Wrestling Epicenter sent along the following:
Impact Wrestling star KM joins us for an interesting new interview. Pushing the boundaries between kayfabe and shoot, this interview discusses Bound for Glory, his upcoming cameo on Kevin Can Wait, his partnership with cousin Sienna, and more!
View the interview, video or MP3 at wrestlingepicenter.com.
On his plans for Bound for Glory: “Well, I will be there. But, I will not be accompanying Sienna to ringside. She does not need me to beat 2, or 3, or 4, or 5 of the Impact Knockouts. I will be watching as my cousin, just like me, stays undefeated. Yes, we are undefeated. Don’t go looking at the tapes or old footage or the new app (Global Wrestling Network). We’re undefeated. I wouldn’t lie to you.”
On appearing on the CBS Sitcom Kevin Can Wait: “I was just trying to, I don’t know, dip my feet into some puddles outside of wrestling. I’ve been in it (wrestling) for 18 years now. I’m by far the biggest star that Impact has – We’re both in agreement with that one. I’m undefeated. I’m the un-crowned champion. Ever since I came aboard of Impact Wrestling this past March, TV ratings have been through the roof. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to know that my phone has been ringing off the hook over the past couple of months. Kevin James… I don’t know, maybe the ratings have been struggling on CBS over the past couple of months. Kevin James is not as big of a star as KM. They needed a little star power on the show. “We see what you’re doing over at Impact Wrestling. We see you’re bringing the ratings through the roof. We need help, KM!” So, I got on the next plane. The rest is history. That is exactly how that (Kevin Can Wait) happened.”
On his experience during the filming of The Wrestler: “Well, here’s how that came about. Mickey Rourke’s career was kind of hanging in the balance. He wasn’t really going anywhere. He was kind of in a stand-still. Mickey Rourke called me up one day. Mickie Rourke said, “Hey, I’m doing this movie and I don’t think it is going to do too well. I do not have the star power on my own to make this a hit. I need you on board. I need you to make this a hit.” I’m good buddies with Mickey Rourke so I said “Yeah, I’ll help you out.” I came on board. Yeah, don’t worry. I was in it. I’m in the credits and everything. I was in it. You probably fell asleep. I was featured for probably about 45 minutes straight. The movie ended up winning lots of awards. I have a whole bunch sitting on top of my TV. That’s exactly how that happened.”
On if this run with Impact Wrestling is his long awaited big break: “This is Impact’s big break! (laughs) If I could be serious for a moment, to throw out an old Lance Storm quote there, my big break? Yes, at the moment. I’d be better off answering that question when we see how it all plays out down the line. I could catapult and become a bigger superstar than I already am. But, at this moment, yeah! I’ve never really had real deal TV exposure with a major wrestling company. Stuff here and there. As far as a featured run or whatever you want to call it, this would be an opportunity. This is a good opportunity. Lets see how this all plays out. SO far, so good!”
On the advent of the KM Character: “I make everybody hate my guts and I get to be me. Most importantly, I get to be me! Fans love to say, “Your gimmick! Your gimmick!” What gimmick? Talk to anyone who has known me for the past 18 years. What gimmick am i doing? I’ve literally been given the green light to be myself. That’s the reason it comes off so naturally! I’m me! I get to be me!”
On the hysterical “Are You Calling Me a Liar” Vignettes: “That’s a little Dirty Dutch (Mantel) for you right there. He’s hands on. He basically pulls back the curtain, puts on the green light, and says “be yourself.” I mean, I was a nightmare student in school. I was thrown out of 3 schools. Suspended 13 times! I was a horrible kid! I got into so many fights. This character, if you want to call it a character, is just me, man! If I came out hugging babies, high fiving, smiling, and hamming it up… That’s a character! That wouldn’t feel comfortable. This, whew! This feels comfortable!”
On his well-documented problems with Bill DeMott in Deep South Wrestling: “Everything that has happened, that’s been said, that’s been done over the past 11 years is documented. If anyone wants to know, just google me and Bill’s name. I’m in his book, I’m all over his Wikipedia page. Me and him are forever linked to each other. Funny if you think about it. I always say “Don’t Call me a Liar” and then I tell everyone to read what I put online and people are like, “Yeah right, that’s all you do is lie!” (laughs) Present day, the way it has worked itself out, I don’t have any complaints on my end. I don’t know that I believe in that “everything happens for a reason” crap that everyone keeps spewing out of their mouth. In 2017, I’m not really holding on to that anger that I did for so long. Case and point, this past weekend, there was a convention in New Jersey, Legends of the Ring convention… Bill was on it and so was I. Of course, my line was wrapped around the block. I mean, the fans were just dying to meet me. They were lined up overnight from 6 O’clock, believe it or not. That was the first time him and I would have seen each other since 2006. We passed each other. I caught him out of the corner of my eye. He didn’t say anything. I guess that’s how it is now. Again, nothing on my end. He goes on to say, “I was the head of the snake on that one. Good things come to good people. As much of a piece of crap as I am, I’m a pretty all right person. I don’t know that I believe in kharma. I’m not one to believe in these things. There’s so many horrible people that get away with horrible things, kharma’s not a real thing. But, In this case, I guess it was. It worked itself out the way it did.” He wraps with, “He (DeMott) has been through some crazy stuff with the tragedy that happened. I wish nothing but the best for that family.”
