Interview: Belltime…with CAPW’s J.T. Lightning

J.T. Lightning is a personable, funny, friendly, positive and most human, in the sordid world of professional wrestling. As founder and owner of Cleveland All Pro Wrestling, at one time one of the most successful promotions in the country as well as Ohio, he has had and seen his share of screw job endings both in and out of the ring, yet he remains strong and positive. A professional wrestler for almost twenty years, J.T. has had the chance to be in the ring with some of the best in the business and fared well against them all, it has been a career few could only dream on.

Now J.T. is battling the most evil opponent that any person can ever step into the ring with, cancer. Diagnosed just recently with stage 4 esophageal cancer and undergoing radiation and chemotherapy in order to slow to progress of the disease, J.T. remains upbeat even though the prognosis is not as positive as he is.

I have known J.T. only a few months but in that time I have learned a lot about wrestling, life and maintaining a positive attitude even on days when it seems as if the entire world is standing across from you in the ring in the ultimate handicapped match. J.T. Lightning has been a wrestler, a promoter, a trainer and most of all, a champion, not only in the ring but outside of it as well. The ultimate title any man can hold is keeping a positive outlook and your dignity even in the face of your worst fears and challenges of the unknown.

Above all others…J.T. Lightning stands tall.

Q Your dream opponent would be?
A. In my 18 year career I’ve had the chance to work some awesome guys like Sabu, Rhino, Tommy Rich, Bundy and tons more. But I’d have to say I’d like to have worked Buzz Sawyer, Ric Flair and Kenta Kobashi and Johnny Powers.

Q. What is your best road story?
A. In 1995 i went to Kentucky to work for bobby blaze and it was like 85 degrees outside and over 100 in the armory. I had worked twice going like 40 minutes and we left and i was so blown out i was hanging my head out the car door blowing chunks doing 65 down the highway. Cars were honking and flashing their lights. It was funny.

Q. Who is someone you always like to watch wrestle?
A. Chris Benoit.

Q. As a promoter who would be in your money match?
A. Bruiser Brody vs. Sabu.

Q. Do you think tag team wrestling is a lost art?
A. Definitely, since the 80s and 90s when the Rock&Roll Express and the Midnight Express were tearing it up.

Q. If you got the call from New York, would you change your gimmick and to what?
A. The decision the change my gimmick would be totally up to Vince and creative. Getting to the WWE is everyone’s dream, so why wouldn’t I? Show me the money.

Q. Do you think titles need to mean something again?
A. Of course. But no one knows how to book a good storyline to where you always have the babyface chase the heel and then FINALLY he gets ‘that’ win.

Q. You own a promotion, who are the first five workers you hire?
A. I have been running CAPW (Cleveland All-Pro Wrestling) for 17 years longer than any promotion in Ohio. Every month. I have had so many names come through here before they made it big it isn’t even funny. Big names that I’d hire would be Flair (only when he was in his prime) Kobashi, Benoit, the Rock (because he could draw huge) and Brody. Indie guys would be Claudio, Hero, Sami Callahan; I don’t know off hand…there are so many great names.

Q. What is the craziest match you have done?
A. I’ve done tacks, barbed wire bats, and light tubes with Pondo.

Q. Do you prefer hardcore, traditional or a mix of the two for your own matches?
A. I’m old school and old school only.

Q. Besides you, who is the best to ever step into the ring?
A. Benoit and Bret Hart.

Q. Who is your favorite opponent?
A. Anyone who doesn’t hurt me. (Laughs) I don’t really have one. I just like to work and teach the young boys if they listen.

Q. If you could change one thing about the business, what would it be?
A. Go back to territories.

Q. Does wrestling need a union?
A. No.

Q. What drew you into the business?
A. Tommy rich and Georgia Championship Wrestling on WTBS in 1980. I was always a fan and once I knew what indie wrestling was, the rest is history

Q. Do you think heels and faces need to be clearly defined again?
A. It’d make booking a helluva lot easier. There are too many tweeners and guys who don’t kayfabe that kills the traditional heel and baby gimmick

Q. In the annals of wrestling, what do you want to be said about you?
A. I was a good promoter who always told it like it is. Never had anything to hide. Train some of the best locals in Cleveland, and had a great career in the business. I am very hard to deal with sometimes but as the boss i have to have things a certain way and I’m not afraid to say it to your face.

