Please credit Alan J. Wojcik http://alanwojcik.com if posted, thanks.
With new names in the 2007 Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup, Alan J. Wojcik decided to take some time and introduce them to the fans. Some of these people you know from previous appearances in the JPC in tournament or non-tournament matches (Chris Hero in 2004, TJ Mack and Krazy K in 2006, Sideshow and Erick Stevens in 2004-2005), some currently work for Florida promotions (FIP, AWF, EWE, PWW, SCW, FPWA), while others will be making their debuts in the Sunshine State.
Sideshow (formerly OG Scarface)
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight: 200
Hometown: the Psychedelic Underground
Pro Debut: 1994
Finishing Move: Double Penetration
Signature Moves: Catatonic Backbreaker, The Backiotomy, Afterhours Overdose, Foot Fetish, Top Rope Freakenstiener
Myspace: www.myspace.com/sideshow_macleod
Tournament history: Winner of WPWF Lightweight Scramble, Winner of ACW Tag Team Tournament (w/Dany Only), Finalist in ACW Cruiserweight Tournament.
Where have you seen him: ACW, IPW-Hardcore, FPWA, SCW Florida, NWA Florida, TNA, WPWF
Championships held: ACW Heavyweight, ACW Tag Team (w/Dany Only), ACW Cruiserweight, ACW Combat, FPWA Tag Team (w/Wikkid), SCW Tag Team (w/Dagon Briggs), WPWF Lightweight 3X, NNW Hardcore, and IPW-Hardcore Light Heavyweight champion.
Alan J. Wojcik: Since the last time we talked two things have changed. One is you are no longer OG Scarface, the other is the disassociation your manager with Ana Mosity. Please explain the reason for the changes.
Sideshow: OG Scarface was only the beginning of who I wanted to be as a pro wrestler. It was the early stages of my career. I developed OG when I was 15 and first broke into the business. As I evolved and matured as an athlete, I decided Sideshow was not only a symbol of how I've grown with wrestling, but also a more marketable gimmick name. When I was seventeen, I played bass for a metal band named Wet Spot. Since I was the youngest in the group and definitely the most gimmicky, the band nicknamed me Sideshow. It's stuck ever since. As far as Ana Mosity, she went her own separate way to work with a traveling Burlesque show. She pops in from time to time and makes an appearance or two. Not to mention that we've had so many differences inside and outside the ring, it's probably best that we only associate in small doses. I do, however, wish the best for her.
Alan J. Wojcik: You share something with former JPC competitor Naphtali, both of you were opponents of Jeff Peterson in his career. Please tell the readers what Jeff was like as an opponent and a friend.
Sideshow: When I first met Jeff, I underestimated him. At that time he was relatively new to the Florida wrestling scene and only 17, I believe. I ended up working him at some shit show, and had an incredibly solid match. He soon came to work for WPWF, SCW, and IPW-Hardcore. We ended up squaring off several times throughout all of those organizations. The kid had a heart of a lion; taking risks with high flying attacks and absolute charisma. Who would've thought that a kid so young could give so much to the fans and all of the boys in the back. I learned a lot from him. As far as matches, we've had some brutal ones in our time. The one that sticks out the most is the 4 way forklift ladder match we had in Crystal River for IPW-Hardcore with Naphtali (Then Al Bino) and Billy Xtreme. It was absolutely insane. Shortly after that, Jeff and I started to become closer as friends. We hung out a lot, reviewing tapes together as well as putting together new moves. We still feuded a lot, but even on nights that we were booked to fight one another, we'd still travel together to the show, usually with Naph.
Alan J. Wojcik: Sadly Jeff passed away in 2002 after a long battle with cancer. I am sure it’s hard to talk about but could you tell us your feelings when you were told he died.
Sideshow: When I found out, I was completely devastated. It didn't seem real for a while. Like Jeff would just pop up someday at a show and be like, "fooled you!" being the kind of jokester that he was. I can still remember him like it was only yesterday. In memory of Jeff, I yell out "LOW BLOW!" just as he did when he dropped a headbutt low on his opponent. I do that in almost every match.
Alan J. Wojcik: What was your reaction when the Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup office made the match on an ACW show where the winner would earn a spot in the 2007 event and what went through your mind after you won?
Sideshow: You know, I've done some of the other Peterson Cup shows, but never been in the actual tournament. Truth is, I'm glad that I wasn't. I knew that I wasn't ready at the time. Even with a little previous tournament experience, Peterson Cup has always been the best of the best. I don't feel that I was the best at that time. It was always a pleasure to be on the show no matter what I was doing. The show was and is always for Jeff, not for any individual wrestler or wrestlers. Austin Amadeus, Shayne Swyft and Nick Fame who were in the qualifying match with me are all great competitors, up and coming stars in this business, but this year, they were not ready to represent ACW in this tournament and I was, plain and simple. I can see any of these three guys in the tourney on future shows, but this time it was my year. I'm in some of the best shape in my career, physically and psychologically. I've become a better rounded wrestler. I am honored and excited to represent ACW on JPC this year. And no matter what happens, if I am eliminated in the first round or win the whole tournament, I'm going to give it my all and make Jeff proud.
Alan J. Wojcik: This year’s tournament features the debut of a woman into the event, Allison Danger. Do you think this is good for the event and if you were to wrestle her, would you wrestle her like any other opponent?
