Huskie Howard Interviews Remix Pro Wrestling Promoter Adam Johnson

Huskie: Wrestling fans, welcome back to Wrestle Ohio where I am joined today by the promoter of Remix Pro Wrestling, Adam Johnson. Adam thanks for joining us today, how are you doing?

Johnson: I am doing great, I love the website and what you guys do. It’s a great concept that is very positive towards good Indy wrestling. So thank you for having me!

Huskie: How long has Remix Pro been in business?

Johnson: Remix Pro Wrestling officially started in April of 2010. The business I run works very closely with the Humane Society and we do several fundraisers a year for them. I came up with a concept and kind of ran with it. I have been involved with the wrestling business for some time and was fortunate enough to have made some great contacts along of the way.

Sam Smith and Joe Offenberger were my business partners in this whole adventure and we really started to branch out about six months before the event. Got some great information from some trustworthy promoters, such as Dirk Extreme from RCW, and a few other stand up individuals.

Back to the point we thought, let’s put on a wrestling show for the Humane Society, put every effort we can and see what happens. We went into it with the mentality of not really knowing what the end result would be or if it would be a one time thing.

Huskie: How did the promotion get it’s start?

Johnson: This is a 3 part operation. Sam Smith, Joe Offenberger and myself, two of my best friends that I knew would put everything they had into this project. With that being said we all owe many thanks to many different people for helping to get this off the ground. I am forever grateful!

Huskie: Tell us a little more about the Throwdown for the Pound event.

Johnson: The Throwdown for the Pound event we do 100% for the Humane Society. In five events we have raised $25,000 for the shelter. More than the money though, we are bringing a whole new group of people together to watch pro wrestling. Some of the people who attend our shows are watching a wrestling show for the first time. It’s a great feeling when they come up to us after the show and say they didn’t know what to expect going in but actually had a great time and enjoyed themselves.

Huskie: What makes this event such a huge success?

Johnson: I would have to say the time that is spent on the event. We space the shows out for a reason, with shows usually in April and October. That gives us time to make sure the events will deliver a quality product. We offer a unique talent roster featuring talent from Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Michigan as well as talent that is featured on Impact Wrestling. We also try to have a variety of matches on the card. High flying, women’s wrestling, hardcore, and etc. but we also keep things family oriented.

Even though the events are spaced out pretty far apart, we still have story lines going into every show, so there is a reason to watch two guys fight each other and not just random matches. I think people enjoy coming out knowing they should see a good quality event and support a great cause in the process.

Huskie: What does helping out the Humane Society mean to you?

Johnson: The Humane Society has always been something close to my heart. Animals and wrestling have been two of my favorite things since I was a child. To be able to combine the two is a dream come true. The Humane Society for the most part is funded through donations. So events like this are very important to the survival of the Humane Society.

Huskie: What do you look for when booking talent?

Johnson: We look for talent that is professionally trained, talent that has either proven their self or are determined to make a name for themselves. We visit a lot of shows in the area and look for talent that we think would mix in well with what we are trying to do with Remix Pro Wrestling.

Remix Pro is honored to say we have worked with The Hurricane, Tara, Tommy Dreamer, Madison Rayne, Sojo Bolt, Stevie Richards, Jay Lethal, Daffney, Zach Gowen, Jimmy Yang, Mad Man Pondo, Sara Del Ray, Mickie James, Velvet Sky and Jillian Hall. When working with the talent I just mentioned, we have looked at if the talent will still be able to deliver in the ring, and if the fans will have a positive experience with the talent.

We believe nothing is worse than a child looking up to a wrestler only to have a bad experience and it changes the way they look at them forever. So again, that is something we look for.

Huskie: What is it like working with such big stars?

Johnson: It’s been a blast! I can’t say a negative thing about anyone we have worked with! I must say that Tommy Dreamer and Tara are two of the nicest people in the world.

Huskie: Are you looking into having shows on a regular basis?

