INTERNATIONAL WRESTLING CARTEL

INTERROGATION
"M-DOGG 20" MATT CROSS
& JOSH PROHIBITION

IWC Tag Team Champions
Conducted by Joe Dombrowski
IWC Color Commentator / Media Correspondent

NOTE: This interview was conducted prior to Josh Prohibition sustaining his ankle injury.

IWC: "M-Dogg 20" Matt Cross, Josh Prohibition, considering the large amount of success you both have been experiencing over the past several months of your lives, you were the perfect candidates to be the next interview subjects here on IWCwrestling.com.

Your careers here in this area began like so many others: You started making a name for yourself however you could and gained a reputation for yourselves, and eventually IWC promoter Norm Connors took notice of your talents and brought you here. That was in the summer of 2002, and as soon as you arrived you were thrust into the spotlight with three consecutive tag team championship shots at then-champions Sexual Harassment (Eric Xtasy & JT Rodgers), a series of matches still talked about today. What were and are your thoughts on that series of matches?

JOSH: I was very grateful that we came into IWC and got a shot at the tag team titles right away. Matt and I had been working extremely hard on the independent wrestling circuit trying to improve as much as possible. I was glad Norm Connors felt we were good enough wrestlers to be worthy of a title shot. I really enjoyed our matches with Sexual Harassment.

MATT: It was great to get in the ring with Eric and JT and show the fans what we were all about. I enjoyed the feud and it was cool to see the fans get more and more interested with each passing show. Unfortunately we weren't able to come up on the winning side of any of the bouts, but I think we helped validate Sexual Harassment's title run.

JOSH: The matches seemed to create a good buzz with the fans in attendance and online.

IWC: That series had three matches: a standard match, a streetfight, and a TLC match. Which of those did you prefer and why?

MATT: I thought the street fight was a lot of fun and innovative. I was able to debut moves I'd not done yet in the promotion that were almost tailor made for that type of match. When Eric Irish-whipped me into a wall I was able to show the fans one of my many reversals by climbing up it and hitting him with a moonsault. I also debuted my Space Flying MDogg Drop and Death From Above (backflipping 450 with a half twist into a splash) on that show as well as moonsaulting off the ring truck some 10 odd feet in the air.

JOSH: I prefer a standard match any day of the week. Street fights and TLC matches are extremely risky and are incredibly painful. I think Matt and I get a reputation sometimes that we can't wrestle so I like the opportunity to prove people wrong.

IWC: After you came close to but were not able to defeat Sexual Harassment, you attempted singles runs. Matt, you've pinned CM Punk and even had an altercation with the legendary Kamala in IWC rings, but you two as singles stars just didn't seem to be the same. From there, you decided to leave IWC and join Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW) based out of the Los Angeles and Philadelphia areas where you shined like you rightfully should, becoming what I believe to be one of only two teams to ever hold the XPW Tag Titles. Some could even argue the tag division was tailor made for the two of you considering a tag division there was nonexistent until around the time the two of you arrived. What was it like working for XPW, which at the time was arguably the second or third largest U.S. promotion?

MATT: Working for XPW was awesome. I have so many good memories of my time there and it's a shame it's current status is unknown. The locker room was close and I felt I had many friends there. It was always a blast hanging out with guys like Chris Hamrick, Jerry Lynn, Justin Credible, Halloween and Damien 666, Juvi (Guerrera), Jonny Storm, just the locker room as a whole. Josh and I went to XPW to be a part of their incredible roster and improve as wrestlers. Being able to have matches with the likes of Chris Candido, Chris Chetti, Danny Doring, Tracy Smothers, and Chris Hamrick, I believe we were able to learn a ton while having a great time.

JOSH: Being in the ring and defending our belts against these guys really helped us improve as wrestlers. It was nice to be able to gain a fan base on the west coast as well.

IWC: How does it feel knowing that, based on the behind-the-scenes turmoil of the XPW elite, you'll likely retire as XPW Tag champions?

MATT: I still have the XPW World Tag Team belt in my room today and it's a nice souvenir of my time there and the fond memories I have.

JOSH: I'm proud of the time I spent in XPW. Having the belt in my possession is an honor. I have it displayed in my room.

MATT: It's strange to see the videos in stores and all the websites and press surrounding it and know that you're a champion in that company.

IWC: In addition to that, you two have also been involved in a couple of other exciting projects. In case the fans may not be aware, why don't you enlighten our viewers on what the two of you are featured in and when & where they can purchase it?

JOSH: Matt and I have a DVD out now called "Backyard Wrestling Super Star Series: A Passion for Pain." It is basically a documentary that shows the story of our wrestling careers: From our short-lived backyard days that gained us national publicity to our run as XPW tag team champions. It's packed full of highlights along with the "Jackass" like public stunts we have been taping for the past few years. It turned out to be an extremely entertaining DVD.

MATT: It's available pretty much wherever videos are sold (i.e., Best Buy, Sam Goody, etc.) and there's talks of putting it on PPV early 2004. I'm really excited and proud of it and feel people have a much better understanding of who we are as people after having watched it. To break up the violence and wrestling we also included our public "Jackass" styled stunts that we do to pass our time. You'll be able to see me dressed up like Hulk Hogan going into a tanning salon, falling down stairs and out of trees, as well as countless other ridiculous acts of immaturity crossed with spontaneity and genius.

JOSH: If you are going to buy them, get them directly from us. It's a better deal plus it supports us.

MATT: If you're interested I can be contacted at mdogg20@mdogg20.com and we have copies available for $15 whereas it's $20 in Best Buy I believe.

JOSH: Also we are featured on the cover and main characters in the X-Box and Playstation 2 game, "Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try this at Home." You can get that anywhere they sell video games.

