AXIS and PYTHON are partners in the tag team known as VICIOUS & DELICIOUS. Unlike some of the other teams I have interviewed, both men had singles careers before joining forces. This interview took place at the Pinellas Expo Hall on June 14, 2003, before V & D were to enter the ring to take on Double Deuce Inc members Pat Powers and Pat McGroin. The group Double Deuce Inc. was founded by Pythons former employer/partner, Uptown Frankie Capone. First up I talked with Python about his past on the gridiron, followed by Axis and his hardcore exploits and finally the two of them sat down to talk about IPW Hardcores tag team division and an internet feud with some IPW fans who will be named later in the piece.

Alan Wojcik: Before you were a wrestler you played football for the University of Central Florida Golden Knights. What did you study at UCF and how did football lead to professional wrestling?

Python: I played football from junior high until I graduated from UCF. My degree is in Physical Education, K-12. So I can teach the little ones and the big ones, theyre all pains in the asses anyway (laughs.) How did football led to wrestling? When I graduated, football ended. Well Ive always been athletic and wanted to do something in wrestling. I remember back when I was 10 years old. I broke my leg and my folks got me ringside seats to the WWF to see Hulk Hogan take on Paul Orndoff. It ended in a DQ, so that sucked. Growing up in Jacksonville I would see the NWA all the time. The Road Warriors, wink wink, taking on the Midnight Express in scaffold matches. When the bug really hit me was when I went to a WCW Nitro show in 1996. I was ringside and as the wrestlers kept going by me throughout the show, I kept thinking these guys arent as big as they looked on TV. Thats was when I needed something else to do with that football energy.

AW: Who trained you and what do you remember of it?

Python: I was trained by Exotic Adrian Street. At his school students get out of it what they put into it. You can work hard and become a wrestler or you can do nothing and become the drizzling sh#$s. We trained seven days a week on the stiffest ring ever! It was outside, flat to the ground and the posts were buried into the ground. So whenever anyone complains about a stiff ring I tell them my training stories.

AW: Who was your first match against and what do you remember from the experience?

Python: My first match was for the Thunder Wrestling Federation against the Florida Hurricane. I remember I was more excited than nervous since I had played in front of thousands for UCF. I was green as hell but it was a great experience. I cut a promo and showed I can talk on the stick. Not everyones first match is going to be memorable.

AW: When did you first join IPW Hardcore and what were your initial impressions of the Hardcore Giant Ron Niemi?

Python: To answer the second part first, I was expecting some 69, 300 pound gorilla and Ron turned out to be Poppa Smurf (laughs.) Seriously, Ron was very cordial to me. I came to an IPW show with Frankie Capone one night. We had wrestled before and become good fiends. He told me I needed to meet Ron. Ironically Frankie and I live about five minutes apart. I started coming to shows with Frankie. Finally Ron asked me to be bodyguard Frankie and then we began to tag.

AW: Not to ruffle feathers but, how does Frankie Capone compare to your current partner Axis?

Python: Teaming with Frankie as Big N Sexy was different. We were a comedy act and have a good time. Once Axis and I got together it was game motherf#@king on. The intensity, the tenacity and the aggressiveness is totally different.

AW: At one point you and Axis were on opposite sides of the ring when Capone took on Axis. What was it like to be in that situation?

Python: I attacked him with a chair when I was totally misguided by Frankie. Axis was beating Frankies ass and I needed to handle things. But in the locker room, Axis came over to me and talked to me telling me I was with the wrong guy. He could have held hard feelings but he sat and talked to me. Axis and I had met in TWF when both of us were beginning in the business. We knew then we destined to be a team, we had some chemistry.

(Axis joins the conversation after waiting patiently.)

AW: You my friend have an interesting educational background. Please tell me and the readers what your degrees are in.

Axis: I have considered myself a renaissance man from the time I became self-aware shortly after my teens and I realized that there was more to live than athletics. I feel you need to take time to make yourself and mold yourself into something of your own design. I began thinking of taking liberal arts classes at Florida State. I knew that I wanted something that would educate me not necessarily get me a job. So I hold degrees in Greek/Roman/Ancient civilizations and Greek interdisciplinary humanities.

AW: How does someone with those degrees become involved in professional wrestling?