Johnson: We are considering it, but honestly I can’t say for sure. Right now Sam, Joe and I all have families and children and that is our top priority. It takes a lot of time to properly put on and promote a good wrestling event. We are experimenting and seeing what we can balance. You will probably never see Remix Pro running on a monthly basis, but we may expand to four or so shows a year. With two larger shows and possibly to smaller shows as well.

Huskie: How many fans do you draw on average?

Johnson: About 500!

Huskie: Of all the events you have held. Which one has been the best?

Johnson: I would have to say Throwdown 5. I believe the event had something for everyone. It was a nice turn out, great roster and a lot of fun. I feel like we are learning each and every show and working on things we want to improve for the next show. We aren’t perfect by any means, and we have a lot to learn but we try out best to improve every event.

Huskie: What is the best match in Remix Pro history?

Johnson: I think we have had a lot of great matches, as the talent always seems to leave it all in the ring. So, it’s really very hard to pick just one. But, from my stand point, I would have to say Facade defending the Remix Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship against Matt Cross at Throwdown 5. We have had Cross scheduled for a couple different shows but due to overseas and WWE commitments we were not able to have him make his scheduled appearances. So, finally it happened on April 7th 2012. Plus it was the first singles match between the two. They left everything they had in the ring that night. Facade suffered an injury to the back of his head and still continued the match and even went on to win. That says a lot about out champion. I would also like to send a thanks to the Marrietta Ambulance for always taking good care of our talent when accidents do happen.

Huskie: You mentioned that you all try to improve with each show. What do you think you can do to improve the shows?

Johnson: We are wanting to improve the production. We would like to incorporate a video screen for backstage promo’s, work on some more lighting effects, continue to look for the best local talent as well as bringing in bigger names that our fans have interest in seeing.

Huskie: Who are some of the big names that you would like to bring in for future events?

Johnson: We would love to work with some legends of wrestling such as Bret Hart, DDP, and Kevin Nash they would be great. But we love working with guys that are just starting to make a name for themselves like Robert Roode and James Storm.

Huskie: What are your thoughts on Indy wrestling in Ohio?

Johnson: I think in most areas the market is over saturated. However, I think that if you dig hard enough you can find some gold. Now, I am nobody to judge any promotion and it would be unfair for me to pass judgment on any promotions that I haven’t seen. But out of the promotions that I have seen, I think that promotions like WAR, AIW, RCW all should be at the top of the best of list in Ohio. AIW may not appeal to everyone but they are cutting edge, and are using some of the best talent around the United States. WAR is promoting great shows, with great production and using awesome talent. The same can for said about RCW. RCW just recently had their 100th show. That is saying something!

From what I have personally seen the promoters from these promotions are trust worthy and very good guys. Dirk Extreme has to be one of the nicest guys in this business. A true professional. I can’t say that enough. I just wish everyone could either work together or if that isn’t possible, then worry more about their own shows than what the others are doing.

Huskie: What are some things that could make the Indy scene better?

Johnson: If only trained professionals could step foot in a ring, that would be the big one. Virtually anyone can put on a wrestling show. Especially in West Virginia. Meaning that virtually anyone can get in a wrestling ring and pretend to be a wrestler. It’s a lethal combination. Not only can people get hurt but they are hurting the business. If a family that has never been to an Indy show goes to a wrestling event promoted by “XYZ Wrestling” and ten goofs pretend to wrestle, then that family gets a bad taste in their mouth about what Indy wrestling is about.

Truth be told, some of the best wrestling going right now is happening at the Indy level. However more than that the WORST wrestling is also happening at this level. So if you cut out the untrained “wrestlers” and promoters that have no business sense, I think it would help the Indy scene drastically.

Huskie: What are a few of the most important things that are needed to run a successful promotion?

Johnson: Time, experience, money, creativity, dedication and connections.

Huskie: In your opinion, who are a few of the top wrestlers in Ohio?

