Hunted Down (back issue article June 2001)

[Kandi]

HUNTED DOWN by Mike Hunt

Hello fight fans and welcome to my new weekly column Hunted Down. In my column each week, we will be doing various programs for you the GZW fan. This week we have been blessed by the grace of our President, Tate Edmonson who has kindly given me to do a very frank and open interview with him so without further hesitation lets get down to business.

(MH) First off let me say it is a great honor and pleasure to be doing this interview with you. Now I better start off by asking you came about owning GZW ?

(PREZ) Well the birth of GroundZero Wrestling 2K1 came about at the request of my corporate employers,GroundZero Enterprises.They were in the market to open a wrestling organization but needed the correct talent. For many years
now,GZE has becked many wrestling organizations but never having one of their own.Sensing that the time was right for a corporate buyout,GZE proceeded with contracts with me as the Vice-President,Director of Wrestling Affairs,and interim President of EWO.It was during my role as interim President I was granted the power to deal with GZE on a corporate level on behalf of Extreme World Order Entertainment.

(MH) When the change came to join GZW a lot of people may have said that you stabbed your former employers in the back, a lot said you were a money grabbing so and so. Was it a hard decision to make ?

(PREZ) The decision was extremely hard for me,Mike,as I loved the atmosphere of the EWO and it's Texas executive staff.The good part about the "Exodus" is the
fact that much,if not all,of the Extreme World Order Entertainment executives were bought out as well.
As far as me stabbing EWOE in the back,that is crazy.Maybe that is something Tate Troublesome might have done a year ago but Tate Edmonson wouldn't ever do that.Both the President of EWO and I had a conversation a few days prior to the Exodus.Of course there were hard feelings but in the
end everything worked itself out.We wouldn't be having this conversation if it didn't.!!

(MH) I suppose not but I still think there is a lot of resentment there. I remeber the old Tate Troublesome from his bad days back in WWA and PWW. He was somebody who would stab you in the back, remember the ‘Hooded Man’ tactics employed by Bad Company on entering the PWW ? You guys kicked me about day in day out just for some extra TV time. So my next question then is where do Tate’s roots come from ?

(PREZ) "Where do Tate's roots come from?"Good
question,Mike.Hell,about a year and a half ago,I would have probably said from a beer bottle !!. Seriously,I'm from the Dirty South capital,Atlanta,Georgia.One reason why the GZW Coliseum is headquartered there.Got to be close to home.

(MH) And what a fine building it is. Like I said before you have been in many different feds and met many different people along the way. Could you tell the fans who have never seen or maybe never even heard of Tate Troublesome a little bit about your career and where it has taken ‘The Troubleshoota’ ?

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[Kandi]

(PREZ) My career started off overseas in Japan where I was fighting in pitfights,barrooms,and the Indy circuit to earn a little bit of money.It was there I meet my now ex-manager and ex-wife Nikita Fortune.She persuaded me to come back over to the States and showcase my skills.My first stop in the States was alot of Indy circuits in the South,until Nikita hooked us up with a fed called the World Wrestling Alliance and it's owner Scott Bennett.The WWA folded shortly after due to bigshots from it's rival competition,which ironically,bought it out. It was in this new fed,PWW,that my career flourished and I created a everlasting bond of friendship with four men that everyone should be aware
of..."MidCard Killer" Pimp Bizkit,"The Menace" Union Jack,and my dearest closes friend,Sho "Firefly" Murakame.It was with these three men that the legend of Bad Company was forged forever into wrestling history. Of course like all good things,it comes to an end.With Sho not liking the despicable tactics that we were prone to exhibit,he left the group.With my
alcohol addiction contributing to the crumbling of my wrestling career and breakup of my marriage to Nikita,I just lost the will to continue in this great sport of ours.So I retired at the peak of my career.

(MH) At the moment though some of those friendships are being tested to the full, what with the emergence of Union Jack in GZW as a main heel and also Pimp as,.... well,.... er, Pimp!! This can’t be easy for you to handle ? Your only allie is bugboy himself ‘Firefly’ Sho Murakame.

(PREZ) Well,like I said those three men were like my brothers,hell,they still are my brothers.No matter what you
see or hear on GZW television we are still brothers.No matter how you see (Union) Jack act,he is still my brother.All families fight,Mike,and we are like no other.But there thick and thin Sho has always been by my side.It was he who helped me conquer the monster called liquor.He will always be my
brother and dearest of friends.Besides,those three,Nikita and I still have a tight bound.She is on the board of executives for the GroundZero Entreprises.She isn't directly connected with wrestling anymore but she does have alot of vested interest in it besides me.Her sister,my sister in law,and your once favorite reporter and rival,Kandi "Knockkers" Fortune is the head commentator for the GZW as well as Director for Wrestling Talent.Also my brother in law,is in the developmental stages of his wrestling career and hopefully with some more mat time he will be ready for the big time in the GZW.

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[Kandi]

(MH) Well we are coming to a close on my first article in Hotwire and what an article it has been but before we depart can I get your thoughts on the whats next for you, the company and wrestling in general ?

(PREZ) The sky's the limit for my future right now,Mike.My main concern is showing these naysayers that Da Rebel can make something instead of destroying all the time.I'm just going to improve on the ratings and buyrate of GZW and make it the success I know it can.With the talent amassed on the roster and the young lions we have waiting in the wings,I expect nothing but success.

(MH) There have been a couple of articles I have read over the past week that say that you may be planning to come back into wrestling to stop Union Jack once and for all. It seems the internet geeks think you are the only man that can. Are there any truths in these rumours ?

(PREZ) There are several Internet rumours going around and I want to squash them right here in your article and the GZW magazine,HotWire.I am officially retired from active wrestling and there is no way that I will be facing (Union)Jack or any other wrestler for that matter.So,no,Tate Troublesome will not be making his return to the squared circle at the HeatWave Pay per view.

(MH) Well as always it has been a pleasure having you here today with me, may I just take this time out to say good luck with GZW. I am sure it will be huge. Finally if you see Kandi knocking about could you give her my number because I think she lost it !!

(PREZ) Thank you for having me as a guest in your first article,Mike.I'll definitely be one to keep an eye out for it.I'll tell Kandi you said hello as well.

(MH) Well there you go folks, the most genuine, down to earth guy in wrestling. People could learn a lot from Tate Edmonson, a man who has been to the edge, fell in and clawed his way out again with a litte help from his friends. My lasting impression of Tate will always be his attack on a wrestler called’The Sickness’ Al Simmons. This was when I would say Bad Company was formed, as Union Jack also became involved but it wasn’t the actual attack itself that I loved it was the co-ordination that went with it, the talk that they both gave when the camera came on. Things like that you wait a life time to see. Me, I’ve been lucky enough to follow Bad Company all around the world and one day if those guys get back together be sure to stay on there good side because there bad side is something no-one wants to see.

Well thats all we have time for this week folks be sure to pick up Hotwire next week and see what i have been up to here in GZW. This is Mike Hunt saying goodnight....goodnight