Hotshot: An Interview with Johnny Devine

Conducted by Mark Chetcuti

Was there any point in your life and professional wrestling career when you said, “You know what? I’ve had enough!”

If you hadn’t become a professional wrestler, what do you envision yourself doing for a living right now?

I would have for sure been a fulltime actor. I enjoy fantasy. Living in fantasy, playing in fantasy and in general. The real world is quite boring.

 

Did you know Tokyo Joe? What has his loss meant to the Calgary pro wrestling community?

Yes, I did. I had the pleasure and opportunity to train with him. Trained with Harry Smith, TJ Wilson, and Viktor. I started, but I had a car accident. I survived [the car accident] but lost the use of my right arm. I was unable to go to Japan as I had to stop training with Joe [as a result].

Joe was an amazingly good trainer. His ability to instill the best basics and minimum amount of discipline to survive in Japan. There’s evidence in his ability to train people as the people who he did train became top stars.

I don’t mean to be invasive, but how did you get that scar on your abdomen area? Did you have to undergo surgery for an injury or ailment?

A multiple stabbing in 2004. Andy Douglas and I were jumped by four guys in a parking lot ; one of whom held a knife and stabbed me multiple times. They tried to stab me in the throat. They poked one hole in Andy.

 

Tell me about your time training in Stu Hart’s dungeon.

The dungeon was amazing. It was six years. I was there from 1997-2003 as a student and part-time coach. On average 2-3 worked shows a week. Were very busy at this point. Were getting in lots of great training, lots of people coming in, lots of great minds to pull from. Davey Boy Smith, Jim neidhart, Bad News Allen was also a great mind to draw from through there. It was truly a great time and place to train because the guys who were there were there to work hard and work the best. There was a core group who stood out who could probably work for any company easily.

Are you on good terms with Lance Storm?

Friendly. I like him. Hopefully he likes me. We worked a few times together. Great dude, great worker. I stopped into his school a few times when it was open.

 

Are you sad about what Teddy Hart is currently going through in terms of legal proceedings against him by the authorities of the State of Virginia?

That guy is a poor guy. I’ve known Ted since 1997, easily, said this on every record. The three best workers, Owen hart,

Teddy hart, Harry Smith TJ Wilson the best wrestlers I’ve ever seen bar known. Teddy can’t catch a break. The tragedy of TJ Wilson. Harry is killing it on the indies but that is a kid who should have been a  multiple world champion. Guys who worked the dungeon style are no more. This is infuriating to me. Being used less and less and less. The greatest wrestlers who ever were mostly, came out of Calgary. It’s weird that the rest of the world doesn’t see that anymore. Ted never got his due. Trying to bring himself around, you fall down ten times you get up eleven. Ted is really trying but he doesn’t seem to be catching a break.

 

Tell me what it was like working for Scott D’Moore?

The Dixie era, Scott was technically a producer. That era of impact or TNA was nothing but chaos. It was new writers all the time, new talent, hiring this guy or that guy, spending money on things that they didn’t need. Not my favourite time in wrestling. The thing that people don’t understand about television wrestling is that it isn’t the same thing that people grew up watching. 30 minutes on television doesn’t give you the time to show your talent. The job changes dramatically when you get to a television company.

 

Do you look back well on your time working with Impact Wrestling as a member of Team Canada? I remember watching that while starting university.

The Team Canada stuff, I loved. Eric Young and I were slated to be tag team champions twice. I was stabbed a week before. Eric young and I were Midwest working in Memphis. Got knocked off the apron blew out all four ligaments in my knee. Blew out my knee.

When I returned from my knee rehab they tried to replace me three times. That didn’t seem to workout. When I got back they brought in Dusty Rhodes who broke up team Canada.

 

If WCW were still around would you work for them and why or why not?

Absolutely I would since they were giving out gigantic contracts! Definitely I would have!

Remember when you had the cool face-paint in TNA Wrestling? What was the basis behind that storyline?

I was taken out of team Canada and was put with Raven and Team Paparazzi. The Havoc name became when the producers asked us to come up with ideas. They gave us 3-6 names to go with. The company chose the name. The character that I was doing was an amalgamation from comic book characters. Bishop’s mutant M ; Blade Runner face paint. Essentially there was a Crazy Steve before there was a Crazy Steve. Crazy Steve just does it way, way better. After a point I was supposed to be Raven’s tact-dog on a leash.

 

What is your favourite Canadian food?

Maple syrup, only because it doesn’t get much more Canadian than that. You can put that shit on anything!

 

Do you think that Harry Smith should complete Canadian military service?

Harry would been a beast in the special forces. I can’t wait to see harry compete in mma. Seriously he’s a monster. He would have flourished. I’m sure that there are many Garrison Creeds and Chase Stevens all who have military service. They make great wrestlers because they can adapt and go through diverse situations. 95% would never survive the military, because of the demands put on them in the beginning they would quit before they were able to do it.