INTERVIEW UPDATE: THE NATURALS. Back in March of this year when I sat down with Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas they just began to work for TNA Wrestling.
Little did they know when we met up two weeks ago they would forever be referred to as former NWA World Tag Team champions.
This was conducted after an Impact! TV taping in Orlando, Florida and will feature another person who
will give his own unique commentary.
Alan Wojcik: Our first interview
took place backstage after a USA Championship Wrestling event and I got to see first hand the fans don’t like the two
of you (see their original interview on http://alanwojcik.com for background info.) This is your chance to talk about your feelings towards
the fans of USA Championship Wrestling.
Jerry Jarrett: There a bunch
of ignorant redneck sons of bitches.
(Chase and Andy need a minute
to stop laughing thanks to Mr. Jarrett’s comments)
Andy Douglas: I will agree
with that quote. They are a bunch of ignorant redneck sons of bitches that Chase and I couldn’t care about.
Chase Stevens: I think they
like me. I go out to the ring and try to shake hands with them. They give me hand gestures telling me I am number one; I don’t
get it (laughs). I show up every week to please them. I try to hug the ladies and shake hands with kids telling them I think
they are number one too. People say I show my ass, I don’t show my ass. I know I am good and Andy knows he is good.
The fans are obviously jealous of us. Most of those people can’t walk to the mailbox without being out of breath yet
they criticize what Andy and I do in the ring.
AW: In March besides Bob
Ryder, there was a third member of the Naturals. What led to April Pennington to leaving the team?
Andy: Who??
AW: Your manager April.
Andy: Next question dude.
This is about us not her.
AW: For someone that has
never been to or seen on TV a USA event how does it differ
from other indy promotions in Nashville and the surrounding areas?
Andy: What we do is professional
wrestling. We are professionals and at our shows you won’t see any backyarders who don’t wear tights to the ring.
We truly believe in what we do and are trained to do it by the best.
Chase: It’s just like
what Andy said, backyarders aren’t welcome in USA. You
come to work here you better be polished. You need to have years of experience when you wrestle us. We’re not weekend
warriors we wrestle for a living. This isn’t a hobby to us, this is our jobs. We travel all over the place to pay our
dues each and every night. These other guys work one day a week and think they are superstars. They step in with us and realize
they aren’t in the damn league. Don’t wear Wal-Mart shoes or K-Mart jean shorts in the ring. Seems like everyone now has someone in wrestling telling me my friend’s a wrestler, my neighbor is
a wrestler. Your neighbor, cousin or friend isn’t a wrestler they’re a backyarder. USA Championship Wrestling
is a great promotion to work for and I feel our fan base is getting larger as we are bringing the old-school back to wrestling.
AW: Two weeks ago at the
Music City Memories event I was able to see a match from the hottest feud in Nashville
wrestling between you and the team called Risky Business (Rick Santel and Chris Vaughn) who you beat in controversial fashion
for the USA Tag Team championship. Andy please give some of your thoughts on wrestling your former friends (see last interview
for the backstory) and the match at that great event.
Andy: First of all I’ve
got only one friend in this business and he is sitting on the other side of the table from me. Santel and Vaughn were never
my friends nor will they be. What are you calling controversial, who won the match and the titles Alan? We did what’s
controversial about that not a damn thing.
Chase: I think everyone knew
when we came out for that match we were going to come out on top. Look at them and then look at us. Risky Business isn’t
as talented as us, they are low budget. Santel was coming back from a shoulder injury. Shame it wasn’t me that put him
on the shelf. The USA offices have been calling us telling
us it was too controversial and we might have to defend them again against Risky Business. Nothing was controversial about
it Alan, the referee raised our hands. We were the smarter team and they need to find a new promotion if they want to be the
top tag team since the Naturals rule USA.
AW: When we spoke in March
you had just begun working with TNA Wrestling assisting NWA World Heavyweight champion Jeff Jarrett in some issues. What was
your reaction to being placed on the “gut check list”?
Andy: I think being placed
on the list was a reality check. The fact we weren’t going to be given a spot that we would have to earn it. It opened
our eyes as to where we needed to be heading. We knew it was time to take charge of our road. Jeff needed some help along
the way and even when he didn’t ask for it we did our thing, the Natural Way.
Chase: When we came in we
knew we would have to prove ourselves. We weren’t on the list for long and we made it all the way to the top. The office
didn’t like we bent the rules to get ahead, but that’s life. We came out on top with the NWA World Tag Team titles
but I know you’re going to ask about that so let’s get to it.
AW: On July 7th
you shocked the world including me by winning the NWA World Tag Team titles in record time when you beat America’s
Most Wanted (Chris Harris & James Storm.) What was your reaction when you were told what would be happening that night
and anything you wish to add about the less then 30 second long match?
