Conducted on Thursday January 11th 2001 live on the Pro Wrestling Revolution Hotline (313) 438-1930. The interview was conducted by Robert Hanley and transcribed by Showtime. No portion of this page may be reprinted without proper credit.

The PWR is not affiliated with the WWF, WCW, or ECW. We're no one's bitch.

WS/PWR Exclusive: Fallen Angel Chris Daniels

[Robert Hanley:]
This is the Pro Wrestling Revolution, I am Robert Hanley, and I'm on the line with one of the top independent wrestling stars in the world today-- He is the winner of last year's ECWA Super 8, he was the winner of the King of the Indies, which just took place a few weeks ago out in California for APW. He also appeared in the J-Crown, former WCW developmental star "Fallen Angel" Chris Daniels, how are you sir?

[Chris Daniels:]
Fine, thanks.

[RH:]
Alright, the second part of the interview will jump into your career, but why don't we just jump into the good meaty stuff that everyone wants to hear, ok?

[CD:]
Ok..

[RH:]
Alright, first of all, last year, you were on a developmental contract with World Championship Wrestling. Over the summer, that was terminated. I guess you can answer this TWO ways-- What was THEIR reason, and then maybe you have a reason of your own why you're not with them anymore.

[CD:]
Well, the reason that they gave me was pretty much the reason that everybody's been hearing-- that they were going through budget cuts. And uh, because I had...I was actually under a regular contract, it wasn't a developmental deal. So it was their base salary for, I guess, a performer-- whatever they would call it, a performer or wrestler, whatever they would say. But that was the base salary, and when budget cuts came around, they said that they put together a chart of what everyone was making vs. the amount of time they had been on television. And because the amount of time I had been on television equaled ZERO, that meant I was getting paid TOO MUCH for the amount of work I was doing. So, that was how I ended up on the list of people to cut. That's pretty much how I feel. I mean, I don't think there was any "secret reason" or something that people don't know about-- it's basically what happenned. It's just a matter of bad timing. They never really had a firm idea of what they wanted to do. They were kicking some ideas around when the budget cuts came about, and I think they felt it was easier to cut and try and help the company monetarily, rather than put the effort into starting something that may or may not fly.

[RH:]
Why DIDN'T they come up with something for you? I mean, it seemed that you had a good gimmick coming into WCW, why didn't they expand on what you've already developed?

[CD:]
Well, I think the MAIN problem with the Fallen Angel gimmick I do now, is that it's really...it could be construed as a little TOO religious. Rather than try and dance around the subject and gamble on whether you offend a certain group or not, they would rather go a completely different direction. And I understand that, too. Because, I'll give a perfect example:
I didn't want what happenned to Lenny Lane to happen-- In the sense that they build up a character and they let him do basically what it TOOK for him to get over, and in MY opinion, I thought he was OVER. He was doing really good work and I thought the character was getting a GOOD response from the people. But it turned out, he got TOO MUCH response, so he ended up getting cut off television. I think that was kind of the straw that broke the back for Lenny, unfortunately, cause he never really got a chance to come back and do something different. So I understand that they didn't want to gamble on something they figured was going to be a little rocky. So that's the reason they never did the Fallen Angel. For right now, it's just the character that I'm known as. And until something ELSE comes along, I'm gonna stick with it on the indies. I mean, it's a good independent gimmick, but maybe not something that would be good for national television.

[RH:]
That's understandable. As we're doing this interview today, it was announced earlier today that WCW has been sold, it's no longer under the Turner system, it's been bought by the same guys who created the Classic Sports Network-- now ESPN Classic. And Eric Bischoff will be running things, at least on the creative side. Any chance, any talks about maybe possibly hooking up with WCW again?

[CD:]
I've talked to a couple people, just to kind of keep my name fresh in their minds. There are a couple of guys on the booking committee that were disappointed that I was let go, and would like to see me come back. So, I'm actually gonna be calling them in the next few days, just to see what kind of chances I have, now that the whole ownership deal is settled. So we'll see how it goes. It just depends on if Eric has plans to revamp the WHOLE company like they did in April, or if they're gonna build on what they got. It depends more on Eric Bischoff, the people that he keeps, and the people that he lets go now that this is all said and done.

