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Exclusive Interview with PTW Promoter Petey Staniforth
The official Power Trip Wrestling website recently caught up with the promoter and man in charge of the company, Petey Staniforth himself, for an interview and the chance to grab his opinion on varying PTW topics and other subjects such as his beloved Luton Town FC. We can only say, as ever, that our occasionally lovable, but always arrogant boss is rather outspoken to say the least and doesn’t hold back on his opinion and views; and for you, the reader, to be warned of that.
PTW WEBSITE : Hiya Petey. Thanks for taking the time for this interview.
PETEY : Of course. It’s a pleasure. Partially mine, and certainly yours.
PTW WEBSITE : We wanted to ask you about a few things that are happening around PTW right now. The first subject would be the upcoming BBC2 programme “See Hear”, on Wednesday 21st October 2009, at 1pm.
PETEY : We’re thrilled about that. It’s a pleasure to say that we have been involved with the BBC, and it’s great to be able to promote both Sean Midnight and Tracey Kilby’s journey in professional wrestling and in Power Trip Wrestling itself. Sean was the first PTW British Champion, and Tracey has come into the company this year and fitted in incredibly well. She is a very friendly and social person, who deserves a lot of respect, as does Sean; and hopefully the programme will go a long way into helping everyone realise what good people and performers they are, and how they fight communication barriers to be so. And of course, I’m featured in the programme too, so it’s bound to be good.
PTW WEBSITE : Next on our list of topics, would be the next PTW show, in Luton, which is being billed as “First Time, Last Time, Only Time”, on Saturday 28th November 2009, at Challney School For Girls. You’re wrestling for the very first time, against your long time rival ‘100 Percent’ Dan Edge. There’s so much history to this situation, and it’s quite intense.
PETEY : Let’s get this straight, once and for all. I respect Dan Edge. Despite all our issues, I truly do. He’s the UK’s only disabled professional wrestler, and fights cerebral palsy to still chase his dreams. How can you not respect that? If you can’t respect that, you’re quite simply not worth speaking to, and aren’t worthy of respect yourself. Dan Edge is a trained actor, a man with a university degree, and should truly be an inspiration to anyone who’s ever been told they can’t do something for whatever reason.
PTW WEBSITE : Well. We didn’t expect that as a reply.
PETEY : Yeah, that’s the nice part. I mean every word of that, sincerely. The problem is, professionally, he’s got in my way in some shape or form for over two and a half years now. We’ve been friends, we’ve been enemies, we’ve had awkward silences, we’ve had physical altercations. And now he’s sold his soul out for the cheers of the fans, which everyone knows, mean nothing to me. The only fans I like, are Luton Town FC fans. PTW fans don’t matter a thing to me once the show itself starts, all that I care about is getting the job done, and it doesn’t matter to me how I do it. Many people over my years involved in professional wrestling, have wanted legitimately to hit me around, but I’m still standing here tall whether they like it or not. I speak my mind and I never ever back down. It doesn’t sit well in a business where you’re meant to be two faced and shake the hand of people you can’t stand, and call it ‘professionalism’. I don’t, and won’t ever do that. If I don’t like you, I say so. If I do like you, I say so. Like me or hate me, I speak my mind, I say my piece; and you know where you are with me. And Dan Edge has over stepped the line. I’ve always been happy as a manager, and I’ve always said that I have never had the urge to wrestle. And I still don’t. Hence why the show on November 28th has the title of “First Time, Last Time, Only Time”.
PTW WEBSITE : But the match was meant to happen in the Isle of Sheppey in August of this year.
PETEY : And I’m not happy that it didn’t. It was the place it should have happened, and it was only due to a shoulder injury that I was told not to risk any further, that the match got cancelled. I wanted it to happen that night, at that venue. Clearly, the match was meant to happen in my hometown, where I’m everyone’s favourite local success story and celebrity Luton FC fan. Win, lose, or draw, I won’t be doing this again. I’ve trained hard, I’ve worked hard, and I thank Jem Brown and the other PTW wrestlers in the Northampton branch of the family for their help in doing so. I’ve also lost over two and a half stone, and am down to 180 lbs or thereabouts. It’s been a ride I never thought I’d take, but it’s one I’m glad I have.
