Post by #Classic Hi-Definition X on May 5, 2006 16:19:53 GMT -5
Courtesy of The Sun
Kidman: Why I was fired By SIMON ROTHSTEIN
WHEN Billy Kidman was let go by the WWE last year nobody knew why.
Was the high-flyer a victim of a lack of interest in the cruiserweight division or had 10 years of wrestling taken its toll on his body?
Now, for the very first time, Billy has told his side of the story - blasting WWE bosses for the way they treat their stars and revealing that he thinks speaking up about it cost him his job.
The wrestler, who is married to gorgeous Diva Torrie Wilson, exclusively told Sun Online: "We were at a WWE talent meeting and they were saying how great business was overseas and how much money they made on the last tour to Australia.
"Then, in the very next sentence, they told us they're not going to fly us business class on foreign trips anymore. So we were looking at 10-20 hour flights in economy class.
"I had heard rumours they may be doing that and I was already fed up about the many different ways in which they take advantage of us.
"So I asked: 'Why would you cut the budget from overseas tours when that's where we're making money and when we go over there so much? Why not cut budgets in the States? You brought in a dress code because you said we had to look like athletes - so show me one athlete who flies economy class.'"
"I think I was the first person to say something and then, from that point, it was Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, John Cena and Booker T.
"There is one guy who doesn't sit in that group!
"As soon as I raised my hand I knew I was going to get fired and once I started talking I couldn't stop.
"I heard rumours that I was let go because of injuries, but this is the bottom line. Anybody who was in that meeting knows why I got fired.
Billy, who is still angry about the WWE's treatment of their superstars, added: "There's no reason to send guys overseas, make them work eight or nine shows, then fly them in the middle seat coach class. But at least they're dressed up with a tie on!
"I still speak to people there and things like this are killing morale. But I don't think it's sunk into the WWE how low morale affects people's work.
"When I started in wrestling I couldn't understand why the veterans would do the same thing every night.
"But after 10 years of being treated like c**p in WCW and WWE I can see why. You don't want to screw the fans, but you are drained mentally and don't want to give your all.
"I never ever ever thought I'd get to the point where I didn't want to wrestle anymore. In my whole life all I ever wanted to do was work for the WWE.
"But you can only be treated like a caged animal for so long before something snaps."
After being let go by the WWE, Billy decided to take a complete back from wrestling - not even watching it on TV.
Last week he made a rare in-ring appearance for Britain's Frontier Wrestling Alliance (FWA), in a superb triple threat match with Jody Fleisch and Jonny Storm.
Billy even hit a plancha from the balcony into the ring - a move he would never have been allowed to do in the WWE - and says matches like that have given him his thirst for wrestling back.
The star told us: "Between July and now I've only wrestled a handful of times but each time I do, I start to miss it.
"I love being in the ring and not having to worry about time queues or if the person after you is going to get mad if you do a certain move.
"In the WWE, they want the cruiserweights to work the same psychology and the same match pace as the heavyweights.
"Then they only give you a few minutes for your match, so if you do a high impact move and don't sell it long enough - the office will get mad at you.
"I did a tag team match in Italy that they wanted to go about 12 minutes. It started to go a little longer than that and I was freaking out!
"I'm used to getting yelled out if you go 30 seconds over. Even if you hit your time queue you'll get yelled at for something else. For 10 years it was like that.
"So I was thinking: 'Oh man, this is it. This will be my first and last time here.'
"Then we got to the back and the promoters actually thanked me for working so hard and entertaining the fans!
"We didn't plan on going that long but went with the flow of the crowd, so to be appreciated for it was a breath of fresh air.
"To be able to go out there and perform, and do what I love to do, makes it fun again. And for a long time it hasn't been fun for me."
Now Kidman is enjoying his wrestling again, he's planning to make a full time return - possibly with the WWE's rival American wrestling federation TNA.
"It did cross my mind to leave wrestling all together and concentrate on my businesses," Billy admits. "But I don't think I ever took that thought seriously."
"And now I've had that time off to recharge and think about things, I'm ready to get back into things full swing!
"I plan on starting to pick up some more work now, whether it be in the States, England, Italy or Japan.
"TNA has definitely spotted a gap in the market with the X Division and I know pretty much all the guys there.
"I actually went to their recent Lockdown PPV to show my face and let them know I'm around.
"I didn't chat to Jeff Jarrett or talk business with anybody, but I worked with Jeff in WCW and they know what I can offer."
But the big question on everyone's lips is would Billy ever return to the WWE?
After all, guys like Test were even harsher critics of working for Vince McMahon and went back.
Kidman is honest enough to admit he'd do the same.
He revealed: "If they asked me I'd think about it.
"I know some of the guys they brought back aren't making what they were money wise, and I would have no interest in going back for any less than I was earning. I didn't feel I was making that much anyway!
"Ninety-five per cent of the guys are underpaid and the WWE are doing it because there's no competition and they can.
"You can make good money by working indies and going to Japan and I don't necessarily need the ego stroke of being on TV.
