DOUBLE DEUCE INC. is a faction in IPW Hardcore that consists of Uptown Frankie Capone, Pat Powers, Cannon and Pat McGroin (due to a business trip to the south of France, Mr. McGroin was not available for this interview.) Capone, Powers and McGroin are all former IPW TV champions, with Powers beating Capone for the belt then McGroin winning it from Powers (confused??) Capone and Cannon are never at a loss for words while Powers is usually telling fans to, Shut your mouth!! This interview was conducted in the confines of a luxurious Volvo S90 owned by Cannon on our way towell Im not sure where but we ended up somewhere eventually.
Alan Wojcik: What led to you getting into the wrestling business?
Pat Powers: I was a big fan growing up. Ive always been drawn to the combination of show business and athleticism. Ive been an athlete all my life. I was trained by Angelo Poffo, who is the father of Lanny Poffo and Macho Man Randy Savage.
Cannon: I also was a huge fan as a kid. I was glued to the TV on Saturdays watching the NWA and Florida wrestling with Ric Flair and Gordon Solie. I was a huge Four Horseman mark. I dreamed that I could do it. The kids in the neighborhood would hang around and do what you could call backyard wrestling. I went and trained in martial arts and also got a career in the private sector. One day it hit me that I really could get into wrestling. I looked up a school where Stormy Granzig (sic) trained me for a few months. He told me after a few months to go find work and I joined ICW out of Daytona and met Frankie there. We have been friends since then.
(Frankies answer to this question can be seen in his solo interview also on this site.)
AW: How did you come to work for IPW Hardcore and what were your initial impressions of Ron Niemi?
Powers: Ive known Ron going back to around 1990 and he has been a good friend throughout those years. Cuban Assassin Navy Seal and I were I believe to be the first guys to work for Ron. I came down to his old training school and liked his idea of hardcore mixed in with the traditional wrestling
Cannon: I hooked up with Frank and he took me under his wing when he came to IPW shows. I came to just meet the guys and get known. One thing led to another and Frank got me into some hardcore matches. My first IPW match was with Chaos who kicked my ass and left me bleeding. I love the guys and dont want to work anywhere else.
Capone: I met Ron when I was working for CCW in Orlando under a hood as the character of Psycho Sexy. I came up in the ranks with Jamie Noble, Jeremy Lopez and Tony Mamaluke. Ron and I had known each other by name and I busted his balls for a few months about getting work. I will never for get the date of June 10, 2000, right before I got married and he asked me to work for him against Jeremy Lopez. I brought him a twelve pack and Ive been booked ever since (laughs.)
AW: Both Frankie and Pat are veterans of the business. What is it like to be in a WWE, WCW, ECW or NWA:TNA ring? Is it the biggest adrenaline rush of your life?
Powers: Actually I get bigger rushes working in front of smaller crowds. Ive been rings of the old WWF, WCW and IWF. WWF was a big rush and it was an honor to be able to be in their ring. You work your whole wrestling career to get there. To get into a ring at any level is an honor and the younger kids in the business need to learn that fact.
Capone: My dark match on TNA is owed to Ron and Tony Mamaluke. Tony got me into ECW for a short stint before they shut down. Ron has gotten the guys he feels have busted their asses off shots with NWA:TNA and WWE. For my TNA match I had the honor to work Erik Watts and afterwards I got good notes from Raven and D-Lo Brown. Their staff treated Cannon and me with the up most respect. I got onto the PPV helping break up a fight between Jeff Jarrett and Glen Gilberti, which was great to be on the PPV even for a moment. Ron and the IPW office has done wonders for the boys and gotten us opportunities we wouldnt have gotten on our own.
AW: This question goes to Frankie. Is Pat Powers the hardest chest chopper in wrestling?
Capone: Jesus H. Christ, I have ever been chopped harder in my life. We had a feud about a year ago and Ive never been hit harder by anyone. Everyone forgets this isnt just sports entertainment. Its about giving 110%, giving all that you can and making it look as real as you can without killing each other. Its not about who can flip the highest. The bottom line is that we have to get up the next day and work. Anyone that knows anything about professional wrestling knows that unless youre in WWE or Japan or IWA in Puerto Rico, you are not making the living at this. Pat and I beat each other up and we are better friends for it and now here we are together in Double Deuce.
AW: Before joining Double Deuce, Pat you were part of the Professionals with Rod Steel, Pat McGroin and Jeff Bradley. How did that union come to begin and eventually end?
Powers: It came about one day we were working out together and thought what the hell we need to beat some people up (Frankie and Cannon laugh.) In my view, Jeff is the modern day Bruiser Brody. We kicked some asses and it was good for a while. I blame the break up on Rod Steel, his ego got too big. I couldnt stand him anymore so I had to kick his ass and then I let Pat and Jeff Bradley have a turn with him. Frankie and I got tired of beating each other up and thats what led to our joining up.