PTW WEBSITE : How do you feel PTW has progressed in 2009?
PETEY : Very well. Due to the programme featuring Sean Midnight on Sky Digital in April 2009, we have now been featured on two seperate occasions on Sky Digital channels, despite no affiliation with any channel. We’ve done our first outdoor events, at credible and well known established events such as Rushden’s ‘Party in the Park’, and Wellingborough’s Carnival, and ‘Party in the Park’ Events. I’ve been featured on BBC Radio Northampton live, and on other occasions. We’ve taken the show to new towns such as Corby, and successfully. We did a great fundraising show at Icknield Primary School in April 2009 as well, which is something I’m very proud of, particularly with my children’s attendance there.
It was said earlier in this interview that we’re on BBC2 very soon. I’ve been given my own regular column in Luton FC’s ‘Half Time Orange’ fanzine. We’ve been featured in all the local Luton area newspapers on a regular basis, and reached a semi regular advertising deal with three of them. We’ve achieved a heck of a lot this year. Believe you me, Power Trip Wrestling isn’t going away, and this is only going to get stronger as time progresses. Certain high level elements of the UK’s wrestling scene would like me to take my ball and go home, because they’re threatened by us.
PTW WEBSITE : We know you well enough to know you’re going somewhere with that comment….
PETEY : Welcome to the controversial part of the interview. The UK wrestling scene, sadly, and this is not a full out assessment of it so please don’t take this as a whole; but a lot of it, simply has it’s head stuck up it’s own backside. PTW is about fun, we take what we do seriously – but never ourselves. A lot of PTW is based around characters, personality, charisma, sillyness, and simply having a good time. This doesn’t sit well with a lot of promoters, I myself find it really quite sad that they feel threatened enough by that to have to try to have our shows cancelled with local councils. Not that they’ve succeeded, but they’ve tried on more than one occasion this year.
I try to appeal Power Trip Wrestling as a whole, towards families and children. Maybe they can’t afford WWE or TNA tickets, maybe they simply can’t get them. Maybe they want a cheaper night out and entertainment. I feel our prices are great for that, and have made sure that this is the case. Sadly, a lot of UK wrestling is on an ego trip, where they all want to be WWE’s Vince McMahon, or even TNA’s Dixie Carter. They act all business like and serious, with a superiority complex that isn’t justified at all. They only book their friends as talent on shows, and never look to give opportunities. PTW is proud of it’s record of giving opportunity. Sometimes it backfires on us, and isn’t always the best decision, and I accept this and take it on my shoulders. And sometimes it shines through as a great idea. Proof of the latter, is PTW World Champion Conor Hurley, and also Scott Annette, from Ireland; who didn’t have much name recognition in England, but have been absolutely superb for Power Trip Wrestling on professional and personal levels. Another fine example is PTW Cruiserweight Champion D-Mon, who had taken time out of the wrestling business, but has come back and very successfully for PTW; when others didn’t give him the opportunity. Then there’s other workers who simply aren’t in the right cliques, and don’t play the right political games to get booked in many companies around the UK; which I think is a sad state of affairs by anyone’s standards.
To certain elements of UK wrestling, it’s simply all about the financial end of the business. Well, guys, I’ve got news for you, there really isn’t much money in anything these days, let alone something as unique as professional wrestling. How about trying to make a difference to people and their lives instead, giving wrestlers like Sean Midnight or Dan Edge the chance to be a positive role model, or by helping young wrestlers looking for a break? How about showing the mainstream media that professional wrestling doesn’t deserve the bad reputation it often gets? How about more charity and fundraising shows, and making good of the position we’re blessed to be in? Money is not the be-all and end-all in this world, and if all of what I’ve said above means I don’t fit in with the ‘establishment’ of UK wrestling…..? Then I’m damn glad that I don’t, and I hope I never will.
PTW WEBSITE : We aren’t even going to try and follow that. We’ll change the subject full circle, and close to your heart. Luton Town FC.
