Randy Walker
Posted by Douglas Nunnally
on 08/09/2004
Interviewer's Note:
Welcome to another edition of "Wasting The Time Of..." and in this edition, I have New York's own breakout star, Randy Walker!
Based in the state of New York, Randy Walker is arguably the best newcomer the state has ever seen, and maybe even independent wrestling. Two matches into his career, the young star received national praise and exposure for his hardcore match in Empire State Wrestling, and that's not where it stopped. Though staying true to his roots in ESW, Randy Walker has proven himself to be the most successful and probably the breakout star of this young promotion by his long list of matches, track records, and promotions with which he has worked. One thing that can be said about Randy Walker is his innovation, and take my word when I say that he can be called the most innovative wrestler today. Using so many modifications such as his arsenal of springboards and his variety of amazing moves like the Van Terminator, Randy Walker will have your jaw on the ground through each and every match.
Two years in, "Eye Candy" has made an impact that some fail to make in a lifetime of wrestling. Though it may be cliche, believe this interviewer when I say the best is yet to come.
Douglas Nunnally: Thanks for agreeing to answer some questions, Randy.
Randy Walker: Anytime, thanks for having me.
Douglas Nunnally: Coming up on your two year anniversary as a wrestler, how are you going to celebrate?
Randy Walker: I'm going to do what I do best. Go out and perform to the best of my ability, and not to mention keep both my hair and my ESW Interstate Championship.
Douglas Nunnally: So, how do you like being the current ESW Interstate Champion?
Randy Walker: Being the ESW Interstate Champion is a great honor. I feel I am able to keep building the credibility of the title that former champions Tommy Caliber, Chris Cooper, and Shade have given it. It's a great feeling when a company puts enough faith in you to carry the belt.
Douglas Nunnally: Do you feel like you earned the faith that ESW has instilled in you by making you their champion heading into one of their biggest events?
Randy Walker: I feel that I have done a great deal so far in this business to earn the faith of promoters throughout the Northeast. Getting their faith to take the title into ESW's biggest event of the year is an added bonus to all the hard work.
Douglas Nunnally: How big of an honor and/or impact will it be to you if you are victorious at Wrestlebash, the event we keep referring to?
Randy Walker: It will be a great honor to keep the gold around my waist. As I'm sure you already know, I am part of Club Elite in Empire State Wrestling, along with Ice and Jonny Puma. Ice has the hardcore championship, and Puma has a match for the ESW Heavyweight Championship against 9 month champion, Mastiff. When I keep the championship and Puma takes back his title from Mastiff, that will solidify Club Elite once and for all as the most dominating faction in ESW.
Douglas Nunnally: If you are able to do that at Wrestlebash, what kind of fears do you have about living up to the standard that other factions like the 4 Horsemen and Evolution set by doing that?
Randy Walker: It is going to be tough to do. The Four Horsemen set the standard for dominating factions, and I don't believe anyone until Evolution has even come close to matching the success the Four Horsemen had. Even to be compared to either of those factions would be an honor in its own.
Douglas Nunnally: You seem to have come a long way since 2002. Do you think you will make an even bigger stride in the next 2 years?
Randy Walker: I guess only time will tell. I am expecting to go on a couple overseas tours within the next year and am really looking forward to that. Every promotion I have ever worked for has offered me an open invitation to return, so it really is just a matter of getting time where I can keep venturing out and getting my name out besides just the Northeast. As much hard work as I have put into wrestling, and as much as I want to do everything I can to further my career, once school starts in September, travel will be cut down. To answer your question though, within the next 2 years, I do see the career of Randy Walker keep advancing further than it already has.
Douglas Nunnally: What is it like being a professional wrestler yet enrolled in college?
Randy Walker: During the summer and vacation times it is a lot easier. Last January when I started traveling almost every weekend, it got really stressful and hard. The five to sixteen hour roundtrip drives all within a twenty-four hour period really get to you. It is really hard to juggle back and forth in between both and keep both up to my expectations I have for myself.
Douglas Nunnally: What kind of major (and possibly minor) are you studying to do at this point?
Randy Walker: Currently I am majoring in Liberal Arts, focusing on Journalism, and hoping to also get a minor in business management.
