Inferno
1/2 of the JCW Tag Team Champions
What up boys and girls and welcome to another McInterview. Today I interviewed indy superstar, Inferno. Inferno used to wrestle as the Inferno Kid, but hit puberty in his indy career and dropped the kid. Inferno has recently made his return to SSCW, JCW, and ECWA after a 7 month absence due to injuries. Currently, Inferno has joined the indy tag ranks, and is ˝ of The Hybrid, with his partner Wenzel. Inferno has done a lot in his career, including working for the WWE on numerous occasions as well as being part of the initial prestigious Super 8 tournament. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: How did you get into pro wrestling?
Inferno: in 92 I was at a WCW house show, I met Tommy Fierro in the crowd. We were so hung up on impressing each other with wrestling knowledge and who knows who. At the time we were both doing newsletters. He let me know about a wrestling radio show from William Paterson College and I started listening. I heard about Gino Caruso's ECPW School, so I went to go watch. I started to train a month later. From there I went on to work out at Iron Mike Sharps, then to Tommy Cairo's school where me and Crowbar had the keys and just killed each other day in and day out. Bill DeMott was there working with us. At the same time I hooked up with Dennis Coraluzzo who took a liking to me and let me start hanging around his shows down south. He introduced me to everyone, Tony Rumble, Jim Cornette, I mean everyone. I was very fortunate to be that young and have alot of help in grooming my career. I also met Jim Kettner during that time. I've been with the ECWA since I was 16
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What was your training like?
Inferno: Training was hard. I mean ECPW really teaches you from the ground up. Gino Caruso is an accomplished Greco-roman collegiate wrestler. He's a fantastic and erudite instructor. Hugh Morrus was just coming off of being in Japan and drilled the hell out of me. I learned a huge amount of wrestling from him as well. Iron Mike Sharps was a great experience because I learned with guys like Nova, Donnie B, Rik Ratchet, Crowbar, Ace Darling, Derek Domino, and Candido. You have no choice but to be on your game. The real learning experience comes from being on the road. I was fortunate to have the time to go and travel and learn from different areas of the country when I was young.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What do you think has been the best match in your career?
Inferno: I really don’t ever consider any best matches. There are ones that I really enjoyed. I liked working with Ace Darling, Crowbar, Simon Diamond, Ki, Corino, Samu, Lloyd, Reckless Youth; I mean I really can't pick out favorites. I loved being in the first two super 8's. I think it's really unfair to pick out bests, because I've had quite a few good ones with quite a few people. Each one I learned something valuable. I value all the times I was able to work for the WWF/E, and mostly I value the time alot of guys took out to teach me a few things. Like I said before, I've been very very fortunate to have the opportunities to get in there over the years with some of the best and also some great legends. Over the years you get to lock up with just about everyone. To be honest my match with Mil Mascaras was my best. LOL, I know I’m gonna get heat for this, but damn, I now know what Mick Foley meant in his books pertaining to that subject. Anyone who has that tape, burn it. LOL.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Who would you rather party with Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera?
Inferno: l usually don’t mark over any puss, but I love them both, sincerely with all my heart, and I look forward to hanging with both. LOL
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Recently you have formed a tag team with Wenzel, called Hybrid. How did you guys get together and what do you guys hope to accomplish?
Inferno: I recently had a surgery or two, and while I was sitting back and reflecting, I took the advice of a good friend who told me, "You have to re create yourself, so and so isn’t' buying what your selling right now." I was like damn your right. I never looked at it like that. So, after ten years or so, I chose to go the tag route, and I grabbed a dude who is a good friend, and that is a piece of raw, unguided talent and asked him to tag with me. We have a similar look, similar goals. He is teaching me what I don't know about tags, and I'm teaching him what he doesn't know about what I've gone through. It's very exciting for both us, and I think the feedback so far has been better than expected. It just works.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What are your thoughts about your long-term manager Noel, retiring?
Inferno: Over the course of a year I had the opportunity to become friends with Noel. I enjoyed our time working together. She's definitely someone who wants to learn so much about wrestling. I hope she gets to continue in that quest. I know she's having her troubles, so I can only wish her the best and hope that everything works out.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What is one of the funniest things that ever happened to you in wrestling?
Inferno: There's a ton of road stories I have. Alot of those have been documented via VHS recorder. LOL, but in ring, I'll just go the clean route. Here I was in 94, young kid, I was wearing these stupid Sabu type pants, and some dude threw me out of the ring, by my waistband, busting the seam on the waist. I had to wrestle another fifteen minutes with my baggy pants around my ankles with me trying to hold them up. Just me and my 165-pound body, tightie whites, and a fist full of yarn. I felt dumb to say the least.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: You have been up and down the east coast and around for 12 years now. Do you think you'll ever get a fulltime wrestling job?
Inferno: I've been close a few times, but never caught my break. The time is here.
The Hybrid w/Noel
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: You have been a champion in numerous promotions. What is it like knowing that a promoter has enough faith in you and wants you to represent his promotion as champion?
Inferno: Wrestling isn't a hobby to me, never was. It is my life. To know that someone believes in you is very fulfilling. I am happy that promoters would find that faith in me.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Now that you're a tag team wrestler, what other indy tag teams do you look forward to wrestling, and which teams have you enjoyed wrestling so far?
