Black Widow
06-30-2010, 01:23 PM
WHEN Rob Terry was a child growing up in Swansea, Wales, he idolised Hulk Hogan.
Now he's sparring with his hero in TNA Wrestling, where he is the company's Global Champion and fastest rising star.
Big Rob is also the focus of TNA's newly relaunched Xplosion TV show, which airs every Friday night at 9pm in the UK on the Extreme Sports Channel.
Below, in an exclusive interview with SunSport, he chats about his rise to fame and hopes for the future.
First off Rob, can you tell us a bit about how you ended up working for TNA?
Wrestling has been part of my life since childhood.
I didn't have satellite TV growing up, so I'd watch the WWE on Sky at a friend's house and wrestling inspired me even then.
Watching Hulk Hogan and those guys pushed me mentally as I trained in martial arts and got into the world of body building.
I won a body building championship in California and was spotted there, the suggestion was made to maybe give wrestling a go and I did.
I attended Team 3D's wrestling school in Florida - they were and still are my mentors - and they took me to TNA when they thought I was ready.
Ray and Devon are the best in my opinion.
Can you believe you've went from watching all those year ago as a child to working with Hulk Hogan?
I do have to pinch myself sometimes.
It really motivates me to push myself to perform better working with the best.
And when you see guys the calibre of AJ Styles, RVD and Kurt Angle in the ring - it really ups your personal game.
It is such an experience just to be here in TNA.
Has TNA changed since Eric Bischoff and The Hulkster Joined?
Yeah. I always strive to improve myself anyway, but my perception is that since they came in the motivational standpoint across the roster is to be the best we can.
The company is at its best level yet and continues to grow.
You won the TNA Global Title in your home country of Wales on TNA's last tour of the UK. How did that feel?
Being a Swansea boy it was the best feeling ever to win the belt so close to home, it was a huge day for me and we even had the BBC there.
Being in TNA is hard enough for me to believe, but to have a title match on home ground and have my friends and family in attendance was simply amazing.
Did it mean more to have won it in the UK than in the States?
To win a belt anywhere is an amazing thing, but to win it at home meant so much more.
It was an honour to have been able to do that and now I plan on holding the belt for as long as I can.
Will we be seeing you again on the January 2011 UK tour? TNA play Glasgow on Thursday January 27, Manchester on Friday 28 and London on Saturday 29. Fans can get more info at tnaeuro.com.
It would mean so much for me to be there, I wouldn't be where I am now if I'd not been part of the last one. I would love to return home and meet the fans again.
If I still have my gold, I'll most certainly defend it in the UK, that would be an honour for me.
It's often said the best way to see TNA is live. In your opinion why should fans get tickets for the UK tour?
I've watched wrestling all my life, but nothing compares to seeing it live, whether at the Impact! Zone or in a stadium, the excitement and anticipation is just unbelievable.
TV and PPV are great, but the live shows pull you in on a personal basis too. Fans shouldn't miss out on that opportunity.
Can you give me your thoughts on the new Xplosion programme on Extreme Sports?
I'm excited about the show and my Global belt will be defended on it as often as possible.
It's a great thing for our loyal UK fans and gives them a dedicated piece of TNA programming.
When we went on the last UK tour it really hit home to me how many fans TNA have in the UK. It's gonna be great for them. They'll love it I'm sure.
We all know the stories, but describe Dixie Carter as a boss?
Dixie is amazing, she is the hardest working person in TNA, she's approachable and easy to talk to.
She does so much for the fans and gives them as much of her time as she can, the fan base are her main concern.
TNA is my life, every day I train and work to better myself and I sometimes gotta pinch myself that I'm with such a great company with such a great boss and such a talented roster.
Did the move back to Thursdays in the States, and the early ending of the Monday Night War, change anything morale-wise?
As long as I'm competing and working with the company, I'm happy whatever day I compete.
The fans were used to a Thursday and that was the main reason, we moved Impact! back.
The fans expected us there and its good to be back.
Our product is going from strength to strength and the addition of Ric Flair, Hogan, Bischoff, RVD and Jeff Hardy alongside the original talent here has made us a very strong company.
Have you any advice to young wannabe wrestlers in the UK?
Follow your dreams - I'm fortunate to have been able to - but make sure you use the best trainers and companies as possible.
I highly recommend Team 3Ds training academy, they show you everything in the business and offer the whole package, that's half the battle.
I've always been a dreamer and I think its possible if you work hard and have the right training to succeed in this business.
Finally what are the future plans for Rob Terry?
Simply put I want to dominate the entire roster, I live to keep climbing the TNA ladder.
I'd like to take on AJ, Kurt Angle and even Sting, the reason being I would also learn so much while wrestling them. I'd give those matches my all.
