"The Arsonist" Tim Arson

Welcome to another McInterview, here on the DOI. This time, I sat down with "The Arsonist" Tim Arson, who is also remembered for his ECW on Sci-Fi debut as "The Zombie." Tim Arson has been around the indy scene for quite some time now. After doing the northeast independents from 2000-2005, Tim went to work for WWC in Puerto Rico. Tim would return to his home country, and would become "The Zombie" for ECW in 2006. After ECW, Tim, now a former tag champion in Puerto Rico, went back to Puerto Rico, where the "gringo" would win even more gold. Tim would find his greatest in-ring success in Puerto Rico. Tim would also find the love of his life in Puerto Rico, as he would later get married in May of 2007.

Fast forward to August 2007, where Tim Arson has come full circle and back in America. Arson has currently went full circle and is now competing for his alma-matter, Johnny Rodz's WUW promotion, hosted by Gleason's Gym. Tim also does the Zombie gimmick on the road, as he's currently doing the character in PWS.

In this very candid and in-depth interview, Tim talks WUW, Gleasons Gym, Puerto Rico, WWC, getting married, the state of the indies, UXW, Frank Goodman, Anthony Deblasi, Ricky O., PWS & much much more. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did.

Before getting in to the bulk of the interview, here are two quick YouTube Videos of Arson, which should help you get acquainted or perhaps re-acquainted with him:

"The Zombie" vs Malta The Damager from ProWrestlingSyndicate

Tim Arson vs Joe Bravo from Naguabo, Puerto Rico at a WWC House Show

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Tim, it's great to have you back on the DOI. First off congratulations on being a married man and welcome back to the United States. For the people who don't know you just returned after a lengthy stay in Puerto Rico. How have you been doing since your return and what's it like to be back?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Well Mister Sean let me foost seh etz a plezzuhhr to be bock ehn the doi true all amerrrican indepundennt website Mister Sean and alll my intulligeennt indepundent LesTling fehns KNOW! that I am the REHHLLLL ORIGINEL SHOOTERE!!........................

Thanks Sean and it is good to be back here in the States.I loved Puerto Rico, I made so many good friends there and the experience that I received was second to none! I called it Wrestling College because that's what it was. I learned how to work, I worked and hung with big name guys like Sabu, Sandman, XPAC just to name a few where over here I may not have had the chance. I was on the NBC of Puerto Rico Televicentro and learned hands on how to cut promos that make sense and hit short and sweet. I wrestled three to four times a week in different towns and barrios across the island and basically was and still am a celebrity in Puerto Rico and for all of that I should have had to pay $50,000 in comparison to the JABRONI wrestling schools around here that rip kids off for $1500-5000 to bullshit them and close up shop after six months for and for that I will forever be grateful to Mr Colon and Mr Jovica for assisting in getting me ready for the next level. I am very happily married and never could have imagined meeting someone that supports my goals, understands me, loves wrestling and the Yankees!!!!! but I pulled it off Coming To America sequel style!! but I went to PR to find my queen.

After a month of Honeymoon living with no working out and eating like Artie Lange and just getting my lady acclimated to New Jersey I went back to training and I've been eating alot of good food and working out like it's 2000 again, 5 days a week in the weight room, 3 days a week at Gleasons(three hour ring sessions per) and I feel better than ever.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: You started off at Johnny Rodz's Gleason Gym and wrestled for his WUW promotion. What was it like wrestling for WUW then and what's it like now, as a seasoned ring veteran, being back and helping some of the younger guys?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Well wrestling for the "promotion" has come full circle. Back then you had to train more time to be put on a show( I trained for a year and a half before I was allowed to referee and then in my first match Johnny ejected me from the match for doin ga low blow) we were doing "school shows", weren't really advertised anywhere and it was to give the training students a feel for working in front of a live crowd even if it was mostly friends and family. (After a chicken shit call in to the NYSAA and a cancellation WE NOW HAVE A LICENSE and after just a few months of training these kids are being given the opportunity to develop themselves in front of a crowd but now with the internet and the promotion from the great DOI the unique style of old school/new school fresh gimmick show that we put on is attracting more mainstream wrestling fans that are looking for a change from the sammmmmmmmmme names that have been on the circuit for ...shiiiiiiiiiiiit 5 -7 years and the same lame money mark promoter-esque shows that saturate the NY/NJ indie scene.And believe it or not as you have mentioned before Sean Gleasons has guys that can go and bring it that noone knows right now but give it a few more months and everyone will see and I know that we have something that everyone wants to see, it's only a matter of time, it's a well oiled machine at 75 Front Street right now.

