Chris Matthews
Posted by Daniel Warren
on 01/30/2005
Daniel Warren: All right people, this is Daniel Warren and I'm back with another interview from the land of the Indies. And by my side I have:
Chris Matthews: "Big Money" Chris Matthews.
Daniel Warren: Now I got to ask, why the name "Big Money?"
Chris Matthews: There's actually a funny story behind that. Have you ever seen the movie "Swingers?"
Daniel Warren: Yes.
Chris Matthews: Well, as you know one of their catch phrases in that movie is: "Money baby." If its good, then it's money. I was thinking about that and I remembered this wrestler I saw from the '70's called Big Money Hank James and kind of stole the name from him and the concept from Swingers.
Daniel Warren: Well with that being said, you must be "Big Money" in the ring.
Chris Matthews: I try.
Daniel Warren: What got you started in wrestling? Were you always a fan or was the idea of beating people up a good one?
Chris Matthews: I guess you could say I've always been a fan. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of watching wrestling with my family both live and on TV. So it’s always been a dream of mine. As far as when I actually said "I think I'm going to start training," I actually had no clue there was such a thing as wrestling school. Then Foley’s first book came out and it kind of inspired me to get up off my ass and go do it
Daniel Warren: What was your mind state after your first day of training?
Chris Matthews: After my first day of training, I was like "Man this is tough, and it looks like I'm going to be getting my ass kicked for the next few months/years." But I was determined even before I went in that first day. Actually it was in the evening now that I think about it.
Daniel Warren: Now after all the training, you are ready for your first match. What’s going through your head?
Chris Matthews: I don't think I'm ready. What if I fail? I hope I don't make an ass of myself. And I can say that was exactly some of my thoughts that day. I think I will always remember that.
Daniel Warren: And how did everything turn out?
Chris Matthews: Well, the match turned out to be ok for my first time in front of a crowd against a guy you could say is not exactly a ring general. It was also one of my most embarrassing wrestling moments even to this day due to a "wardrobe malfunction." Before the match even started. I ripped my pants from the zipper in front to the belt loop in back. Basically my underwear-covered ass was hanging out. I took the "ignore it and it doesn't exist" approach. Today, I would have sold it huge.
Daniel Warren: [Laughs] What would you say your wrestling style is?
Chris Matthews: Eclectic. I think that is what my real strong suit is. You want to brawl? I can do it. You want to have a classic technical match? I can do it. You could say my style depends on who I'm in the ring with. For the most part, I like to actually wrestle and mix in some suplexes for my enjoyment.
Daniel Warren: Is there anyone that you model your style after?
Chris Matthews: You know, just like anyone else, there are things that I've borrowed from other people, but for the most part I try to be me. You can look at some guys matches and think "Man, that guy must really like Triple H," but I think I kind of do my own thing for the most part. But yeah there are guys I kind of picked up different things from Steamboat, Flair, Macho, Muta, Akiyama, Kobashi. You know I like Japanese wrestling too. Arn Anderson, Dr. Death, Ted Dibiase. I've watched hours and hours of all those guys, just as a study.
Daniel Warren: So are you more of a fan of the old school wrestling or new school wrestling
Chris Matthews: Definitely old school. Although there are things I do like from the new school.
Daniel Warren: If you could take things from the old school and add it to the new school, what would they be?
Chris Matthews: Psychology and selling mainly. There are a whole generation of wrestlers coming up that know little or nothing of those two things
Daniel Warren: Do you feel that wrestlers over look those for the more exciting high flying and one liner filled promos?
Chris Matthews: Definitely. But there is a place for all of that. Its kind of like a house of cards you lose one card and the rest of them fall.
Daniel Warren: Where do you feel the blame falls for this?
Chris Matthews: Honestly, wrestling schools. There are just too many that are run by guys that have no business having a wrestling school. I've been to shows and seen or worked with guys that are all about doing a 450 or a shooting star press, but have no idea how to do a hip toss or to even lock up properly.
Daniel Warren: So is mat wrestling becoming a lost art in the face of high flying?
Chris Matthews: It was, I think. But there has been a recent resurgence. Just watch TV. What you see on there now is quite a bit different then even two years ago. But yeah in some places, especially on the Indy scene, you could definitely say that. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying let's jump in the way back machine and go back to the 50s or anything, but it's just like riding a bike for instance. You need to learn how to ride it without falling down before you start jumping of ramps or doing tricks.
Daniel Warren: True, very true. What fed do you wrestle for?
Chris Matthews: Well, currently Mid-south Wrestling Association, Asylum Championship Wrestling, and NWA Oklahoma. I've made appearances at something like 13 or 14 different promotions. I've kind of been taking it easy over the last 6-8 months.
Daniel Warren: Why is that?
Chris Matthews: Just getting some business taken care of in my personal life. Got married, bought a house, cars, and other personal matters. So I've just been working close to home.
Daniel Warren: How much strain does wrestling put on a personal life?
