of it?

Bobby Roode: There’s negatives and positives to this year’s Bound for Glory.  Obviously it’s disappointing that I'm not going to be there and be a part of it.  I've been a part of every single Bound for Glory that's there has been with this company.  I think the very first Bound for Glory, Eric Young and I were defeated for the tag team titles by 3 Live Crew.   It’s a lot disappointing not being on the card.  I love Japan and performing in Japan and just being a part of Bound for Glory.  The positive part of it is we are taking Bound for Glory to Japan and taking it internationally and giving the fans in Japan a chance to take in and be a part of Bound for Glory.  To work alongside Wrestle-1 which is a great partnership for our company.  I think at this point, Bound for Glory is going to be a showcase of TNA talent and Wrestle-1 talent and it’s going to be a hell of a show.

Brandon Galvin: It's been nearly one year since you introduced the Roode Bomb as one of your new signature moves. Could you explain what goes into adding a new signature move to repertoire and why a wrestler may not look to add more?

Bobby Roode: Wrestling evolves all the time:  Every day, every week, every year, and every month.  You got to keep up with the times to be successful.  You look at guys like Kurt Angle, he’s got the Angle Slam and the Ankle Lock.  I've also incorporated a submission move and there’s different variations to my game now and making things more exciting.  I was using the Payoff for a while and I just wanted to change it up a little bit.  I wanted to make my moves more impactful and maybe a little more believable.  Roode Bomb has been one of those things I added to my repertoire and has been working and I believe is starting to get over.  The fans can recognize it and that’s one of the most important things.  When fans can start to recognize your moves and you start to go for a move and the fans react to it that’s when you know it’s working.

Exclusive Ring Rust Radio interview with current TNA tag team champion Eddie Edwards as TNA heads into Bound for Glory

The Ring Rust Radio team is back with another exclusive interview and this time Donald Wood, Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin get to speak with Eddie Edwards, one half of the current TNA tag team champions The Wolves. A star from the independent scene before hitting TNA, Edwards talks about the resurgence of tag team wrestling in TNA, his matches with Team 3D and Hardys as well as the upcoming Bound for Glory Pay-Per-View in Japan and more.

Donald Wood: The biggest news from TNA over the last several months was the move from Thursdays to Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET. What are your thoughts on the transition and what is the feeling amongst wrestlers regarding the contract negotiations with Spike TV?

Eddie Edwards: As far as the move to Wednesday, I think it was a good idea, you know, with the NFL having the Thursday night games televised now, I thought it was a good idea because it’s a similar fan base and it’s just a smart thing to do. As far as the contract situation, you know, we have nothing to do with that so we just focus on our stuff in the ring and let that stuff handle itself; if you can’t control it, no need to worry about it.

Mike Chiari: Recently TNA has kind of been at the forefront of emphasizing tag team wrestling with yourself and Davey Richards facing Team 3D and The Hardys. Knowing that The Wolves are leading that ascent in TNA and really in the business as a whole, do you and Davey view it as a challenge and a responsibility to be the faces of tag team competition?

Eddie Edwards: Definitely. That’s always been our goal is to, not only for The Wolves ourselves, but for tag team wrestling in general to bring it back to the forefront and make it the focus of not only TNA but pro wrestling in general because I think every once in a while, it gets washed by the wayside here and there. We just want to be a main focus and show the true magic that is tag team wrestling.

Brandon Galvin: Your recent matches with the Team 3D and Hardys have been among the most highly regarded matches in TNA this year. Could you explain to us how important it was for The Wolves to able to wrestle in such high-profile matches and anything you and Davey Richards may have learned from working with those two tag teams?

Eddie Edwards: I mean, we have no choice but to learn from being in the ring with those guys. Both teams are legends and me and Davey both watched them growing up and we want to have careers like both of those guys. Being in there, you have no choice but to learn and see what true tag wrestling is and it’s just an honor to be in there with guys of that caliber.

Donald Wood: You have found great success with Davey Richards as The Wolves, but you are also known by many fans as an elite singles competitor. As a former Ring of Honor world champion, do you still have the desire to fight for singles gold or are you only focused on tag team competition?

Eddie Edwards: Right now it’s all tag team stuff, I feel like we have something great going and I would never want to do anything to deter that. Do I look forward to singles matches? Yes, but right now the main concentration is tag wrestling.

Mike Chiari: TNA’s biggest pay-per-view, Bound For Glory, is going to take place on Oct. 12 in Japan. There’s a lot of intrigue surrounding the event now that TNA has announced the card, but yourself and Davey Richards aren’t scheduled to appear. Is there any disappointment on your end that you’re not part of it especially with the momentum you guys have?