Wrenching in a Headlock

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: A lot of wrestling schools have different ways of doing things. What do you think are the positives and negatives of Johnny Rodz's system?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Positives: Lifetime membership(lol except for Kevin), Learning from other veteran students who understand the system.Cameraderie: It's pretty cool to be wrestling inside of the most famous boxing gym in the world and it's even better when you can make boxers training all around you stop their intense training to watch you wrestle .

Longevity: The school has been around for over 20 years and has boasted so many guys who have made it. The best fundamentals taught, tried and true methods will teach you how to handle yourself in the ring in any circumstance. Johnny himself: If you listen to him and REALLY UNDERSTAND the meaning of what he says to you, can go any where and do anything you want, the problem is too many guys are in such a rush to get somewhere that even they don't know where they just want to get out of there because they feel stagnated. I was hard-headed and I myself was like that but after being in Puerto Rico and having to deal with short pay weeks sometimes and some difficult situations Johnny taught me how to survive and I didn't even know it until I was in Puerto Rico on my own. I learned more from Johnny on how to conduct myself outside of the ring than in the ring and in today's wrestling world where first impressions are everything what you do in the ring is less important than how you handle yourself outside the ring.

Negatives:Low ceilings make it difficult to too much aerial stuff( Yes Im 250 lbs and I do moonsaults and the Jeff Hardy thing) I learned how to "work" matches in Puerto Rico in terms of the 7 components of a match which I'm currently implementing to the students now so a negative will be turned into a positive.. Want to know the 7 components???? Gotta comedown and get in the ring!!

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: During your first NY stint, you wrestled for Frank Goodman's UXW? What was your time in UXW like and what are your thoughts on Frank Goodman?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Well I'll always be thankful to Frank for giving me my first indy booking but theres been ups and downs with us. He'll disagree but I felt like there was always a ceiling with me there. He was kind of tight in the pockets too with me but I was still in the earlier stages of my career so maybe he didn't see what I saw. I always wanted to work the late great Candido and Chris did too but Frank never booked the match because I guess I wasn't what people "wanted to see" at that time even though I had already been his US Champion and NY State Champion and what would happen alot is he would say that as a reason but whatever thats ancient history at this point I have no problem with Frank, I consider him a family man and would definetely work with him again in the future.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on the situation between you and Homicide, where you guys both got at it at UXW show in the Elks Lodge?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: First off let me preface by saying that this is all water under the bridge at this point. I have a tremedous amount of respect for Homicide and all his accomplishments in the business. Well I covered this in my first interview but again what happen was he called me out when I was injured with a C-6-C-7 disc herniation in my neck and challenged me in front of everyone, he begged Goodman to book a"shoot fight" "fist fight" or a match which is how it was advertised next month between us. He booked it and then leading up to it I was told by mutual friends that there were questions being asked about my abilities and low and behold I got a call from Frank a week before the show saying that he's cancelling the match because Homicide is working Terry Funk the next night in JAP and he will be getting back from Japan that week too and that he "wants to be fresh" for the Funker so instead he books him vs CM Punk and they wrestle 35 minutes. Anyways who knows what would have happened, I guess in the grand scheme of things he already had a name and alot more on the line than I did if he had gotten beat by some no-name Tim Arson.I'd love to opportunity to wrestle him in the future, I'm sure it would be a classic.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your favorite Elks Lodge memories?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: So many half were getting drunk with you, hanging in the Matt Zombie corner with Juggy, Nelson Torres and laughing at all the lames either on the show or in the crowd, hanging with Balls, ohhhhh one time we walked upstairs on an adventure and it was like a an old hotel floor converted into a psych ward with wall to wall red carpet totally out of a horror movie and then the other half were in the ring vs Kid Kruel, Matt Striker, the great Jac Sabboth ICW formed Canadian Impact Alliance contests with my partner from the isle of Pittdaggonia Pitt Dagg, getting Lizzy Valentines powerbombed "crotch to face deal" via Tom Marquez.

