Tim Arson

Yes, It's Mad Whipper Whip coming at 'cha with any interview that few of you know I conducted not too long ago for my own site. It's the man who never fails to get people pissed, Tim Arson, is here speaking on countless things that he has been thru. To the hell he raised in USA Pro, to almost breaking his neck, to his newfound respect and commiment to the sport of kings. In this, the DOI version, I veered away from some of the questions that were asked in his 1st interview with the DOI. It was a true honor for me that Tim has agreed to be interviewed as I have known him since his 1st day and feel he has progressed well beyond myself and many others (but I suck anyway, who am I kidding). So without any more blah-blah from me, here we go...

Whipper Whip: Ok Tim, simple start off question: What made you want to be a wrestler and how'd you go about finding WWE Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz (Tim's teacher)? What was your experience like training there with him & his group?

Tim Arson: Well Whip, going back as far as I can remember, I watched WWF wrestling on Saturday Mornings and evenings and on Tuesday nights in spanish on channel 47 at 11pm. The likes of the "Unpredictable" Johnny Rodz, the "Magnificent One" Don Muraco, Dick Murdock, Adrian Adonis, Paul Orndorff, and of course "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, big fan of "Strongman" Ken Patera, of course always the heels, they were the greatest back then and I was fascinated off the bat. I saw a story on channel 9 news on Johnnys school but didnt write anything down on location or contacts , then six months later I went to watch my buddy who was competing in the Golden Gloves, he was training at the WORLD FAMOUS GLEASONS GYM and there I saw these guys in the ring who then introduced me to Johnny Rodz. We spoke for the next four hours in the office and two weeks later I started (after practically begging him to let me in without the required , and he put me on a payment plan). And lastly Whip, it wasn't a "was" experience, I still go there faithfully 2-3 times a week to better myself and to train a great new crop of guys who want to LEARN the RIGHT WAY as opposed to alot of misguided guys who think they know who sadly have been doing this many years but will never get it, have mark internet buddies who will put them over, and the illusion is on.

Whipper Whip: What would you say is some of the most important things you learned from Rodz?

Tim Arson: 1. Taking my time- Going back a few years, I thought I was ready to work outside the gym and ready to make my mark, after all I had a great body, felt that with two to three years training under my belt that I deserved to go out there and test the waters, BOY! OH BOY! was I wrong. Now I am PERFECTLY content with training the new guys at the gym and occasionally doing a school show. There is so much to learn about myself, my ring work, my psychology that YOU JUST CANT GET DOING A THOUSAND AND ONE INDY SHOWS. Not to mention that myself and a few others who NEVER did a single indy match have already had tryouts with the WWE on a couple of different occasions, and we didn't PAY A DIME for it or have to DRESS IN ANY SILLY COSTUMES ON PPV COMMERCIALS (LOL)! We have homegrown talent up there right now like Devon Dudley, Bill Demott, Tommy Dreamer, Tazz, not to mention people in the office who trained here SO I JUST KEEP ON KEEPIN ON.
2. APPRECIATION- Even though I feel I've always been RESPECTFUL at Gleasons, I don't think until my career threatening neck injury that I appreciated all I have at Gleasons which is a solid group of guys and a MAN in JOHNNY RODZ, that not only has been more of a father to me than my own dad, has given me tough love, taught me more LIFE LESSONS than IN RING LESSONS and all the knowledge he has for me, a new respect from him and for that, that I have earned, I LOVE HIM TRULY AND DEARLY UNTIL THE DAY THAT I DIE. With a wealth of knowledge that's unparalleled in this business, NOT TO FORGET Whip, quick story, at our tryouts at RAW and SMACKDOWN, you'd have thought Johnny was VINCE MCMAHON himself with the OVERWHELMING RESPECT he got. Ric Flair lit up like a Christmas Tree when he saw Johnny and they spoke for an hour straight about old matches and times, thats was priceless in itself!! If I never have the privilege of stepping into a WWE ring again I will always cherish that day as one of the greatest days of my life.
3.BEING READY- Exactly what HE says, whether it be FOR THE RING, FOR THE ROAD, FINANCIALLY FOR THE ROAD, MENTALLY FOR THE ROAD. HAVING NOTHING HOLDING YOU BACK FROM HOPPING ON A PLANE TOMORROW SOMEWHERE, NOT HAVING TO BEG THIS ONE FOR A RIDE OR CALLING THIS ONE FOR A PLANE TICKET OUT OF NOWHERE, BONAFIDE READY!