AW: At one point you and McGroin were managed by the buxom Vanessa Harding. How did she come to be your manager and what did she being to the team?
Powers: Vanessa was mostly eye candy and many distractions to our opponents. She had some issues with the IPW office and she is no longer around. She is a nice person and I wish her well.
AW: Pat, you were the first person to be mimicked by Superfan Mark Zout when he wrestled Pat McGroin. What was your reaction when you saw the videotape?
Powers: Actually I wasnt at that event nor have I seen the tape. He hasnt had the balls to mimic me since and to this day he denies ever doing it.
AW: Frankie and Cannon were next to be mimicked as Mark became Uptown Frankie Zout while Job Zout became Job Cannon. What did you think when they came through the curtain to the ring?
Cannon: Theyre a couple of clowns and thats the only way they can get over is to rip off Double Deuce. They thought it would be a way to the top instead they found that it is the way to an ass kicking.
Capone: You know what is funny is imitation is the biggest form of flattery. Zout doesnt have the creativity to come up with his own gimmick; he has to bite off guys like me, Pat and Cannon. Also stars like Hulk Hogan, Undertaker and whats that other idiots name.
Cannon: Randy Savage??
Capone: That guy. Right dig it, yeah!! The bottom line Zouts is I kicked your asses along with the Cash Money Crew. We have beaten you up for the last six months and I am begging the IPW office to stop putting them in the ring with us so they can stop getting their chests chopped by Pat Powers and getting beaten down by Pat McGroin, Cannon and Frankie Capone.
AW: At the IPW 5th anniversary show, Double Deuce met up with D-Generation Zout. During that match Comic Book Guy..sorry Brian the Stretcher Anderson turned on his team and help you win the match. Is Brain Anderson a member of Double Deuce Inc?
Capone: Not as of yet, Brian hasnt proved himself worthy of joining Double Deuce. I can say Brian is the best student to come out of the Florida Wrestleplex. Not Rod the goldenboy Steel, not Bruce I beat up my lady Steele. Brian is of the famed Anderson blood. He has the best sidewalk slam this side of the Mississippi but no he isnt a member of the Double Deuce.
AW: Pat you have a hand in the training of the students at the Florida Wrestleplex. If someone is reading this, why should they learn at the Wrestleplex?
Powers: You have many different teachers that can teach all the different styles out there in the world of wrestling. Its hard knocks training. Anyone thinks that it is sugar coated is blind. It is hard business to get into. The easier it looks on TV the harder it is to do. Navy Seal is the head trainer and he does a tremendous job with the students.
(Cannon pulls into the parking lot of the Florida Wrestleplex)
AW: Time to pass the recorder around the car. Who is your toughest opponent in your career?
Powers: My toughest opponent was my first ever, Mike McCloskey. He was trained by Angelo Poffo and Randy Savage. It was my toughest night because I was so scared and overwhelmed by all that was happening. He took it to me that night and it was a great wake up call and introduction to the wrestling business.
Capone: One of my toughest matches was with a best friend of mine named Stu Allen who wrestles as the Dominator in London, England in 1999. Both of us came out of Adrian Streets wrestling school, Skull Crushers Wrestling Academy. I was flown over to England by Extreme World Warfare who we worked for. We worked in a cage match and then soon we became part of the Dead Souls. Stu is an underrated wrestler in Europe. He beat me from one end of that cage to another, but I came out on top only as Frankie Capone can. In Europe you wrestle three rounds and have a point system. The fact is he beat me all over the place but as I said I came out on top.
Cannon: My toughest match had more to do with the outside factor than my opponent. It was a chain match with Python and his then-partner Frankie Capone walking the floor. When Python dumped me to the floor, Frankie didnt just hit me with a chair he THREW A CHAIR AT MY SKULL, splitting me wide open and costing me two pints of blood. He then tossed me in to get finished off by Python. It had nothing to do with Python it was this a$$ next to me Frankie Capone (Frankie was laughing throughout Cannons comment.)
AW: Who was your favorite opponent?
Powers: My favorite opponent was the late Curt Hennig. It was an overwhelming experience as well as a learning one.
Capone: There is a couple. I was in the ring many times with the late Jeff Peterson who all of us came to know and I miss very much. God bless you wherever you are. I guess of the IPW guys I hate to say this, but its Rod Steel and Jet Jaguar who I would like to take credit for retiring since in our match he broke his hip, like anyone cares (laughs.) I beat both of them for the IPW TV title. Those guys worked a flawless match with me at the same time beating the living tar out of each other and then we went to a local strip joint and drink beers together.