Big Guys Can Moonsault Too!

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your favorite Gleason Gym/WUW memories?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Working out with Vito while he rips me and everyone new assholes thruout saying such great motivational things as "YOUR NOT HERE TO BE A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER,YOU ARE HERE FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES!!! YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT THIS BUSINESS!! YOU COME HERE TO "PLAY" WRESTLE" "WHO ARE YOU!! AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE IN THE WRESTLING BUSINESS"....My first match after two years of training 6 man tag, I low blowed the guy and Johnny ejected me from the match baseball style.... Getting into the hot fistfight with Don Tito Jackson aka NNN Nasty Nigga Nate aka Monkey man Cheetah during a Saturday workout ( Louie was on hand to ahemmm "HOLLLLDDD ME" BACK while someone got some shots in from his back....Many Many good times after the shows out with the boys.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What were your thoughts on the indy scene from 2003-2006? Do you think that period of time favored the smaller spotty guys rather than the guys who looked like wrestlers and could tell a story in the ring?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Wrestling is wrestling whether the guys 7 feet or 4 feet.It's not gymnastics or aerobics. There was a hardcore era when ECW was around there was 'hardcore" matches everywhere, some kids copy what your SATs, your Reds, Reefers did great and suddenly we have a bunch of 145 lb punks doing flips and shit working for $20, some were okay but for the most part the ones that are still around earned their spot and the ones that aren't well their teaching aerobics and pilates at your local New York Sports Club......nuff said...R.I.P. Jimmy

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts about the former JCW and Ricky O? What's your take on the story when you were "fired" from JCW because you went flying into a wall at the Lucky's venue?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: I thought it was bullshit then and it's bullshit now not to rat but Papadon called the spot and boom I went flying into the styrofoam wall.I wasn't present during his meeting saying no outside the ring, I offered to pay the damages on scene via Bandido (who had the hookup for the club) so as far as Im concerned I don't know what the real reason was I got "fired" lol but I guess I deeply hurt Ricky O.Don't have anything to hold against him so whatever.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Tell us step-by-step how you got the Zombie gimmick on the first episode of ECW on Sci-Fi? What was going through your head? Did you know it would get a cult following? Did you know going into it that Vince was bastardizing the original ECW? What was it like being on TV and now being associated with that character?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Paul E said "let's do a Zombie" and asked who they could use for it. Tommy Dreamer suggested me ( sitting on a crate taking the advice of Vito to STAY PUT AND KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!", . Heyman stood 5 feet from Tim and told him "show me the Zombie". Tim put his arms out to the sides and growled. Paul told me to open his eyes a little more, and gave him more Zombie. Next thing, they had me in the make up chair, they cut up my jeans. A guy was sent outside to get real dirt for my hair, pockets, and clothes.

Then Fit took me to Vince and he loved it! It was like Droz in the puke scene in Vince's office to do the Zombie character in front of him. So I did the Zombie pose and growl, and Vince was hysterical and said "that's fucking brilliant". I never knew or thought Vince was bastardizing ECW, the experience was amazing andeveryone I spoke to loved it but I had noooooooooooooooooooo ideaaaaa it would become the cult classic that it did. I was happy to have done my job which is be the man to get Sandman over strong! on the debut of ECW on SCI FI and if anything it wasn't Vince bastardizing ECW it his saying fuck you to the network on them trying to tell him how to run his show and incidentally it worked out for everyone, the network stopped making suggestions, I got paid...... and paid again and again and a shitload of emails and myspace's of people marking out for the character it was overwhelming.

Someone book him vs the Boogeyman!

