A Harold interview:

Harold: Ok today im joined by the one and only Kyle Murphy. Kyle thank you so much for doing this, I know you're a busy man.

Kyle Murphy: Really? Doing what? Not getting title shots, that's for sure. ::laughs:: Harold: Well I know youve made your bid for it, and no one can deny you're deserving. So we'll start with that, what would the SFT World title mean to you? What would Kyle do as World champ?

Kyle Murphy: Well actually I'm looking to retool my repetoir. Bring in some new moves. A slightly different look.

Harold: Well youve had many looks, lets start at the beginning shall we? Tell us where you got your start? How long youve been at it? Give us Murphy 101.

Kyle Murphy: Some folks like Van Dam and Shadow are already familiar with that, but yeah, a lot of people don't know, haven't been around long enough to know. I debuted in IWOW2K around February or March of 2000, just months shy of my 22nd birthday. I enjoyed much success there before moving onto IHCW where I was a two-time World Champion. Then of course I found a home in XCW. It was there that SFW took notice of The Superior One and I joined up. In fact I had expressed an interest in SFW maybe a year or two earlier while still in IWOW2K, only to be told that I wasn't good enough for SFW by a little guy you might recall by the name of The ICON. I'd say I've proved him wrong.

Harold: Id say so too. You've had a long and sucessful past, tell us of some of more meaningful titles/wins and matches/fueds.

Kyle Murphy: I'd have to say my earliest true feud was with a man in IWOW2K by the name of Rob Van Dam. It was through our mid-card title bouts that I started establishing myself before gaining IWOW's World Championship, which I ultimately held twice prior the fed's quick and sudden demise. In IHCW I met a man by the name of Justin Maddrox, best known to SFT by the names Evan Corbyn and Black. As you may recall he and I have had some memorable meetings. And of course I'd be at a loss if I didn't mention Aj Nin Red Rum. I won my first XCW Championship from him as a virtual unknown at the time, in the now famous Ozone Park Graveyard Battle Royal. Like the Holy War, that was a match that later attempts to replicate just cannot compare to. I also had some good stable feuds in XCW and SFW, battling the Evil Over Rule in the former and the Dead Pac in the latter.

Harold: Wow thats incredible, youre a walking history of our great feds. And I remember most of those names, Imiss them all. And I agree Holy Wars was never the same after the first. I remember you a main force behind the original Holy War, and one of the few where in it, actually youre the only one, Shadow was there but did not fight since he was owner. If you had to choose what would you say is the pinnacle of your career thus far and the lowest point as well?

Kyle Murphy: I think that Holy War match would have to be considered a major highlight. As was the case in the Graveyard Battle Royal, I entered as pretty much a strong underdog, having not yet competed on a main event level in SFW. At the finish I was up on top of the third cage, making a push to win the match, but was thrown off by Legion. As I hit the roof of the second tier of the cage, Sorik took the opening to throw Legion off and pick up the win. But I feel that match- which if I'm not mistaken also included Dave Van Dam, Justun Believable and maybe Tony Barrera- was what really made people stand up and take notice of Kyle Murphy in SFW. I think it'd be fair to say, though, that the true peak of my career would have to be the unification match to crown the first SFT Champion. The ICON and I set the tone for the new SFT with one Hell of a match and we both did everything but win the SFT Championship.

Kyle Murphy: The low points I would say would have to be challenging Shawn Walsh for the RWA Championship in an attempt to "crush the resistance" if you will on behalf of SFT and also the feud with Havoc over the SFT Championship. I feel like both of those matches or situations I let personal hatred get the better of me and didn't do myself justice.

Harold: Wow some refreshing honesty. Well speaking of hatred, tell us some of the people you get along good with and some you cant stand and if you can tell us why?

Kyle Murphy: That's certainly a touchy issue as of late, the latter part of that question. But as a lot of people know, I've always been close with folks like Kevin, Gust, Van Dam, ICON. Allisa O' Toole, as much as we torment each other. I wish I could say I knew Shadow and Glenn Owen better than I do, given our history. It's not really in my nature to dislike someone just based on judgement, I'm more of an "if you act like a jackass, I'll treat you like a jackass" kind of a person.So I guess if there's anybody I can't stand it would people who just decide they can't stand me and won't give me chance. That hate me even though they don't really know me.

Harold: Well speaking of Shadow, no interview can be complete without me asking, youve been around longer than most and as you just said you hardly know him. What kind of working relationship or outside do you have with him? Whats your take on him? Most have a hate love, or hate respect type thing LOL. But youve been around since the XCW/SFW days so you've seen and known since before he was even owner. Few can say that.