Douglas Nunnally: What do you plan on doing with those after you graduate, assuming wrestling doesn't work out?
Randy Walker: Assuming wrestling doesn't further to a career that I can support myself with, there are still a couple options I have been looking into. One of which would be to get into writing for magazines and newspapers. The other option I have been looking at and almost already went through with earlier this summer is buying my own bar and restaurant.
Douglas Nunnally: Have your goals changed at all between August, 2002 and now? If so, how?
Randy Walker: In August 2002, I was completely gung ho on making it to the WWE no matter what. Now I sit back and look at everything I have been able to accomplish just on the independents in the short time I have been working them. I have made so many good friends in all different places across the Northeast; as well have made a decent name for myself in just two years. In all actuality I have only been wrestling outside Western New York for not even a year now. My goals right now are to just keep doing what I am doing in the industry and get people to recognize me. If I get enough recognition and end up getting noticed by NWA-TNA or OVW, then that's awesome. If I don't, I'm just going to keep doing this and keep working hard in school.
Douglas Nunnally: So WWE is not really a focus anymore?
Randy Walker: It's not that it isn't a focus; it just isn't where I am planning on heading with my career right now. Don't try and mistake this for I am not going to go out each and every weekend and bust my ass, because I am going to do that. It's just like I said before; if I get noticed enough to make that step in my career, that's awesome. If not, school and the Indys will continue to be my life.
Douglas Nunnally: You got your start in Empire State Wrestling, and though you have branched out more than anyone on the roster, will it always be home for you?
Randy Walker: Empire State Wrestling will always be the place I call home no matter what. They are the ones that got me my start in the business. Between Dan Dobson, Dan Murphy, and Scott Heim, those guys I cannot thank enough. They really have become like a family to me, and a lot of my best friends work for ESW.
Douglas Nunnally: You mentioned Dan Murphy above; exactly how much of an impact do you feel Dan Murphy of PWI has had on your career?
Randy Walker: Besides Dan being a really good friend, he helped me a lot with psychology and getting me tapes of matches to study. When I first started off a couple years ago, the matches that were "in" were matches full of high spots. So we went out and did those types of matches. It seemed like what the crowd wanted to see. But I now realize that all it was really doing was hurting the business. I think high spot matches have their place in the business; I just don't believe that everyone should have to cut their careers short with ridiculous bumps. I believe the best advice I was ever given is that less is more.
Douglas Nunnally: By the look of your track record with other promotions, it might be safe to say that you are the most well known and successful member of ESW. Is there any resentment in the locker room there as you seem to have branched off early and very much while they stay to ESW?
Randy Walker: I feel that if there was any resentment of my branching out from ESW early, and a lot, that it was all settled. As I said before a lot of my best friends work for ESW. It is an extremely easy locker room to be in. Anytime you can find a locker room that everyone gets along, and there aren't gigantic egos floating around, you know you've found a good place to work.
Douglas Nunnally: If ESW closed today, what would be your fondest memory?
Randy Walker: Fondest memory in ESW, that's a tough one. Don't know if I could pick just one, but if I had to it would definitely have to be the Club Elite promo we did with a local television show, where we took over the program for the night. You can actually view clips from it on the Empire State Wrestling website.
Douglas Nunnally: Who have you yet to work with in ESW that you wish to?
Randy Walker: There's a bunch of people that just looking at the roster right now that I haven't gotten to step into a ring with. Would really like to work with "Completely" Cody Steele, Chris Cooper, Brandon Thurston, J-Man, Benjamin Smythe, and sometime down the road I would like to have a friendly match with my fellow members of Club Elite.
Douglas Nunnally: By looking at a picture of the belt you hold now, it looks eerily like the Smackdown Tag Belt. Does this coincidence freak you out at any time?
Randy Walker: Not at all. That thought has actually never crossed my mind at all. I toss on the belt because I am the ESW Interstate Champion. Maybe if I was coming out in front of crowds from 15,000 - 20,000 people, the coincidence might freak me out a little more. [Laughs]
Douglas Nunnally: Is there anything specific you want to do with your title reign, or are you just happy to be a part of history?
