well have. All except Orton. He surprised me because
when he started he was a fat, chunky kid and he
really wasn’t that good, but he’s really matured into a
nice looking physique and is probably one of the best
in the business now.
>Was he treated any differently back then because
of his background?
Nah. Everybody was treated the same. We were just
a group of boys having fun.
>When guys like Cena got contracts before other
guys like Nick Dinsmore and yourself, were there
any jealous feelings towards them from the people
who were still in OVW after they’d moved on?
I was happy to see them move on, but I did wonder
"Hey, I’m helping train these guys and watching them
go up before me. It’d sure be nice to get my piece of
the pie."But it really wasn’t any jealousy, it was just
having to have patience.
....EVERyBOdy WaS
>Back then they seemed to be taking a little more
TREaTEd THE SamE.
time with people in developmental before thrusting
them into the spotlight...
WE WERE JuST a GROuP
Some guys. Some guys get thrust in there a little too
Of BOyS HaVING fuN.
soon, in my opinion. Some guys get thrust in there
and run with it, and some guys are overqualified, so it taught me to use my body more to express my
more than prepared, and run with it. anger, happiness, pain. It helped me out a lot. I was
glad to do it, and it was a good experience.
>What was the origin of the masked Machine
character you played in OVW? >What do you remember about that moment when
It was mainly a mystery. I was in Ohio Valley as the
you finally got the call from WWE saying you had
All American Doug Basham, and I disappeared for a
the contract?
bit because I had to work to pay my bills, which There’s a saying ‘you don’t believe it till you walk out
wrestling wasn’t doing at the time. While I was gone the curtain’. I was excited and happy but I didn’t
from Ohio Valley TV, I totally transformed my body. I believe it until I was actually walking through that
got bigger, more muscular, leaner, so when people curtain and on the way to the ring. At that point I was
saw me again I was a totally different person and my like "Wow this is a dream come true. Finally I’m here."
physique had changed. I saw the movie 8mm with
Nicholas Cage, and I thought it would make an >None of us can imagine what it is like that first day
awesome scary-looking wrestling character. I was you walk into Vince McMahon’s office-it must be
able to get back in the swing of things at Ohio Valley quite a daunting experience!
wrestling and conglomerated with Jim Cornette to
It was quite intimidating and nervewracking, but he’s
come up with the character.
just another man like everyone else. He’s just your
boss.
>Was it better wrestling with a mask on? Some
people have said it changes your whole perspective
>What’s Vince like as a boss? Is he heavyhanded, or
in the ring...
is he quite easygoing?
Wrestling with a mask takes away one major feature
It depends on who you are I think. He’s a pretty fair
in your work, your facials. People can’t see your face,
guy for the most part, but he’s definitely a powerful,
29 The online magazine for pro wrestling fans worldwide
thewrestlingpress.com
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