Q. What decade, the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s or 00s do you think best defined wrestling?
A. 70s and 80s without a doubt

Q. Do you think internet PPVs would help indie promotions?
A. Don’t know too much about it.

Q. What is one thing you want fans to know about you?
A. I’m legit. What you see is what you get.

Q. Have you ever had aspirations of trying MMA?
A. As a matter of fact in 1994 i was going to go to Nashville and train at the UWFI but after talking to Dan Severn in Detroit he kind of talked me out of it.

Q. Do you think the proposed changes that a lot of state athletic commissions will help or hurt the sport?
A. Commissions are dipdongs. It’s a work for pete’s sake.

Q. Who is someone you would not want to work again?
A. I don’t know, there’s always someone out there that you can wrestle that is the drizzling craps…no one in general. I’ll work anyone if they listen

Q. Do you think blading is a necessary evil in the sport?
A. Doesn’t matter to me. If you do, that’s on you. I myself won’t anymore because of all the dirty ass canvas’ and you never know if your opponent has anything. Not a big fan of it.

Q. Is the punishment you take worth the money you make?
A. Nope. Not even close.

Q. We are all marks; have to be to love the business, how big a mark are you, what is your favorite piece of swag?
A. I’m a huge mark for anything old school. Not sure what ‘swag” is…(laughs).

Q. Is there any match you would refuse to do?
A. Ladder match

Q. With more and more ladies taking on the men in the ring, would you have a problem doing a job for a woman?
A. It doesn’t make logical sense in a booking sense for the guy to job. I’ve done mixed tags with ODB AND ANGELINA LOVE and it was fun. It all depends on how the finish is done. I couldn’t care less about jobbing but it HAS TO MAKE SENSE.

Q. How big of an impact do all the recent deaths of the boys have on the business?
A. Well. Pros and cons. it raises the awareness of how messed up the biz is. The sport takes a toll on everyone. I don’t think it’s harmed it at all. Death happens everywhere.

Q. Using steroids is still a sore subject among some of the boys, especially now that Ivan Putski came out and admitted using and Bruno Sammartino is against them but used them when they were legal, what is your feeling on them?
A. I’ve done them on and off since 1995. Never was hardcore. I would just do a cycle here and there to add some weight and mass, but I would never go haywire because I never had to work the fed. It’s all up to the individual on what he puts in his body. I made the choice and I have no regrets..

Q. Does there need to be more competition in the business and do you think TNA is the answer or does someone else need to come along and step-up?
A. Well, ever since Vince bought everything up, the business hasn’t and won’t ever be the same because there’s no place to learn your craft. Competition makes the business better and TNA doesn’t have a chance since all they are doing is rehashing ex-WWE stars and no one will care after the initial showing.

Q. Does it take an addictive personality to be a pro wrestler or what type of mental attitude do you need to make it in the business?
A, Yeah for sure. You have to want it. I like promoting over working anyway. And believe me I’ve made a lot of money and lost tons more, but I’m driven to put on the best shows.

Q. What kind of pre-match ritual do you have before you go through the curtain?
A. As a worker, nothing really. As a promoter, i always have a pre-show meeting with the boys so they know what i want and expect.

Q. Do you find yourself giving 100% no matter if there are 25 people in the crowd or 2500?
A. You have to have that mentality. If you don’t, get out of the business.

Q. Do you ever practice cutting a promo in front of a mirror?
Never practiced cutting a promo, ever. I let it happen naturally. That way it’s more real. From the heart

Q. How do you define yourself as a pro wrestler?
A. Knowledgeable.

Q. What is the weirdest thing you have had happen while in the ring?
A. I was at a show and THE ICP had a following and I was the heel working a program against this kid who they supported. And when they introduced me, they threw tampons in the ring at me like the do streamers in Japan. The ring was covered in tampons….it was funny as hell.

