ProWrestlingRevolution.com's Exculsive Interview with Hugh Morrus::: Interview conducted by Robert Hanley One of World Championship Wrestling's most underrated stars is Hugh Morrus. That is a very strange statement to say, especially since he is one of the most talented wrestlers in the company. Hugh or General Rection (real name Bill DeMott) has always been on the brink of the top slots in WCW, but someone or something always held him back. This past year, Hugh made that next step up by being the front man for the Misfits in Action (M.I.A.) and later becoming the United States Heavyweight champion. Hugh and I caught up with each other on February 28 to talk about a lot of subjects including his matchups with Randy Savage, his thoughts on Vince Russo, his role in Eric Bishoff's new WCW and more. I hope you enjoy it. Pro Wrestling Revolution: Thanks Hugh, for spending some time with me. HUGH MORRUS: OK ROBERT. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME DO THIS INTERVIEW. PWR: Let me get the stuff that everyone asks out of the way first. When and why did you get started in wrestling and who trained you? HM: I STARTED TRAINING AT THE END OF 1989 IN BROOKLYN, NY....WITH THE UNPREDICTABLE JOHNNY RODZ. IT WAS MY DAD WHO BROUGHT ME DOWN TO CHECK OUT THE WRESTLING GAME. I WAS FRESH OUT OF COLLEGE WITH A HALF-ASSED FOOTBALL CAREER BEHIND ME AND WAS JUST BEING LAZY. LOOKING BACK I DON'T EVEN THINK MY DAD THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE COME THIS FAR AND GONE SO WELL. PWR: How did your career lead you to World Championship Wrestling? HM: I WAS WORKING IN JAPAN AND MEXICO AND I HAD MADE SOME GOOD CONTACTS-ESPECIALLY MY FRIENDSHIP WITH KEVIN SULLIVAN. I WAS THE GUY HE CALLED WHEN VADER LEFT WCW. THE REST IS LAUGHING MAN HISTORY. PWR: I can remember right around when you first came in. You had a pretty high profile match on WCW Saturday Night. It might have been Randy Savage. Did you expect that coming out of the gate? HM: YEAH! YOU ARE CORRECT. WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO THE COMPANY I WAS PUT IN WITH RANDY FOR A RUN THAT WOULD SPAN A LONG TIME. IN AND OUT OF STORIES I WOULD WORK WITH SAVAGE AND I THOUGHT THEN AND NOW WHAT A GREAT INTRO TO BIG TIME WRESTLING. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WOULD LEAD TO HOGAN AND THE DUNGEON OF DOOM. BUT THEN IT KIND OF WENT SOUTH IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. PWR: Looking back at it now, why did you not get the push early in your WCW career? HM: WHO CAN REALLY SAY WHY YOU GET A PUSH OR NOT. I BELIEVE THEN AND NOW I AM ONE OF THOSE GO TO GUYS WHO CAN GET PEOPLE UP AND RUNNING. I THINK I CAN GO WITH ANYONE WE HAVE. AND AS GOOD AS THAT IS, TO BE ABLE TO DO IT SURE DOES HOLD YOU BACK! YOU KIND OF GET LABLED AS THE "GO TO GUY." IT'S NOT REALLY GLAMOROUS BEING RELIABLE. PWR: Still looking back for a minute, WCW could have made you and Konnan, Dungeon of Doom members into a championship team. Did you think that team had possibilities? HM: THE DOG AND I WERE SLATED AT THE TIME TO GET THE STRAPS FROM THE STIENERS AND THEN OUT OF THE BLUE THE NWO WANTED DOG. SO, ONCE AGAIN I WAS THROWN ON THE BACK BURNER. I THINK WE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD TOGETHER AND STILL COULD BE. WE HAD THE OPPURTUNITY TO TAG TOGETHER IN AUSTRALIA. I REALLY ENJOYED THAT. PWR: You were managed for a while by Jimmy Hart. What influence did Jimmy have on you? HM: JIMMY HART HAS HAD THE MOST INFLUENCE ON ME IN MY CAREER. HE HAS BEEN WITH ME FROM THE BEGINNING AND IS STILL MY MENTOR. I WAS PRIVELEDGED ENOUGH TO HAVE HIM AS AN ON SCREEN MANAGER AND MORE SO AS MY FRIEND. WE STILL TALK AND HE IS STILL GUIDING ME! PWR: You have had several knee injuries during your stint in WCW. How are they holding up these days? Does it not hurt doing your finishing move, the No Laughing Matter? HM: MY KNEES HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF COVERAGE LATELY. IT'S ALMOST MY CLAIM TO FAME. THEY ARE FEELING PRETTY GOOD. I WEAR TWO SERIOUS BRACES AND THEY GIVE