Post by hbk on May 3, 2006 14:46:33 GMT -5
Ryan Clark of ProWrestlingSCOOPS.com recently had the opportunity to interview former WWE Woman's Champion, Jazz. She speaks on several topics from her event events at XCW & DCW, returning to ECW, the WWE Divas, TNA, her WWE release, working with Rodney (her husband) and also working at top PPV events such as WrestleMania. Below is the interview:
Ryan Clark: Firstly I would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview for www.ProWrestlingSCOOPS.com. What have you been up to recently, what are your future plans and how if life after WWE?
Jazz: I have been doing Indy shows, and opened a fitness gym, to bring in the youth and keep them off the streets and keep them positive. I have also been working with XCW and DCW and that has kept us very busy. Life has been very comfortable trying to stay very busy and staying busy and making money.
Ryan Clark: You signed with WWE in late 2001, how were you approached and what did they tell you they had planned for you?
Jazz: Just got a phone call out of the blue, and just interested in me and never told me what the future held. They just stated they like me and I was very talented. Sent me to OVW for 6 weeks until story line was finished.
Ryan Clark: You have currently been working with XCW, tell us a bit about XCW, I also understand XCW has a large following with PPV on TVN, have you found this to be true? How long have you been working with them and how long do you plan to stay with the company? How different is it from WWE?
Jazz: XCW first off, based out of Texas, and that is where we started, our home turf. Young promotion with big out comings, and the locker room is great with no back stabbers, and very laid back. I worked with them for around 5 months and yes I plan to stick with them for a while. More laid back, nobody looking over your shoulders, and less pressure.
Ryan Clark: With the return of ECW, if offered a contract to work with the ECW brand by the WWE, would you accept?
Jazz: While that is a question, probably would and that is cause ECW is where I got my break, and that would be very exciting.
Ryan Clark: You quickly won the Woman's Championship in February 2002 defeating Trish Stratus, you had a great run until May when you lost the title to Trish due to your injury. Tell us about your run as Woman's Champion, did you get any heat backstage for it? How did your injury occur and how effective was it to your career at that stage due to storylines.
Jazz: No heat backstage, I never had any heat, and I am very professional. I mostly take care of Jazz, first. I dreamed of it, and had a great run until the injury, which was one of the best times during WrestleMania and it gets no bigger then that. I injured my knee in a high school basketball game, and it just went out in a European tour. I went 2 weeks on a torn ligament, before the surgery. The Storyline was not affected, because it was out of the story line. And took me out through a table and made me feel like me part was over.
Ryan Clark: How was it working with the other WWE Divas? What are they like?
Jazz: I had a blast and can work with anyone and I never had any heat. I was told by all the girls I was one of the favorite to work with. In this business not everyone likes everyone, but I do believe I could have done any program with any Diva.
Ryan Clark: Were you pleased with the opportunity of working with your husband Rodney Mack in WWE, whose idea was it?
Jazz: Well, Rodney and I worked together before in the Indy circuit and always wanted to work together, and us working together was just a money maker.
Ryan Clark: You wrestled at many WWE pay-per-views including your debut at Survivor Series, two WrestleMania's, two Backlash's and Taboo Tuesday. What's it like working at these shows? How much more of an impact is there from the normal RAW and SmackDown shows and are there any scares backstage during these events? What was your favorite WWE event you competed in?
Jazz: You have bad nerves before each PPV and able to work in front of 79k people and WrestleMania is the biggest, and that is what I prepared myself for. And keeping my title at WrestleMania 17, is my SuperBowl ring. And 1 of the first African American women to not only win the title but to keep it during a WrestleMania, sets me apart.
Ryan Clark: With TNA being WWE's closest competition at the moment, what is your opinion on the company and would you consider working with them and creating a woman's division or just kicking male ass on iMPACT?
Jazz: A little talk about me and Rodney working with them. I don't know their style is a little different, and regardless of division and kicking ass is what I do, and what I am good at.
Ryan Clark: What was the reason behind your WWE release in November 2004?
Jazz: That is a question I am still waiting on.