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What led you to going to Puerto Rico? Who did you work for? What are the differences between the Puerto Rican and American scene?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: I accompanied Johnny to a Wrestlereunion event in Carteret, NJ and I believe the theme was Latin Legends, and I was introduced to Pedro Morales and Hugo ( Savinovich) he actually recommended me and introduced me to Carlos Colon, he asked if I had a tape got it for him and he called me that week and I was there two weeks later. I worked for Carlos Colon's World Wrestling Council promotion. There's a huge differences between the American scene and the Puerto Rican scene. Their major sports there are Basketball, baseball(in the winter), Wrestling, and Volleyball. The show I was on is broadcast on Televicentro which is like the NBC of the island shown all over Saturday and Sunday mornings between 11 and 1pm and it is also here in the states on WAPA America which is carried on Direct TV and Cablevision/Optimum Latino package. The fans are so much more appreciative of wrestling as a whole and if your good they'll heel you with boos, batteries, piss, and dirty diapers or if your a face you'll be over bigtime but if you suck or are trying too hard like I was in the beginning they'll sit on their hands. I worked heel mostly but it 's nice to be treated like a celebrity everywhere you go someone knows you and shakes your hand and I say Gracias, Gracias, Gracias( nah I know more than that but I'm working the Tajiri I dont speak English angle or my buddy Shane the Glamour boy who isa fellow gringo from Canada and was there 10 years before moving to Florida in May)

I loved it , the workrate is mostly kick, punch, fairly easy but where I learned was listening to the veterans like Eddie Colon,General Barrabas,Maravilla R.I.P.,Chicky Starr ,Huracan Castillo,Sr. Jose Estrada,"Mr. Hardcore Rico Suave He was my tag team partner down there we were two time WWC Tag champs including one victory over TNA's AMW and he taught me so much on the psychology of tag team wrestling. I also worked Sabu which was an amazing honor and funny at the same time ( I picked him up for a gorilla press for my one shine spot and he made a fart sound while I had him in the air and I lost it and fell with him on top of me).

Also the road stories from Sandman ,Sabu, Xpac, Heidenreich were priceless, drinking with Sandman from 1am till noon the next day was pretty cool too. And then just the steady education every Tuesday cutting promos for the shows really honed my skills on the mic which is something that I had never done outside of in the mirror and just the overall beauty of Puerto Rico and their people which if your from here and Puerto Rican and have never been there or anybody for that matter go there, you'll love it.

Showing off Puerto Rican Gold

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Thoughts on the passing of Victor Quinonnes?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: I didn't know the man, never met him but I knew IWA drew very well when he was there and he was the money man for the company andI know after his passing the company had major financial problems with paying some of their top guys.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: A lot of people say the pay in Puerto Rico was terrible, although the experience is valuable. What is your take on that? Who helped you down there? Who hurt you?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: I was always paid. Maybe some weeks were shorter than others but I budgeted well and also got a job at Costco down so I wasn't the typical gringo retard who thinks that the company will support them down there always,(Johnny Rodz Lesson #1 SURVIVAL: not taught in the ring) you know it's a wrestling company not Merrill Lynch, it's a cash business and out there the most important part of my stay was my wife and her family as she was my accountant and helped me budget my money and we almost always ate at her parents house.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What was it like winning gold in Puerto Rico? What were the crowds like? When did you feel that you were someone down there? Also, what was it like getting more fame in a foreign country?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: I was a two time WWC tag team champ with Rico Suave down there and the feeling was such a feeling of accomplishment and honor that the company believed in me and my progression. I also held the Heavvyweight title for NWS whio was partnered with WWC and I am the first wrestler in the history of Puerto Rico Wrestling to hold two major titles at the same time in two different promotions.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What made you leave Puerto Rico?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: There were a few different reasons but like any territory back in the day you want to keep your name fresh and I felt the obligation to do that after the two years I had been there. I missed my family and I was getting married in May ,had a good job offer back here in NJ and I knew I had to set up shop for me and my wife when she moved here after the wedding so that meant getting a place, a car , and a job and that's what I did.

Posing For The Ladies (and Gay Men)

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Upon your return, you returned to WUW/Gleasons Gym. What was it like being there? Who are some of the guys you like wrestling there?

