What’s up boys and girls, and welcome to another McInterview, this time with John Curse. Curse currently operates the NYWC promotion, as well as co-head trainer at Critical Mass Wrestling School. Curse trained with Taz, when the ECW school, House of Hardcore, was open. In this interview, Curse goes deep into his past, the present and the future, and gave us a great interview and made alot of good points. I learned alot. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: How did you get your start in pro wrestling? What made you want to be in pro wrestling?

John Curse: Towards the end of 1995 I discovered ECW and was instantly hooked. I made a few calls and it turned out ECW was going to open a school in Deer Park Long Island, about 10 minutes from where I grew up, Northport. Taz wound up calling me and we talked for about an hour about wrestling, weight training , and conditioning and I knew right then I had to give it a shot. I was in excellent shape, even though holding down a full time job at JP Morgan on Wall Street, and with a Wife and 1 year old Daughter. I would wake up at 4 in the morning and drive from my home in Brooklyn to Manhattan, train like an animal, then drive back to Brooklyn to get ready for work and take my Daughter to her babysitter. I think Taz liked my determination and dedication. Taz and Perry Saturn opened the school in February of 1996 and I was the first student at the ECW House of Hardcore. I trained for a couple of years there, minus some time off for a couple of fractured ribs and shoulder problems and would do it over again in a second.

I, like any wrestler you ask, always loved wrestling, but never thought I was big enough. I saw Mikey Whipreck, said to myself he's the same size as me, and if he could do it so could I. The rest is history.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Who were your favorite wrestlers growing up? Least favorite growing up?

John Curse: My favorites were Bruno Samartino, Chief Jay Strongbow, Superstar Billy Graham, Killer Kowalski, guys from that era. I didn't have a least favorite but there was a worker called the Werewolf or Wolfman that always spooked me a little. Not many remember him but he was in the WWWF for a short time, and his finisher was as I recall biting his opponents neck and when he did it they would put a big X across the screen. I found that to be a little disturbing.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Everyone knows you were in Team Taz. Can you explain what Team Taz was, and what it meant to you? Are you still in contact with Tazz (add the extra Z for Zip, like the WWE does) today?

John Curse: Team Taz was a group of Taz' students that would accompany Taz to the ring during his matches. We got involved in the matches occasionally, and got to be part of the shows at the ECW arena which was an unbelievable experience. We were on Monday night Raw when Taz worked Mikey Whipreck and Sabu came out to interrupt the match , and we had to remove him from ringside. Being on Team Taz was a motivating factor that helped me make it through the most brutal training in the business. I haven't spoken to Taz in a couple of years, though I wouldn't mind talking to him sometime. I know he is very busy and that any free time he has he'd rather spend with his family as opposed to talking to a hammerhead like me.

As far as the Z for Zip comment goes I find that to be disrespectful considering A) You probably used to mark out like a mother F'er to him
B) To come back from all the injuries he had, broken neck, rotator cuff surgery , and many, many more, and to last as long and make it as far as he did is quite remarkable
C) You can't fault him for how he was used in the fed
D) If you ask me he has one of the best jobs in the world and he is very good at it

(The MiC: the “Z” comment was made in reference of making the WWE add that onto his name. In no way, shape or form was it meant to be disrespectful and Curse was correct when he said I used to mark out to him. I agree with the rest of Curse’s points, and I wish WWE would have used him better when he first came in the WWF. Back to the interview.)

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What is the best thing about being in wrestling? What have been some of your favorite moments?

John Curse: The best thing for me at this stage is being able to guide guys in a direction where there dreams are coming true. My favorite moments have been taking part in ECW's first PPV, appearing on Raw with Team Taz, and watching guys like Dickie Rodz, who no one ever thought would amount to anything have a match worthy of a WWE PPV against Livewyre on our June 7th show. The farewell to Livewyre is something I'll always remember too.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: How did the NYWC form, and what is it that makes the NYWC training school aka Critical Mass successful?

John Curse: NYWC formed because there was a lack of promotions in the area where young workers could get quality matches. What makes Critical Mass successful is my painstaking attention to the little details involved in wrestling , and that we are like a family and are not just here to beat guys up and take their money. Even though we are like a family it is serious business though, ask Tony Burma, I had to throw my phone at him the other night, luckily I missed him or he probably would have caught it and called someone, man he loves to talk.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: The NYWC is a student show, but NOTHING like what you would expect at a student show, in my opinion. Do you agree that NYWC is head and shoulders above other student shows, and why do you think the NYWC has been so successful after only 4 shows?

