Kevin Eck of The Baltimore Sun has an interview up with TNA star and IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champion Alex Shelley. Here are some highlights.
On tagging with Chris Sabin in TNA:
“I think a big part of it is that we?re both about the same size and have the same strengths. And then wrestling each other, I think we got to understand each other’s styles. We had a lot of the same experiences, too, as far as training with Scott D?Amore and wrestling in Mexico and Japan. So you?re talking about two guys who basically match up perfectly with each other and have done the same things throughout their careers. And we?re also influenced by the same wrestlers, too, so we like the same style of wrestling. It just works out so much better that way because you?re talking about two minds that are on the exact same level and want to accomplish the same things and think about things the same way. But, yeah, we?re best friends in real life as well. Us and Petey Williams, we all live within about a 15-mile radius of each other outside Detroit, so we see each other quite a bit. And then we?re booked on the same shows all the time, too, so we?re always traveling together.”
On the challenge of the “all cage” format for Lockdown:
“I think it depends on what kind of match you?re in. Luckily, we?re usually in the Escape Match, and this year we?ll be in the three-way dance, which is already a different kind of matchup as is. I think we have enough tag team combinations and we can do enough athletically that the cage is more just there if we need it, but we don?t necessarily have to rely on it, whereas there may some matches that are going to focus a lot more on it.”
On going to veterans for help:
“The veterans I always go to are Sting, [Kevin] Nash ? Nash has taught me the most out of all of them. Kurt Angle is someone who’s always willing to help out. And Jim Cornette helps out Sabin and me quite a bit, too, him being a tag team specialist and all. Those are the guys I always go to and I respect their opinion a lot. And they?re always very open-minded and give very constructive criticism as well.”
On his recent involvement with Mick Foley on TNA TV:
“Actually, I feel really bad that I didn?t mention Mick Foley when you asked about which veterans we should go to for advice and what not. Mick’s definitely one of them as well and he’s helped us out a ton, even though he’s only been with the company about eight months or so. He’s been awesome to work with. He’s a legend, he’s made a ton of money and he appreciates every kind of wrestling that’s out there, whether it’s Mexican or Japanese or American. And it’s just nice to see that from someone who’s been on top. He’s been nothing but great to work with.”
On the rather interesting theme music for The Machineguns:
“Without saying anything negative, I can tell you that we had absolutely no hand in creating that music whatsoever. You can draw from this what you will, but there are no fingerprints of ours on that music whatsoever. That music was completely given to us.”
To check out the full interview, click here.