Whats up DOI readers and welcome to a great interview with Angel Martinez aka Kane D. Angel was one half of NC-17 and has booked matches and talent for JAP and SSCW. Angel has recently departed from SSCW, which goes into effect on June 21st. That shows how much class he has to fill out his commitments. Angel is one of the nicer guys in wrestling and I'm glad he did this interview. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The MiC: How did you get your start into pro wrestling? How was your training?

Angel: I originally started in '92 with (Fat) Frank Iadevaia at Johnny Rodz' school in Brooklyn at the same time D-Von Dudley, Big Vito and Sal E Graziano were there. We were known as Bad Attitude, a streetwise hip hop tag team with graffiti on our outfits WAY BEFORE PG-13. Our training at Rodz' wasn't what we expected so we left and in '94 split our time training at Gino Caruso's, Iron Mike Sharpe's and Pete Mckay's(RIP). We enjoyed our training there due to getting ring time with guys like: Nova, Ace Darling, etc. Even Gino and Iron Mike got involved in the sessions.

The MiC: What made you want to get into wrestling?

Angel: Around '86 I lived in the Jersey City Heights, we used to have a channel called U68 and it showed World Class Championship Wrestling, Contiental Wrestling Federation, National Wrestling Alliance, California Championship Wrestling, Universal Wrestling Federation, etc. Plus I also watched World Wrestling Council and American Wrestling Association. One day I was watching UWF and saw Ivan and Nikita Koloff along with Eddie Gilbert(RIP) destroy Bill Watts setting off a huge brawl that included Ted Dibiase, Steve Williams, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and it was insane. I was hooked. UWF was hardcore before ECW was.

The MiC: You teamed with Fat Frank to form NC-17, and then later on teamed with Chino Martinez, in a new version of NC-17. What was it like teaming with Fat Frank? Chino? And did you have a preference either way?

Angel: Well Fat Frank and I were the first team to do a gangsta gimmick WAY BEFORE Public Enemy and PG-13 and that's a documented fact but truth be told we were hated legit by fans and newsletter writers that said we had egos and we were jerks. Maybe that was true but we were young back then and you couldn't tell us anything. Chino and I were the first Latino REAL LIFE brother hip-hop tag team in '94 (Once again documented) and we had alot of doors opened for us by Gino Caruso, Magic, Donnie B. and Mr.Lucifa. If I have a preference either way? No, I had fun teaming with both guys, they were/are great friends and partners. But I did more with Chino cause after awhile Frank's heart hasn't into wrestling anymore and he started promoting NSWA now JAPW.

The MiC: What do you think has been your best match?

Angel: Without a doubt my match vs. Dr. Hurtz in JAPW back in November of '99 cause it showed that I could wrestle as I hung with Hurtz move for move. Up until then I was only known as a hardcore wrestler that bled in Barbed Wire Matches, Steel Cages, Street Fights, etc...and after that match I got alot of compliments ( from fans and workers).

The MiC: This is the question everyone wants to know. You have recently parted ways with Carmine Sabia and SSCW. All that we are hearing are the infamous "creative differences." Can you tell us what the "creative differences" were, and how do you and Carmine see things differently?

Angel: Well creative differences mean that he wants to do things his way as far as booking new talent, etc. I can't tell you how many times I would say "You're gonna book so-and-so? You think he'll draw?" He'd think about it and sometimes agree with me, but lately we would disagree on some guys. I would say to him let's build up our guys first then worry about outside people, he'd agree for the time being then say he wants to book a smark mark match. I pride myself on my booking. I'm not booking for the smarks who will still criticize the show or not even go. So from that point I told him I'm resigning cause we have two different directions in which we wanna go. But I wish him nothing but the very best and he told me the door is always open in SSCW. Hell he even wants me to come back to SSCW as a wrestler, so you never know.

The MiC: You have booked for JAPW and SSCW. What do you like better, wrestling or being behind the scenes?

Angel: I enjoy being behind the scenes. It's alot harder than wrestling cause if a match sucks it's because of you and/or your opponent. But if a show sucks it's because of the way it was booked and the booker catches all the flack

The MiC: What do you think has been the best angle you ever booked? The worst?