Johnson: Well there is a lot of talent from Ohio. Guys like Matt Cross, Johnny Gargano, Krimson and the Irish Airborne obviously that everyone has heard of. But there are a lot of diamonds in the rough too, like Jock Samson, Dirk Extreme and Sam Hane. Jock is from a different era and one of the best talkers out there right now. Dirk’s gimmick is unique and we have had a lot of fun with it. Sam Hane is a BIG MAN that has more agility than some small guys. There is also a slew of talent we have yet to work with but love their work guys like Kaden Assad, Matt Mason, Marion Fontaine, Gregory Iron and many others.

Huskie: You mentioned RCW, WAR and AIW earlier as feds that are doing it right, do you feel that there are also some other good promotions in Ohio and if so which promotions?

Johnson: Oh without a doubt. I mean OCW, XWE, PWO are all worth checking out and supporting. I am sure there are many that I have forgot, that are also doing great things that I have never seen. The best advice I can give fans is to give any promotion a chance and decide for yourself what you think. If you like it come back and tell a friend. If you don’t like it then don’t go back.

Huskie: What are your thoughts on promotions who book guys who aren’t properly trained and also promoters who don’t pay their talent?

Johnson: It upsets me, man. It’s bad for everyone; you risk these guys getting hurt, hurting others and destroying the business. People go to these horrible shows and see untrained guys and then think that is what Indy wrestling is all about. Indy wrestling is one of the most amazing things in the world, combine a talented locker room with a good promoter and you should have a combination for a great evening of entertainment!

Huskie: What advice do you have for people who are looking to get into the wrestling business?

Johnson: My advice would be to talk to several respected wrestlers in the business. Get their opinions and thoughts on what it is like to be a wrestler before you take any more steps to getting involved. See if it’s really for you. I hate to sound like this, but if more people that wanted to get involved with the business had just stayed fans, the business would probably be a lot better off. However, I don’t want to discourage anyone from their dreams! If they decide they want to pursue a wrestling career look into a reputable training school.

Huskie: Are there any trainers you would recommend?

Johnson: AIW in Cleveland is about to start a school. IWC in Pennsylvania has an amazing school and OVW in Kentucky.

Huskie: Is there anything you would like to say to the fans of Remix Pro?

Johnson: I would like to tell each and every one of them that they are AWESOME! Their support has made Joe, Sam and my dream come true. They have also helped the Humane Society beyond belief. I want to personally say THANK YOU!! We will continue to work hard for you guys and give you the best wrestling action we can deliver. QUALITY over QUANTITY! Please check us out online at www.remixprowrestling.com and Facebook at www.facebook.com/remixprowrestling and Twitter @RemixPro

Huskie: Before our time is up, would you care to tell us when the next show will be?

Johnson: Our next show is this Sunday, August 5th. We have several big matches scheduled. The Remix Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship will be on the line as Facade defends against Chance Prophet. These two have never wrestled in a singles match, but I can promise you this match could be one people are talking about for a long time. Also scheduled, Sara Del Rey defends the Remix Pro Women’s Championship against Sassy Stephie. Sassy Stephie has a lot to prove in this match, as this will be one of Sara Del Rey’s last indy matches. The only question that remains is will she retire as the Champion? In the match that could change Remix Pro forever, 100% ownership is on the line as the Anti-Heroes battle my hand selected team of Viper, Cole Cash and Dirk Extreme. Plus, Matt Conard, Jock Samson, Zac Vincent, Bryan Cross and much more!

Huskie: Adam, that’s all the time we have for today. I’d once again like to thank you for your time.

Johnson: Huskie, thank you very much for the interview! It was a pleasure!

Huskie: Alright wrestling fans, be sure to check out www.remixprowrestling.com for all the info on their upcoming show, and be sure to go support this awesome company and support a great cause in the Humane Society at the same time! Until next time, you’ve been Hanging with Huskie!