LSW Promoter, Ricky Otazu

NOTE: To read Ricky's previous DOI interviews, check out my interview archive at:
http://www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/reviews/mic_reviews/mcinterviews.html
Also, in the true spirit of Ricky O, the following interview wasn't spellchecked!

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Hey Ricky, thanks for taking time out today to do this interview after LSW's first ever double-shot this past weekend. What's going through your mind and were these shows successful?

Ricky O: I love Fridays and Saturday was fun to watch but wasn’t as much fun on the wallet.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: It's been claimed that on Friday night, you drew anywhere from 1200-4200 for a sold show in Newark, while your sold show in Connecticut featuring the super main event between Kamala/American Dragon only did anywhere from 50-80 people. Why were the crowd numbers so different? Which show did you think was better live?

Ricky O: The Newark show was put in motion about 7 months ago and they worked very hard selling discount tickets thru the schools and in the local rec centers. The CT. show was myself and a few others working hard to push it and the recreation center didn’t. They are the ones that lost which is sad because it is a place for kids. We sat them down last night and we hoped to have smarted them up a bit with the advertising process.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Obviously, there has been tons of feedback about your Saturday night show in Connecticut. What are your thoughts on indy wrestling fans these days? Do you think they are too spoiled and perhaps jaded?

Ricky O: Oh hell yea. The fans were all over this match on the net and loved then the ones that were there were like 5 year old kids cheering and going nuts then they post it sucks lol. Wait till the DVD comes out because you can’t hide on camera marking out. The fans in the tri state area are the best in the world and if you make them happy they will come back.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: One person who isn't a fan of yours is Lucha Mike. After being spurned on a business deal with you, Mike has been going after you all over the internet, looking to get his money that he claims you owe him. You've responded by making unflattering comments about his wife. What is the complete situation with Mike and what do you want to tell him here?

Ricky O: Mic I really don’t even know. He is making a claim which I feel isn’t true and every time my name pops up so does 2500 fake posts made by him. Mike is a clown that sells masks to be around well guess what? He over charges.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Is there any truth to the rumor that LSW has been trying to hook up with Marvin Ward's TNT promotion?

Ricky O: We spoke and it didn’t work out. Marvin never went thru with his plans to have a meeting.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on Eric Nyenhuise? Do you think if he was involved in the Connecticut show you would've drawn as many people as you did on Friday?

Ricky O: Eric is a nice guy with a big heart for the business and just wants to have fun, he isn’t mean or harmful l like people write about him

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: From reader feedback, it seems that Devon 'Crowbar' Storm carried both shows and was involved in Match of the Night on both shows. What are your thoughts on Crowbar and how valuable is he to LSW?

Ricky O: Crowbar is the best unsigned wrestler out there right now. The match is great but the leadership and insight he brings to a locker room is priceless.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Do you think there is too much wrestling in the northeast?

Ricky O: As long as the boys are getting paid then no. But if guys are running shows and not getting the boys paydays then it is time to close.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on NWA Shockwave? What is your business deal with them, considering you guys are both NWA affiliates?

Ricky O: Fred is an old friend and he is the NJ NWA member and when we needed him he was there for us. Fred is also going to be a big part of the NWA Pro wrestling TV show and he will make it fun.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: You have had a tumultous relationship with Damian Dragon over the years. How come you still continue to book him after all the stuff you've gone through with him away from wrestling?

Ricky O: Damian works well with the other guys in my locker room like Judas Young and other JCW alumni like Reckless. Plus he books my best friend David Greco so I gave him a booking

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on Shawn Sheridan's comeback to wrestling in Damian's JRW promotion?

Ricky O: He made a comeback? I miss Shawn wish I knew I would have went.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What happened with X-Pac this past weekend? Is it true he was high on drugs and no one knows where he is?

Ricky O: He only knows what he was on. But yes he is missing. He left Friday never made it to the hotel and never checked in with us. No word as to where he may have went or with who.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on drug usage on the indy scene? Do you think alot of wrestlers are addicted to drugs?

Ricky O: I hate drugs plan and simple. I lived thru a few family members that ruined there lives with them and hate them period. I work a lot in the real world with kids and sports and tell them everyday that drugs are the root of evil.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What happened with Eric Simms and the Midnight Express & Rock-N-Roll Express this weekend? Is it true Eric lived up to his reputation and was caught stealing from them?

Ricky O: They were very upset with Eric saying he booked them for an autograph show and then proceeded to film them without their consent and it was a mess. The Midnights and Rock-n-Rolls were to date the best and funniest guys I have ever met in wrestling.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Do you think the NWA name means anything anymore?

Ricky O: It will mean more in the next few months when the TV starts but it sure does mean something, I learned this weekend in Newark that people down South loved it maybe even more then people here liked the WWF.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: You've told the DOI that you will probably not be back in the NY/NJ area for a while. Do you think you will return?

Ricky O: NY/NJ will be run again by me but I am looking to run in the markets that our tv will be seen in. We have buildings to run in NJ whenever we like but a change will be fun also.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Do you think LSW tried doing bigger things right off the bat, instead of trying to do things one step at a time?

Ricky O: Well we have run 5 shows and did 400 in Lodi NJ with Christain vs Lethal then we ran in Lowell Ma. Had 1200 people with the night of champions show, We did a TNA house show and sold that out and Friday had 3900-4200 in Newark, Sat was a clunker and hell everyone has them.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on Big-Time's Terry Allen?

Ricky O: Don’t know him should I? Wait is he the guy that tried to shut down Lowell? Never met him

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What is one thing about LSW fans should know?

Ricky O: Well we aren’t LSW anymore we have been NWA PRO for the last month and will continue to run under my partner David Marquez name. David and I are so happy to have a TV show coming up and with the MAV-TV Network airing the last show from Vegas (oh I forgot to mention 3500 there also) as a 3 hr special in November things will be ok.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What's the latest with Bob C these days?

Ricky O: I wish I knew. Hope all is well.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What do you want to say to anyone reading this? (Plugs/links/whatever)

Ricky O: Big thank you to Gabe for the ROH title match last Saturday and look for the DVD release of Dragon vs Kamala and a double DVD release of LSW wrestling shows later this year. Check the DOI for the latest news with Rickyo since Mic is the only guy not to ban me so far lol.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: When are we doing the Ricky O Shoot Interview?

Ricky O: I can’t wait to do it I am begging.