Eddie Edwards: I think as competitors we want to be on every event that they have, but I think they were just trying to play it safe due to Davey’s injury and whatnot. I know that we’re both disappointed but they gotta do what’s best for the company. Either way it’ll still be a great show.

Brandon Galvin: You've been regarded as one of the better pure workers in the industry today. What do you think is the most important aspect of building an entertaining match?

Eddie Edwards: I think it would be trying to connect with the fans. The crowd, you have to get that emotion out of them, so that’s the main focus because if the crowd is not paying attention and they’re not emotionally involved they’re not going to care, so you have to make that connection.

Donald Wood: You have worked several tours of Japan during your time wrestling. Tell the fans ready to watch Bound for Glory about some of the differences between American wrestling and Japanese wrestling, both in terms of style and crowd interaction.

Eddie Edwards: The style is definitely more hard-hitting and more intense than one might see in the States, and the crowd, you almost have to earn their respect because they almost look at it as a pure sport over there, so they’re waiting to see what you can do and once you get them reacting to what you’re doing, you know you’re doing something right because they won’t just give it to you, you have to earn it.

Mike Chiari: One thing that TNA has done quite a bit over the past several months is reshaped its roster and brought in a lot of new talent. As someone who has done it all on the independent scene in the United States and had success in Japan as well, are there any particular wrestlers out there who you believe could be a good fit in TNA and who you’d like to see the company bring in?

 Eddie Edwards: There’s so many talented guys out there right now, the indies is overflowing with them. It’s unfortunate because obviously everyone can’t be seen all the time, but obviously Ring of Honor has a lot of great guys, I don’t know if they’re considered indy or not, but look at the roster for PWG. You could just pick and choose from that roster and so many of those guys would be ready to jump right into TNA.

Brandon Galvin: In a potential farewell match, whether it be your final match in a company or final match of your career, would you prefer to wrestle with Davey Richards in a tag team match or wrestle against Davey Richards in a single match?

Eddie Edwards: That’s a good one, could I do them both? I don’t know, it’s a tough one, I think it’d be, depending on who our opponents are, tag wrestling.

Exclusive Ring Rust Radio interview with TNA star Robbie E on Bound for Glory in Japan, the Amazing Race and more

The Ring Rust Radio team is back with another big interview and this time the guys are talking with TNA star Robbie E! As TNA heads into Bound for Glory, its biggest show of the year, Donald Wood, Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin get to talk with Robbie about Bound for Glory being held in Japan, his history with TNA, his upcoming appearance on the Amazing Race on CBS and much more!

You can read highlights from the interview below, listen to the interview on the YouTube player below, or visit this link to listen to the latest episode of Ring Rust Radio featuring this interview with Robbie E.

Ring Rust Radio: You and your girlfriend Brooke Adams will be competing on the 25th season of the Amazing Race. The show premieres Friday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. What were some of the similarities and difference between wrestling and reality television and what should the fans expect from you in the competition?

Robbie E: When you think of me and when you think of Brooke, you think of two of the wildest and craziest people in wrestling. I think we are perfect for reality TV. We are the perfect two people to race around the world and do a whole bunch of crazy stuff. It is going to be a wild and exciting 12 weeks. You’re going to see Robbie E. do things you probably didn't think he would ever be willing to do. Let’s just say I don't like animals.

Ring Rust Radio: Having had the opportunity to travel the world as a professional wrestler, in what ways did that experience help yourself and Brooke when it came to having success on The Amazing Race?

Robbie E: I definitely think when you’re racing and you’re going to new places for a lot of people its outside of your comfort zone. I'm used to traveling for wrestling and being places I'm not familiar with so I think that will help. Also the race is kind of like expect the unexpected. There are so many different factors and things that can hurt you. There is really no way to properly prepare for it. Being an experienced traveler definitely doesn't hurt in this situation, but I don't know how much it will help.

Ring Rust Radio: TNA has undergone major changes over the last several months. With a move to a new night and turnover on the roster, what are your opinions on Impact Wrestling's future on Spike TV and beyond?

Robbie E: I think change is a good thing. It keeps things fresh and exciting. The new night is a shock to some people. Our ratings are already where they normally were.  Wrestling really hasn't been on Wednesday nights before. I think it’s a new setting, it’s ours, and we own it. As far as whether we end up staying on Spike TV or going somewhere else it doesn't really matter.  Our fan base is going to follow and TNA is here to stay.

Ring Rust Radio: TNA turned a lot of heads when it announced that Bound For Glory would be held in Japan this year. With that event now just a few weeks away, how do you feel TNA is going to benefit from having its biggest show of the year in Japan?