Inferno: We were really looking forward to working with the DRS, so hopefully that will happen soon. We were very happy to work with the Solution, and I have a feeling that we'll be working again soon. Those are the teams up here in the northeast that we wanted to work with. I'd love to get in there with the Samoans again. There are quite a few teams across the US we want to work with. I honestly feel that it's just a matter of time before we get in the ring with the who's who.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: You're a huge fan of lucha libre. Would you ever have any interest in working for a CMLL or an AAA?
Inferno: Are you kidding me? One of my top goals is either-or. Lucha Libre is what's up! Chessman, Icecream...For those of you who don’t know you better ask somebody, baby!
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Do you have any prematch superstitions?
Inferno: Ya, borrow wrist tape, hot stuff, and talent from my opponent. LOL. Speaking of hot stuff...WWF, 1999. Jimmy Cicero from Maryland, who if anyone who knows him, is one of the nicest, and best to have around. So here we are, in the First Union Center in Philly. So I am warming up in the hallway, and here comes Jimmy; in great shape as always, red as hell. It was known at the time that Road Dogg is allergic to hot stuff, and no one is allowed to wear it. Cicero is covered in it and smells like it. Here comes Harvey Wippleman. Who the hell is wearing hot stuff he says...Jimmy gives this look like he doesn’t know. He looks at me and is like, "I didn’t' know"...He runs down the hallway and is in this little janitors' like closet rubbing the stuff off, minutes before he goes on. Funny stuff...but to answer the question, the first three things I borrow, and a prayer are all I need pre match.
Word Association
Ricky O
- A true wrestling fan with a tremendous heart.
Bob C
- great guy, and a helluva good editor.
Jim Kettner
- One of the men responsible for what I am today. A great friend and I owe him tremendously.
Afa
- A man who gave me a chance. When my apartment burned down and I lost all my belongings a few years ago, the man gave me a jacket when I didn’t' have one. I'll never forget that.
Samu
- A tremendous talent, so wise to the business, and I've learned so much from him, a great friend, and I constantly look to him for advice. He is the man.
Carmine Sabia
- He’s got something good going and I hope he keeps it up. Dennis liked him, so I guess I have to, LOL. Just kidding. I like Carmine, and I truly hope he keeps up with what he's got.
Fat Frank
-We broke in around the same time and he has gone thru it all, he has a great promotion and has a keen eye for talent. JAP is the benchmark for Jersey wrestling these days.
Noel
-A good-hearted girl with a love for wrestling. I hope she continues her career.
Indy wrestling
- where I am now.
WWE Wrestling
- Where I'd like to be.
Roadtrips
-that I live for.
Billy Reil
- My brother
Dennis Coralluzo
-The Father I never had. I owe him my entire career.
Solution
- coming into their own, a tremendous tag team
DRS
- very entertaining
AMIL
- haven’t' seen too much of their stuff to comment
Los Lunatics
- same as above.
Briscoe Brothers
- I saw them from the beginning, and glad to see them come along. Jay gave me a great match, one that I still hear about to this day from the J Cup last year.
ROH
- different, refreshing, innovative, and filling the niche one day at a time.
MLW
- Hey, I hope they do well and give some of the boys a place work and get some exposure. WWE returns calls, remember that.
The role of the internet in wrestling
- vital
Shady promoters
-have had a ton of experience with them and look forward to dealing with them each and every time.
Lucha Libre
- I wish more people I knew enjoyed it. I find it to be a tremendous good time and I look forward to being apart of it someday. I want my own collection of masks for my home. ICECREAM!!!!! (Mini Chessman...that's for the MIC)
Puroresu
- would love the opportunity. I love the wrestling, the culture, the athleticism...good stuff.
Bastion Booger
- Lovely
Giant Gonzales
- Wish he had the chance to develop, a good hand, lost before his time
Declaration of Independents
- to be honest, just started reading, and very very entertaining and enjoyable...thanks Billy Reil.
Wenze
l- Raw, untapped...he, legit, is the beast.
Inferno
- missed his prom, weddings, and graduation to wrestle. Given EVERYTHING to wrestling, body included.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What goals have you accomplished already?
Inferno: Wrestling at MSG, having a promoter pay to fly me worldwide, wrestling for WWF, WWE. To be honest, I've accomplished all of my goals except for earning my full living from wrestling.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What are your short term and long term career goals?
Inferno: Short term. Stay healthy, long term, earn a full living wrestling and stay healthy.
Inferno back from injury
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What's a normal day in the life of Inferno?
Inferno: go to work, I’m an exercise physiologist. Work out, wrestle...weekends, wrestle. In between, watch wrestling, call, email, bug everyone for work. My entire day revolves around this.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What do you want to say to anyone reading this?
Inferno: Dangimondo.cjb.net, there is a link on there for The Hybrid. Thanks to everyone who supported me for all this time. And huge thanks to everyone for the emails and support while I was rehabbing, that was cool. The best is yet to come, I promise.
Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Thanks for this interview.
All photos were taken from http://www.dangimondo.cjb.net