This is the last of five interviews I conducted with TNA talent backstage at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla., before the Impact taping on March 28:

Can you talk about the growth you have seen in TNA since you’ve been in the company and where you see things headed?

Yeah, it’s amazing. I came in a little under three years ago and we didn’t even have a TV deal. They were working on it, and Spike jumped aboard and the relationship to my knowledge has been great. The future looks great for the company. It’s growing each day, as far as the departments – whether it’s merchandise or the promotional team or just in the office. They’re hiring people because we’re growing so fast – the international market is just exploding and the fan base over here. We’re running a lot of live events. I think we have 70 to 80 right now this year, and they’re adding more shows as we speak. Dixie [Carter, TNA owner] doesn’t want to go on the road as much as our competition because she wants us to have a family life, too. But we’ve got to take the wrestling to the fans. We can’t expect them to come down to Orlando or wherever we’re having our pay-per-views – 12 different venues a year.

What else do you think TNA has to do to get to the next level and become legitimate competition for WWE?

I think raising my pay a lot (laughs). I think we’re on the right track. It’s exploding. Obviously, when other wrestlers’ contracts come up with other companies or some wrestlers want to come back from Japan, certain moves will help out the company as far as signing guys. The guys that we have under contract like Shark Boy – I’m a big fan of his. The stuff he’s doing, it’s great. All the guys here are elevating themselves. They’re given an opportunity and they’re taking advantage of it. So that raises the product. If some people do become part of the TNA team that aren’t with us now, I’m sure they’ll be a team player and help the company, and that will help the growth, too.

When WWE revived the ECW brand, you had an opportunity to go back there, but you decided to stay in TNA. Why?

I didn’t want to go on the road that much. I really saw the growth in TNA starting, and they gave me an opportunity when they really didn’t need to. But they knew my talent and what I can bring to the table. I kind of felt like, OK, I didn’t really want to go on the road that much at that point in my life – and that was almost two years ago when I re-signed. I saw the future looking bright for TNA, and I was right, because we’re sitting here talking about the growth of the company. So, I decided to re-sign with TNA and I’m happy that I did.

What is your impression of WWE’s version of ECW?

To be honest with you, I haven’t really watched it. That’s not a good thing. I’m not saying that to say, “Oh, I don’t want to watch the competition.” You have to watch the competition because maybe you’ll learn something. It’s good to keep an eye on the competition and it’s good to keep an eye on new upcoming wrestlers because you might be wrestling them in the ring one day. I really haven’t see too much of the show, but it would never be the same when Vince [McMahon] bought it. I knew that from the beginning. I’m not saying good or bad, but I knew it just wouldn’t be the same. Because back then you had young guys that weren’t getting paid, some were getting paid very little and some were getting paid pretty decent. But it was just a different atmosphere.

It was kind of like you’ve got a nice nightclub, and then you’ve got that dirty, dingy nightclub. Back then it was that dirty, dingy nightclub. Now it’s a nice nightclub. You can’t knock Vince because you can learn a lot from him if you watch him. Look at what he made wrestling. He took it from territories to an international product. I honestly believe if Vince didn’t do what he did then, TNA wouldn’t be here. It might be a little territory, but it wouldn’t have that opportunity to become an international company like it is.

Is there anybody in TNA that you haven’t worked with yet that you would like to have a program with at some point?

No, just put them out there and I’ll kick their [butt]. See, I said that to sound tough. I think it did. You know, there’s so much talent in this locker room. Petey Williams, Scott Steiner, Kurt Angle, Black Machismo, A.J. Styles, Sonjay Dutt – the talent list is just so incredible. I’d like to wrestle some of the X Division guys. I’ve been in the ring with Samoa Joe, and that guy’s tough, I’ll tell you that. There’s Kurt [Angle], and Christian [Cage] – I enjoyed getting in the ring with him. Like I said, the talent list is incredible. I couldn’t pick just one person. I’d have to give you the whole roster (laughs).

You’ve done two Elevation X matches. How nerve-wracking is it to be wrestling that high up?

It’s not being up there. It’s when it’s over and you know you can walk away from it, whether you’re climbing down or whether you fall. What people really don’t understand is that a match like that … you really can’t predict anything. Honest to God truth: If you fall two feet and land on you head wrong, you can break your neck and die or you can break your neck and be paralyzed. Nobody will understand unless they get up there. Kids, don’t wrestle at home and try this stuff. Don’t jump off of roofs. It’s not going to get you a job in pro wrestling. Actually, promotions like TNA and WWE look down on that so don’t even do it, because it’s stupid and you’ll get hurt eventually. A buddy of mine’s little brother broke his neck when he was 14 back in ’96 – paralyzed from the chest down. He was wrestling in the backyard, did a back flip and landed on his head.

With the Elevation X match, I think three weeks before the match last year and this year it’s just like, “Am I marching to my death?” Really, that’s what you think. One slip, one wrong move and it could be over. I would try not to think about it, but it was always in my mind and would always come up. It seems stupid to say, but it seemed like the war drums were beating and they got louder and louder getting to the event. So I’m glad I climbed down both years (laughs).