AW: If you could wrestle one person, past or present, who would it be with?
Powers: Ive thought about it often and hands down my dream match would be with Ric Flair. He is the best in the business and one of the reasons I am in wrestling. Growing up watching and match after match of his.
Capone: My dream match would be with George Hackenschmidt, the world champion from 1905, I am kidding!! My real dream opponent would be Hulk Hogan. Im a hulkamaniac for life. I cried when he lost the title to the Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania 6 and I vowed to gain revenge on the Warrior, but the WWE doesnt take guys 5 ft 8 inches tall (Cannon laughs.) Hogan is a tremendous entertainer and if it wasnt form him and Vince McMahon we wouldnt have careers. Hogan is the greatest of the great. Cannons dream opponent is Barney Rumble (laughs.)
Cannon: Without a doubt Ric Flair. He is the best and he inspired me to become a wrestler and be an a#$hole everywhere we go.
AW: How much of Pat Powers the person is Pat Powers the wrestler?
Powers: Totally different. When I am in the ring I am Pat Powers and the gloves come off. Out of the ring I am very quiet and respectful guy.
AW: Likewise how much of real Cannon and Frankie Capone come out in the ring?
Capone: You know what Alan. Unlike Pat Powers who is very reserved, I maybe an asshole in the ring but I am a bigger asshole out of the ring. Cannon and I have gotten into more $%it in the last six months. We have to go to court in November from some guy that ran me down with his pickup truck after he tried to talk $#it. People mistake the wrestling business for something thats real. Eminem says in his songs, You think you know me, you dont know me!! Frankie Capone and Cannon are two of the baddest, most volatile people in the business. Well kick you in the groin and than ask questions later. Bottom line Pat is the calm guy that keeps us grounded. In the locker room hell smack me in my face and tell me to watch my mouth. But were doing a shoot interview. Ill say what ever the f#&k I want. You think for one second I wont slap you in the face and tell you what is going on. We are the real deal. In the end, Frank (real last name deleted) is the same person as Uptown Frankie Capone.
Cannon: Ive had a#$holes come from behind and hit me with bottles, Ive had a$#holes hit me from the front and hit me with bats. I dont give a sh&#. We have each others back. People want to start stuff with us. You start with us and you go home in a body bag.
(IPW student Amy Love walks by the car)
Cannon and Capone: Wow Hot Ass Amy walking by. Come here honey and sit in our car.
AW: Down boys!! Take a moment to calm down. Cannon and Frankie you were at a recent MLW show in St Petersburg. What were your thoughts of MLW Hybrid Wrestling?
Capone: I would like to sh$% all over MLW but I cant. All kidding aside the guys on the show, including my friend Tony Mamaluke, put on a hell of a show. I found out that weekend Tony got engaged even though he is married, sorry Tony. Sonjay Dutt and B-Boy are a few of the great cruiserweights MLW had on that show. To be fair to other promotions including IPW, all MLW had on that show were cruiserweights. It seemed like there were no story lines and nothing made any sense. They have a money mark running things. I hope things work out for them. The bottom line is that it takes more than money and cruiserweights to build a company. In IPW you have two jacked up Sonnys you bet boys in the Shane twins, veterans like Pat Powers, Cuban Assassin, Pat Powers, Cannon, Frankie Capone and also younger guys like Roderick Strong. IPW has a variety of wrestlers. You cant blame the MLW talent roster for the bad writing. I respect each and every one of them.
AW: Pat you mentioned watching WWE growing up. What do you think of the current product they put on TV and in the arenas for house shows?
Powers: Vince McMahon has the midas touch. I am still a big fan of the WWE. I enjoy the tremendous athletes they have and I wouldnt disrespect them by saying anything different.
AW: Have you seen NWA:TNA and would you work for them?
Powers: Absolutely. It is a good show where they are mixing the old school with some new school. It would be an honor to work for them.
AW: Where do you hope Double Deuce will go to next?
Capone: I hope we go to Japan or Europe. Bottom line is we go where we want, say what we want and do what we want anytime of the day. Weve got a ring veteran in Pat Powers, the attitude of Frankie Capone, the bad ass legitimate tough guy in Cannon and the best dressed wrestler in the business in Pat McGroin. We spend the money like we want as you know from sitting in this $42,000 dollar Volvo with us. Double Deuce Inc. is going public in the next six months. Weve got the attitude and drive to succeed. People want to talk about the AOD but we are keeping the airing up on UPN-44 and making IPW famous. We have what it takes to be the best in wrestling and we show it night in and night out.
Many thanks to Frankie, Pat and Cannon for driving me around. For more on where you can see the Double Deuce in person log onto www.ipw-hardcore.com