PETEY : I was gutted that Mick Harford left. Mick will always, and forever be, a legend. It was time for him to go, like it or not, and no true Luton fan liked it. No decent Luton fan said ‘Harford Out’, and took pleasure from it. Mick’s track record on players was simply second to none, nearly everyone that he brought in was good. Nothing in this life, even to someone such as myself who was there at Wembley ’88 when we beat Arsenal, will ever top the feeling of Wembley this year and winning the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. 40,000 fans. A dvd that will be passed down to my children’s children, and hopefully further than that. As my friend Happy Harry, Luton’s mascot said to me, ….”Best day of my life”. And he may well be right. I have goosebumps every time I even think of it.
Luton Town FC shouldn’t be in the Blue Square Premier. Everyone knows it, any decent football fan agrees. That said, we still have to earn the right to get out of it. Nothing in this life can be taken for granted, you have to make an effort and work for it and take it. I wanted Gary Waddock as next Luton manager, but it’s doubtful that will be the case. It needs a man who has achieved at BSP level, but one who knows League Two as well. I hope that mix is found. And then we have to pull ourselves back into the League, and stand tall and proud and show the FA that they’re …..
PTW WEBSITE : We think we’ll cut you off at that point, we know you a bit too well!
PETEY : Not the worst move you’ve ever made. But if you want to stay part of PTW, I suggest you don’t do it too often.
PTW WEBSITE : What’s in store for Power Trip Wrestling in 2010? What will the new year bring, when it arrives?
PETEY : We’re doing two shows in new areas, February in Derby, and April in Birmingham. Both are related to Sean Midnight, and both are fundraisers for deaf related causes. I was thrilled to take this on, and am looking forward to the challenge. In March 2010, Power Trip Wrestling will be three years old, and we’ll have a heck of a show, and a party. That’s for sure! In July, we’ll be going back to Wellingborough for their Carnival and Party in the Park events, and I’m very happy to have confirmed this recently. There’s a fair bit more that I’m hoping to confirm soon, and you can rest assure I’m always working on what PTW can do next and what we can achieve that we haven’t done before.
PTW WEBSITE : Can we expect the PTW revolving door to continue, in regards to new and different talent in the company?
PETEY : You’ll note I’ve slowed it down a little, and we’ve been working from a solid core of wrestlers. But you can always expect new names and new talent in PTW, due to my beliefs on giving opportunity. These aren’t the dark days of 2007, things are a lot better around the company now, and things progress positively and constantly. Not as fast as I’d personally like to change them, but as long as they’re doing that, then I’m happy enough.
PTW WEBSITE : Who is going to win X-Factor?
PETEY : Oh please. You’re talking to the wrong person. I don’t even watch mainstream television. I’ll have my headphones on with music whilst I work. The most I watch on television is The Simpsons, or the occasional football match. Everything else passes me by. You can keep your ‘real’ world, I like my world just fine.
PTW WEBSITE : Who’s the best wrestler right now in Power Trip Wrestling, if you can be detached enough to give an opinion? And who do you feel is about to go up to a new level and progress higher?
PETEY : For me, the guy I like to watch the most at PTW, would have to be G ‘The Lap Dancing Superstar’. The guy is simply amazing, and can have a good match with anybody. And I feel, without looking to cause any dissention in his tag team, that ‘Scumboy’ Dani Graves has an incredible amount of potential right now. Mason Storm is another one set to make a big step up in 2010 as well, his time has clearly come.
PTW WEBSITE : Is there anything else you’d like to speak about?
PETEY : I’d like to thank every single person, from media, to wrestler, to fan; for their support of Power Trip Wrestling. It’s forever appreciated, and we never lose sight of it. The fact I’m the main reason you come, well, that’s hard to blame you for; but you only hate me because you can’t be me. And those who try to bring us down? Thank you. You make me so much more determined to succeed, and you make Power Trip Wrestling a much stronger family and unit as a whole. And of course, my children Andrew and Victoria. They’re the best thing that ever happened to me, they’re doing very well at school, and I’m incredibly proud of them both. Wrestling and fatherhood is a curious mix, but it’s one that I’ve embraced and come to really enjoy. Andrew’s personality and vocal talents have come to the fore this year, and when I choose to give this up, he will replace his dad with no problems. And Victoria, is simply ‘The Most Dangerous Little Girl In Professional Wrestling’. Everyone fears the ‘Woo Lock’!
PTW WEBSITE : It’s been a pleasure.
PETEY : Of course it has, you’ve been speaking to me. Now get out of my office, before I hit you with the Clipboard of Doom.
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