A radio interview
[FADE IN. A daytime radio show, no camera’s allowed. Simon Williams and Iain Smith are the presenters]
SW: OK, that was Young Heart Attack there with “Tommy Shots.” Great little number, isn’t that right Iain?
IS: Yeah, I liked it. But, right now, we have a guest with us in the studio. Here to talk about wrestling, we have from the NWL, Karl “The Dragon” Brown.
Karl: Hi ya guys.
SW: So, Karl, you’re a wrestler. What’s that like?
Karl: It’s a lot of fun. Yeah, the travelling can be a pain, especially working in more than one company, but all in all it’s a lot of fun. The training can be hard, but at the end of the day, it keeps me from getting injured, and serves to help me improve my skills.
IS: You talk about working for more than one company. What specifically is there about that that you have to do?
Karl: I have to cut promo’s for both, and there’s a lot more travelling involved. Between tapings, some times I’ll have one for Empire followed by one for the NWL, or one for the NWL followed by one for Empire, often a long drive or flight away. So, travelling wise, even though the NWL is kept in one place, it takes it out of you. But, then again, I do have the obligations in my contracts, and I knew what I was getting into when I signed for the NWL, so I have no real reason to complain without sounding hypocritical.
IS: Now, speaking of the NWL, you’re in the WLS over there. What’s all that about?
Karl: There was recently a qualifying tournament to decide who on the roster would go after which belt. In the first round, there were twenty, then ten in the second, and now we’re left with five going for the heavyweight title. The people who lost in the first round, as well as some others who’ve signed for the NWL to make up the roster, since a lot of people have come in and gone away again, are in the Rumble in the Jungle match this Combat to decide who the first TV champion is. The people who lost in round two go on to face off in a gauntlet to decide the first IC champion, and the five who made it through those two rounds face each other in a round robin style league to decide the first heavyweight championship.
SW: Sounds like a good organisation.
Karl: Yeah, it is. Medina has his work cut out for him, with the number of people who’ve been coming and going lately, but I have faith in him. He’s assembled quite a deep roster, with the likes of Maelstrom and Dakota Smith bringing with them a lot of experience. Then there are guys like myself who haven’t got the in-ring experience but are proving themselves quickly, and there are those who maybe aren’t progressing too quickly, but are still strong guys. All in all, the NWL looks set to carry on for a long, long time.
IS: Now, you said you also work for Empire? How’s that fit in? You know, are there any animosities between the workers or the promoters towards you? I know you like to plug both companies.
Karl: Yeah, there’s a little heat from one guy, but I haven’t had any other problems. No one in Empire seems to mind that I plug the NWL in my promos, and I’ve never had any words from the management in NWL to ask me to stop plugging Empire Pro. Both are new leagues, and I happen to enjoy working with both rosters. I pull up names of people I’ve worked with from each company. But, most of the animosity I face from one guy is when I mention two guys I faced back in MCW.
SW: When you say animosity, I assume you’re talking about Lars Magellan?
Karl: Yeah.
IS: Now, for those of you who don’t know, Magellan likes to call himself the greatest wrestler in the world. Now, Karl, he’s also called you up for advertising Empire. You said it seemed odd he’d call himself the best wrestler in the world. Why is that?
Karl: Because he said that the only thing that matters in the NWL is what’s happening and has happened in the NWL. His claim to be the best comes after only two matches. If you look at the win/loss records, he and I are tied at two wins and no losses. Just seemed odd to me that two wins makes you the greatest, that’s all.
SW: OK, we’ve gotta take a quick break. After the break, we’ll talk to Karl some more, but right now, before the ad’s, here’s Art Brut with “Formed A Band.”
[Art Brut’s “Formed a Band” plays, followed by an advert for NWL Combat, some double-glazed windows, and the radio jingle, “XFM”]
SW: OK, we’re back, and with us in the studio is Karl “The Dragon” Brown, who at the next NWL Combat is looking to move one win closer to the heavyweight championship. Now, I think we’ve spoken enough about wrestling for right now, so let’s talk a little about you. You used to work on the radio, right?
Karl: Yeah, at university I had a show on Sunday mornings on the student station. I got quite a few listeners online from the US, and most of campus would tune in too.
IS: You ever feel like you made the wrong career choice?
Karl: No, not really. I enjoyed working on the radio, and loved working on the music team there too, but I wanted to be a wrestler. I’m happy with the choice I’ve made. You can’t really test yourself both physically and mentally on the radio, can you?
SW: Touché, Karl. Now, you’re a fan of music, right? Who’re your favourite groups or artists?
Karl: Well, number one is Iron Maiden. I even use their “Rainmaker” track as my entrance theme, since it fits in with my personality and I really like the song. Then, you start moving into more obscure things, like Mick Softley or The McCalmans, which are both British folk, Mick being from Hemel Hempstead, and The McCalmans being from Scotland. I like quite a lot of music, though, from the sixties, seventies, eighties, and some early nineties pop. I’m not too keen on what came out later, especially a lot of the stuff I reviewed, but there was some decent stuff.
SW: OK. Moving on again, we’ve had an ask around, and gotten people to phone in with things for our association section. You want a go?
Karl: Sure, why not?
IS: OK, first one; Maelstrom.
Karl: Great worker. I’ve got him sooner or later in the WLS, and I’m really looking forward to testing myself against him. He’s widely regarded as the best, but I’d like to see first hand what he could do.
SW: Hacker.
Karl: I faced him my first week in the NWL, and he pushed me quite well. He’s a good talent, and now he’s getting married to Data, he’s considered quite lucky too. I wouldn’t mind facing him in the ring again some day.
IS: Christian Sands.
Karl: Can I say anything? [Laughs] He’s a good ring technician, and has been fairly unlucky, but then again, in this business, we make our own luck.
SW: Medina.
Karl: Great promoter, a great guy to work with. Has assembled a great roster, and if anyone can help the NWL move to the echelons of some of the leagues considered “the big time,” then it’s Medina.
IS: Finally, XFM.
Karl: [laughs] Good radio station. Not as good as the one I used to work on, mind you, but a good station.
[Simon and Iain laugh with Karl]
IS: OK. Anything you want to add, Karl?
Karl: Yeah. I want everyone who listens to XFM to tune in at the next Combat to watch some of the greatest in this sport go at it in the ring; the Rumble in the Jungle to decide the first TV champion, and two matches in the WLS. Great wrestling from great wrestlers. Check it out.
SW: You know Iain and I will be. Thanks for coming in the studio today Karl, it’s been a pleasure talking to you.
Karl: No problem.
IS: We have two tickets to Combat to give away, as well as a signed “The Dragon” t-shirt. The question is coming up after the break, so stay tuned to XFM after this track.
[Iron Maiden’s “Rainmaker” plays over the airwaves. FADE OUT]