Whipper Whip: You have a great build and are one of the most underrated guys out there (a testment to your training, in my opinion). How do you handle your wrestling life with your "real" life?

Tim Arson: Why thank you Whip for the compliment and you've seen me training. We've trained together and you know why I don't need to go anywhere based on where WE CAME FROM. As far as my "real life" to take a quote from Kurt Angle, this is my life, this isn't some COSTUME SHOW on the weekends in different towns for shits and giggles, I take this business very seriously and my training as well. I am well prepared financially , physically, and mentally to go anywhere Johnny tells me too when the time is right. I mean even when I was working USA PRO, that was my only game really, I NEVER sent a single promo tape out and it was by design becausssssee I WASN'T READY( see above for definition of BEING READY)!

Whipper Whip: What would you say has been a favorite match and/or oppenent so far in your career?

Tim Arson: There has been a couple of notables like the one I had with REEFER IN ICW which was very good, and again, thanks to Jac for giving me the chance to show I can have a great match if given the opportunity. Mike Mayhem, it was an outdoor show, beautiful day and everything just seemed to click between us especially since he was wearing a Puerto Rican flag T-shirt in the middle of Spanish Harlem, so again that was an easy one, one of those walks to the ring I discussed that instantly earned the their hate and again we elevated eachother. Kid Kruel and I ....... excuse me "Shooter" Kruel and I had a good ICW match and also on GOODMAN'S show but it was much shorter because it was only match #87719990000000222671222211 of an expected 9882222200000000000007822663352222 matches (LOL).
But the favorite for me has to be a Tommy Genette show in Jersey about four years ago against Matt Striker, but of course this is before he blew up , before Modern Marvel, Macho, Rowdy, Ultimate, Superfly, GAY massage parlor..... oops sorry........... STRIKER!!!!!! And let me set the record straight, I am very happy for Matt and all of his successes and him and I had a lil bet, more of see you at the crossroads type of deal, that I will still honor.

Whipper Whip: You've meet many people and stars in this business thus far, who is someone you would like to wrestle that you haven't yet and why?

Tim Arson: HHH obviously, I feel he epitomizes the good that is still left in this business and showed the drive to not only transform himself physically and went from LACKEY to LEADER and reinvent himself but to stay constant as the best in the GAME, no pun intended. On the current indy scene it has been a DREAM of mine to work Chris Candido for some time now. I feel Chris is ahead of his time and definetely on his game, I think from my standpoint he is the BEST ON THE INDIES TODAY BAR NONE!! And nobody tells a BETTER story whether it be FUNNY or TECHNICAL, HEEL OR FACE.

Whipper Whip: You are one of the few people who really used the internet (message boards) to get your character over. Not many people did/do that. Your thoughts on how you got that started and if you think it helped or hurt your career.

Tim Arson: Well I don't think it hurt it... PEOPLE KNEW WHO I WAS AT THE SHOW, I was the BEST at it, was intelligent with my promos, told a story, I invoked a reaction whether good or bad if people were JEALOUS of me they went against me and vice versa. Todays Message Boards are the shitz YOUNG PUNKS, GEEKS, BITTER OLD MEN AWW FUCK IT!!!! MAAAAAAAARRRRRRKKKSSSS, RAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTSS TAAAAAAAAAPPPOUTTTTSSS AND GUYS WHO PROBABLY DRIVE AROUND ALL DAY CHECK THE BOARD, DRIVE AROUND , CHECK THE BOARD, STUFF MY FACE, CHECK THE BOARD,CHANGE A DIAPER, CHECK THE BOARD, IT'S THESE TYPES OF PEOPLE THAT CORRODE THE MESSAGE BOARDS WITH FOOLISHNESS, BITTERNESS AND DOESNT HAVE ANY ENTERTAINMENT VALUE LIKE THEIR WEAK SELF PATRONIZING ACT IN THE RING AND INCIDENTLY JUST LIKE THEIR REAL LIFE. BALLS and I went back and forth a bit too and we were SUPPOSED to have a match back then but I wasn' t GOOD ENOUGH in FRANK'S EYES to wrestle BALLS at the time which may have been true or maybe BECAUSE I DIDNT MAKE A NAME FOR MYSELF ELSEWHERE FIRST but boyyyy did we have a blast working the marks and JEALOUS workers, I still have them saved in my files. I love Balls and think he is one of the better guys in the business too although I hear he complains alot! (LOL)

