Scoot Andrews: Growing up in Jacksonville, I watched Championship Wrestling of Florida. My family went to Jacksonville Coliseum every Thursday night, watching the likes of Dusty Rhodes and Jack Brisco. I knew it was something I wanted to do, but didnt know how to get into it. So I began to play football in High School, then college and then the CFL for a year. I came home and began playing softball. I was trying to find something to use up my time. I stumbled upon a show put on by Renegade Championship Wrestling and talked to one of the guys and I did the training. The promotion ran one show every four months, so I didnt really learn anything. Then I met Hack Myers (of ECW fame) and he trained me for the next two years.

 

For the purpose of time I didnt ask Scoot to list all the groups he has worked for. I will list them in as close as a chronological order as possible: RCW, CCW/Jacksonville, EWA, FCW, SPWA, SCW, SECW, IPW, FOW, ECWA, USA Pro, SDW, JCW, HVW, NWA SW, NWA FL, APW, MWCW, JAP, ROH and WWE)

AW: One of the things that sticks out is you have been in some big named tournaments, like the AWP King of the Indies.

SA: Well, The Super 8 is the king of all tournaments. I got into that one through Jeff Peterson, god rest his soul. I wrestled and lost to Christopher Daniels in the finals. That was a great experience. All of a sudden, my phone starts ringing with everyone wanting me to be in their tournaments. As you might know, this is a copycat business. I will give Roland (Alexander of APW) credit; he didnt try and copy the Super 8. He made it is own my making it 16 people and 2 nights, but he used most of the guys from the Super 8. They are the best tournaments Ive done. Both had great rings, great crowds and they were fun to be involved with.

AW: What was your ECWA stay like?

SA: I have to say besides the WWE, they are the second highest rated organization out there and you need to wrestle accordingly. Those fans have seen and heard it all. If you go out there and half-step it, they will boo you out of the building. So you need to bring your A game every time you step in their ring.

AW: During your ECWA Heavyweight title reign, you worked several indy stars like Low Ki and Billy Fives. How are they to work with?

SA: Low Ki is an interesting fellow. He doesnt wrestle anything but 150 MPH. Everything looks real because he makes it look that way. Hes very snug but not stiff. You work him and youll know youve been in a fight. Billy on the other hand is a little lighter on his work technique but is equally as talented. Anytime you work guys like them, you will have a five-star match even if you are having an off night, because they will carry it.

AW: How did you get involved in Ring of Honor?

SA: To be honest I dont remember how I got booked by them (laughs.) I would see (ROH co-owner) Ron Feinstein and his guys whenever I worked for the northeast promotions. I guess them seeing me I got booked on their first show, which I worked Xavier. That was cool because he is a hell of talent and great to work with. Working their first show was not a big deal though. Youve been around as long as I have youve been on many companies first shows. 98% of them end up being crap. You look at how ROH is doing and it was a big deal. I think they will be the next ECW.

AW: What brought you to IPW Hardcore?

SA: A long time ago, when I was living in Jacksonville. I drove to a show in Winter Haven and met a couple of Ron Neimis guys. They told me about the shows they worked in the old VFW hall in St. Pete, which had a roof about 5 feet high and the ring is only 1 inch off the ground. I went to Crystal River with them and seen it grown ever since. Its amazing to watch this company grow, since Ive been in so many companies and seen it all. It great to see Rons group grow from 100 people in the VFW hall to running in the Pinellas Expo Center and do weekly TV out of the Florida WrestlePlex. Ive been happy to be apart of the growth.

AW: What was the light-heavyweight division like to work in?

SA: I had never thought of doing the light-heavyweights until I did the Super 8. When Ive worked Florida, I worked like a heavyweight. During my first match in the Super 8, I worked Trent Acid of the Backseat Boyz. We got in there and we called tons of spots for 10 straight minutes and I thought what in the hell am I doing. Eventually it sunk in and I could work that style.

AW: You worked with NWA: TNA star AJ Styles, please talk about that experience.

SA: The kid was incredible and that was before he was incredible. Everything he does is crisp and looks incredible. He was a joy to work with. He doesnt have an attitude and he wants you to look as good as you can. One thing I hate about this business is you get these young guys that are only worried about getting themselves over.

AW: Did you enjoy the NWA:TNA dark match you had in 2002?

SA: It was cool. I went there thinking the venue would be a dump and the crowd to suck. I got out there and it was packed and the crowd popped and they knew who I was. It was one of the best TV shows Ive done.

AW: If NWA:TNA offered you a weekly spot on the PPV would you take it?

SA: Absolutely in a heartbeat. Because it would be the one day a week and I could get my current employer to work around it.

