Spike TV/TNA conference call: Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley discuss the internet, impersonation gimmicks, Midnight Express

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin were spotlighted in a Spike TV/TNA conference call on Wednesday. The following are among the highlights of the interview session...

-Shelley said he was surprised by their fast rise in popularity and feels its a testament to the fact that fans want to see younger stars and their style of wrestling.

-Shelley said he can’t impersonate anyone and wouldn’t if he could because he fears that TNA would probably turn it into a gimmick. He said that might not be such a bad thing given the success that Black Machismo has had.

-Sabin said he doesn’t feel the internet has a great influence on TNA. He assumes the company is more concerned with the mainstream fans than the internet.

-Shelley said internet fans have a place in wrestling, but you can’t cater to just one audience. He said he doesn’t know what’s written about him on the internet, but he assumes it’s written by people who aren’t in the know. “What an I say, don’t believe everything you read,” Shelley said.

-TNA media relations director Steven Godfrey jumped in when a caller asked about the TNA video game. He said they have some “major” promotional events lined up that he’ll be telling people about in the near future. He said he couldn’t even say whether Sabin and Shelley were among the characters in the game.

-Sabin said Jim Cornette has been coaching them and gave them a batch of Midnight Express tapes. He said they’ve been watching them and acknowledged that they are inspired by their work.

-Sabin said the WCW cruiserweights were inspirational because the wrestlers were his size and it made him feel like he could be

-Godfrey jumped in and stated that MTV approached TNA about the “Made” program months ago. He said they discovered the company via the positive buzz on the internet.

-Sabin said they are looking forward to going back to Ring of Honor and working in front of a different crowd than they are used to. He also said they’re looking forward to beating The Briscoes.

-Godfrey jumped in and noted that Sabin and Shelley are far from the only TNA wrestlers who will appear on the MTV “Made” program on Saturday. You can check out a TNA website article on the show by clicking here.

Powell’s POV: Shelley’s line about TNA turning an impersonation into a gimmick was funny. He was quick to point out that Black Machismo has been successful, but it was clearly a little jab at the TNA creative team. Sabin lived up to his “easy going” reputation.