Robbie E: Change is good, something different is good. It is pretty rare and random for a wrestling P.P.V. to be held outside the U.S. especially somewhere like Japan. I think it builds excitement, it’s something different, and you don't know what to expect. I'm excited to be a part of it; everyone is excited to be a part of it. I think it will be fun as a fan to watch. I think it will be a whole new cool experience with everyone involved.

Ring Rust Radio: You have quietly amassed a very impressive championship record. As a former X Division champion, tag team champion and television champion, are there any moments that really stick out as the top highlights from your career thus far?

Robbie E: The records speak for themselves and the longevity speaks for itself. I've been here four years and wrestling is always constantly changing. I remember when I started in TNA; the locker room I was in about 95% of those guys are gone now. When you would have looked at it, they probably would have said Robbie E. would have been one of the early ones out. I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere. That proves right there that I deserve to be where I am at. Look at the gold bro, look at the records. I would say winning the tag titles for a second time at the One Night Only P.P.V., putting a beat down on Ronnie from Jersey Shore, and breaking my big VIP sign over my former bouncer. That was something funny I will never forget because it’s fun to break stuff over people’s heads.

Ring Rust Radio: Tag team wrestling has really taken center stage recently in TNA with Team 3D, The Hardys and The Wolves competing in a series of matches for the tag titles. As a tag team wrestler in your own right, what are your feelings on the current state of tag team wrestling in TNA?

Robbie E: I think it’s coming back and we have great wrestlers. Tag teams weren't just guys working together. They looked alike, thought a like, and they were a gelled unit. Tag team matches for a while were almost just two singles matches. They were just two guys thrown together and the art of tag team wrestling was gone.  I think we are definitely moving forward and getting it back to where it used to be. You just listed some of the greatest tag teams of all time and currently in pro-wrestling, we're on the right track.

Exclusive interview with TNA President Dixie Carter on the current state and future of the company

The crew from Ring Rust Radio - Donald Wood, Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin - recently had the chance to talk to current Total Nonstop Action president Dixie Carter about numerous topics including the current state and future of TNA. Don't miss out on this exclusive interview and check out more Ring Rust Radio at their website, www.ringrustradio.com.


Donald Wood: It is now common knowledge that you will be going through a table on the Aug. 7 edition of Impact Wrestling. What should the fans expect from this week’s show?

Dixie Carter: I think if you’ve been watching lately the show has been, in my opinion, some of the best programming that we’ve been putting out. I’m so excited about it. I’m just thrilled to see how many of these young talents that we’ve debuted in the last six, eight, nine months in such a prominent role. And at the same time we’re starting to have such amazing increases in ratings, so that makes me really proud. Tomorrow night is a big night for us. I would happen to call it must-see TV and if you haven’t tuned in in a while it would definitely be a show to catch.

Mike Chiari: Having already done several tapings at the Manhattan Center and being in the midst of more currently, how significant do you believe permeating the New York market is in terms of increasing TNA's popularity and improving its profile nationally?

Dixie Carter: It’s one of those things, we wanted to play here. We’re like, ‘Let’s bring a pay-per-view,’ and then we couldn’t get the dates cleared. Do we play across the river in New Jersey? Do we play in the city? It’s like what are we waiting for? We need to bring TV there. This was such a great idea. I’m thrilled that we did it. The crowds have been phenomenal. I loved bringing back the six-sided ring here. It’s been very, very special and I think it’s really contributed to how great the shows feel.

Brandon Galvin: It always seems that at some point in a performer's career they end up wrestling a match. Given how many talented Knockouts are on the TNA roster, have you considered wrestling a match in the future?

Dixie Carter: I said I would never be on TV and I am. I don’t think I ever said I wouldn’t take a bump, but the answer is no, though. No desire to do a match, I’m going to have to draw the line somewhere. To be honest I’ve really enjoyed the last few months. I have loved working with all of these young, new talents that I get to: Rockstar Spud and Ethan (Carter III) and Magnus before that. It’s just been a lot of fun and I finally just said, ‘You know what, you don’t care, just let go and have fun with it.’ And that’s exactly what I’ve tried to do.

Donald Wood: There has been some controversy surrounding your table spot with Bully Ray from people who perceive this as endorsing violence against women. What do you say to fans and supporters who have similar concerns?

