The Harold interviews:
Harold: Thank you Christian for agreeing to sit down with me and do this interview. I know ever since winning the World Title you've been pulled in a million directions at once.Christian Cage: Yeah, it's strange that suddenly everyone wants to know what you have to say when you have a big gold belt over your shoulder but it's enjoyable, so I'm not complaining too much
Harold: Well my first real question for you is this? Why did you return to SFT?
Christian Cage: Well, I was approached by someone who was in SFT at the time wanted me to form a tag team with them, but that fell through. By then though, I'd already made the first moves towards a comeback, so after some thought, I decided to stick with it and fly solo I think it's safe to say that decision paid off
Harold: Yes it did, tell us all about your past, where you got started and how long you've been doing this.
Christian Cage: Well, I started this about 4 years ago. To be totally honest, I don't remember how I found my first e-fed, but soon afterward, I found XCW and the rest, as they say, is history
Harold: Your return has been high profile because you've managed to stay consistent and strong since your return, how do you keep the same work ethic going, most start off strong and seem to fizzle out, they'll have some spurts but usually they don't have what it takes to stay consistently good throughout each match. What is your secret?
Christian Cage: I don't think there's a secret to it as such. I just look at a match when I get booked and decide what I think is going to need to be done to get the win. I then try to start early, getting ideas for what to do and say rather than trying to rush it all at the end if I can avoid it. By spreading the workload out over the RPing period, it makes it much less stressful. It also means that if there's a day when, for whatever reason, I can't RP, or don't feel in the mood to do so, I have that luxury
Harold: Good, if only all were as consistent. So far you've had one title defense. And you're due to have a match on the next Slaughter, tell me you as world champion is there anyone in the federation you don't want to face currently, or someone you do want to face because you like their style and feel you could match up well?
Christian Cage: Well, I wouldn't say there's anyone that I don't want to face. I've always liked a challenge, and certainly as Champion, I won't back away from anyone. As far as people I enjoy facing, I just like to face people who can come up with interesting and unique angles to things each time, rather than being over-reliant on the same stuff
Harold: Now you were sort of pushed not fast, but faster than most, most certainly due to your work and how good and consistent it was. Shadow has told me privately he doesn't intend to give you any favors, he plans to put you through hell and back if only to prove to himself you deserve to be SFT's world champion, how do you react to knowing the owner is going to put you through hell? And how have you two interacted since your return? Do you get along or are you the on opposite ends of the spectrum?
Christian Cage: Well, there's been very little, if any, interaction between us, but what there has been has been friendly, and that's just how I like things. As far as putting me through hell, I've never asked or wanted favors from people, so I will take what is thrown at me and see where I end up
Harold: Do you one day see yourself in the Hall of Fame?
Christian Cage: Who knows. If you'd asked me a couple years ago, when I was scraping by as TV Champion, I would have said no, but then I'd have said no if you'd asked me then if I ever thought I'd be World Heavyweight Champion
Christian Cage: I've already achieved more in SFT than I ever thought Id would and if someone sees fit to one day put me in HOF then that'd be great but only time will tell on that one
Harold: It would appear you've come full circle, do you feel SFT will be the place you end your career? Has Christian Cage come home to stay?
Christian Cage: yeah, I think that, when I decide I'm done with SFT, then I'm done with this altogether
Harold: Now what I am truly curious is the ooc disputes and arguments, you seem to steer clear of that and just worry about your matches? Do you intentionally steer away from those fights, or do they not really matter to you? For as world champion whatever you say out there does carry some weight.
Christian Cage: Well, as you may well remember, there was a time when I would have jumped head first into those kind of arguments, but I guess I have a more mature head on my shoulders these days. I appreciate that, as World Champ, people will listen when I speak, but I think it's more important that we have a World Champion who speaks through his RP's not through OOC stuff
At the end of the day, OOC arguments don't win matches or title I'll post something if I think it's important, but I won't do it just for the hell of it if I can avoid it
Harold: Exactly, you're leading by example and not by bullshit. Its how a World Champion should comport himself. In the past I've had many problems with our world champions, but since your return I found myself rooting for you to win. Though by past you're considered heel, but the way the fans cheer for you and how they've taken to you, you've been turned into a face, Do you feel being a fan favorite could ultimately hurt your character or career? I mean its easier for a full blown heel to cost you a match, and lots of people have alliances here, they have stables, tag partners, and lots of friends and backstage clout, you....you're all alone and no one is looking out for you. Could cost you everything if you're not cautious.
Christian Cage: Yeah, I understand all the backstage stuff that goes on around here, but I just do what I do as far as the RP's go and try to steer clear of that. As Champion, you're going to be a target either way, whether as heel or face, it goes with the job description, so you're always kind of looking out for people trying to get an edge on you. That said though, as champion, you're supposed to be the best in the fed, and therefore good enough to deal with things like that if and when they happen
Harold: Do you like the lone wolf approach or would you ever consider joining or creating a stable, after all there is power in numbers? And speaking of which has anyone tried to recruit you for their stable?
Christian Cage: well, I was a part of EOR, but that all kind of collapsed for various reasons. No one has approached me with regard to a stable, but if any were to ask me about it, I'd certainly consider it. that said though, I'm just as happy on my own if that's how things pan out Harold: Looking at the roster for your possible opponents in the future names like Megan the Monster, Nirvana, Venom, even Aj Nin Red Rum may all be in your path. Will you approach each person the same or do you use different styles or strategies for each different person?
Christian Cage: Well, I like to take each as they come, if you notice in my RP's against Ace for a example, I used some stuff from a match we had back in 2002 or something, and got an edge that way. My favorite way to do things is to let my opponent speak and then base my strategy on playing the counter attack, working from what they have to say I feel that brings out the best in me
Harold: Some people suffer from World title hangover, Ace some believe suffered from it, where they work hard for the title but once they reach it they stumble and fall, do you fear getting too overconfident and stumbling and taking that longest fall from grace?
Christian Cage: well, it's always in the back of your mind, whenever you have a title of any kind. I choose though to look at it from the POV that it's taken me a long time to get where I am, and one mistake could screw all that, so I have to give my best to whatever is asked of me. Thinking that way acts as a self-defense mechanism and prevents, or at the very least limits, over-confidence
Harold: Hmmm, well one question im starting to ask all people I interview, what does SFT mean for you? Or what does it mean to you?
Christian Cage: Well, I guess SFT to me, at least as far as e-feds go, means family. It's working with people that I've known for a while, and that I can trust Christian Cage: That said though, I don't think a lot of people know the real me, as in the guy behind the character, even though I've been around on and off for a long time
Harold: Well I think allot of people are going to see a glimpse of the real you with this interview, and with that being said, this has probably been one of my best interviews and will undoubtedly be read by everyone in SFT and those in the surrounding feds. I want to thank you for agreeing to the interview.
Christian Cage: Not a problem at all, it's been a pleasure