Joseph Park recently appeared on Interactive Wrestling Radio to promote the upcoming Slammiversary pay-per-view event on July 2nd. Thanks to Caroline Walsh for sending us the following highlights.
On his match at Slammiversary with Jeremy Borash against Josh Matthews and Scott Steiner:
“Well, you know, Jeremy Borash and I are training hard. You’ll see that over the next few weeks on Impact. We’re a team! We’ve become one! Lets face it, the deck is stacked against us! Scott Steiner is Scott Steiner! The guy is a maniac! I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t at least a little bit trepidus and a little bit afraid of that. But, Josh Matthews I think we can handle!”
On why India is so important to the major wrestling companies right now:
“Well, I mean, it is such a large market! If I’m not mistaken, there are close to 1.3 billion people in the country of India. There’s 300 million in the United States so it is 3 times larger than the United States population wise. It is a great market! The fans are hungry for wrestling there, I really believe that! I believe it has been underexposed there. The fans love it and it shows and you’ll see it in our shows. It is an important market to Impact Wrestling. To develop that market… Sony 6 has been such a great partner there. They’ve done a lot for us. We’re excited for that relationship and making it stronger as we go forward and making Impact Wrestling a big part of India!”
On Impact going Global:
“With the merger of Global Force Wrestling, Global Force Wrestling is truly that. From Japan to England to Japan to Canada, and now into India. Impact and Global together and being a part of Sony 6 is a big, big step for the company!”
On his bloody, hardcore wars with Mil Muertes FKA Judas Mesias:
“Gosh, my relationship goes back with him almost 18 years when we first wrestled for IWA Puerto Rico for Victor Quiñones and Savio Vega. That is where I first met Ricky. We were both really young! God, he’s such a great competitor. I have a close place on my heart for that guy. We went through a lot together. We wrestled a lot together, we traveled together, we stayed together. He’s such a fantastic person with a big heart. But, he’s a maniac and a monster in the ring! He’s maybe one of the top 3 toughest guys I’ve ever been in the ring with! He’s a great person. But gosh, when you get in the ring with that guy, he’s the real deal! There’s no doubt about that!”
On Dutch Mantell coming up with the name Abyss:
“He not only had a hand in it, he WAS the hand in it! I can’t say enough about Dutch and what he did for my career. I started in 1995 and until 2002, I wrestled on the Independent scene in the Northeast, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, New York. Dutch gave me my first break ever. If it wasn’t for Dutch, I would have never had the success I’ve had in my career. He gave me my first opportunity in IWA Puerto Rico. That was my first opportunity to experience wrestling on a full time basis in a territory kind of feeling wrestling 4 nights a week. He did come up with the Abyss name. But, that’s just a scratch on the surface. He really did teach me all the steps I needed to take to move forward in my career. Dutch, he is one of the smartest guys in wrestling. He had a hand in Glen Jacobs (Kane) and some of the stuff with The Undertaker. He’s had a lot of influence on this business over the last 25 – 30 years. I’m honored to call him a fried. We worked together in the IWA, we worked together in TNA, in TNA Impact together, and now we’re back together again. I’m pretty happy about that. He’ll always have a dear place in my heart.”
On getting used to saying Impact Wrestling instead of TNA:
“You know, it’s not that tough. It is probably more of an adjustment for me because I’ve been around since the very beginning, since 2002, going on 15 years. So, it is a little more difficult for me because I have that kind of stamped on my head a little bit. I think that dropping the TNA was probably a good thing and sticking with Impact. Now we’re doing the merger with Global Force. It is a new day! I think Impact is really on the right track and we’re really doing some good things, and new things…. Figuring our our roster and getting ready to take some big steps.”
On being compared to Mick Foley a lot:
“I was super excited when Mick came to Impact. I’ve always looked up to him and I have been compared to him a lot, the similarities. I kind of take that as a honor. I’m honored by that. I’m not insulted by that by any means. When he came in to Impact in 2009, I had the opportunity to work with him on a pay per view, I think it was Bound for Glory in Irvine, California… It was great, man. I just enjoyed getting to sit with him and talk to him and I did learn a lot from him. He really taught me a lot about keeping it a story and making everything mean something. That is a lot of what I took from being around him and working with him. I’ve always heard the comparisons to Mankind and to Mick, Kane, and Undertaker and so forth. I think there are definite elements. Nowadays, it is almost impossible to do something original. But, I also think with Impact Wrestling, I’ve been able to do things to make the character stand out on its own and give it its own unique features and characteristics as well.”
On Rosemary and her importance during Decay:
“You hit it on the head! Incredible! She’s incredible! She’s such a piece of young, aggressive, passionate talent. I enjoyed being around her… That goes for Steve as well. But, Rosemary, she was so motivating, so exciting to be around and do the Decay thing. She’s only getting started. She’s only scratched the surface. I think you’re going to see some big things from her in the future at Impact. I was very fortunate… I was kind of the old dog of the 3. Those 2 being kind of younger. It was great. They helped me out a little bit, I was able to help them out a lot.”
On if seeing “15” after Slammiversary hits hard thinking that it has been that long:
“(laughs) Yeah, yeah, it is funny you say that. It kind of does! There is nothing in the world that I’m more proud of than the company is going on its 15th anniversary and I’ve been and I’ve been a part of every last one of them. That is something, I don’t think I’ll ever have a bigger honor than that. That I’ve been able to be a part of Impact Wrestling for its entire existence and to have that longevity, a lot of people don’t get to have the fortune of having that. It kind of hits me in the face every other day, “Gosh, I can’t believe it has been 15 years!” It just shows you how time flies when you’re having a great time.”
On other matches he’s looking forward to at Slammiversary:
“I’ll tell you what, there’s some good stuff! I’ll tell you what, I can’t wait to see Lashley and Patrel. Lashley and Alberto are really going to set the bar high. They’re 2 of the toughest guys in this business right now without a doubt and 2 of the most marquee names. Title for Title, GFW versus Impact. I think that is going to be magnificent. Rosemary and Sienna I think is going to be one of the most hard hitting women’s matches in a long, long time. A little bit of everything and a lot of great stuff at Slammiversary! I’m really excited about it and am really proud of the company. ”
On those that stuck with Impact Wrestling:
“Definitely, James. And, I want to tell you from myself, from the entire Impact front office and family. We appreciate everything that you’ve provided us, you’ve stuck by us even through some of the hard times. So, thank you, from the bottom of our hearts and we’re looking forward to another 15 together and some big things happening!”
YouTube: Wrestling Epicenter #458 – Joseph Park Discusses 15 Years of Impact Wrestling, Slammiversary, more
Mp3: http://wrestlingepicenter.com/shows/Abyss/458%20-%20Joseph%20Park.mp3