MATT: It's strange to think that a game en-route to selling 200,000 copies has a picture of us on the cover.

IWC: On a more serious note, there are critics out there who get on your cases due to your past with backyard wrestling. I'm sure there are some wrestlers or fans out there who may think differently about you, or even some organizations that would refuse to do business with you based on that, despite you two being fully trained and paying all of your dues like everyone else for quite some time now. Here's your open forum, how do you address all these skeptics and critics?

MATT: That really hasn't been much of a problem. We get asked this question quite frequently, but I think once people see us, our work talks for itself. You don't become IWC Tag Team Champions as a backyarder. XPW Tag Straps don't go to yarders and you won't work matches against Jerry Lynn as some untrained dreamer. I don't believe any wrestlers or promoters "hold it against us" so to speak. On the other hand there are some fans or, as I like to refer to them, "idiots" who feel our backyard wrestling matches some four years ago still need to be talked about despite all we've done and proven in the past two to three years on the indy scene. Fortunately this is a very small, almost nonexistent, population of wrestling fans.

JOSH: The critics that get on our case are 17-year-old internet smart marks that can't get a date if their life depended on it and really overweight indy wrestlers who in a year's time have six matches usually with the same federation. I've been in some of the bigger independent wrestling federations in the country and we are looking to debut soon in a few other big indy promotions and they couldn't care less that we did a few backyard matches. I really don't care what people say about us; as long as they are still talking about us. I'm happy.

IWC: When you returned to IWC a few months ago, you had a new challenge on your hands: The Devil's Advocates. Thanks to interference from Jake Garrett, you lost your fourth attempt at the tag team titles. Did this defeat lower your confidence or make you even more driven to reach the top?

JOSH: I'm always driven, every time I go out there I give everything I got in an attempt to win the match and entertain the fans. I think losing makes you that much more hungry to win.

MATT: We have lost some battles but as we finally showed the war will be ours. All our tag matches in the past were just a means to the end and now we're on top of the IWC tag team division. We scouted the Devil's Advocates and as you saw when we finally brought home the titles we were able to counter, reverse, and break free of many of the moves they used on us the first time. Josh and I are sharp team always looking to learn and improve, that's what makes us so dangerous.

IWC: Shortly afterward, you marched to the ring alongside Eric Xtasy, Jimmy Jacobs, and "The Franchise" Shane Douglas as Douglas ushered in a new era of "Extreme IWC" pledging to "flush" the likes of Bubba the Bulldog and company. You two know Shane better than most considering your XPW pasts. With that and Shane's history for revolutionizing promotions in mind, what do you think The Franchise's presence here means for IWC and for the likes of Bubba the Bulldog?

JOSH: Shane is the man. He's done everything and been everywhere in this business. When I was a junior in high school I watched as he reigned as heavyweight champion of my favorite promotion ever, ECW. It's an honor to stand in the same ring as him and the fact he wants me in his faction is an honor.

MATT: All I can say is that I would not like to be on the other side of Shane Douglas. To me he has all the assets as well as history on his side. Shane's an awesome guy and he can always count on me. Back in XPW he used to call me after title defenses and let me know what I could work on to make sure my title reign wasn't in jeopardy which I appreciated more than words can say. He always takes the time out to help you and it's an honor to learn from his wealth of knowledge.

JOSH: I think Bubba's days are numbered if Shane is after him.

IWC: Whether it was luck, ability, of motivation from The Franchise, the two of you finally made it to the top of the IWC mountain, after five attempts in 12 months, you are finally IWC Tag Team Champion. How does it feel to finally be on top and technically dual champions?

JOSH: It's an honor to carry the IWC belts. IWC is one of the best indy feds in the country and they are always bringing in top-notch talent. I look forward to defending the belts.

MATT: It's especially gratifying knowing just how hard it was to get here and knowing all the things we had to overcome. It felt great when we were finally able to capture the belts while the crowd gave us a standing ovation. I think the people knew our history and that we would stop at nothing to become champions.

IWC: We've seen so many top teams pass through IWC, things can only get harder from here. Are you ready for the tough tests that are no doubt ahead of you?

JOSH: I'm all about challenges. Bring the best talent wrestling has to offer.

MATT: We took on whatever XPW threw at us and came out on top and we plan on doing it again here. We're always ready and we're definitely fighting champions. I always like a challenge so hopefully we're able to step in their with some of the country's best.

IWC: I'd like to thank the both of you for taking the time for this interview, I wish you both continued success in all of your endeavors. Any final words for all your fans reading this?

JOSH: Thanks for the interview, check out my website at www.joshprohibition.com and buy a DVD, it's well worth the money.

MATT: Thanks for this opportunity and come out to support the IWC. We've been all over the country and even the world and these shows are consistently top notch. Some of the best talent out there has passed through and regularly competes in this promotion and it's really a treat from a fan's and wrestler's perspective. Also, to get more information on myself, be sure to check out www.mdogg20.com. Show some support for your tag team champions by picking up one of our new shirts or the aforementioned DVD. Thanks again and we'll see you all soon.

As was noted above, this interview was conducted prior to Josh Prohibition sustaining his injury. He fractured his ankle in two places while training, and early prognostication has Josh out of the ring for at least one month. Now, "M-Dogg 20" Matt Cross will have to prove just how much of a fighting champion he is. Cross will have a decision to make: To defend the IWC tag team titles against The Devil's Advocates and The Ring Crew Express by himself, or to select a replacement partner for one night only. Can Matt defy the odds and come out on top, and who, if anybody, will he recruit to stand by his side? From XPW to England, Matt Cross has been everywhere so there's no telling who, if anyone, he may come up with to be his partner. There's only one way to see how this story develops, and that's to watch all the drama unfold live this Saturday night at the brand new IWC Arena!