Axis: If you know about ancient Greece that is where wrestling began. It was a logical progression. I have always been an athlete. I was involved in football through school. I tried walking on at FSU but wasnt good enough to make it. I have three years of Judo, two years of Karate and a year of kickboxing. I had been a fan of wrestling all my life. At age 4 I saw my first match which was Dusty Rhodes taking on Harley Race. I was living in Tallahassee after graduating and I saw an independent show come to town. The guys were not talented, their physiques were deplorable and not one of them could cut a decent promo. The only person on that show with talent was Cuban Assassin Fidel Sierra. I knew from seeing them I knew what I could do. I went backstage to meet this guy named Stan Naguin, who wrestled as Chief Little Bear. He was trained by Boris Malenko. My training for one year consisted of driving to and from Tallahassee to Panama City four times a week for a four hour session. The classes were in a warehouse with no a/c and you needed to bring your own water. It was the most painful thing Ive ever done but I wouldnt ever trade it in because it made me who I am today.

AW: Do you have memories of your first match?

Axis: it was five years ago. The guy I wrestled was doing a pimp-style gimmick. I wrestled that match under Victor Von Kreig. I was so nervous I almost threw up. I dont remember anything except he went for a belly-to-back and I went down right on top of him. I was doing power lifting back then so I was a solid 300 pounds, I broke three of his ribs. We were trained if something goes wrong to punch or kick your opponent. I went to bodyslam him and he told me he was all f#$ked up. So I began to put the boots to him and he began to scream in pain. Then I dropped an elbow on him and took it home. From that moment I knew this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

AW: When did you join IPW and what are your first memories of Ron Niemi?

Axis: About 2 1/2 years ago. I had done some research on the various schools and organizations in south Florida. I am very in tune with my little voice and it told me to come to IPW. I met Ron on the first night. He sounded a lot taller on the telephone (laughs.) I guess the Giant part was a work. Ron has been very generous to me and I have enjoyed working for him.

AW: Early in your IPW tenure you had a shot at then IPW World champion now AOD member Mike Sullivan. What was it like to be new in the business and wrestle for a world title?

Axis: I can honestly say that of all the people in IPW, Mike is one that I truly respect as a person and a worker. He is a person that watches tape and after a match will sit with you and gives constructive criticism. Something like that shows that people in IPW care and are not out for themselves. I have nothing but the highest regards for Mike Sullivan then and now.

AW: As we talked about with Python, you wrestled Uptown Frankie Capone. What is it like to be in the ring with Frankie?

Axis: At the time I was nervous about wrestling Frankie. He had been around for a while. Since then Ive wrestled Dusty Rhodes and Kevin Sullivan and other superstars. But on that night I was nervous, once I got in the ring and began to kick his ass the nervousness sort of faded away.

AW: You are a former IPW Hardcore champion. What are your memories of winning the belt from Chaos in February 2002 and subsequent re-matches with him?

Axis: I have to give it up for Chaos. Of all the hardcore individuals in IPW he is the most consistent and dedicated to the hardcore philosophy. That night he laid into me real good. It was the first time Ive ever been busted open. You can see pictures of meat the WrestlePlex with the tile belt and my crimson mask. Chaos, I respect and enjoyed working with him.

AW: You mentioned Kevin Sullivan. What was it like to wrestle him at last years Rage in the Cage?

Axis: It was fantastic. Ive been in tons of shoot styles scraps in my life. That old guy hit me so f$%king hard. If you watch the tape from that match, he hit me so hard two times in a row that I was shaking. I was smart enough not to let him hit me a third time (Python laughs.) Let me tell you it was great. Kevin and I were watching the other matches before ours. We agreed the best thing to do was to go out there and kick each others ass. Sort of like the program he worked with Chris Benoit in WCW. I used to watch Sullivan as a kid and I got to wrestle an idol of mine. I hope to do it again someday.

AW: We are sitting in a locker room that the two of you are sharing with a former opponent during your title reign, New Jack. You wrestled him at Zero Tolerance 2002. What was it like to wrestle New Jack?

Axis: Someone correct me if Im wrong but I kicked his ass all over Crystal River.

(Python opens a side curtain expecting New Jack to be there, only for it to be NWA:TNA star DLo Brown.)

DLo Brown: Hes not over here (Axis and Python laugh for minutes.)

Axis: Anyways it was good. Hes one of the most intense hardcore people Ive ever wrestled. Quite honestly I was a little intimidated by him. I had admired his ECW work for years. Its not everyday you meet an individual that will jump from a 40 foot balcony jump on a consistent basis.

DLo Brown: Not to mention hes got 8 justifiable homicides to his name.

Axis: To say I was nervous was an understatement. Once I got in the ring I calmed down and showed him I am the man. So someone correct me I took my title home that night.

Python: You did.

Axis: Damn right!

AW: You lost the title to Kubiak. Memories on wrestling him and chasing him to get the title back in several re-matches.