Whipper Whip: Going into some of the infamous things you've been associated with, The BlackHearts Hotline. A place where you, a wrestler, got to shoot on the business in a public forum. Did you ever regret anything you said and do you feel it was a little bit unfair to other guys that didn't have access to forum like yours?

Tim Arson: UNFAIR??? Well shit doesn't Louie have a line now???? (laughing) LOVE YA Louie! No I NEVER REGRETTED A SINGLE THING I SAID and STAND BY EVERYTHING I EVER SAID because I BELIEVE IN WHAT I SAID TO BE TRUE in RECENT times it's been proven that what I said about respect and proper training both and that what you do IN RING and OUT OF RING will affect the way you are, and circumstances and opportunities that you are given and what YOU DO WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS BUSINESS IS A DIRECT REPRESENTATION OF YOUR TRAINERS AND TRAINING. And what I said was ACTUALLY JUST GIVING KUDOS TO GOODMAN WHO SAID THE SAME EXACT THING DAYS EARLIER ON HIS LINE AND HE SEEMED TO ESCAPE ANY CRITCISM (WHICH HE IS VERY GOOD AT) and in the end I was the FALL GUY.

Whipper Whip: Are you still doing the Hotline?

Tim Arson: No as of June 23rd 2004, I am not doing a hotline but the SOUTH WILL RISE AGAINNN!!!!!!!!! in the NEAR FUTURE.

Whipper Whip: Frank Goodman. A man who has taken many jabs at you and you at him. What are your feelings on Mr. Goodman?

Tim Arson: Lonely, he really has to think who his TRUE friends are and those that are just KISSING HIS ASS for a SPOT. I NEVER KISSED HIS ASS, NEVER...and will not EVER! I was alwayyys RESPECTFUL to the MAN, did anything that was ever asked of me, was the subject of his ridicule from DAY ONE and I think it's because I have a GOOD BODY and HE USED TO BE a BODYBUILDER and because I was JACKED he looked for anything to KNOCK ME DOWN( i.e. pimples, accused of steroids, by many of his little fake post characters on his little message board) and I think the combination of me NOT kissing his ass and ME LOOKING BETTER THAN HIM ( Believe me, my boss at American Express is in the twilight years too just like Goodman and he does the sammmmmmeee thing "Hey Tim you look real small today" but not jokingly) was too much for him to give a LEGITIMATE SPOT although I held the US Title for a WEEK, YAYYY... and still am the Current NY STATE CHAMPION but after he RIDICULED me after WINNING THAT ON FEB 14TH SHOW, I SAID I'VE HAD IT OTHERWISE I WAS GOING TO HURT HIM PHYSICALLY....REAL BAD! SO I'VE JUST KINDA BACKED OFF, and he never TOOK ME SERIOUSLY. Unfortunately I took him seriously for FAR TOO LONG and my LOYALTY got me nowhere buttt you live and you learn. And also GOODMAN never was an INNOVATOR, he was a FOLLOWER , followed Jac, he'll lie with his DILLUSIONS OF GRANDEUR and tell you that WWE stole the HO'S GIMMICK or the GODFATHER GIMMICK, that he started the X DIVISION and other LIES AND FALSE PROPOGANDA SET UP BY THE MAN TO FOOL YOU! As a person though outside of the business he's a caring family man and we get along even if his ego is jaded.