Andy: I was surprised as
anyone when it happened. I think I can speak for Chase that we were honored to have held those historic titles. We have a
couple of things we can lay claim to as done by us only. One is winning the first ever six sided cage match and the other
is beating King Kong Bundy’s record for the fastest pinfall ever. When the bell rang and the pin happened I think it
was close to four seconds.
Chase: We knew we were going
to win the belts before the match ever happened. We are and always will be better than AMW. We’ll be better then AMW
ten years from now. Andy and I were chosen because we are the best tag team in the world. We have been told that by so many
legends it’s not even funny. The 80’s was a great era for tag team wrestling. Along with teams like AMW we have
tried to bring that to this generation. We took the feud to new levels including the cage match.
AW: You lost a double ladder
match to AMW and they ask TNA for the title shot to be held in the Six Sides of Steel. How do you mentally prepare for a cage
match and do you remember anything besides losing blood and keeping the belts?
Andy: I know building up
to that match I did several radio shows and the most asked question was about how you prepare for the cage. To be honest except
for watching tapes of cage matches there is nothing you can do as preparation. As far as I remember there was lots of blood
lost, it was a great match and we came out on top. We went to eat afterwards and almost passed out going through the buffet
line. It was all worth it in the end since we came out still the champions.
Chase: Going into that match
no one thought we would come out winners. We did everything and anything to keep the belts and we came out on top. We went
from Gut Check to bleeding head to toe to hold those belts. You can watch it over and over and still be entertained. AMW are
good but they aren’t natural talent.
AW: Let me ask you this one
Chase, what the hell were you thinking climbing to the top of the cage and ended up hitting the moonsault onto Storm and Harris?
Chase: I was out there to
win the match and if I have to climb thirty five feet up I will do it. I’m a wrestler and that’s part of the job,
we risk our lives everyday. To go into that cage you have to leave fear at the door. I have been in fights my whole life from
trying to be a professional boxer to the six sided ring. Bloody my face, break my leg I will come back and beat you.
AW: After surviving the cage
you defeated 3 Live Kru and then AMW and XXX (Christopher Daniels & Elix Skipper) in a three team match. But on September
8th you weren’t able to defeat ½ of AMW (Chris Harris) and ½ of XXX (Elix Skipper.) Was it the shock of that
duo coming to the ring after you took out Christopher Daniels shoulder backstage and had injured James Storm’s back
in previous matches.
Jerry Jarrett: Tell him the
truth now; it’s for your own good.
Andy: Someone must have smartened
Jerry up because we had been drinking heavily and really didn’t give a shit (laughs.) We showed up drunk as hell and
I was on the way to the bathroom when Chase told me our music was playing.
Chase: We thought we were
in control of things but we were star struck. The women, the limos and the money got to our heads. We weren’t hitting
the gym. Andy was in the bathroom when our music began playing. If you look real close at our ring entrance he has something
running down his leg. I was also a little drunk when we went to the ring, just a few shots. We thought we were the best and
you don’t see two teams being split up. I kept questioning what was happening as we were losing the belts. I have the
match on tape and have been taking it to the championship committee since the belts should never have changed hands. We’re
back on our feet, not drinking as heavily and ready to regain the titles.
AW: The night you lost the
titles was the last weekly PPV event held by TNA Wrestling as things have shifted to a monthly 3 hour event to begin November
7th. How do you feel about being part of the nationally televised Impact show (which
airs on Fox Sports Net) and were you upset that TNA left Nashville and the weekly PPV’s behind?
Andy: I think you have to look at it as a natural progression. We’re climbing a giant ladder and we are
taking one step towards a better product.
Jerry Jarrett: And they can
hardly wait until Vince McMahon calls.
(Tape recorder is shut off
until the laughing ends)
Andy: Being on FSN has been
great exposure to get guys to Japan and find work for indies
here in America.
Jerry Jarrett: And there’s
nothing like a good bidding war.
Chase: And it gives Bob a
constant migraine. I wish we still had the weekly PPV’s but it had to come to an end to move to bigger and better things
like being on FSN every Friday afternoon. I really like Impact and Xplosion and I can’t wait for Victory
Road to happen. Impact gives us better pyro, entry stages and a new fan base and it led to the
promotion being involved with the Best Damn Sports Show Period where Andy and I will be taking on Brian Cox with a mystery
partner (Monty Brown) and it should be fun to beat up a former football player. He couldn’t hack it in the NFL and he
doesn’t belong near the ring. Some people say he’s one of the best to play but we’ll show him up. In football
bodies hit and then line up again, here we don’t line up we keep on hitting.
AW: Speaking of Impact matches,
in a non-title match you guys defeated the then tag champions James Storm and Christopher Daniels who then lost the belts
to Team Canada. But the NWA Championship committee (Dusty
Rhodes, Harley Race, Terry Funk and Larry Zybzsko) made 3 Live Kru the number one contenders at Victory Road. (3LK won the
belts at the PPV) Do you think the committee is giving you the cold shoulder despite you being former champions?