AW: Youve had several WWE dark matches. How does it rate on your list of accolades?

SA: Oh my god, its not even close to anything else to Ive done. The dark matches are weird. Depending on where in the US I work, they wont know who I am when I get out there. Ive done shows for them in Phoenix, Chicago and Milwaukee. I got the boring chant in those cities before even locking up. To me the fun matches are when you work Velocity and Heat when you get to job to their guys. You get the full effect of the crowd popping for their guys. When I worked Al Snow, I thought the roof blew off the building. Same thing happened when I worked Crash Holly in Los Angeles. The last match I did was with Michael Shane against Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley. We planned that match out so well, that when they went over you would have thought the Bucs had won the Super Bowl again. Thats when you get the full feel of a WWE show with 18,000 people popping. My first WWE match was in Jacksonville in 1999 with Super Crazy. That was great to have the crowd chanting my name. Its better to work the WWE guys and get that pop, it feels great.

AW: If the WWE called tomorrow and offered you a developmental deal, would you take it?

SA: I would have to think very heavy on it because those deals dont give you a bunch of money. Unlike lots of guys in this business I have a college degree, a well paying professional job and a new baby. So do I want to be away from my kid, plus make less money and work twice as hard? If it was $500 a week I would say no. If they want to give me a $1000 or $1500, I would have to think it over with my wife and family.

AW: What led to the formation of Naturally Marvelous with Mike Sullivan?

SA: Two old guys that are tired of doing of singles matches and beating the hell out of ourselves. (Scoot laughs as Mike Sullivan walks by and hears the comment.) Both Mike and I have held every title in IPW, except for me needing an IPW tag title reign to complete my collection. I decided to find the best tag team wrestler out there and I did with Mike.

AW: Do you prefer tag or singles work and why?

SA: At this stage in my career, both are equal. Two years ago it was singles only. Two years in the future it will be tag only because Ill be too old to do anything else.

AW: In September and October of 2002 Naturally Marvelous won the IPW from the Strong Brothers and then NWA Florida tag team titles from the Shane Brothers. From those wins came the creation of Alliance of Defiance. How long had that formation been in the works?

SA: The AOD is something I have been a member of since 1997. I founded it in Renegade Championship Wrestling of Jacksonville. Since then Ive brought it with me wherever Ive worked. Mike and I had been crowd favorites for a long time, but the crowd was leaning towards other teams. I thought it was time to get back to what I do best. Thats beating the s#$% out of people and cheating to win. I was tired of working my butt off and barely getting a pop out of the crowd. So the hell with these people. It was time to get back to my roots and thats beating the hell out of people if they say the wrong thing. That includes your female manager, male manger and even you. It doesnt matter who.

AW: At the Valentines Massacre event you lost the Unified Florida Tag team titles in what could be called a controversial way. Any feelings on the issue?

SA: We did not lose that match because it wasnt Mike and I in it. I dont care what the ruling was or what the contracts stated or what (IPW Commissioner Eddie Edwards) said, we are still the champs. Neither Mike nor I got pinned for them. But well wait for our chance to get the back.

AW: What led to the ejection of Billy Fives from the AOD?

SA: Everyone in the AOD had won a championship but Billy. Plus he was the only AOD member who wasnt there to stop them from cutting my hair off. (Note: the Shanes, Vicious and Delicious and the Strongs shaved Scoots head at The Aftermath event as part of a pre-match stipulation.) We decided if he couldnt handle his business, we were going to give him some of ours.

AW: Word Association. Ron Neimi.
SA: Genius.

AW: The Shane Brothers.
SA: HUGE!

AW: Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels.
SA: Best wrestler in the entire world today.

AW: Low Ki.
SA: The most intense wrestler youll ever meet in your life.

AW: Jet Jaguar.
SA: The craziest wrestler youll ever meet and the biggest alcoholic.

AW: AOD member Mike Sullivan.
SA: The best partner Ive ever had.

AW: IPW World Champion and AOD member Rod Steel.
SA: Up and coming star that will go a long way.

AW: Former AOD member Billy Fives.
SA: Sucks!

AW: NWA:TNA star David Young.
SA: Great talent.

AW: New AOD member Roderick Strong.
SA: Great talent.

AW: Sedrick Strong.
SA: Sucks!

AW: Where does Scoot Andrews look to be at the end of 2003?

SA: Id like Mike and me to again be the Florida Unified champions, the NWA World Tag Team champions. Pretty much running IPW and hurting anyone that gets in the way of those goals.

Thanks to the Black Nature Boy for his time. For more information on Scoot Andrews, visit his website, www.scootandrews.net.