Kyle Murphy: Well, when I was being told by ICON that I wasn't good enough to compete in SFW, Shadow was in SFW Championship contention under The Higher Power. So that always stood out in my mind. When I was going to SFW's "minor league" EWF and tried to take the EWF Championship from SkorchD- another great name time has forgotten- Shadow was with Van Dam and Barrera and Flame as the main-eventers in SFW. That's why I've always respected him.Other than that he's been really too reclusive for me to get know him. And now he's just "the boss." For the most part he doesn't even appear on Inferno anymore. So now it's like, well, he's just the guy who runs the place. Signs the pay checks, so to speak. That's all he is now is the boss. Same as any other boss. You just go out there, do your job and go home.

Harold: Ok well then all wrestlers have been fans at some point, who did you look up to? or whose work did you like? Who impressed you and when you saw their promos youd think "wow". From any fed at any time.

Kyle Murphy: Actually I'd have to say several people fit that bill. Maybe I'm easily impressed or maybe just more appreciative than other people. Off the top of my head: Reginald Royce. Cage. Dave Van Dam. The Crazy Inc. era Fox always was good for a laugh. Tony Barrera when he was in SFW Championship contention. I certainly respected Sorik, he did the kind of stuff that no one else was doing and no one else has done since. I could seemingly never even come close to beating Mad Dogg, so he's in that group. And his buddy Dave Steel. I didn't like The Regulators much, but I had to respect 'em. Then of course Legion and Shadow, which should be self-explanatory. And that list might just be the tip of the iceberg.

Harold: Well lets ask a what if, or who, if you could face any 3 people from past or present who would they be and why? what would be dream matches for you?

Kyle Murphy: First, my mentor Reginald Royce. He and I faced off in IWOW2K a couple times, but I was still a rookie at the time facing an already multi-time SFW Champion. So if he could be back here now and be at his best again, I'd like to find out how I match up with one of the few guys that in my eyes is a real legend. That'd be great. Then Perfection, again at his best. I remember watching him running rough shot as SFW Champion and thinking "I could beat this guy." But I never got the chance to try during his title reign. And I'd like to face Shadow some day. I think that is when you know you've made it in SFT when he'll get in there with you. And call me arrogant, but I think I might be able to take him. It'd certainly be a great match.

Harold: Well those are some real big names, the only one who might be a possibility would be the old man but he takes very few matches nowadays but for you, im sure it would happen some day. Now lets talk SFT world title. Its been a very hard title for most to hold on to it for any real time. Why do you believe its become so hard to be a stable champion? Is it ego? Laziness? What is it?

Kyle Murphy: Honestly it's always been my opinion that people only have the desire to win the Championship for bragging right purposes. Once most people have win the belt lately they lack the passion to defend it. They have that notch in their belt, that accolade to flaunt around, and that's all they care about. Therefore they don't put the necessary effort into retaining it, because they've already got what they wanted. The bragging rights. The ego stroke, if you will.

Harold: If you were to win the title what would you do differently to avoid such a thing? How would Kyle Murphy be different from all the rest?

Kyle Murphy: It would be difficult to avoid falling into that trap myself, I know. Having coveted it for something like five years and never quite getting there- barely missing on more than one occassion- is what has been driving me since returning. I suppose the motivating factor for me after winning the SFT Championship if- or when- I win it would have to be proving to everyone that I deserve it. Because I know there are those who have doubted me and would continue to do so if I were SFT Champion.

Harold: You've been around longer than most, in your eyes, whats the biggest differences between SFT or the business 6 or 7 years ago compared to today? Whats better back then, whats better now? Whats changed, for better and worse?

Kyle Murphy: Unfortunately I think that now there's too much of people just coming in here for the perceived glory. To swell their heads. To be able to tell everyone how much better they are than the other guy. Like I said with the World Championship picture, it's all about being able to gloat. I feel like five years ago we actually had fun here with people we considered friends. Not to say that everything about SFT today has gone sour, but I do tend to miss those days.

Harold: Well thank you Kyle so much for doing this, it is one of the most interesting and candid interviews I have ever had the pleasure of conducting.

Kyle Murphy: Hey, the two most controversial guys in SFT, right? It wouldn't be right if we didn' t piss someone off. I may have, but I didn't say anything I don't believe is true. Thanks for having me, it was my pleasure as well.