Randy Walker: Specifically, I would like to keep adding credibility to the belt. I also like the idea of adding some extra circumstances to defending the belt, such as with Wrestlebash, for example. If I keep the title, I keep my hair, and Shade loses his mask. Another thing I would like to do is defend the belt in a ladder match. ESW has never had one to date.
Douglas Nunnally: Scared about the possibility of losing your hair at all?
Randy Walker: In order for me to lose my hair that means I'd also have to lose the belt. Neither is something I am ready to give up yet. Nervousness won't be a problem. Plus it is always nice to know that you have a couple of the top guys in the company, backstage, watching your back.
Douglas Nunnally: Were you nervous at all branching off from New York to Canada and Pennsylvania?
Randy Walker: Starting off it was a little nerve racking. I'd been in the same locker room every show for over a year, and then all of a sudden I knew maybe two people at the most in the locker room. The good thing about everything was that I met a lot of wrestlers who had been in the business from anywhere from less than me, to 10 year veterans, who were willing to talk to me and give me advice about the business. I have met some really good people in my travels that I still regularly keep in touch with. I've also dealt with very good promoters.
Douglas Nunnally: You talk about veterans giving you advice. Did any of them put you under his wing so to say?
Randy Walker: Out of all the veterans I have worked with, Kevin Grace has probably put me under his wing the most. It also helps a lot in the fact that he is also from the Buffalo area. There are a ton of others who have helped me out along the way, but I would say he has more than any other veteran.
Douglas Nunnally: If you had the choice to move to California to work there exclusively, would you knowing it's hard to go back to NY?
Randy Walker: I'm not really sure if I would be willing to move out to California to work exclusively. It would certainly be something that I would have to think about. There are an extreme amount of factors that would play into my decision being it one way or another. However, if it was on a short term basis, I would be there in no time whatsoever. California is a place I've always wanted to go.
Douglas Nunnally: On the ESW site, it lists that you do a version of the Van Terminator and the Frog Splash. So can we all safely assume you idolize Rob Van Dam?
Randy Walker: Van Dam used to have a great deal of influence on me. However I'd say it has been about a year now since I really have had much influence at all from Van Dam. Don't get me wrong, he is a great wrestler, and a great athlete, but I wanted to break out into my own style. I've only used the Frog Splash once within the past year. I've been using a Gory Bomb and a Cradle Piledriver for my finishers of choice now. As for the variation of the Van Terminator, that is a move that really does have to be seen to be believed. I used to do some hardcore on occasion and wanted to come up with something cool to use for a finisher in those matches. So instead of sitting the opponent down in the corner, I hang him upside down in the dead center of the ropes and drop kick the chair into his face. It really does have to be seen to be believed.
Douglas Nunnally: Nice. You say you do springboard variations as a last resort. What kind of variations are we talking about?
Randy Walker: Some springboard variations I have thrown have included, leg drops, dropkicks, cross bodies, and I have been known to pull out a springboard 450 before.
Douglas Nunnally: How long did that take to perfect?
Randy Walker: That was an extremely interesting process, considering for some reason I can never get the rotation doing it from the turnbuckle. I saw the move done on a Japanese video I had and thought I might be able to get the extra rotation from springboarding with it. The normal 450 from the buckle I took months trying to get it down and couldn't, but the springboard I ended up nailing on the third try.
Douglas Nunnally: So, a springboard 450 and a Van Terminator variation that has "to be seen to be believed." Anything else you have in your repertoire with noting?
Randy Walker: If you've seen a regular Gory Bomb ever thrown in a match, which has been my finisher of choice for the last year, that is another move that has to be seen live. Instead of just hooking for a regular Gory Bomb, I will set up for a powerbomb, flip the opponent over my shoulders right into my version of the Gory.
Douglas Nunnally: Well, how long do you think my jaw will stay on the floor during your matches then?
Randy Walker: Hey, if I can get your jaw to hit the floor just off of one of my moves then I feel that I have done my job. With the bar being raised to impress fans over and over again, just getting them excited a couple times within a match lets me know that I have done my job.
Douglas Nunnally: How hard would you say it is to drop the fans' jaws yet not turn the match into a spot fest?