Whipper Whip: Now in relation to the Hotline and Goodman, there was the infamous time where you publicly challenged Goodman to book you against Homicide, who happens to be considered one of the best wrestlers on the East Coast (this happened last fall of '03). You made comments in regards to the Doghouse which even brought more heat upon yourself. I understood it (as I heard it myself) as you really calling out Goodman and using Homicide as an example. Others took it as a personnal attack on Homicide and the Doghouse. What were you looking to achieve and why?

Tim Arson: Well again Whip, it was in SUPPORT of GOODMAN'S RANTS ABOUT RESPECT AND THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE IN THE BUSINESS THAT INSPIRED ME TO DO WHAT I DID AND YES I DID TELL GOODMAN TO BOOK ME AGAINST HOMICIDE IN A MATCH THAT WAS A WORK SHOOT OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO BETTER MY CAREER AGAINST ONE OF THE BEST ON THE INDY SCENE AS YOU NOTED, BUT THEN AS YOU SAID OTHERS TOOK IT THE WRONG WAY AND ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL OF A SUDDEN THE MESSAGE BOARD THUGS WERE COMING AFTER ME LEFT AND RIGHT. BUT INSPITE OF THAT EVERYBODY THAT I SPOKE TO "IN PERSON" FROM THE DOGHOUSE, DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME EXCEPT SLUGGER WHO AFTER I EXPLAINED WHERE I WAS COMING FROM, HE TOO UNDERSTOOD AND AGREED WITH WHAT I HAD SAID. I WAS JUST MIRRORING GOODMANS COMMENTS AND THEN TRYING TO BETTER MY QUALITY OF OPPONENT AS REALLY A LAST DITCH EFFORT BECAUSE THE MAN I CONDFIDED IN TO GIVE ME THAT OPPORTUNITY, GOODMAN WASNT DOING ANYTHING BUT STICKING ME IN CLUSTERFUCK RUMBLE MATCHES FOR YEARS SO I TOOK THINGS INTO MY OWN HANDS AND FOR THAT I ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILTY. ALL IT REALLY WAS WAS A TESTAMENT TO HOMICIDE AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT.

Whipper Whip: This is breaking kayfabe a bit but when it crossed over onto the following USA Pro Show in which Homicide called you out (you had an injured neck at that point), how much of it was legit? Do you and/or any of the Doghouse guys still have (if ever) any lingering heat?

Tim Arson: No heat that I know of, but at that time I had a fractured and herniated C-6-C-7 vertebrae in my neck and, THAT WAS A LEGIT SHOOT FROM HOMICIDE. AFTER HE LEGITIMLY THREATENED TO DROP ME ON MY HEAD AND PUT ME IN THE HOSPITAL, HE IS LUCKY THAT I WAS INJURED AT THAT MOMENT BECAUSE IF I WAS GOOD TO GO, I WOULD HAVE GONE TO THE RING AND SINGLEHANDEDLY BEAT THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF HIM FROM PILLAR TO POST! UNTIL I EITHER WAS PULLED OFF OF HIM OR SOMEONE STABBED ME AND OBVIOUSLY WITH HIS "STRONG STYLE" LEGACY, THAT WOULDNT HAVE BEEN GOOD FOR BUSINESS SO AT THAT POINT WE ALL WANTED THE MATCH I BEGGED GOODMAN, HE BEGGGGEDDD GOODMAN FOR THE MATCH , EVEN OFFERED TO PAY THE INSURANCE SO GOODMAN AGREED. AFTERWARD I WAS SENT FOR AND BROUGHT BACKSTAGE , EVERYTHING WAS SQUASHED WE WERE GOING TO DO THE MATCH BUT THE BEST PART OF THE WHOLE DAMN THING WAS THE "COACH" AND BIG FROM TOUGH ENOUGH, POPPING FOR THE "ANGLE" I'll never forget Coach's words "That looked so real, it was great! Good Job". Thanks Coach! (LOL)

Whipper Whip: Do you feel when Goodman put the brakes on the match, after agreeing to book it, was the best thing?

