2xzone.com talks with Shane Helms on February 1, 2000.
Jason: Thanks for this interview Shane, I really appreciate
you taking the time out.
Shane: No problem!
Jason: Ok, lets get right down to it. First, right off
the bat, how did you get your start in the wrestling business?
Shane: I got involved in the business in the indy's at
the age of 13. I had my first match in '91.
Jason: I did a little homework and found that you were
in a number of Independent Federations, which of them
was your favorite to work in?
Shane: OMEGA was definitely my favorite. But, SCW (in
NC), Music City, and NWA Mid-Atlantic were also great
places to work for.
Jason: Who was the person that noticed you, if any, in
the Indy Circuit and got you working with a bigger player
in WCW?
Shane: Kanyon
Jason: Do you remember your first day in the WCW locker
room? Anything interesting happen?
Shane: My first day in the locker room was the day after
Owen died, so that was pretty much the talk of the locker
room.
Jason: How did you come to working with Evan Karagias
on the Three Count gimmick?
Shane: Shannon Moore and myself had been doing a similar
gimmick in Music City called the Bad Street Boys. That
is what led to 3 Count (not Three Count).
Jason: Are you a fan of that gimmick?
Shane: Oh yeah! The girls love us! How could you not
like that?
Jason: Now, I'm sure you've gotten this plenty of times,
but your (and Shannon's) wrestling style obviously parallels
The Hardy Boyz in that you are both high flying, high
risk takers. I've heard that you are friendly with The
Hardys, were there ever any exchange of ideas and such
between yourselves?
Shane: Yes. Matt and I are great friends and we talk
all the time.
Jason: Ever think of trying out Jeff Hardy's Senton Bomb?
Shane: I had been doing that off and on for years, but
I called it the Suicide Bomb. I actually believe that
Senton Bomb is incorrect, and that Jeff likes to call
it the Swanton Bomb, but I could be wrong. Sasuke out
of Japan has probably the best form of that maneuver that
I have seen. Jeff however, is the best high-flyer in the
biz today!
Jason: Switching back to WCW, do you think that the Three
Count could be in the WCW Tag Team Title picture soon?
Shane: I would think so. Remember, eventually everybody
goes down for the 3 Count. Haha!
Jason: Here is just a quick question, that maybe you'd
be able to shed a little light on, there is talk about
Chris Benoit leaving WCW, hear anything about this? How
do you feel about the whole WCW booking situation?
Shane: Well, I guess this question is a moot point by
now huh? As far as the booking goes, everyone has different
ideas about how things should be run. I like the WWF style,
but I don't think that people want to see an imitation
of the WWF style. I mean, if they want to see the WWF,
then they are going watch the WWF and not an imitation
of it. WCW's fan base has always been about wrestling.
So, I thing that an integration of the old school with
the new will benefit WCW more than simply going one way
or the other.
Jason: Now I'd live to delve deep into the head of Shane
Helms, if that's okay with you of course. I'd like to
throw out a few names and you just give me your first
reaction to them, and tell me a bit about how you feel
about them.
Shane: Cool.
Jason: First and foremost Evan Karagias.
Shane: Evan is a fun guy to hang around with and we have
allot of laughs. In the ring, Evan makes up for his inexperience
with allot of power and enthusiasm! 3 Count will be good
for Evan.
Jason: Bill Busch
Shane: So far, Bill Busch has been fair and friendly
to me. No bad things to say at all.
Jason: The Hardy Boyz
Shane: Both great friends of mine who busted their ass
to get where they are.
Jason: Terry Funk
Shane: Perhaps the true phenom in wrestling.
Jason: Arn Anderson
Shane: I loved Arn as a kid, and I learned allot just
from watching him, so I expect to learn even more from
working with him.
Jason: Vince Russo
Shane: Writes great TV!
Jason: Mick Foley
Shane: Right now, Foley is the heart and soul of wrestling.
A definite inspiration.
Jason: Finally, I gotta throw this one out, Shane Helms.
Shane: Shane Helms is a guy who worked so long to finally
get his break and now he is going to make the most of
it. I'm going to make people love me!
Jason: Well Shane, I really appreciate you taking this
time out for us, we can't thank you enough and we wish
you the absolute best in your career and much success
in the future!
Shane: Same to you! And remember "If you ain't down
with the 3, then you don't Count!"