Randy Walker: That is a very good question. Any of my matches within the past year and a half you can watch and will notice that it is not a spot fest. The fans have liked some of them; some of them they feel they have been cheated out of. Within the first six months of my wrestling career you will see a lot of spot fests. Now I try to incorporate some of those spots into my matches but tone the match down from being a total spot fest. After ECW and for the fans that have seen CZW, it is incredibly hard to make fans' jaws drop, so anytime you can do that, you know you are doing a great job. So to finally answer your question, it is incredibly difficult to please the fans without killing yourself.
Douglas Nunnally: Speaking of killing yourself, what are your feelings on your hardcore match with Mastif way back when, which is considered to be ESW's best match ever and one of New York's best?
Randy Walker: Wow. [Laughs] To have that considered ESW's best, and one of New York's best that is a huge compliment. That match Mastiff and I went out there and killed ourselves for the fans. We went over 20 minutes of fast paced death defying moves. I can't even begin to compare what that match did to me, both mentally and physically. Mastiff and I both look back on the match and see things that we could have done to improve the match. But still today; almost two years after it happened, Dan Murphy still stands by his word on saying it was the best Indy match he had seen in two years, and that it was the match that put ESW on the map. And coming from a guy, who at that time, had seen the likes of Kevin Dunn, Mean Marcos, and all the others that have worked Indy shows in the northeast, I guess that is one of those compliments you can't put down.
Douglas Nunnally: How did it feel to get national recognition in The Wrestler for it, thanks to Dan Murphy?
Randy Walker: That was one of those things that were an awesome feeling. It was only both of our second matches ever. Murphy came up to us in December and said he was writing an article on the match, and I thought he was just simply complimenting the both of us still for a match that happened over a month before. But sure enough, that issue with Scott Steiner on the cover came out and the match was featured in there. The feeling; and I believe I can speak for Mastiff on his behalf, was indescribable for the both of us.
Douglas Nunnally: Isn't it ironic how most people spend their lives trying to get that exposure, and you got it in your second match?
Randy Walker: It really is ironic. Many independent wrestlers spend their entire lives/careers, trying to get that kind of exposure and I got it in my second match ever. It was a great honor, and it is amazing to be helped along, getting my name out there by Murphy. For that I am forever thankful to him.
Douglas Nunnally: Is there anything you feel is ironic about your career thus far?
Randy Walker: Hmm, I would have to say the most ironic part of my career so far, was just how high and fast my career got lifted off the ground. I went from having so much shit talked about myself, to being out on the independents across the entire east coast every weekend of the month, anywhere from two to three matches in a weekend. And for not even being twenty years old, and in college, I think that's a nice way to prove all my naysayers wrong.
Douglas Nunnally: What do you mean "so much shit talked about" you?
Randy Walker: Not to really get into it, but there were a lot of people that went out and opened there mouth about the ESW group and how none of us would ever make it when we first started. When ESW started there was already another federation in the area, and they didn't like the fact that someone was invading their territory. Thankfully, everything since then has been talked through and both federations are on good terms with one another to my knowledge.
Douglas Nunnally: Do you hold any resentment at this point for what happened?
Randy Walker: No not at all. I have been asked to work for the other federation. Just happened to be the day after I worked three, twenty minute matches down in Pittsburgh in a Cruiserweight tournament and was on crutches with a dislocated hip for two weeks. I have the utmost respect for them and everyone that works for them.
Douglas Nunnally: What was it like to be in such a feud with Mandrake, yet still be his tag team partner?
Randy Walker: [Laughs] That was an interesting one. Murph put it best when he wrote up the report on me. I either needed to bury the hatchet with Mandrake or bury the hatchet in Mandrakes back. We actually only tagged once, in RWI (Welland, ON, CA), but a couple weeks after that, myself and Mandrake went at it in the most brutal match, I believe either of us has ever done, it was a Russian chain match. You can see a picture of the aftermath by clicking
here. We both bled buckets and we both poured our heart and soul into that match. Mandrake came out on top and showed me he was the better man in that match. But when myself and Mastiff teamed up against him and Warpath down in NWL a couple months later we got the best of them. Since then we have not come across one another's paths.