Tim Arson: WELL PUBLICLY, GOODMAN PUT THE BRAKES ON THE MATCH BUTTTTTTT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AS THRU THE "MOUTH OF GOODMAN" WAS THAT BECAUSE HOMICIDE WAS WORKING HIS IDOL TERRY FUNK TWO NIGHTS LATER IN JAPW HE CALLED FRANK AND ASKED OUT OF THE MATCH SO HE WOULD BE FRESH FOR TERRY FUNK SO INSTEAD GOODMAN BOOKED HIM AGAINST CM PUNK ON THE SHOW AND OF COURSE RETURNED ME TO THE USUAL "ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS" MATCH (INCIDENTALLY THEIR MATCH WENT 25 MINUTES) AND OF COURSE MORRRRRE PROMISES FROM GOODMAN THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE MATCH IN THE FUTURE, AND GETTING BACK TO THE MESSAGE BOARD IT WAS WHITE HOTTT WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE MORE HOT FOR THAT FUCKING MATCH THAN ANY OF THE USUAL MATCH POSTS POSTED BY BLADE DESIGNED TO "GENERATE INTEREST IN THE MATCH" AND NOTHING EVER CAME OF IT. ME AND HOMICIDE WERE COOL AFTER THAT BUT YEAH NOTHING EVER CAME OF IT... SOME SHIT HUH? NOW WATCH EVERYONE, GOODMAN'S GONNA DEFEND HIMSELF BY SAYING THAT HE WOULD NOT SANCTION A SHOOT FIGHT, BUT GUESS WHAT? THERE WAS NO SHOOT AT THAT POINT, SO DON'T EVEN GO THERE.

Whipper Whip: Moving away from that into what I see as maybe a changing point in your career, your injured neck. Many people outside of the business, knew you were hurt but not to what extent. What exactly happened and how bad was the damage?

Tim Arson: Ok, it was a WWW show in Spanish Harlem in the middle of the projects against Tony Blaze, one half of Los Boricuas. I found out later that he was also trained by Homicide which bothered me for a lil bit but I chose not to believe what some were saying, that it was a retaliation. The move he was supposed to give me was the 'Latin Swing" which basically is a double underhook swinging ddt. A move that he had said that he had done many times before and he said he had been wrestling for nine years so I'm thinking no problem. In all fairness to Tony he had a death in his family that day so I don't think his mind was fully there, the match was very sloppy I thought, but the crowd heat was good as he was wearing a PuertoRican flag shirt in Spanish Harlem. So anyway he reversed me I came off the ropes he kicked me in stomach grabbed the hold (double underhook ) and I'm thinking ok Im gonna really get good height here to make it look awesome so I remember jumping and letting myself be loose for the swinging motion and then I could get my arms loose to take the face bump but he kept his hands locked and kept in the double underhook as my legs were above my body as he hit the ground thus impaling my head straight down with my legs behind my head in the mat (with no give because he had already hit the mat) legit in the process. I lost feeling in my entire body for about ten seconds, I remember saying "Oh my God...I'm dead. I cant feel anything". I also remember seeing all the bad things I ever did flash in front of my face and then I was able to flop my legs around like a mermaid out of water very slow and then I felt the ropes, squeezed them and like austin-hart he picked me up for a suplex and I kind of rolled him in the weakest small package ever and that was it.

Whipper Whip: How long did it take to heal and what was needed?

Tim Arson: Well I basically was a vegetable for two months after that, had to wear a collar, had to sleep upright, couldn't turn my head without fully turning body like as if your wearing a big oversized hood and someone calls from the left, three different opinions from ortho surgeons, and then I sent my MRI to Dr Jho, the man who performed surgery on Kurt Angle and Steve Blackman, and he recommended his minimally invasive surgery based on the MRI from two weeks after the injury occured so I agreed and in November took a Greyhoung ride from hell to Pittsburgh for the surgery. I arrived the day before and he took another MRI, now a full three months after the injury, and he said that my neck had fully healed which he said was near impossible but attributed it to my shape and the fact that I rested and TOOK MY TIME.