Axis: There is another intense person. We had three matches for the belt. Every match with him I knew I was going to have to earn my payday. Any of the people we have talked about that want a re-match with hardcore Axis, I will give it to them. None of them have the intensity, the strength and the hardcore skills to do it like I did. Lets call it like it is. (Interviewers note: IPW cruiserweight star Naphtali stood behind Axis and mocked him during the last comments.) If you notice with Naphtali his mocking is always done behind Axis so he wont stick his size 13 right up his ass.

AW: What led to the formation of the tag team known as Vicious & Delicious?

Axis: Like Python mentioned before we had met in Jacksonville a few years ago. I will tell you Alan; I believe there are certain people that you are meant to meet in the course of life. He and I felt the chemistry or fate at work if you will. We come from the same cloth. We are genetic freaks that have intensity, skill and ability to work the mic. We are brothers from different mothers.

Python: Thats what it is like. When Axis comes to Jacksonville to see my mom and dad my parents are like oh my other son is here. Same thing happens when we go to see his family.

AW: You are managed by two ladies named Lennox and Coral. What do they bring to V & D?

Axis: Well you cant have the Vicious without the Delicious. While were in the ring being vicious they are being delicious. You look at Coral that is delicious, while Lennox is vicious. By the same token you can switch that statement around.

Python: Lets talk about that. Lets hit a sore spot here in IPW, the other divas. You want to a cottage cheese check, theres none there when you look at Lennox and Coral. Lets do an abs check. Coral has the flattest stomach in IPW. We are quite possibly the smartest tag team in the nation. Axis has two degrees, I have one and Coral has two degrees. Lets put it on the record, she is my wife. She has a degree in psychology with a social welfare background. When she is out at the ring while we are wrestling she is analyzing everything. She might not say much, but she lets us know what the weak spots are on our opponents, physically and mentally. As far as Lennox, she brings the motherf@#king heat.

Axis: She is more a genetic freak than either of us. She is a worker. She can strip any of the divas down to size in the ring and probably kick the ass of most of the men in IPW. What she brings to the table is physicality, exotic and erotic sex appeal and something special home to me.

Python: I always catch the guys in the front row with their fat wives giving Coral the eyes. I bust them and I say look what you get to go home with and look who Im going home with (laughs.)

AW: Well break down some of the other teams in the IPW tag team division. You have been in the ring with the former Florida Unified tag team champions, Scoot Andrews and Mike Sullivan (Naturally Marvelous.) What are you thoughts on them?

Axis: They keep ducking us. I expected more from Mike, Scoot I dont really care for. He cant ride the rides at Disney World that midget. Sullivan I truly thought he would have more manhood and go to Ron and say we need to prove that we can go against those two monsters. So far I have nothing but distain for Naturally Marvelous.

Python: The same goes here. I really expected more from them. They are two of the best wrestlers around. We are pretty good but we bring a little more physicality to matches than they are used to. I dont think they want any of us.

Axis: I dont think they do. Theyre physically afraid. Quite honestly we would break them down physically and mentally.

AW: At this years Rage in the Cage you had a shot at the NWA Florida tag titles held by the Shane Brothers. (Interviewers note: The Shanes lost the titles to the Vandalz the night of this interview.) Any comments on Mike, Todd and their manager Ron Niemi?

Python: Mike and Todd. Anyone on the indy scene knows about them. They have been around and we are the only team that can toss them around like they toss around their competition. You have noted this in your internet reports, weve gotten closer each time we wrestle them to winning those belts. It hasnt happen yet because we are still new at this as opposed to them, theyve been a team longer. Weve watched the tapes and seen the little miscues that cost us victory. Those titles are going to be coming our way real soon. Ron Niemi, he just stands there and runs his mouth not really sure what to make of two guys tossing his twins around.

Axis: Not only that. Look at Niemis face on the tape from that show. We are over with the crowd, while the Shanes are un-loved and that eats at Ron. His little darlings got booed out of the building.

Python: At that show they had to turn heel because the crowd totally sh$% on them.

Axis: At the last Davie show, T-Bone (Todd Shane) mysteriously couldnt defend his part of the titles. They had Steve Madison and the crowd was still solidly behind us. Its just a matter of time before it happens because we want the titles and the fans want us to have the titles.

AW: At a recent IPW TV taping you wrestled the Vandalz. Give me a second so I can word this so nether of you wont kick my ass. The fans in a certain section decided not to watch the match and read some newspapers instead. What do you think of the Vandalz and that section of fans that read the sports instead of watched your match?

Python: Youre a reporter so your save with us. First well talk about the Vandalz. They are great guys. They know how a match is supposed to go. Their egos are not in the way when they get out there. Thats a straight shoot right there. As far as Uncle Boberick (uncle to Roderick and Sedrick Strong) Shyne and those assclowns go, they can bring newspapers and their toys to shows. We broke Bobs leg once and well do it again. As far as Shyne goes, he looks like a cancer patient. Im begging him to get off the chemo (lauhgs.) We dont care if you like us but you will respect us. Bringing the papers out like that shows disrespect to the other team we are working with. We can handle it because we are men, but dont disrespect the other teams in IPW.