"If the money was the same and I was given the choice between all the political bulls*** or being able to do what I like to - then it's a no-brainer!"
Kidman: Why I was fired By SIMON ROTHSTEIN
WHEN Billy Kidman was let go by the WWE last year nobody knew why.
Was the high-flyer a victim of a lack of interest in the cruiserweight division or had 10 years of wrestling taken its toll on his body?
Now, for the very first time, Billy has told his side of the story - blasting WWE bosses for the way they treat their stars and revealing that he thinks speaking up about it cost him his job.
The wrestler, who is married to gorgeous Diva Torrie Wilson, exclusively told Sun Online: "We were at a WWE talent meeting and they were saying how great business was overseas and how much money they made on the last tour to Australia.
"Then, in the very next sentence, they told us they're not going to fly us business class on foreign trips anymore. So we were looking at 10-20 hour flights in economy class.
"I had heard rumours they may be doing that and I was already fed up about the many different ways in which they take advantage of us.
"So I asked: 'Why would you cut the budget from overseas tours when that's where we're making money and when we go over there so much? Why not cut budgets in the States? You brought in a dress code because you said we had to look like athletes - so show me one athlete who flies economy class.'"
"I think I was the first person to say something and then, from that point, it was Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, John Cena and Booker T.
"There is one guy who doesn't sit in that group!
"As soon as I raised my hand I knew I was going to get fired and once I started talking I couldn't stop.
"I heard rumours that I was let go because of injuries, but this is the bottom line. Anybody who was in that meeting knows why I got fired.
Billy, who is still angry about the WWE's treatment of their superstars, added: "There's no reason to send guys overseas, make them work eight or nine shows, then fly them in the middle seat coach class. But at least they're dressed up with a tie on!
"I still speak to people there and things like this are killing morale. But I don't think it's sunk into the WWE how low morale affects people's work.
"When I started in wrestling I couldn't understand why the veterans would do the same thing every night.
"But after 10 years of being treated like c**p in WCW and WWE I can see why. You don't want to screw the fans, but you are drained mentally and don't want to give your all.
"I never ever ever thought I'd get to the point where I didn't want to wrestle anymore. In my whole life all I ever wanted to do was work for the WWE.
"But you can only be treated like a caged animal for so long before something snaps."
After being let go by the WWE, Billy decided to take a complete back from wrestling - not even watching it on TV.
Last week he made a rare in-ring appearance for Britain's Frontier Wrestling Alliance (FWA), in a superb triple threat match with Jody Fleisch and Jonny Storm.
Billy even hit a plancha from the balcony into the ring - a move he would never have been allowed to do in the WWE - and says matches like that have given him his thirst for wrestling back.
The star told us: "Between July and now I've only wrestled a handful of times but each time I do, I start to miss it.
"I love being in the ring and not having to worry about time queues or if the person after you is going to get mad if you do a certain move.
"In the WWE, they want the cruiserweights to work the same psychology and the same match pace as the heavyweights.
"Then they only give you a few minutes for your match, so if you do a high impact move and don't sell it long enough - the office will get mad at you.
"I did a tag team match in Italy that they wanted to go about 12 minutes. It started to go a little longer than that and I was freaking out!
"I'm used to getting yelled out if you go 30 seconds over. Even if you hit your time queue you'll get yelled at for something else. For 10 years it was like that.
"So I was thinking: 'Oh man, this is it. This will be my first and last time here.'
"Then we got to the back and the promoters actually thanked me for working so hard and entertaining the fans!
"We didn't plan on going that long but went with the flow of the crowd, so to be appreciated for it was a breath of fresh air.
"To be able to go out there and perform, and do what I love to do, makes it fun again. And for a long time it hasn't been fun for me."
Now Kidman is enjoying his wrestling again, he's planning to make a full time return - possibly with the WWE's rival American wrestling federation TNA.
"It did cross my mind to leave wrestling all together and concentrate on my businesses," Billy admits. "But I don't think I ever took that thought seriously."
"And now I've had that time off to recharge and think about things, I'm ready to get back into things full swing!
"I plan on starting to pick up some more work now, whether it be in the States, England, Italy or Japan.
"TNA has definitely spotted a gap in the market with the X Division and I know pretty much all the guys there.
"I actually went to their recent Lockdown PPV to show my face and let them know I'm around.
"I didn't chat to Jeff Jarrett or talk business with anybody, but I worked with Jeff in WCW and they know what I can offer."
But the big question on everyone's lips is would Billy ever return to the WWE?
After all, guys like Test were even harsher critics of working for Vince McMahon and went back.
Kidman is honest enough to admit he'd do the same.
He revealed: "If they asked me I'd think about it.
"I know some of the guys they brought back aren't making what they were money wise, and I would have no interest in going back for any less than I was earning. I didn't feel I was making that much anyway!
"Ninety-five per cent of the guys are underpaid and the WWE are doing it because there's no competition and they can.
"You can make good money by working indies and going to Japan and I don't necessarily need the ego stroke of being on TV.
"If the money was the same and I was given the choice between all the political bulls*** or being able to do what I like to - then it's a no-brainer!"