We are not a student show. All the wrestlers on the show are fully trained professionals. NYWC is successful because it is a promotion that we all take a tremendous amount of pride in. As we have built this fed together from the ground up everyone has the desire to make it successful.

(MiC: Sorry to interrupt again. I was informed NYWC was a student show in the beginning, but it has changed. All the wrestlers on NYWC are fully trained talents from the wrestlers to managers to referees. Most of them trained at the CMPW school is what I was implying Sorry for the confusion and back to the interview.)

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What have been your favorite promotions to work for? Your least favorite?

John Curse: My favorite promotion aside from the things I did in ECW, would be NYWC. It's a great bunch of guys that give 100% and would do anything to make NYWC successful. My least favorite is NYWC, if you knew all the crap I had to go through to get the shows off the ground your head would explode.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Do you have any superstitions before a match?

John Curse: No superstitions. I stretch, tape up my wrists, pump up a little and put on some hot stuff. Before I get in the ring, if I see my Daughters, I give them a kiss and tell them I'm going to be OK and not to worry.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Not only do you wrestle for NYWC, you're one of the head trainers and one of the people involved in making the show successful. How much work goes into making the show go off without a hitch come showtime? And what do you prefer, booking or wrestling?

John Curse: I don't do the booking but offer our booker occasional advise when asked. I do however have a hand in everything from advertising, training, set up, break down, talent relations, talent scouting , peace maker, Psychiatrist , Doctor, and anything that needs to get done. Greg Stengle also does a tremendous amount of work necessary to make the shows run smoothly. I have a few people that help with both the shows and the school and without them it would be very difficult.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: We've seen former LIWF and Doghouse guys work NYWC shows, such as John Shane, Grim Reefer and The Solution, to mix in with the Critical Mass guys. Will there be more outside talent being brought in, or will it be mostly in-house guys only?

John Curse: We bring people in when we need to. It's not like "maybe if I bring my gear to the show I'll get on". We are very particular about who we bring in, we want guys that can work and get along with the boys. Ego's are not tolerated.

Word Association

Taz - The man changed my life and I can never thank him enough for making my dream come true. Phenomenal athlete, if you've ever been in the ring with him you'd know just how good he really is.

Perry Saturn - I still have nightmares. He taught me a lot and to him I am forever grateful. I remember almost everything he told me, the same with Taz, and was often caught off guard by his humor. Could be very funny at times. Very serious at other times , very serious. If it wasn't for my cat-like reflexes I wouldn't be here today.

Dean Malenko - He's in my top 5, everything he does is perfect.

Benoit - See Dean Malenko

Frankie Starz - I hear he has some demons in his closet and hope he can get himself on the right track. He was probably the only person that ever went out of his way to try and help me get bookings. Good hardcore wrestler, needs work on some of the basics, above average promo skills. Gulf war Veteran and fellow Marine. His band Wooden Snow is very good, I think he's a better Bass player than wrestler, not a knock on his wrestling skills but a compliment to his musical skills. I hear he's very good on the skin flute also.

Bobby Lombardi - He is probably responsible for saving a lot of lives and straightening some kids out. Gave them direction and something to look forward too. I'm thankful to him for giving me the opportunity to perform on his shows for about a year and hope if he does move to Florida and opens up another school he doesn't have the problems he had in NY.

Frank Goodman - The King of NY. We speak occasionally and I couldn't say a bad thing about him. Any of the rumors I've heard about Frank I have been able to dismiss. He's made opportunities available to many of my students and I am grateful. I'd do anything to help him if necessary ( except let him use my ring at the Elk's Lodge, I still have nightmares about that from ECW)

Jac Sabboth - Only met him a couple of times but he's cool with me and any business we've done together has been taken care of timely and professionally.

Tyler Payne - Great wrestling mind, bad wrestling breath. Someone I know can get the job done, responsible, reliable, no bs. Good friend ( at least until he turned on me).

Mike Mayhem - Knows every move ever created. Needs to get his head out of his ass and work everywhere and anywhere in the world.

Ricky O - Another promoter that I've gotten to know and like, who I'd do anything for. Uses a lot of CMPW guys and puts on solid shows.

Livewyre - Like a son to me, I hope he makes it as far as he wants. Never gives anything less than 100%. He's also become a good friend that I will do anything I can for. Just make sure you give me my Steamboat dvd back hammerhead!!!!!!

Dickie Rodz - Another son to me, I am very proud of him. If you would have seen him when he first walked through our doors you would have said " Is this f'n tool serious?" Wait that was me who said that. Turns out he was serious and has become one of our top guys in NYWC, and also a close friend that I can trust and rely on.

To read the complete interview check out the 4th Edition of our Newsletter Publication, where the interview is printed in its entirety!