[RH:]
FINALLY...
Now, let's switch gears-- One of the organizations that you predominately wrestle in, is the UPW- Ultimate Pro Wrestling out in Santa Ana California. That is known as a developmental center for the WWF. Have there been any talks of you signing with the World Wrestling Federation?

[CD:]
There's ALWAYS interest. But I think in terms of the WWF, I don't think they want to sign me, just to sign me. They would want a FIRM idea of what to do with me. Theres no sense in signing me and letting me sit at home for a long period of time. That's just wasting their money. So, I've talked to them before, and I feel that I have a GOOD relationship with the World Wrestling Federation. And if the RIGHT SPOT and the RIGHT idea were to come along, I think that would be the only hurdle RIGHT NOW, between me and the WWF coming to terms.

[RH:]
Now I know coming up later this month, at least it's scheduled, it's gonna be YOU and Rob Van Dam there at Santa Ana. Is that still on?

[CD:]
That's right, January 31st.

[RH:]
Is that match gonna be a way to SHOW the WWF scouts what you can do in the ring against somebody that everybody praises as a top-flight wrestler?

[CD:]
Not neccessarily, I don't look at it as a tryout in the sense that, the people, the IMPORTANT people as far as the talent scouts, they've already SEEN me wrestle, so it's not like this is a suprise of what I can do...I just want to go out and show that I can have a good match with someone who people consider probably the BEST pure athlete in the sport today. And uh, I feel...I'll put it like this, when I worked with Kurt Angle in September, I didn't look at that as a tryout either, but I DID look at it as an opportunity to show that I COULD wrestle with one of the top stars in the buisness, and show that I could work a match that people could look at, and it WASN'T a matter of "there's KURT ANGLE, and there's this independent guy"...It was TWO ATHLETES who went out and had a good match. And I hope that's the same result that I have with the match with Rob. People don't look at it as Rob Van Dam on a certain level, and Chistopher Daniels on a level far BELOW him-- I hope they look at it as a match between two REALLY GOOD wrestlers. I hope I come away with something like that.

[RH:]
Very Good Point.

[RH:]
Let's go back to a little bit of your career-- How did you get started in wrestling?

[CD:]
I actually started training in 1993 in Chicago, for a company called Windy City Pro Wrestling. For the first two years of my career I just kind of stayed in the midwest. I worked in the midwest ALOT and I moved out to California in 96.

[RH:]
Now, I kind of went down a list of where you've been in this past year, we got Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Deleware, of course California, ou did TWO TOURS over in Japan-- one for Michinoku Pro-- and you ALSO had a little stint in England. As an ndependant wrestler, and when I do the interviews with these guys, I always get different answers-- How much does the travel affect you, or does it even bother you?

[CD:]
It doesn't bother me. I actually like to travel. It's not a big deal to me. I actually was on the road with WCW for AWHILE when I was under contract with them, and I was doing the travelling you know, every Monday, actually every Sunday thru Wednesday, I was on the road. You know, it's just a part of the buisness, and it's fun. You know, to ME, it's one of the fun parts of the buisness, being able to travel. I'm not a big sightseer, but I like going to different places and being able to work. So it's kind of LEADING UP to the wrestling for me. It's part of that preperation, I guess you would say, leading up to the match.

[RH:]
I got ya. Now, when you go to these different towns, these different places-- I assume, and I may be speaking out of turn here, most of the places you go, are you the HEEL when you wrestle?

[CD:]
Most of the time.

[RH:]
Does everybody "Get" that gimmick? Does everybody understand that? Do you feel some legtimate....do they want to HURT you, for using a religious type gimmick?

[CD:]
No...Well, first of all, I've never really had the opportunity on a national forum, or any type of television, to kind of get the character across.