Whipper Whip: As far as I know you have been active in a ring and have been wrestling for a bit now since the injury. BUT you haven't really been active in many of the promotions like you once were. How come?

Tim Arson: Well I've kind of took a different direction this time out. A perfection direction (people bare with me it's 4am now and I'm a lil punchy (LOL) but I cannntttt stop now!!) nah, basically I want to really just focus on my training and getting better in hopes that someday soon I can get another opportunity at WWE or overseas and like I said before, I am content with just training at Gleasons and working with the new guys because it is working with those new guys that will sharpen my own skills and like I said before I DON'T HAVE TO WORK THE INDIES FOR MY SHOT, I've already been to CATERING (LOL)! Not to say that there are a few indies that I would really enjoy working for in the future and hopefully I can get that opportunity.

Whipper Whip: With houses being below 100 at many promotions and a TON of wrestling shows in Jersey alone, what do you think needs to be done to help the business & what's hurting it?

Tim Arson: Well I think that there is a lot of HORROR SHOWS as far as talent on the indies today and that is the problem. Sadly there aren't many good schools out there for guys to train at. And I think that even people with halfway decent skills miss the boat and are missing something at some point because they never TOOK THEIR TIME and were in a RUSH TO DO SHOWS and thus they FUCKED THEMSELVES and the promoter because they are PUTTING PEOPLE TO SLEEP with their flips and ballerina skills or their kicks and punches with NO MEANING to them. So basically I think the promoters really have to either shorten the shows or get thicker skin and not feel bad for someone that just ain't cutting it. It's a business and it hurts to lose on any stretch but the bottom line is that the promoter loses if there is no draw. And I live here in Jersey and love the fact that there are so many promotions in Jersey and that it cannot be MONOPOLIZED or MANIPULATED by GOODMAN and it's good for business and I applaud Ricky O, Fat Frank, Frankie Starz, and the other promoters who I'm not familiar with, for bringing wrestling to New Jersey and I think with time and patience, people will come out to see it because the three that I mentioned may have alot of the same talent that the aforementioned promotion from NY has but they also have their own home grown talent that has flourished and the shows are shorter and QUALITY is always better than QUANTITY.

Whipper Whip: Biggest misconception that people you meet have about the business of wrestling?

Tim Arson: That because there is entertainment involved, that we don't work every bit as hard as an athlete in one of the four major sports.

Whipper Whip: Any interesting or funny stories from the lockerrooms or on road trips?

Tim Arson: Honky Tonk Man stories anytime, anywhere! I've had the privilege of being in the mans company most notably in Fernwood, PA when I hung out in his room and ate Pizza Hut with him and we talked all night then after he left for his flight I slept in his bed, lol! I'm tired I can't think of any others at the time. OH... and discovering that one of Tony Atlas' fetishes is to have his face stepped on by woman in high heels ( he actually had a picture of a lady's heel stepping on his face on his T-shirt!!!!) (Whip's note - I have a pic of a woman I know doing this to Tony as well, LOL)

Whipper Whip: Ring Rats: A diservice to the business or a welcome perk?

Tim Arson: Well Mikey Z had a story a year or so ago about underage girls who hang at shows and I agreed wholeheartedly with his comments about these guys (so called workers) who take advantage of minors and their emotions, more importantly is just disgusting. And to any others most of em look good and they certainly have never hurt me so I am ALLLLLLLLL for the ratttssssss!

Whipper Whip: Last question: What do you look to accomplise before you quit/retire from wrestling (Your goals)?

Tim Arson: To make it to WWE, be the WWE Champion, To travel, work overseas, go on the road, meet new people and have fun doing it!

Whipper Whip: Well, I once again want to thank Tim Arson for wasting his evening (LOL) to do this interview. He was completely honest and it is appreciated. Next time you see Tim wrestling at a show, give him hell, he'll love ya for it! Till next time, thanks for checking it out.

For the full version of the interview, check out www.WhipperInterviews.coms.ph.