Douglas Nunnally: Do you prefer him as a partner or opponent?
Randy Walker: I do like Mandrake as a partner, but I prefer him as an opponent. We both know each other well enough that we can go out and put on an entertaining match against one another. Whether it be a normal match or hardcore, either way, I know we are going to please the fans. Anytime you see a Randy Walker versus Marc Mandrake match, you know the crowd isn't going to go home disappointed. It was kind of funny when we went at it for the OSPW New York Championship in December. Throughout the show their may have been 75 fans there, but for the main event there was somewhere in between 150 - 200 fans.
Douglas Nunnally: Funny you should mention that match. What in the world is a Body Count match?
Randy Walker: Wow. [Laughs] Must have been that long ago. I actually can't remember the rules to the match. I basically remember it being a Russian Chain match with no rules whatsoever. Whatever it was, it's something that I'm not a big fan of doing very often.
Douglas Nunnally: What was it like to be partially trained by Jerry Lynn, arguably one of the most underrated stars of all time?
Randy Walker: That was incredible. If you watch any of my matches B.J.L. (Before Jerry Lynn, not to be confused with JBL) you can notice a huge difference. The guy just really is what you said: one of the most underrated of all time. Fantastic guy, fantastic worker, and knows the business like the back of his hand.
Douglas Nunnally: What was the best advice or lesson he gave you?
Randy Walker: The best advice he ever gave to me, and I believe I said this earlier in the interview, was less is more. And it really is.
Douglas Nunnally: If you had to pick one wrestler, who would you give that piece of advice to?
Randy Walker: [Laughs] Definitely Teddy Hart. I really don't think I need to get into that as his reputation precedes him.
Douglas Nunnally: Would you call him the black sheep of wrestling's favorite family?
Randy Walker: I would have to agree with that statement. With being trained by Bret, you would have to believe Bret did not teach him to wrestle with the psychology he does. I don't know what goes through his mind when he puts on a match, but in reality no matter how great he thinks he is his matches are just killing the business.
Douglas Nunnally: What do you think about his promotion closing?
Randy Walker: It never got started, so I really don't have feelings on it one way or the other. It could have been a good thing, it could have been a bad thing; either way, we'll never find out now.
Douglas Nunnally: Triple H is listed as one of your favorite wrestlers. Do you have anything to say about the controversy that surrounds him and his supposed "backstage pull?"
Randy Walker: All the controversy that surrounds Triple H and his "backstage pull" I feel he put to an end at Wrestlemania this year. Anyone and everyone didn't think for one second that Triple H was going to lay down for Benoit, and that is why Michaels was going to be placed in the match. If memory serves correct though, Triple H was the one that tapped out to Benoit. He hasn't gotten the strap back since then. He has had a few matches for the strap, but if those had anything to do with his pull backstage, who else was going to get put into those matches? There are only a select few that are ready for that level of match on Raw, and one of them is getting his shot at Summerslam.
Douglas Nunnally: So what do you think about Orton Vs. Benoit?
Randy Walker: Think it has all the potential in the world to end up being WWE match of the year. Orton and Benoit are definitely two of the most underrated top wrestlers in the WWE.
Douglas Nunnally: Who do you want to win?
Randy Walker: Orton. Give the company a new young champion, and start teasing the inevitable feud that breaks up Evolution.
Douglas Nunnally: AJ Styles is also one of your favorite wrestlers. Does it excite you at the thought that your Indy paths might cross one day?
Randy Walker: Yeah, it is an awesome thinking that somewhere down the line you may end up crossing paths with one of the guys who have influenced your wrestling career.
Douglas Nunnally: Who else on the Indy circuit do you want to cross paths with?
Randy Walker: Just a few of the guys that I would like to cross paths with sooner or later would include Amazing Red, Rocky Reynolds, Cody Steele, and Shark Boy.
Douglas Nunnally: Amazing Red is an interesting name since his big rep for being a "spot machine." Why him?
Randy Walker: I've seen Red work some awesome matches that weren't complete "spot fests," and then I have seen some of his matches that are complete "spot fests." I really think it depends on the guy he is working to determine the type of match he will put on.