ME EXTRA SUPPORT. THE NO LAUGHING MATTER DOESN'T HURT ME-BUT THE OTHER GUYS SHOULD WATCH OUT. I THINK EVERYONE EXPECTS ME TO BE HURT AND FIGHT FROM UNDERNEATH -WHAT EVER WORKS, RIGHT? PWR: Right you are. Whose idea was it for the creation of the Misfits In Action? HM: THE M*I*A WAS A RUSSO CREATION. AND A DAMN GOOD ONE AT THAT. HE TOOK FOUR RELATIVLY UNKNOWN GUYS AND MADE US HOUSEHOLD NAMES. PWR: Did you know that they was going to make you the leader of the group when G.I. Bro was going back to being Booker T.? HM: I STILL DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF THE LEADER OF THE MISFITS. WE WERE AND ARE A TIGHT UNIT. IT WAS AND IS STILL A GROUP DISCUSSION. WE HELPED EACH OTHER AND MADE IT WHAT IT WAS AND WILL BE AGAIN! PWR: Are you sad about the break up of the group or was it time to move on? HM: SAD.. MAYBE A LITTLE. I THINK WE HAVE SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS. BUT, I BELIEVE THAT ONE DAY SOON WE WILL SEE THE FORMATION OF THE MISFITS 2001. AS FAR AS MOVING ON-WE ALL HAD TO DEVELOP MORE AS INDIVIDUALS SO WE CAN COME BACK AS A GROUP-I HOPE! PWR: Of course, I would think that your U.S. title reign is the highlight of your career. Your feelings about finally achieving a lofty goal. HM: THE TITLE RUN WAS A GREAT HONOR AND PROVED TO AT LEAST MYSELF I CAN RUN WITH THE TOP GUYS. I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO TOP THE FEELING FROM IRVINE, CAL. THAT IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST NIGHT OR EVENT IN MY CAREER. PWR: Your matches against Lance Storm have been great. What is it like working with the Canadian? HM: THAT CANADIAN IS THE FUTURE OF THIS COMPANY AND THE BUSINESS. IT WAS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEDGE TO MIX IT UP WITH LANCE. I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OF THE SAME, REAL SOON. PWR: You have been called the emotional leader in the locker room. What have you done to get that kind of respect from others? HM: I'M NOT SURE HOW I BECAME THE EMOTIONAL LEADER. ALL I KNOW IS THIS. EVERY NIGHT WE HAVE A GROUP OF GUYS WHO GO OUT AND GIVE IT ALL THEY HAVE (SOMETIMES GOOD/SOMETIMES NOT SO GOOD) BUT I TRY TO LET THEM KNOW SOMEONE IS WATCHING AND APPRECIATES THEM AND WHAT THEY DO. CONTRARY TO ALL THE SCOOP SHEETS AND RUMORMILLS-WE ARE A TIGHT GROUP AND DO SUPPORT EACH OTHER. I FEEL BLESSED TO BE LABLED THE LOCKER ROOM LEADER AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE A PART OF THAT GROUP. IN AND OUT OF THE RING. PWR: Who are the wrestlers that you love to watch? Past or present. HM: I LOVE TO WATCH THOSE CRAZY CRUISERWIEGHTS. I THINK DOWN DEEP EVERY ONE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT THOSE GREAT ATHELETES DO. THEY KNOW HOW TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE. PWR: What do you think of Vince Russo? HM: VINCE RUSSO IS MY FRIEND FIRST. I THINK VINCE HAD A VISION IN HIS MIND AND WASN'T ABLE TO CARRY IT OUT. HE ALWAYS HAD THE BOYS BEST INTEREST IN MIND AND DID WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT. I HOLD THE HIGHEST REGUARD FOR HIM AND WHAT HE DID FOR ME AS WELL AS THE OTHERS. PWR: Has Eric Bishoff talked to you about your role in the new WCW? HM: YES. ERIC ALWAYS LETS ME KNOW HE IS WATCHING AND I'M SURE I HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY WHEN THIS IS ALL SAID AND DONE. NEVER FORGET, ERIC WAS THE ONE THAT STEPPED UP THE PACE IN WRESTLING AND WE ARE ABOUT TO DO IT AGAIN! PWR: Finally, because I usually end an interview with a goofy question, which do you like the best.....Survivor or Temptation Island? HM: I DIG TEMPTATION ISLAND-JUST FOR THE FACT THAT THE BEAUTIFUL RED HEAD IS ON THERE EVERY WEEK. I WISH I WERE ON THE ISLAND! PWR: Hey Hugh, thanks a whole lot and hopefully, I can interview you in the future. Take care. HM: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND LETTING ME ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. I HOPE ALL THE FANS ENJOY THIS INTERVIEW AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THIS AGAIN. GOD BLESS.