Ryan Clark: I would like to thank you very much once again for taking this time to take part in this interview for www.ProWrestlingSCOOPS.com, I wish you the best of luck in the future and do you have any messages to say to your fans?
Jazz: FANS are great, and keep looking out you never know when you will see me, when and where?
Ryan Clark: Firstly I would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview for www.ProWrestlingSCOOPS.com. What have you been up to recently, what are your future plans and how if life after WWE?
Jazz: I have been doing Indy shows, and opened a fitness gym, to bring in the youth and keep them off the streets and keep them positive. I have also been working with XCW and DCW and that has kept us very busy. Life has been very comfortable trying to stay very busy and staying busy and making money.
Ryan Clark: You signed with WWE in late 2001, how were you approached and what did they tell you they had planned for you?
Jazz: Just got a phone call out of the blue, and just interested in me and never told me what the future held. They just stated they like me and I was very talented. Sent me to OVW for 6 weeks until story line was finished.
Ryan Clark: You have currently been working with XCW, tell us a bit about XCW, I also understand XCW has a large following with PPV on TVN, have you found this to be true? How long have you been working with them and how long do you plan to stay with the company? How different is it from WWE?
Jazz: XCW first off, based out of Texas, and that is where we started, our home turf. Young promotion with big out comings, and the locker room is great with no back stabbers, and very laid back. I worked with them for around 5 months and yes I plan to stick with them for a while. More laid back, nobody looking over your shoulders, and less pressure.
Ryan Clark: With the return of ECW, if offered a contract to work with the ECW brand by the WWE, would you accept?
Jazz: While that is a question, probably would and that is cause ECW is where I got my break, and that would be very exciting.
Ryan Clark: You quickly won the Woman's Championship in February 2002 defeating Trish Stratus, you had a great run until May when you lost the title to Trish due to your injury. Tell us about your run as Woman's Champion, did you get any heat backstage for it? How did your injury occur and how effective was it to your career at that stage due to storylines.
Jazz: No heat backstage, I never had any heat, and I am very professional. I mostly take care of Jazz, first. I dreamed of it, and had a great run until the injury, which was one of the best times during WrestleMania and it gets no bigger then that. I injured my knee in a high school basketball game, and it just went out in a European tour. I went 2 weeks on a torn ligament, before the surgery. The Storyline was not affected, because it was out of the story line. And took me out through a table and made me feel like me part was over.
Ryan Clark: How was it working with the other WWE Divas? What are they like?
Jazz: I had a blast and can work with anyone and I never had any heat. I was told by all the girls I was one of the favorite to work with. In this business not everyone likes everyone, but I do believe I could have done any program with any Diva.
Ryan Clark: Were you pleased with the opportunity of working with your husband Rodney Mack in WWE, whose idea was it?
Jazz: Well, Rodney and I worked together before in the Indy circuit and always wanted to work together, and us working together was just a money maker.
Ryan Clark: You wrestled at many WWE pay-per-views including your debut at Survivor Series, two WrestleMania's, two Backlash's and Taboo Tuesday. What's it like working at these shows? How much more of an impact is there from the normal RAW and SmackDown shows and are there any scares backstage during these events? What was your favorite WWE event you competed in?
Jazz: You have bad nerves before each PPV and able to work in front of 79k people and WrestleMania is the biggest, and that is what I prepared myself for. And keeping my title at WrestleMania 17, is my SuperBowl ring. And 1 of the first African American women to not only win the title but to keep it during a WrestleMania, sets me apart.
Ryan Clark: With TNA being WWE's closest competition at the moment, what is your opinion on the company and would you consider working with them and creating a woman's division or just kicking male ass on iMPACT?
Jazz: A little talk about me and Rodney working with them. I don't know their style is a little different, and regardless of division and kicking ass is what I do, and what I am good at.
Ryan Clark: What was the reason behind your WWE release in November 2004?
Jazz: That is a question I am still waiting on.
Ryan Clark: I would like to thank you very much once again for taking this time to take part in this interview for www.ProWrestlingSCOOPS.com, I wish you the best of luck in the future and do you have any messages to say to your fans?
Jazz: FANS are great, and keep looking out you never know when you will see me, when and where?