Maybe I'll even face one of them on the UK tour in January!
The Sun
Now he's sparring with his hero in TNA Wrestling, where he is the company's Global Champion and fastest rising star.
Big Rob is also the focus of TNA's newly relaunched Xplosion TV show, which airs every Friday night at 9pm in the UK on the Extreme Sports Channel.
Below, in an exclusive interview with SunSport, he chats about his rise to fame and hopes for the future.
First off Rob, can you tell us a bit about how you ended up working for TNA?
Wrestling has been part of my life since childhood.
I didn't have satellite TV growing up, so I'd watch the WWE on Sky at a friend's house and wrestling inspired me even then.
Watching Hulk Hogan and those guys pushed me mentally as I trained in martial arts and got into the world of body building.
I won a body building championship in California and was spotted there, the suggestion was made to maybe give wrestling a go and I did.
I attended Team 3D's wrestling school in Florida - they were and still are my mentors - and they took me to TNA when they thought I was ready.
Ray and Devon are the best in my opinion.
Can you believe you've went from watching all those year ago as a child to working with Hulk Hogan?
I do have to pinch myself sometimes.
It really motivates me to push myself to perform better working with the best.
And when you see guys the calibre of AJ Styles, RVD and Kurt Angle in the ring - it really ups your personal game.
It is such an experience just to be here in TNA.
Has TNA changed since Eric Bischoff and The Hulkster Joined?
Yeah. I always strive to improve myself anyway, but my perception is that since they came in the motivational standpoint across the roster is to be the best we can.
The company is at its best level yet and continues to grow.
You won the TNA Global Title in your home country of Wales on TNA's last tour of the UK. How did that feel?
Being a Swansea boy it was the best feeling ever to win the belt so close to home, it was a huge day for me and we even had the BBC there.
Being in TNA is hard enough for me to believe, but to have a title match on home ground and have my friends and family in attendance was simply amazing.
Did it mean more to have won it in the UK than in the States?
To win a belt anywhere is an amazing thing, but to win it at home meant so much more.
It was an honour to have been able to do that and now I plan on holding the belt for as long as I can.
Will we be seeing you again on the January 2011 UK tour? TNA play Glasgow on Thursday January 27, Manchester on Friday 28 and London on Saturday 29. Fans can get more info at tnaeuro.com.
It would mean so much for me to be there, I wouldn't be where I am now if I'd not been part of the last one. I would love to return home and meet the fans again.
If I still have my gold, I'll most certainly defend it in the UK, that would be an honour for me.
It's often said the best way to see TNA is live. In your opinion why should fans get tickets for the UK tour?
I've watched wrestling all my life, but nothing compares to seeing it live, whether at the Impact! Zone or in a stadium, the excitement and anticipation is just unbelievable.
TV and PPV are great, but the live shows pull you in on a personal basis too. Fans shouldn't miss out on that opportunity.
Can you give me your thoughts on the new Xplosion programme on Extreme Sports?
I'm excited about the show and my Global belt will be defended on it as often as possible.
It's a great thing for our loyal UK fans and gives them a dedicated piece of TNA programming.
When we went on the last UK tour it really hit home to me how many fans TNA have in the UK. It's gonna be great for them. They'll love it I'm sure.
We all know the stories, but describe Dixie Carter as a boss?
Dixie is amazing, she is the hardest working person in TNA, she's approachable and easy to talk to.
She does so much for the fans and gives them as much of her time as she can, the fan base are her main concern.
TNA is my life, every day I train and work to better myself and I sometimes gotta pinch myself that I'm with such a great company with such a great boss and such a talented roster.
Did the move back to Thursdays in the States, and the early ending of the Monday Night War, change anything morale-wise?
As long as I'm competing and working with the company, I'm happy whatever day I compete.
The fans were used to a Thursday and that was the main reason, we moved Impact! back.
The fans expected us there and its good to be back.
Our product is going from strength to strength and the addition of Ric Flair, Hogan, Bischoff, RVD and Jeff Hardy alongside the original talent here has made us a very strong company.
Have you any advice to young wannabe wrestlers in the UK?
Follow your dreams - I'm fortunate to have been able to - but make sure you use the best trainers and companies as possible.
I highly recommend Team 3Ds training academy, they show you everything in the business and offer the whole package, that's half the battle.
I've always been a dreamer and I think its possible if you work hard and have the right training to succeed in this business.
Finally what are the future plans for Rob Terry?
Simply put I want to dominate the entire roster, I live to keep climbing the TNA ladder.
I'd like to take on AJ, Kurt Angle and even Sting, the reason being I would also learn so much while wrestling them. I'd give those matches my all.
Maybe I'll even face one of them on the UK tour in January!
The Sun