Angel: The best angle was in JAPW when myself, Don Montoya, Chino and Magic (then known as Carjacker) brought the Nation Of Immigration to JAPW back in '97 from New Jack City Wrestling. Believe me it wasn't easy trying to convince Fat Frank into doing it at first. I bugged him about it everyday until he finally said yes. After that we brought in Homicide, Lowlife Louie and a ton of more guys that it seemed like the NOI were the whole show every month. You had Montoya as JAPW Heavyweight champ, Chino as the longest reigning JAPW Lightheavyweight champ (18 months - a record that till this day hasn't been broken), and Homicide and I as the JAPW Tag champs (twice) feuding with The Big Unit, New Jack, Tommy Dreamer, The Sickness, The Haas Brothers, Trent Acid, Nick Berk and Billy Reil.

The worst angle was 69 Degrees of Grandmaster "B" and Chino Martinez. On paper it seemed like a good idea but after a few matches together it was doomed cause those two guys didn't click from the start, they were better singles wrestlers. I'm still kicking myself in the ass for that one (Sorry guys)

The MiC: What has been your career highlight for you so far?

Angel: It's a toss up between wrestling King Kong Bundy and Hacksaw Jim Duggan for SSCW and getting to wrestle as NC-17 with Chino in the famed, hallowed halls of the ECW Arena. That's something Frank and I dreamed of doing.

The MiC: What do you think about the state of indy wrestling today?

Angel: Personally I think it's on a decline and that sucks. Everyone wants to blame it on all the new feds popping up but I don't think that's the case. Fat Frank and I talk alot and I think he said it best when he said: you can see Mafia and Homicide on three different nights in three different feds - it's overkill. Because you're not gonna go to all three shows, you're gonna go to only one. Right now JAPW is the most copied fed in NJ (maybe even the Northeast Coast) as other feds have copied their matches, raided their lockerroom. Fans aren't stupid - they see things like that. Today's promoters need to have his own stars, own ideas. They need to be different, look at Magic and Richie Rotten's BWO school. They have their own guys/ideas and they draw from 125-180 each show. Plus alot of promoters fail to realize they need a fanbase, you're not gonna get one by moving every month. Look at JAPW they ran at the Charity Hall for six years. ROH has been running at the Murphy Rec Center for the last year. Both feds built up the areas before going to another location. They didn't piss on their fans they expanded and have a loyal fanbase that is willing to travel to see their product.