On his relationship with Sienna: “My blood cousin, she’s my first cousin. I wouldn’t lie about that. I wouldn’t lie about family. I don’t know what her last name is. But, she is my blood cousin. I can tell you that. Just like Mickey Rourke and Kevin James called me up… Sienna is 100% my blood cousin!”
On working with Johnny Impact on Velocity in WWE and then on Impact recently: “You should be asking him that question! (laughs) It’s crazy. I hold a victory over him in WWE and I hold a victory over him in Impact. I’m 2 and 0 against Johnny Impact, Morrison, Mundo, Morrison, and Nitro… Whatever the hell his name is. Pretty cool! Not only facing him in both major companies but defeating him…”
On being called a “Douche Rocket” by the crowd: “I had never actually heard of that term before. It is still up in there air who they were talking about because there were 3 people in the ring at the time. It is still up in the air! What’s a douche rocket? That’s not even a real thing. A flying douche? (laughs)” He adds, “You know that opening segment with me and Mr. Johnny Impact was the highest rated segment for Impact in the last 4 years? I’ll make a T shirt of it! I’ll make a nice T shirt of it calling myself a “Douche Rocket!” Hey, I’m all about the money! If that catches on and everyone starts calling me a “Douche Rocket”, don’t be surprised if that magically surfaces online and people are going to think they’re buying it to take a shot and make fun of me! Little do they know they’re buying it as I’m watching my Paypal go through the roof! (laughs) While I’m packing up their stupid shirts and mailing it to them. I’ll always have a leg up on everyone who thinks they’re slick.”
On his goals in Impact: “Good question! Well, I signed a 2 year contract in March. So, I have time! We’ll see. I need to hold some gold. Whether I last 2 years in this company or 10 or 20 or grow old… The rule of thumb in wrestling is everyone’s time will come at one time or another. Before it is all said and done, there are 2 major singles titles. Even though I’m a better high flyer than the entire X division, I don’t really see myself as an X Division wrestler though you can find clips of me diving over the top rope, just throwing that out there. Or, if you’re lucky enough to catch a clip of Moose and myself at WrestlePro doing tilt-a-whirl hurricanranas, that’s the real thing. Not lying! There’s 2 titles out there. I’m going to get a hold of one of those belts. That is going to happen. Other than that? I’ve always lived my life taking things day by day and not really expecting too much. 2017 has been kind of a great year. I signed my contract with Impact, did a pay-per-view, been on national TV every week, went over to India, get to go over to Canada, dabbling in some movies and acting. It has been kind of fun! I didn’t expect any of this let alone for all this to happen this year alone!”
On his thoughts on the departure of Jeff Jarrett from Impact: “I don’t work behind the scenes. I hate to say it but I find out a lot of stuff through the Internet. However, I am closer to the Jarretts than a lot of people in the company. I did work with Jeff and GFW before it was associated with TNA and Impact. I did the very first GFW show in Tennessee against Moose all the way to Iowa, Virginia, Maryland, Carolina, Pennsylvania… I did a lot of shows. Jeff is the one who called me. When Mike Bennett bailed to go to WWE, they needed to finish that storyline. Jeff Jarrett is the one who called me on a Tuesday to be at TV on Thursday to come in with my cousin Sienna and finish that program off. My loyalty is to the Jarretts. You don’t really forget who helped you out. Would AJ Styles be where he’s at right now if Jeff didn’t give him that shot? I’m in Impact because of Jeff Jarrett. Literally soley because of Jeff. Jeff himself is the one who suggested me, called me, and booked me. It was hard when everything went down. I read it all online. Nobody told me. I found out online. I can’t say anything negative about the Jarretts. Everything I think and say about them is 1,000 percent positive.”
Final thoughts heading into Bound for Glory: “Final thoughts? Bound for Glory next year, I’m probably going to be in the damn main event defending both titles! Whoever has the titles, congratulations! You just won the lottery because I’m coming after you! This year, Sienna! That’s the match. That’s the match that should main event the show. That’s the match that everyone wants to see. That’s the reason people are buying this thing! To see my cousin defend and retain the Knockouts title. We should take all the other matches, put them on Facebook Live, and let this match be the pay-per-view. Sienna’s match. You’ll have the same amount of buys! I promise you! Nobody’s buying this pay-per-view to see any other match!”
