C.W. Anderson Interview: Talks about his start, ECW and WWE product
On Saturday, February 5, 2005 at 3:51 PM EST Steve Gerweck sent in the following recap...
C.W. Anderson Interview recap from the Gerweck Report hotline
- Anderson grew up in the Carolinas during the hot bed of NWA action, which hooked him on pro wrestling. When the dream of playing baseball didn't materialize, C.W. turned his focus on wrestling.
- Anderson said that he basically trained himself. He really didn't have any formal training until he got to the WCW power plant.
- C.W. plugged his web site, www.ecwanderson.com
- In 1989, Anderson was drafted by the San Diego Padres as a catcher. His former partner Simon Diamond was drafted by the same team the previous year.
- He debuted on December 4, 1993 under a mask.
- Anderson is interested in wrestling and playing baseball in Japan. He said he can still throw in the mid 80's.
- When Pat Anderson was looking for a tag team partner, he suggested C.W. to a local promoter. The promoter told him to come back in two weeks with a name. A friend suggested C.W. since those are his initials for his real name, Chris Wright.
- After an unsuccessful stint at the power plant, Anderson tried out for ECW. Paul Heyman had Anderson work with Diamond at first and then he went through a gauntlet of guys.
- Anderson was told by J.J. Dillon and Paul Orndorff that he didn't have the body or skills to make it in the business.
- On June 6, 1999, Anderson debuted in ECW in a tag team match with Skull Von Crush against Danny Doring and Roadkill.
- When asked about Heyman, Anderson said he was a genius when it came to coming up with storylines and characters.
- Anderson enjoyed training at the power plant dispute it being totally unorganized. Anderson basically helped trained a lot of the other students.
- Anderson did a five minute try out in a tag team match for TNA in 2004 and was told it was the match of the night.
- The try out was the first time he worked in a six-sided ring, and enjoyed it.
- Anderson recently met with Ole Anderson. He said he is an extremely bitter individual. The encounter was taped by Highspots. Anderson said he has never lost as much respect for one person as he did that night.
- When asked if he currently watches the WWE product, Anderson replied "absolutely not."
- His biggest weakness in his mind is his body, which he feels is holding him back.
- Anderson prefers tag team wrestling because of his ring psychology.
- He identified Steve Corino as his best tag partner.
- The Extreme Horsemen gimmick started in Dusty Rhodes' Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling with Corino, Anderson, and Barry Windham.
- Anderson enjoyed being managed by Lou E. Dangerously and developed a good friendship with him.
- At the end of ECW, Heyman was still telling the wrestlers that he was working on a television deal to save the company.
- Anderson was kept in the dark about everything including the financial shape the company was in.
- Anderson claimed that Heyman had located a financial backer that was offering $20 million for the company, but the deal fell through when Heyman couldn't produce any financial records.
- Anderson said that he has bitter feeling towards Heyman, "Anybody says they don't, there is something wrong with them." Anderson says he is still owed money, and stated that Heyman lied to him and the boys.
- As far as best matches, Anderson identified an "I Quit" match with Tommy Dreamer, and a match in Zero-One against Masato Tanaka in which 3,000 - 4,000 Japanese were standing on there feet.
- He said that the Zero-One gig came about when the promotion was looking for a new American talent, and Corino suggested Anderson.
- Anderson says the Japanese fans are more appreciative of mat wrestling and are very respectful.
- Goals? One, to not get hurt in the ring, and two, to continue to wrestle.
- When asked about working for WWE, Anderson said that he has lots of friends that work for Vince McMahon and many of them are miserable.
- Anderson prefers to be a heel.
- Career highlight? The "I Quit" match against Tommy Dreamer at the Hammerstein ballroom. He also likes being featured in Japanese video games.
- The title that meant the most was winning the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team belts with Corino in Japan.
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