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INTERROGATION
CHRIS HAMRICK
Conducted by Joe Dombrowski
IWC Color Commentator / Media Correspondent
A: Well,I used to be enhancement talent (jobber) for the WWE(F) in 94. That was great, I got to wrestle Owen Hart. I was also doing TV for Smokey Mountain Wrestling. From there,I went to Music City Wrestling. Then in 2000, I went to ECW. After that, I went to XPW. Had three matches with TNA. Went to China in Jan. of last year with Rikki Nelson's Mid Atalntic Championship Wrestling.
Q: Out of all the major promotions you've appeared for, which was your favorite and why?
A: ECW. There's no comparison. They had the best talent, the best locker room...when ECW was going strong, no other wrestling organization could touch it. I am honored just to be able to say I was a part of it.
Q: Your & Tracy Smothers' careers are quite extensive, however the Southern Comfort team itself is a relatively new creation. When exactly was the team created and what were the circumstances surrounding it?
A: I was wrestling for XPW. I guess (XPW TV Champion) Kaos had beaten me in every match possible, so they wanted to stick me with a partner. They picked Johnny Webb. I was doing a show in Cleveland, Ohio and Tracy was on the show. I had a tape of XPW's latest TV show and showed it to Tracy. I asked him if he would ever consider going back. He told me 'Yes'. I called (XPW Talent Coordinator) Kevin Kleinrock and it was a done deal. I think they originally wanted to call us Southern Discomfort, but we did our promos and (XPW booker) Shane Douglas told us to say Southern Comfort. So that's how it started.
Q: Southern Comfort had a tremendous run in XPW, almost capturing their tag team titles on several occasions. However, in April of 2003, with XPW's parent company in extreme disarray, the promotion folded. Were you sad to see XPW go? Where were you active between the folding of XPW and your IWC debut?
A: Yes, I was sad to see it go. Here's why: when I first started going to XPW in LA, the shows were horrifying. Plus they lasted longer than a Frank Goodman show. Over half the guys that were wrestling needed to be buying tickets. Well, when XPW came to Philly, they put on some great shows. I know a lot of people hated (XPW promoter) Rob Black but it had nothing to do with the talent and the shows he was putting on. They came so far from what they were doing in LA, I just really wanted to see it succeed. Once XPW folded, I stayed busy with the local indies.
Q: Earlier this year, you finally made your way to IWC in arguably the greatest tag match in IWC history against "Fabulous" John McChesney and "Barbaric Berzerker" Jimmy Jacobs. Your thoughts on your debut match and on your opponents?
A: I absolutely loved that match. To me, it has been our best showing since we have been there. I just really don't think the match could have went any better than what it did. I think both are going to be big in this business.
Q: The two of you won over the crowd in just one night and became immediate contenders for the IWC Tag Titles. In May 2004 you defeated "M-Dogg 20" Matt Cross & Josh Prohibition to win those belts. Your thoughts on the match, the opponents, and winning the titles?
A: We have always wanted to have the match with Matt and Josh. We never got to have it in XPW. I thought the match where we won the titles was very good. Tracy and myself had just come from Cleveland, Ohio where we wrestled in the first match. We were late as hell getting there. The other great thing was we had to follow AJ and Christopher Daniels. The people seemed happy with it, the promoter was happy with it, so I guess it was good. I think Matt and Josh have come a long way. Both are excellent in the ring
Q: IWC's tag division is hotter than ever, with teams like Jacobs & McChesney, Matt & Josh, The Ring Crew Express, The Wild Cards, among others. What's your assessment of our tag team division?
A: I agree with you, the tag division is hot and right now we are the champs. That makes me feel really good. Hoping to get to wrestle Jacobs and McChesney again, hoping for another round with Matt and Josh, as well as the Wildcards, who by the way LOOOOOOOOOOVE my chops. Really hoping to get a chance to wrestle Dunn and Marcos in the future.
Q: What are your thoughts on the IWC fans?
A: Didn't really know what their reaction was going to be towards us the first time, but I think they are awesome. A good bit of smarts in the crowd, but different than the Philly smarts. They don't yell the stupid chants and they are there because they know they are going to see some damn good wrestling. They also know that everyone in IWC, from Norm Connors to every guy on the show, is going to bust their ass to have a great show.
Q: What makes IWC such a great place to work?
A: Well, first of all, you know just about every match on the show is going to be good. You know the fans are going to make you feel appreciated. Not to get off the subject, but I wish fans knew what it meant to the guys to let them know that what they do and love is appreciated. YOU are letting them live their dreams. So if you are at a show and guy misses a spot, when you see him, tell him you respect the hell out of him for just trying to make it as a wrestler. The other thing that makes it a good place to wrestle is this. Norm does what he can to bring the matches together that the people want to see. Well, if I am on that show, I get to see them too. I am as much a mark for two guys that can WORK as anyone reading this. After all, that's why I, or anyone else for that matter got into this business.
Q: What does the future hold for you in IWC and abroad?
A: I hope I will be with IWC for a long time. I hope me and Tracy are successful at making the fans proud to call us the tag team champions. I think Norm has all the right tools to make IWC even bigger and better than what is it.
Q: Thank you for your time...Any final thoughts?
A: Thank you, if anyone is interested, you can visit my site at www.ChrisHamrick.com
Send feedback to iwcmc_dombrowski@yahoo.com