Dixie Carter: We have taken man-on-female violence I would say even more seriously from Day One than even a chair shot. That has been banned from the beginning and it took us a while, but chair shots are not right and going to be handled either. It’s very important to our network that this happened. It’s why we have done my character a certain way. It’s why we’ve treated this with the “Boss Toss” and we’ve tried to take it more tongue in cheek. And we also have a disclaimer before this show saying it’s not something that we condone. It’s a spot and it’s an end to a four-month story of something that I have continuously put myself in this position, and we’ve tried to make it as light as possible.

Mike Chiari: TNA made headlines when it was announced that Bound For Glory is going to be held in Japan this October. Why do you feel like that is a beneficial move for TNA and what are the current pay-per-view plans in terms of either tape delay or showing it at an uncommon hour in the United States?

Dixie Carter: I don’t have that exact information yet as far as the airing is concerned. I think it should be in the exact same time it always is. That’s my understanding. I feel like we’re having such tremendous global success and we really are trying to listen to the fans, and part of what they love is the Japanese-style wrestling. So, we’ve introduced the character Sanada into our show. The wonderfully talented Great Muta has honored us on our show. We thought it would be a great opportunity just to continue to show this international growth and take our biggest pay-per-view of the year on a global stage to Tokyo. I’m really excited about it.

Brandon Galvin: You've had the opportunity to work with legendary performers in the past and still work with great wrestling minds such as Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy. What have you learned from working with them that you've implemented into your own performance?

Dixie Carter: From Hulk (Hogan) and Sting and Ric Flair, all of those guys, you talk about the truly great performers, Kurt (Angle). What they do is they just let go. They don’t think about it, they don’t worry about it, they just be their character, and they do what’s right for the company. I think when you play yourself— because I’m not playing Sanada, I’m not playing Tigre Uno or The Wolves— I’m playing the president of a company. I think for so long I just felt very business, presidential about it. It did take me just a beat to say, “You know what, you’re not really playing yourself now.” This is a caricature of someone who you’re really not and you just need to have fun with it, so that’s what I’ve tried to do.

Donald Wood: There were rumors that surfaced immediately after the taping regarding your health following the table spot. Would you fill the fans in at home about how you are doing now and what, if any, injuries you suffered during the incident?

Dixie Carter: It hurt like hell. I have such mad respect for these men and women and what they do every time. I sit there as they come backstage and they’re warriors. I talk to professional football players and fighters and NBA guys, and they all tell me they could never do what these men and women do 52 weeks a year, no offseason, multiple times a week. People are like, “Is that table fake?” No, this stuff hurts, it hurts like hell. To be able to do what they do, it was just a small way of me paying respect for what they do for me personally and to our company and for the fans. So, it did hurt, you’ll just have to watch and see what really does happen and then maybe I’ll tell you how serious it was, but yes, I was injured.

Brandon Galvin: TNA has undergone many changes throughout its 12-year history, most notably with using the six-sided ring and how special events are handled. Are there any changes to the product that you would like to implement, but haven't had the opportunity to do so?

Dixie Carter: I think if you look at us over the last six-to-nine months we’ve made more changes to our company that I think are really starting to resonate with our fans. Fans who may have left at some point and some people who are just now finding us, and that is really trying to listen to what our fans and viewers want to see. Bringing back the six-sided ring, that was a change. Letting the fans decide; if it had won by one vote or another it would have gone down as the fans’ decision. Instead we got a landslide and made the change. The introductions just in the last nine months I counted almost 15 new talents, either brand new or completely repackaged characters that we’ve interviewed in the last nine months. We did not do that in the last nine years. Excuse me, not nine years, maybe five or six years. Don’t hold me to the date, I don’t know the math, but I’m just telling you it was years and years and years. To see some of them doing so well and in such amazing, great roles and just knocking it out of the park every night I just couldn’t be more proud. I think we have undergone changes from the ring to the new characters on the show, how young our talent is to the way we’re trying to tell our stories right now to the way we’re going about focusing on the wrestling. I think that those have been tremendous changes. Are there more to come? Absolutely, but I’m really proud of all that we’ve accomplished in the past few months.

Mike Chiari: Over the past week there has been a lot of talk about TNA's future on Spike TV. How do you believe negotiations are progressing with Spike and what are TNA's other options if a new deal with Spike can't be reached?

Dixie Carter: Every two years I go through this. This is just the first public negotiation I’ve ever had. I think social media has really changed this kind of thing. I’m used to every two years negotiating with Spike and negotiating with other networks. This time is absolutely not any different. We’re still talking with them, but there are other people, thank God, that are interested in our product. I want to grow this brand; I want to grow it domestically. I want us to be able to start having the kind of success domestically that we’re having internationally. I’m not going to stop and none of us are going to stop until we get there. I’m real excited to see and I think we’ll know sooner than later what’s going to happen.