Douglas Nunnally: Since you're well traveled on the Indy circuit, are there any stories you'd wish to share with us?
Randy Walker: So many stories; most of them I can't get into without getting myself or one of my co-workers into trouble. Back in January though I almost died at least half a dozen times over the course of two days. We crashed once and spun out into the ditch another 3 times. The way home from Philadelphia that weekend, we drove about 30 miles per hour at the most it seemed. I know, not the most exciting story, but it keeps everyone out of trouble. [Laughs]
Douglas Nunnally: Where on the Indy circuit do you think you would most fit in, style wise?
Randy Walker: For the better known promotions I feel I could fit in well to Ring of Honor, JAPW, WXW, but I also feel I fit in fine to all of the promotions I am working right now.
Douglas Nunnally: Where do you want to end up on the Indy circuit?
Randy Walker: Hard to say right now. I would like to get a couple matches in with WXW, JAPW, and ROH sometime in my career. Ultimately though I am enjoying working for the promotions I am working right now the most, and if nothing higher comes out of my career, then I would like to end up right back here.
Douglas Nunnally: So if you had the option at ending in the main event of Wrestlemania or the opener on Wrestlebash, which would it be?
Randy Walker: Wrestlemania. It is the grand stage of them all. If anyone in this business told you that isn't why they got into wrestling, they are lying through their teeth.
Douglas Nunnally: Who would you want to main event there?
Randy Walker: Shawn Michaels
Douglas Nunnally: Any reason?
Randy Walker: He's one of the best this business has ever seen. For how long he has been in the business he can still go out there and put on a five star match with anyone.
Douglas Nunnally: Do you have any superstitious manners or traditions you do before each match?
Randy Walker: I have this pair of blue baseball socks that I wear every single match. If you're wondering; yes, I do wash them. I used to eat Burger King before every show but ended up getting sick before a match so I stopped that superstition.
Douglas Nunnally: Thinking about switching to Wendy's then?
Randy Walker: [Laughs] I think I'll be staying away from the grease before the show. Actually I switched to just waiting until after a show to eat or eating Subway before a show.
Douglas Nunnally: Thinking about a "Jared" gimmick then?
Randy Walker: I actually really never thought of that. It may be quite amusing though, especially if I can alter some pictures good and make it look like I used to weigh around 400 pounds.
Douglas Nunnally: You seem to have a storybook career so far, yet what match would make it all perfect? In other words, what is your dream match?
Randy Walker: My dream match would have to be myself and Shawn Michaels teaming up against Randy Orton and A.J. Styles.
Douglas Nunnally: We have all heard the gimmick and shtick of "Eye Candy," "Ladies' Man," and "Hot Stuff." How are you any different?
Randy Walker: 98% of the time that is what I am. During the seminar with Piper, he asked me who I am, and I told him, "I'm an arrogant prick," to which he responded, "I can tell."
Douglas Nunnally: What do you feel about the site, TheWrestlingVoice.com?
Randy Walker: Think it's a great site that not only gets the information out there on the WWE and top Indy feds, but also helps out in giving the up and comers on the Indy circuit exposure.
Douglas Nunnally: Has the "Eye Candy" thing actually worked with the ladies yet, or are you just fooling yourself?
Randy Walker: The "Eye Candy" thing always works. I've always had the ladies coming up to me begging me to take them home after the shows.
Douglas Nunnally: How well will it work when you lose your hair...excuse me...if you lose your hair?
Randy Walker: Number one, I am not going to lose my hair. Number two, if Shade has a dozen horse shoes up his ass and then cheats to get a win over me, then I'll have to deal with it then. But the "Eye Candy" will still be here; I mean look at this face.
Douglas Nunnally: Well, I am; that's why I asked the original question.
Randy Walker: See now you're getting smart with me. And those that have done that in the past haven't faired too well.
Douglas Nunnally: Ok well then now is a good time to end this. Anything left you have to say to all those out there that you haven't already said?
Randy Walker: Check out my website at www.randy-walker.com. Also don't forget to support ALL your local Indy federations. Especially those that book me.
Douglas Nunnally: Thanks again for joining me, Randy.
Randy Walker: No problem.
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