Donald Wood: Earlier this year, Tommy Dreamer spoke to Steve Austin and claimed the WWE wanted to sign you to fight The Undertaker at WrestleMania 19. Instead, you joined TNA and became one of the top wrestlers in the company’s history. Can you tell us your side of this story and looking back now, would you make the same decisions again?
Abyss: I absolutely 1,000 percent would make the same decision again. I absolutely have no regrets whatsoever. Being a part of TNA since the beginning is something that I am extremely proud of. I’m not saying other places aren’t great places to go work, but for me the decision to stay on that occasion and several others is that I love TNA. I am TNA through and through and I always will be. I did have opportunities to go other places and I am proud that I was afforded that opportunity. The reason I stayed was for loyalty and no other reason. Not stage fright as Tommy joked in that interview, it had completely to do with the fact the I love TNA through and through. The company has treated me fantastic over the decade plus years I have been there. From Dixie to everyone there I am really happy there. I wanted to stay there and help build the company, be a part of something that I was with since the ground up. There is nowhere else in the World I could go and say that. That was the reason that I stayed and I have zero regrets. If I was asked to do it over again a 100 times I would do it 100 times.
Mike Chiari: One of the guys who a lot of people have compared you to over the years due to your hardcore style is Mick Foley, who you were able to work a program with in TNA. How do you regard that opportunity looking back, and what were you able to take away from it that helped you become even better as a performer moving forward?
Abyss: If you have a bucket list in wrestling that was definitely near the top if not at the top is to get a chance to work with Mick. He was with us for a while and I did get to know him and I was really proud of that. He really is a fantastic person and not just from a wrestling stand point but as an individual and human being. Getting to know him was awesome and getting to wrestle with him at Bound for Glory was fantastic. It was kind of a dream come true to work with Mick. The comparisons have always been there since I started as Abyss back in 2003. I think it was something the fans really wanted to see and I definitely wanted to do it. We really enjoyed working together and I learned an awful lot from him. The biggest thing I took away from him was to always be smart. No matter what you are doing make sure you are telling a story with it. Make sure the story is as strong as any of the crazy, stupid bumps you’re going to take. Tables, fire, glass, or tacks, that stuff is secondary to the story and I think that’s one of the big things I learned from him.
Brandon Galvin: One of my favorite programs of yours was when you worked with Raven and James Mitchell. Did you learn anything from working with them that you carry to this day and may teach younger wrestlers?
Abyss: I worked with Raven when I was a lot younger. He had been around and done a lot of stuff so I really learned from him. Scott is an incredibly intelligent person in and out of the ring. I learned a lot from him psychology wise. Jim Mitchell I say is one of the best if not the best promo guys in the business. Jim Mitchell the devil character, his promos are riveting. I would be on set with him and listen to his promos and they would send chills down my back. He was incredible and I learned a lot of promo stuff from Jim more so than wrestling stuff. We were together so many times and did so many matches together I can’t even remember them all. I remember them all being a lot of fun and the fans really enjoying them.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