Q. Fans either love you or hate you, what has been your worst experience with a fan?
A. I was at a show and some dude was running his mouth and I challenged him into the ring. I let him in and stomped the hell out of him. It’s fair game once they enter the ring. I punted him so hard in the gut.

Q. If you could go back to any era and wrestle for one night, where would you go and who would you step into the ring with?
A. In the 70s in the old Cleveland arena vs. Johnny Powers or the Atlanta Omni vs. Tommy Rich

Q. What move do you think is overused and just does not get over now, like the carotid clutch in the 70s?
A. The clothesline, the DDT, the piledriver

Q. You had an incident with Jake Roberts, what happened with that?
A. He relapsed and I shot pinned him to save my life so to speak. What an f*n disaster that was. 500 people were there and we went like 4 minutes or something. I can carry anyone but he was so messed up I just pinned him for real and got out. He’s a piece of crap. I respect him as a legend but as a person to get in the ring in that condition was uncalled for.

Q. Tell me about your time at CAPW…and what happened that they split to become CAPW and PWO?
A. I own CAPW, always have from day one.. I have had a few partners to help moneywise here and there, and this guy I got into the business who once was a rival promoter after he left me, because “he thought he knew everything”. I’ve always given people a second chance and I let him help me out for a while. After we were on TV for a year. We were both burnt out and we decided to take a few months off. In the meantime he knew he was going to start PWO the whole time. The TV contract was set to expire and I didn’t want to renew because it wasn’t worth the time and money I spent to make it happen and he slid in side his new group up and the rest is history. More power to him because they don’t know how to run a TV show. It’s very bad.

Q. You have been diagnosed with cancer, what is the prognosis and how do you intend to beat this disease?
A. I have stage 4 esophageal cancer that spread to my lymph nodes and my liver. It’s treatable but not curable. They are just going to maintain it until it takes me. What can i do? It’s sad. I don’t drink or smoke or chew but it all came from acid reflux and i didn’t know i had it. I’m just going to go day by day.

Q. I always ask about getting the call from New York but if the call came from TNA, would you go?
A. Back when i was younger, yeah. I did a match when they were in Nashville vs. Monty Brown and that was good enough for me.

Q. Do you work stiff or do you try and add more realism into your matches?
A. A real worker doesn’t have to work stiff to make it look real. And that’s me.

Q. For a lot of workers, the “It” factor is walking the aisle in MSG, would that be the “it” factor for you or what has it been or would it be?
A. My goal was always to work in Japan. Unfortunately, I never got the chance. But wrestling in the Tokyo Dome or the Budakhan

Q. You run the CAPW training center, how difficult is it going from wrestler to teacher?
A. I retired from training guys in 2006. I had been training guys since 1994 and it came to the point where it just wasn’t worth it anymore. Kids today don’t listen and they think they know it all. They buy boots and a belt on the internet and now they are wrestlers. Whatever. It wasn’t difficult to teach because your teaching what you know. You always learn something new every time you step in the ring.

Q. Do you think old school wrestling, something like ROH is doing, would succeed on a larger level?
A. I don’t consider ROH old school because it’s more high-spots than just working a hold or a body part. I used to like ROH and I was the local promoter when they came to Cleveland, but I don’t follow it anymore. It’s turning into TNA now, because, yeah, they are on TV but they have to comp the hell out of tix to get people to come watch. It’s just not cutting edge no more. I guess.

Q. If JT Lightning had to take up another career what would it be?
A. Porn industry (laughs).

Q. What is something very few people know about the real JT Lightning?
A. I deliver bread. I’m a doughologist.

As always I am Jerry Wiseman…and then the bell rings.

The preceding interview comes to us from our good friend Jerry Wiseman over at Examiner.com. To read more of Mr. Wiseman’s interviews, news, and thoughts on the sport of pro wrestling, check out all of his articles by clicking here.

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