Phil Johnson sent this in.
– Former TNA wrestler Samuel Shaw recently took some time to participate in an exclusive in-depth interview with PWMania.com. Shaw talks about training under Curtis Hughes and the WWA4 Wrestling School, WWE NXT, his release for TNA Impact Wrestling and future plans. Check out some highlights below:
Training under Curtis Hughes & WWA4 Wrestling School: Curtis Hughes was an excellent in ring trainer, who taught me the fundamentals. He taught me all the moves, how to bump, how to run the ropes correctly, just the repetition each and every day and doing all that and coinciding with getting into ring shape, I thought he was an excellent trainer as far as that was concerned. As far as the character and reasons why we do certain things in the ring, I think that there was some things left to be desired. I really didn’t know why I was doing certain moves, why I was selling at certain points and why this was at a certain point in a match. Why was I doing certain things? But as far as fundamentals, he was tremendous and one of the things he really taught me was to just to feel it out in the ring. For instance, my first professional match was against him and he basically got dressed in a separate locker room and he told me he’d see me out in the ring. Basically, I just listened to him during the match and it was one of the most fun things I ever did. I was very nervous but just listening to him it gave me that confidence.
WWE NXT: NXT is just doing great things right now and a place that I would be highly interested in trying out there. I think that I would thrive in that environment.
His TNA release & future: Well, I’m busting my a** man. Really, I’m doing a lot of interviews. I’ve got a lot of Indies lined up. I’ve got some other opportunities lined up that I can talk about later. At this time it’s just keeping that mindset that I’ve always had to keep striving for bigger and better things. It’s the first time I’ve been released by a wrestling company and I was always taught it’s going to happen and it’s up to you as to what you are going to do. Are you going to take it as a negative or a positive? Gunner and I both got released at the same time and you have that initial oh that’s a slap in the face or an initial anger but I’m taking it as a positive. I feel relief. Artistically, my mind is just going crazy with ideas and I’m excited about the future and opportunities that are going to present themselves if I continue to bust my a**. It’s going to be very interesting the rest of the year.
Shaw also discuses working with Christy Hemme and their storyline together, Ring of Honor, what he believes the benefits of either TNA’s Gut Check Challenge or WWE’s Tough Enough are and more.