Chris Matthews: Well, it depends. If you really pursue it and are on the road all the time, it can put a lot of strain on your personal life. But if you're like a lot of guys and just work for the promotion you trained at with few exceptions, it's not that big of a deal. I have worked three days a week, usually Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for months at a time and that's hard. It's not like you get to fly a lot. It’s driving, lots of driving and that takes even more time away from whatever else you do. But it’s the price you pay to hone your craft to get better.
Daniel Warren: And does your better half understand what you do?
Chris Matthews: Definitely. But I'm really lucky. You can ask the people that know me. I was just really up forward about it. And she decided that she loves me enough to deal with it.
Daniel Warren: Has she ever been to one of your shows?
Chris Matthews: Oh, yeah. More than I can count. I never took her on the road with me until after we were married so she mostly went to the ones close to home. But she knows her role and watches and that's it. One of my pet peeves is wrestling wives/girlfriends that act like they're Moolah or something and been in the business for fifty years.
Daniel Warren: What is your view on the current state of the wrestling world?
Chris Matthews: I think business is down, but as you may have heard, wrestling is cyclical in nature and it will pick up again. I wish there were more "big" companies going i.e. more jobs. But you can't always have what you want. I think wrestling will endure, but there needs to be more qualified promoters and wrestlers. More promoters that can look at a guy and say "He's the shits and I'm not going to use him, even though he'll work for ten dollars." that kind of thing can damage the business as a whole because it makes it hard to make any money and it can sour fans when they see shitty wrestling they equate that with the business as a whole.
Daniel Warren: How do you feel about the emergence of smart marks?
Chris Matthews: They're there. Most of them aren't as "smart" as they think. It doesn't really bother me. It’s just a little insulting to hear fans using certain terms or to hear someone that's never been in a ring telling you what you should have done. Honestly, I think there are more "smart marks" in the ring then in the crowd.
Daniel Warren: Heh, Why do you say that?
Chris Matthews: It goes back to what I was saying about wrestling schools. There are so many "trained" wrestlers out there who don't have a clue what it's all about, or just don't get it. Some of the things you hear in a locker-room are ridiculous. Guys practically sucking each other’s dicks just because some little spot in a match got a decent or even a good reaction, even though the rest of they're match blew donkey balls. So they don't want to hear what they can do to get better if someone that's been around longer offers they're advice or critique. If someone whose been around longer or been to more places than me offers critique or advice, you damn well better believe I listen. Hell, I usually will ask someone like that to watch my match specifically just to get credible feed back. Not everybody is like that, but there are lots and lots of guys that are and its sad.
Daniel Warren: Well if you were a promoter, what’s some of the things that you would bring in your weekly product?
Chris Matthews: Honestly, if I was a promoter, (which means you promote the show, provide a ring, a venue, etc.) I would hire an experienced booker and let him do his job. But as far as what would be part of my card? I could boil it down to two things. Talent plus logic.
Daniel Warren: Do you think some promoters try to do too much in their companies?
Chris Matthews: Absolutely. There are too many promoters out there who were wrestling fans with money. Any jackass with enough money to buy a ring and rent a venue can be a "promoter." Some promoters can do a lot as far as booking talent because they are qualified to do so. Like a Dusty Rhodes. But most of them should probably go out and get some advertising take care of the business end and hire someone to take care of the wrestling end of things. And the smart one does just that.
Daniel Warren: Speaking of Dusty Rhodes, have you kept an eye on Tan’s wrestling show?
Chris Matthews: Not a lot. Especially now. But I have watched sporadically since its inception.
Daniel Warren: Do you keep up with any of the other wrestling companies besides the ones you're in?
Chris Matthews: Some. Some of my friends will e-mail me things about whatever promotions they're wrestling for. I'll check some stuff out on the 'net, but I don't like religiously download matches or anything. Other than WWE and TNA there's not a whole lot of wrestling to watch on TV here. But yeah I know what's going on most of the time around the country.
Daniel Warren: What do you think about the product that Vince is putting out?
Chris Matthews: Put simply, some of it I like and some of it I don't. I've never been a huge fan of the cartoon or outlandish soap opera style angles. But its like ice cream different people like different flavors, so I think there's a little bit of everything
Daniel Warren: Do you have the dream of working for them one day?
Chris Matthews: Absolutely. Right now that's the place to work if you want to make your living wrestling. There are a few guys who do pretty well for themselves outside of WWE but for the most part, that's the place to be. The big leagues, so to speak.
Daniel Warren: Well now we are at the point of the interview where I ask you, if you had a chance to wrestle one person in any type of match. Who would it be and what type of match?
Chris Matthews: Ric Flair in an iron man match.
Daniel Warren: Why that choice
Chris Matthews: He's the man. And if you can go an hour and have a good match, especially in this day and age, well it says a lot about you and your ability.
Daniel Warren: That’s is a very true statement. Now Chris, before we end this, is there any companies, matches, or websites you would like to plug?
Chris Matthews: Well, there is www.bigmoneychrismatthews.com and while you're there check out the link. And if you live in Wichita Falls, buy a car from circus world car lot.
Daniel Warren: Well, this has been Daniel Warren cashing in with "Big Money" Chris Matthews saying thanks for reading and remember "It's All For The Love." PEACE!
Chris Matthews: Thanks.
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