Monday Night Mayhem radio
Hosts: Big Mosh, Blade, and Chaz
Available at MondayNightMayhem.com.

Samoa Joe is welcomed back to The Mayhem for the third time in the show's six-plus year history by Mosh & Blade, as they congratulate him on his TNA World Title victory. Joe extends his thanks back to The Mayhem Crew, and replies to his fans around the world by simply saying, "It feels good." Blade mentions to the listening audience how "Your Home Of Wrestling Radio" goes back close to five years with "The Samoan Submission Machine"—and all the way back to Spencerport, N.Y. (a dated reference to all ROH fans out there)...hard to believe nonetheless, but Joe said it's always good to hear from The Mayhem.

Mosh asked Joe what is going through his mind right now, as he is just a few days into his first TNA World Title run. "It's always nice to be on top...Now, the next challenge is to make the best of this run, and to give the fans something different."

Regarding the highly anticipated match inside the Six Sides Of Steel at Lockdown against Kurt Angle, Joe strongly believes that he was pretty satisfied with the finished product of the contest. "I think we took a big gamble and a big risk...Our intent was to going for something different and unusual that people do not see every day in professional wrestling...Things went well...I think the fans enjoyed it for the most part." Joe foreshadowed a rematch against Angle as well by saying, "I look forward to the next encounter...The door will never be closed on our feud." With the history between both competitors, you can believe that many matches still possibly lie ahead between the two.

Compared to his previous matches with Angle, Joe wished to go on record by saying, "by far, this is our best encounter...I think this had enough of a big match feel." Joe thinks they were able to "push the envelope" so to speak, and were able to give the viewing audience something they will remember for years to come.

Joe feels that TNA's intent was to bring a different feel to this match, and not necessarily capture the contest as a complete MMA fight more or less. Joe believes (going back to his training and competing in Japan) that MMA and submission fighting was born out of wrestling. He would not label this bout as a mixed martial arts bout, but more of a "hook and shoot" match. He can understand if some of the fans might not have been open to it right away, or even if it was not "their cup of tea," but his intention was to try to have the contest be more of a submission style match than the glitz and glamour that you might normally see than a "super MMA-fest." Joe's grade on the style of the match: "It was nice to take something old and make it new again."

Blade asked Joe if he thinks he is more suited to be the top guy in the company, despite many fans' strong opinions that his reign as TNA World Heavyweight Champion is long overdue. "Absolutely...All things come in due time...Right now is the due time." He is more than happy right now to be that person, and lead the way for TNA going into the spring/summer months ahead.

Based on the reports of TNA President, Dixie Carter and ROH's Gabe Sapolsky meeting this past weekend in Boston, Joe does not want to prematurely get the fans' expectations up when it comes to a possible TNA/Ring Of Honor talent exchange of any kind. He did talk to Dixie after the two met, and he said that she seemed pretty positive about their conversation, and really enjoyed the show. Because of the large amount of talent from TNA that has ROH roots, Dixie was glad that she had the opportunities to finally see them firsthand. Ring Of Honor is "very near and dear" to Joe's heart, and he continues to wish them the best of luck with their endeavors. He hopes the two can work together, but if not, this experience was a way to make peace and break bread.

"The Samoan Submission Machine" shoots on plenty of additional topics in this near 25-minute interview, including his uncensored thoughts/takes on: his contract status and trademark issues with TNA Wrestling (and when he sees everything being resolved...possibly even within the next week or so), the rest of the Lockdown Pay-Per-View & how the fans enjoyed the entire festivities, the soon-to-be-released TNA Impact video game through Midway, his upcoming TNA World Title Match against "Big Poppa Pump" Scott Steiner at Sacrifice next month (and why he, just like Blade, is "not a fan of the briefcases"), his level of excitement about heading over to the United Kingdom in June, his reaction to how the internet has his next feuds penciled in months from now, and how vital it is to finally put this story finally to rest: whether or not the "WWE vs. TNA" feud coming out of WrestleMania XXIV was blown out of proportion and if World Wrestling Entertainment was right in telling their superstars to stay away from TNA talent. And what else lies ahead for Joe? You have to tune in and find out fans!

***

Plus, in her first interview/public comments since leaving World Wrestling Entertainment close to four years ago, Terri Runnels graced the airwaves (along with The Mayhem's National Correspondent, The Monster Factory's Jim Molineaux & WrestleView.com's Adam Martin) to discuss coming back to the business, as well as break down her run as "Marlena" in the WWE & teaming with her husband (Dustin "Goldust" Rhodes), her memories of working with the late Brian Pillman, managing The Hardy Boyz (and the infamous Terri Invitational Tournament vs. Edge/Christian) & Perry Saturn, her time as Alexandra York in World Championship Wrestling, as well getting her thoughts on the product of today & the current crop of divas/knockouts, and the transition of life from inside the squared circle to outside of the business -- into working on her latest projects with children of all ages, her speaking engagements, & much more!

Terri will be appearing at the UWF live events on May 1st (Colonial Heights, VA) & May 2nd (Harrisonburg, VA), in which some you fans have the opportunity to support The Hermie & Elliott Sadler Foundation projects, Autism Speaks, & Kyle Petty's Junction Gang Camp. Besides Terri, you fans can manage stars such as WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler, Scotty 2 Hotty, Samoa Joe, Shark Boy, Matt "Spike Dudley" Hyson, Joey Matthews, & many more. You can also bid to become the guest ring announcer for the main event match both nights. Check out www.UWFUSA.com, as the auction runs through April 28th.

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