Axis: I thought it was humorous. I thought Bob was an intelligent man but it turns out he is a petty man.

AW: You have ventured out of IPW recently. What was the NWA Wildside experience like and what are your thoughts on Bill Behrens?

Python: Bill Behrens was fine. He was respectful to us. We felt welcome. Their setup is kind of like the Florida WrestlePlex but their crowd was further from the ring so we could some work on the floor. Im going to jump ahead to the two asses we wrestled named Kevin Northcutt and his partner whose name I dont remember at this moment.

Axis: They called themselves the Mississippi Fight Club, they should have called themselves the Mississippi F#$kup Club! They had no concept of how to wrestle. Kevin Northcutt is supposedly a WCW developmental talent, bullsh@#!! Ive seen more talent in the IPW green boys in their first matches than what I saw from Northcutt that night.

Python: We had a six minute match with those guys. For those that dont know, six minutes for a tag match is not a long time. He tried to get all his shine in. We talked with the bookers about how they wanted the match to go. This ass decided to do things differently. Let me tell you we will run into those guys somewhere down the road and

Python has some serious revenge in store.

Axis: We ran into them at the Waffle House after the show. Tom Stockard I think is the other guys name; I shook his hand and told him we will cross paths again. We will get their payback.

Python: Axis held me back and Coral used her psychology background to calm me down. I was real hot. I have no problem putting someone over when a promoter asks me to. These guys came in like some monster killers and totally run things.

Axis: Kevin Northcutt, get some creatine, some andro and get your skinny ass in a gym!! More importantly get some wrestling lessons!! Next question please.

AW: You also worked with the American Dream Dusty Rhodes for Capital City Wrestling.

Python: Weve been in the back with superstars and theyve given us the weve been there, get away from me attitude. Dusty was the most warming, friendly, professional person we have ever been around. After he got to know us he cracked jokes. (Python breaks down into a Dusty impression for a moment.) We had a good time if you will. Were heels up there and didnt let him get to the pay window baby.

Axis: I dont care who you are in this business, you get in there with us your going to get an asswhipping, guaranteed.

AW: Tonight you take on two members of the new Double Deuce Inc. Pat Powers and Pat McGroin.

Python (pulls tape recorder from my hand): Youre saying that wrong its the Double Douche! There nothing but four massengil bottles running around. Personally Im surprised at the Pats. Weve wrestled the Pats before and had fun in the ring. Why they would want to join to guys like Capone and Cannon, two guys whose career are going nowhere quick. Theyre next on the V/D Express to the title belts.

Axis: Personally I thought they would have learned from the last time we kicked their ass. They dont have the overall tools to hang with us and emerge victorious. Pat Powers is Canadian so what does he know while McGroin is just plain weird. I have to give it to Capone, he is one charismatic person. He can get in your ear and have you believing anything he wants to tell you.

AW: Coming up on June 28^th at Heatstroke 2003 in Davie you two will be wrestling singles matches. Python your thoughts on taking on IPW Hardcore champion and former WWE star Mideon.

Python: Ill tell you right now that is going to be the least amount of hardcore you will ever see. I am not hardcore no am I ever going to be hardcore. But if it means bringing V/D some gold, works for me. Maybe we can interchange the title because we are one. I have no joy getting hit in the head with things; I did that playing football and hated it. It is going to be a technical display that night with armdrags, drop toe holds and maybe a headlock takeover. Mideon beware. I like him. We are friends. But when you step in the ring that switch happens and I dont care who you are. Its personal and Im going to bring the heat to him.

AW: Axis on that show you will take on former WWE star Gangrel with Luna Vachon.

Axis: We may be doing singles but we are never apart. So we will be out there for each others match. Gangrel you had a good run but where have you been lately I thought vampires couldnt come out during the day. Im going to put his name on my belt that has Kevin Sullivan, New Jack and Dusty Rhodes names on it as victory notches.

AW: A closing question. Where do you hope V & D will be at the end of 2003?

Python: Not to let any kitty-cats out of the bag but expect big things from V/D real soon. It is a matter of time before the IPW and NWA Florida belts are around our waists.

Axis: Where do I see us at the end of 2003? I see us international. I see the name of Vicious and Delicious name being known everywhere.

Thanks to Axis and Python for their time. Special thanks to DLo Brown and Naphtali for guest appearing in the interview. For more on Vicious and delicious, check out their website http://axis.20fr.com.