Andy: Larry Zybzsko is jealous
of us plain and simple. Every time we are out after Impact all the pretty girls sit with us as you can bare witness to Alan
and you can see Larry sitting at his table fuming with jealousy. He tries to pick them up and fails miserably. So of course
we won’t get a fair shake with the committee.
Chase: I think all four of
them are jealous not just Larry. Anytime Dusty comes out to talk who’s with him, 3 Live Kru. Who is getting the title
shot, 3 Live Kru. Dusty and Larry have never been at the level we are. Yeah they were on to at one point but we’re on
top now. Larry is always coming around sweet talking us wanting to share our wealth. We have money saved unlike him. He is
a living legend but no kids that watch Impact haven’t any clue who he is. Ask around and everyone knows who Chase Stevens
and Andy Douglas are.
AW: Readers of the 2004 Pro
Wrestling Illustrated 500 would have seen two new names in it (Chase ranked number 119 and Andy ranked number 126.) Your thoughts
on being in the magazine.
Andy: I think it’s
a great honor considering we’re not two jabrones who sent their info hoping to get ranked. I thought we should have
been in the top ten; after all we are the best tag team on the planet. Look in the back of that issue and we are the number
seven ranked tag team? Seventh best behind some Japanese team come on now.
Chase: I should have been
number one and both of us should have been given us the cover. Instead it’s some guy named Eddie or Chris…
AW: Chris Benoit is on the
cover Chase.
Chase: Who cares? No ones
watching the WWE instead they’re turning us on. This isn’t drama class we don’t pull people off the street
and toss them in the ring. Vince has done that time and time again. Look at Brock Lesnar he couldn’t hack it and he
went to football where he got cut. WWE has some monsters but they can’t wipe their own asses with out help nor should
Lesnar have been champion. Come here to TNA and we have true talent who have bled and sweat every night of the week.
Jerry Jarrett: Randy Savage
said it best. It’s real when I win and it’s fake when I lose.
AW: Time for me to be serious.
Last month in Nashville you and Johnny Devine were involved in an unfortunate
incident where you were assaulted. Can you talk about it and were you upset at the way it got media attention?
Andy: The only thing I was
upset about was how the cowardly sons of bitches ran off after stabbing us. First off we got jumped by four guys, that’s
right four on TWO. We kicked the shit out of them and then someone comes along
and pulls a knife. I got stabbed in the leg and Johnny got stabbed in the gut. The only unfortunate thing is we didn’t
get to finish the job and they didn’t get arrested. At first I was ticked that it made the internet at all but I realized
the source of it was Bob Ryder. If had gotten on some other way it would have been the wrong story and would have made me
pissed off.
AW: Let’s get back
to wrestling. It can be a singles or tag match. If you could have a dream match who would it be with?
Andy: That’s easy.
It would be the two of us against “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig and Ted DiBiase. That would be my dream match.
Chase: I think it would be
the Naturals against the British Bulldogs. I would love to have wrestled Davey Boy and Dynamite Kid. The stuff they did in
Japan needs to be seen by fans. Single wise I would love to
work Eddie Guerrero who flows like water or Chris Benoit who is the second coming of Dynamite Kid. They deserve the greatness
they received in the WWE. Andy and I have wrestled big names like the Rock n Roll Express and the Road Warriors.
AW: What is the strangest
interview question or incident at a show that made you lose composure?
Andy: Could you repeat the
question please.
Jerry Jarrett: I think it
was the fourth or fifth one you asked Alan.
AW: What is the strangest…oh
come one dude.
Andy: Sorry but I couldn’t
resist. I haven’t gotten a strange question but the weirdest thing to happen to me was a mother who wanted me to sign
her daughter’s breast. The girl had to have been at least 15 needless to say I didn’t sign her boob.
Chase: I got to think way
back to before I teamed with Andy when I wrestled in Kentucky. I was part of
a tag team feud and this old lady had baked a cake. It had my picture on it and she was talking how I was going to be beaten
up. She hadn’t crossed the line yet but she kept on my back and finally I took her face and shoved it into the cake.
It was so funny seeing her 70 year old face covered in cake.
AW: What do you hope the
future holds for you as individuals and as the tag team of the Naturals?
Andy: There aren’t
individuals we are and will be a tag team. Our goal is to get gold. Whether it’s the NWA World Tag Team titles or the
USA belts we hold now. We are going across America
and winning every match we are in.
Chase: We are going to be
the NWA World champions again and we will retire them to our mantles. I will wrestle anywhere on earth and we will beat anyone.
We can adapt to any style you can throw at us.
Thanks to the Naturals for
their time. Special thanks to Mr. Jerry Jarrett for sitting down with us. For more information on the Naturals log onto www.chase-stevens.com , www.TNAwrestling.com and www.usachampionhsipwrestling.com