[RH:]
A place where you go on a regular basis, like maybe UPW?

[CD:]
No, no. When I figured out the character, when I decided I wanted to do the character, I knew what I was ABLE to do, and what I probably SHOULDN'T do...COULDN'T do. And so, you know, my whole point was to be controversial WITHOUT being offensive. So, it was just a matter of playing with the boundaries I made myself in the character. It's been really rare that I've had any type of heat based SOLELY on the gimmick.

[RH:]
Speaking of Japan-- How ABOUT Japan? I know you wrestle under another name in Japan, but you've faced-- from the list I've seen-- some GREAT top-flight guys over in the orient. How do you compare the style HERE in America to Japan?

[CD:]
Well the Japanese matches that I'VE had, kind of show me that japanese wrestling is more about the WRESTLING, rather than the spectacle of it all. The characters and the gimmicks are kinda secondary to the athleticism. It's really rare that someone is GIMMICK-FIRST over there. I felt like, as an American wrestler going over to japan, I felt like it really kind of TIGHTENED up my game. I felt like it really improved me as a wrestler to be able to go and work that style. And as a result, when I came back to the United States, I tried to work a Japanese style HERE, and I think it shows. I think people look at my stuff and they kind of think that I'm a little more intense in the ring, comparitively, and that's because of the japanese influence.

[RH:]
Of course when people talk about YOUR name, they generally think of you as the BEST Indie worker on the west coast. Of course, you're gonna be compared to the self-proclaimed or whatever "King of Independents", the Reckless Youth. I know you two have wrested in the past, first of all, what do you think about HIM, HIS style, HIS wrestling, and IS he legitimate? I mean, is he right up there with you? Because I know PWI put you in the top 100, they have put him there too. Is he legit?

[CD:]
Oh, definitely. Yeah, Reckless Youth is a TALENT. I'm suprised that he's not currently enjoying his second or third year in the WWF or WCW. I think that it's been a shame that he's been on the independents as long as he has. After going through the Memphis thing with WWF, I'm disappointed that it didn't work out for him. But Yeah, he's the REAL DEAL. As far as our styles, theres not a real clash of it. He's more of a....my impression of Reckless is that he likes alot of the mexican style, the luche stye. And when we've worked, he liked to do alot of luche-style stuff. Not to say that he doesn't like the japanese style as well. The last match that he and I worked, I noticed he has a firm mat wrestling game, and I think that had alot to do with the fact that he was down in Memphis working with Steve Regal for a long time. But YEAH, he's 100% the real deal. And when people say I'm the #1 independent wrestler, I kind of HAVE to mention Reckless Youth in that sentence. I think he's definitely, if not THEE top guy, he's ONE OF the top guys on the indie scene.

[RH:]
Person you WANT to work with, that you have not yet--

[CD:]
When I was under contract with WCW, I really wanted to get a chance to work with Billy Kidman. I think, not so much recently, since he's been under injuries and then some questionable booking I guess you would say, but there was a time that I thought Billy Kidman was THEE talent, THEE guy in WCW when he was working the matches with Rey Jr. and they were trading the cruiserweight title back and forth. I felt like that was the top game that Billy had going on. Hopefully once he gets finished with this injury, and depending on what happens with the Filthy Animals thing, hopefully they'll start pushing him again. Not neccessarily as a cruiserweight per say, but DEFINITELY as a singles star. I think that's where his talent lies. I was looking forward to working with him, I'm sorry it didn't happen that way.

[RH:]
Where do you see yourself in, let's just say two years? Where do you want to picture yourself at?

[CD:]
Working. Working for a company, definitely. Like I said, the only thing that's standing between ME working with a company, is just a break. I feel like my work is AT that level. And I certainly feel I could contribute to whatever company I work for. Whether it's the WWF, WCW ECW...you know, it's just a matter of catchng that break and getting the opportunity to SHOW what I can do. So hopefully, in two years, I'll be celebrating my SECOND year working for a company...health permitting.

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