Sideshow: I think that it's great for the tournament! It adds a whole new flavor on the JPC. If a woman wrestler can make that much buzz to be considered for such a prestigious show, then I say go for it. And of course I would wrestle her like any other opponent if we end up facing off. It's when you underestimate someone no matter what gender that you end up losing and hanging your head in embarrassment. If you still don't believe me, ask Amy Love if I took it easy on her when I broke her leg on an NWA-Florida show. Ask Ana Mosity how chivalrous I was when I powerbombed her through a table off the top at ACW. The answer is No! I would go into that match as I would for any other opponent in this tournament, to win!
Alan J. Wojcik: You were the first person in ACW history to hold every championship. Do you consider this an honor are you just that good in the ring?
Sideshow: A question like this deserves an honest answer. I believe it's a little bit of both. What I believe makes me the successful wrestler is that I am that I'm humble enough to understand appreciation and honor for not only each title but for the guys that I've fought to get them. Yet I feel that I have to be cocky enough to know it was done because of my in-ring ability and experience. I was just a little bit better than my opponents on those days.
Alan J. Wojcik: A few months ago you stepped away from singles work in ACW to tag with newcomer Dany Only forming the duo called Dogmatika. Why did you choose Only as your partner and how does he differ from other partners like Dagon Briggs or Shank Devlin?
Sideshow: When I met Dany Only for the first time, I noticed he had a very sarcastic sense of humor like myself. I'm a huge fan of sarcasm, so that was enough to spark my attention. The next thing that I noticed was his hunger for competition. Every time I read a press release for almost any organization, he's on the show. Green as hell at the time and he's getting booked everywhere. I started to notice his work getting better with every match in addition to his crowd response getting huge! Several months later, an ACW tag team tournament came up and I asked him to be my partner. We came up with some very innovative and fresh tag team maneuvers and just ran with it. It eventually led us to ACW tag team gold. To answer question number two, I feel that Dany and I are probably pretty evenly matched up as a team. With Dagon, we had great in ring chemistry, but since he lived in Jacksonville and I'm in the Tampa area, we never seen each other outside shows. In retrospect, Shank and I knew each other on a personal friendly level, and since I used to be only about 160lbs, he was always the power of the team. Dany and I have both kinds of chemistry. We've worked well in the ring together and are basically the same size, give or take. We've hung out and drank together, gone to see metal bands together such as Full Blown Chaos and Soulfly. We share a lot of the same interests. Hell, we both are dating bartenders that work together at the same bar. I don't believe in coincidences.
Alan J. Wojcik: You and Only had issues over the last few weeks with the team you lost the ACW Tag Team titles to, “Canadian Dream” Joshua Masters and Sedrick Strong. In your experience what makes them a team to be reckoned with in Florida wrestling?
Sideshow: Well first of all, Josh and SedErick broke into the business at about the same time. Years ago when I first got into IPW, those two tagged up then. So they've known each other for quite some time now. When you get to know someone for long enough, you begin to know what they’re thinking. Being able to be in sync like that is what makes tag teams successful. It’s important to know what's going on in your partners head to keep from making big mistakes. Yeah, they're assholes and like to use their manager, Fetish to aide them in very cheap attacks, but they are both talented athletes as well. Cedrick was in the JPC tournaments before, he's made it to the Super 8, and of course been involved in many bloody matches with guys like myself, Naphtali and Rodrick Strong. Josh has lots of experience in tag team as well as singles competition and has been quite successful in his doings. Putting two men together like this is absolutely dangerous for other tag teams in Florida. They'll take whatever steps that they feel is necessary to win matches.
Alan J. Wojcik: You have been a mainstay in Florida for years. Do you things have changed in the wrestling scene for the better or have things gotten worse since your debut?
Sideshow: Both. I think that the scene has changed for the better and for the worst. Better in a sense that the ante has upped more in the actual sport of wrestling. Most wrestlers aren't trying to just ride the success of their gimmick alone. I mean, they're still out there, but it's not just boring ass rest spot after rest spot anymore. There's a lot more action going on now. I noticed that after I made my comeback after my first shoulder surgery. Between waiting to go under the knife, to my "state paid vacation", Florida wrestling had changed. I had a lot of work to do at that point, in my attempt to mature to the modern standards. I also like the fact that there are more options for guys to be able to choose from nowadays. It used to be only the big corporations like WWE & WCW. There was ECW and other underground feds, but a lot of workers didn't know how to go about getting booked on shows outside of Florida. Their only hopes were grasping dark matches for the "Big 3." It's nice to see that a lot of guys have not only WWE and ECW to choose from. Now there's TNA and several indy promotions getting a lot of hype, such as CZW, IWA-Mid South and ROH. Everyone can have a goal now depending on their own views on what their want for themselves in this business. Me, I never wanted to go to WWE. I'm not in a stage in my life to want to be in the big time. Those years have past me. I mean, I'm only 28, but I kind of enjoy being a local superstar. I don't have a wish to be rich and famous. Not saying that I'd turn down a decent offer, but I'd rather travel doing independents. Maybe even internationally. I feel that when wrestling becomes too much of a job, you stop having fun. I'm having way too much fun now.
As far as Florida wrestling getting worse, well that's obvious. Too many promotions, too much heat. Everyone wants to be the man. Instead of everyone working together to make something a success, they compete with each other in childish manners. As soon as two guys get into one little argument (usually a booker and a worker) everyone wants to start their own shit. And instead of doing it for the wrestling scene, they do it out of spite for their own selfishness. They think that they're hurting their opponents, but in reality, it's the workers that end up suffering. I know that it is has been and always will be that way, so really what can you do?
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Labels: Alan Wojcik, Interview, Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup, Pro Wrestling, Sideshow