Word Association

Fat Frank - #1 fed in NJ. Turned JAPW around when the Hall closed. Is a true survivor in this biz. Even though we had our wrestling differences - 17 years of childhood friendship keeps us strong and in each others lives.
Ricky O - I've heard about his shows, hopefully his attendence picks up cause he's been doing this for awhile and he's another survivor like Frank.
Carmine Sabia - Great guy to work for, gave me and Chino a second home when we left JAPW. Sidenote: Contrary to what other people think, Carmine has his own mind. I don't tell him what to do, who to book and not to book due to personal issues. I have better things to do than concern myself with any one person cause I live my life for me not anyone else. If you were a wrestler, valet or manager and not booked in SSCW it was because of your actions in the ring or lockerrooms, you were a egomaniacal idiot that would disrupt the chemistry in the back, and/or a headache not because of anything I said. Carmine is a big boy he can think for himself.
Gino Moore - Cool guy. I've known him for a few years. Great guy to work for. Welcomed Chino and I with open arms into NWS.
Gino Caruso - Gave Frank and I our tag title run in ECPW and we met alot of people through Gino and made alot of contacts that I still have in my life today.
Jac Sabboth - Never met him so I can't comment on him.
Frank Goodman - Met him once a few years ago for a second. He was polite.
Peter Ferriero - I like Pete, he's a great guy. Always wants to see everyone get along but I tell him it can't happen due to everyone's egos.
Vince McMahon - Changed the face of wrestling but also killed it by purchasing his competition. He's really made it difficult for up and coming indy guys. They have less places work now.
Vince Russo - Should be the newest member of Luke's 2 Live Crew cause he's as nasty as he wants to be.
King Kong Bundy - Great guy to know. I was nervous as hell when I was gonna wrestle him in SSCW but he was a true professional and even complimented me after the match.
Shaolin Wrecking Crew-You guys throw the word underrated around alot but these two guys are TRULY UNDERRATED. Where's their stories and interviews? These guys should be booked more, I don't understand it. Fat Frank even branded them the new heavy hitters and they're the biggest tag team on the indies today. Wise up promoters - these two have tons of potiental.
Scott Steiner - I heard the rumors about Steiner being difficult to work with and his mood swings but when SSCW booked him last Halloween he was a true gentleman in the lockerroom and real easy to work with.
Tony Devito - I've known Devito for years. Good guy, bad temper but always cool with me.
Sandman - Met him for the first time back in March when he put over Rob Eckos for the SSCW Heavyweight title. Easy to work with, no ego.
Chino Martinez - A guy who lost his smile. LOL. Just messing with ya, Chino. Pretty much bitter these days but another TRULY UNDERRATED wrestler. True professional, no ego, always does what's best for any company over his own needs. Sidenote: When Chino dropped the Heavyweight title to Montoya he took some time off cause he had a busted ear drum. He could've kept on working with the injury but he told Fat Frank to use some of the younger guys while he heals up. Unselfish. Why more feds aren't using him, I don't know.
Steve Corino - Worked with him twice in SSCW. Good guy, solid worker.
Rob Eckos - Breakthrough star of 2003 and SSCW was the first fed to recognize his potiental and use him to the fullest when he left IWF and Kevin Knight.
Jason X. Lawrence - Up and coming manager. It's gonna be hard for him cause in 2003 managers basically don't exists. If you are a second, you have to show T-and-A. No offense Jason but I don't think anybody wants to see your T-and-A. LOL
Frankie Hawke - Alot of people feel that he was pushed into this too early, whether he was or wasn't he's out there busting his ass.
Mafia - Another breakthrough star in 2003, nice guy - deserves everything he gets in this biz.
Monsta Mack - It's no secret we don't get along. He does his thing, I do mine.
Haas Brothers - I love those guys and can't believe that Russ is gone. Mine and Homicide's first big tag team win was over the Haas Bros in Union City. Since then I traveled up and down to feds with them and always had a great time. I'm happy that Charlie is in WWE but I wish it was Russ by his side. Not to take anything away from Shelton Benjamin.
Johnny Thundar - Misunderstood guy and picked on alot by fans and newsletters. He treated me with respect and I treated him with respect. He made my booking duties in SSCW memorable with his antics at MediEvil Times. Thundar's over with me.
Running Locker Rooms - It's fun sometimes but it's also hectic. You have a thousand different things to deal with at once but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Gangrel - Met him the first time at a Donnie B PCW show last April, one day before Chino was gonna wrestle him in SSCW. AWESOME worker, GREAT attitude, all around nice guy. He even played with my son. Should be used more and is an asset to any fed.
Chris Candido - Met him last February when he worked Chino. Another easy going guy with a great attitude and no ego. A true gentleman.
Difficult Wrestlers - I don't understand them. Don't live your gimmick. Work the crowd, not me. I don't get those guys that act like they're the Messiahs of wrestling, like they invented the headlock.
Declaration of Independents - Gives alot of workers press, sometimes guys that others don't report about, doing a great job.
Angel Martinez - Constantly thinking wrestling. An easy going guy but don't fuck with him or his family.

The MiC: Now that you're duties with SSCW end effective on June 21st, are there any chances of you starting your own promotion? What does the future hold? Would you ever consider going back to Jersey All Pro Wrestling?

Angel: That's what everyone thinks and sure I have some money saved up but why bother. There's WAY TOO MANY NJ feds out there, they don't need one more. The future sees me relaxing with my family. I've been toying around with music for last few years. I'm working with some really talents brothers at MADYOSHI RECORDS. Would I ever consider going back to JAPW? Who knows what the future holds? Right now Frank is doing a great job of running things by himself.

The MiC: How do you deal with difficult wrestlers, when running a locker room?

Angel: In SSCW nobody is difficult but SSCW does have the Zero Tolerance rule meaning one problem and you're out. There is no room or time for primadonnas.

The MiC: What has been the best part for you, about being in the wrestling business?

Angel: Getting to meet and wrestle guys I grew up watching on TV. Not to mention all the indy guys I've met along the way and forged friendships with.

The MiC: What do you have to say to anyone reading this?

Angel: Thanks for reading this. Hope you enjoyed it. Support your local indies and see you at the shows.

The MiC: Thank you for doing this interview.

Email The MiC at BULLSMC@aol.com

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