"The Arsonist" Tim Ar I feel rejuvenated! It was great coming home to Gleasons, a lot of new faces,but no sad faces;) that is my family there and I'm looking forward to working with the new guys to show them some of the things I ve learned and I like working with everyone there and that's the thing there is soooooooo much talent that noone knows about and the WUW is gonna explode this year!! and that's not cliche it's just the truth. You got Mac Daddy Flexxx, Smooth Operator, Minyon, "Firebird" Jorge Santi, The Musketeer, there's five random guys that can main event any indy out there right now, and I mean LEGIT! FRESH! guys I loved working Joe "So Delicious last month and definetely want to continue working with him. WUWONLINE.com.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on PWS? Spencer Jawitz? Eric Tapout? What are your thoughts about Spencer costing you a payday from Keith Zimmer's PWH?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: PWS is like a little brother to me. Through my stay in Puerto Rico I traveled alot with Romeo Roselli for the month he was there and he really liked the idea of the Zombie too and he got hooked up with Eric Tapout who primarily promotes shows and concerts thruout NYC. So he put me in touch with Eric and the guy has been the most honest top notch promoter I've ever worked with and I will do anything to help his promotion grow. It's not often you meet guys who are honest and if you do the scum in the business infiltrates and sours them. that brings us to MR IHOP Spencer Jawitz. He initially wanted to cancel me off of the original PWS show becasue of the Keith Zimmer PWH show.

Now I did give Eric my word that I wouldn't do anything anywhere else however I wasn't even going to wrestle for Keith from what I understood and it was going to be a small show and I just wanted to help out, next thing you know I get a professional legal-esque, WWE Release-esque letter saying how I violated the terms of our initial agreement. Eric told me the source and then everything else that this guy Spencer did it's noteven worth the time on my interview but in a nutshell, Spencer and Eric had breakfast at IHOP and Eric paid the bill and left a tip and started walking ou tand turned around to see Spencer taking the tip off of the table and putting it in his pocket....I don't think I need to give anymore press to Mr. Stewie Griffin.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What's it like knowing more people in America known you as the Zombie rather than a solid professional wrestler named Tim Arson?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Well I'd like it to be otherwise but it really doesn't matter anymore,I got over my ego problem many years ago when I realized I wouldn't be signed after 6 months of training and like I said I feel rejuvenated for the business when there was a time I didn't know how much more I wanted it,and I know I'm more equipped when my next opportunity comes up that ever before so if they know me now, when I get signed or never I'm glad that I was apart of something that entertained MILLLIONS!! and that's all I ever want to do is entertain.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on the current indy scene today? Do you think it's hard for bigger guys to get a break on the indy scene?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Honestly I really haven't seen many shows outside of reading the results on DOI and as I said earlier there's alot of the same names on tehcards from five , six, seven years ago. I like JAP Worldwide and some youtube stuff and Flexxx tells me about some of the shows. As far as big guys go I don't know if it's hard for them to get booked. I would think the opposite.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on Anthony Deblasi and do you think he's a huge money mark like everyone else says he is? What are your thoughts about him putting thousands into Frank Goodman's pockets?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Anthony has always been good to me, he does my car insurance for me and I really wasn't around during the dealings with Goodman but it wouldn't surprise me being the master manipulator Goodman is.

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson About To Nail a DVD

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your future goals and plans?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Hopefully to get signed by WWE. I plan on continuing to teach what I've been taught and having a little Tim Arson in the next year or two.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What's a typical day in the life of Tim Arson like? What's a typical day for the Zombie?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: I wake up 6am wash my face, my wife makes me oatmeal with raisins, and four hard boiled eggs, off to work to collect from delinquent credit card holders. At lunchtime I workout in the gym in the building and then at 5pm its down to Gleasons and train there until 9-10pm, go home eat dinner, watch Family Guy and collapse till 6am.

Arson, In A Posed Shot From Puerto Rico

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Is there anything else you'd like to say to anyone reading this?

"The Arsonist" Tim Arson: Nothing is free in this world, you have to work for everything you have and if there is any advice I can give it's that nothing is GUARANTEED IN THIS BUSINESS and IT OWES YOU NOTHING so save your money, and learn a trade besides wrestling......

In Puerto Rico for WWC

Tim and Wife

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com