An exclusive message from X Division Champion
MICHAEL SHANE
with his exclusive comments on last week's Ultimate X Match, Shawn Michaels, and more!

Dear TNA fans,

Last Wednesday I was honored to be in the first ever Ultimate X match. It is a different feeling from any other match I have been in. It's not like this has been done before and you can study what other guys have done in the past. This was a first and in the wrestling business, there are not many firsts anymore. Chris Sabin, Frankie Kazarian and myself poured our hearts and souls into this match in which absolutely nothing was practiced. Frankie and Chris are true professionals and I can not wait to wrestle either one of them again.

The most memorable moment for me in this match was the pure electricity that went through the Asylum when I got the belt. The place was rocking. I can only hope that there are more Ultimate X matches in the future.

I've gotten a lot of questions about my background in this business. I started training in October of 1999 at the Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy in San Antonio, TX. Training with Shawn I quickly found out that this business was not a joke and that I would have to work extra hard to even attempt to impress Shawn. He was tough as nails and he didn't let up one bit on me just because we were related.

After training I wrestled for Shawn's local promotion the Texas Wrestling Alliance. After only 4 months in the business, I got the opportunity to learn more about the wrestling business over seas with FMW in Japan. After a month tour I returned to the states and got a try out with ECW. I must have caught the eye of someone there because I was asked to travel with ECW on a weekly basis. The only exception was that I had to drive halfway across the United States every week. I was driving from San Antonio to places like Philadelphia, New York, Florida, and Canada. This my friends is what you call paying your dues.

After the demise of ECW I got a tryout with WCW in a match that aired on WCW Worldwide, but unfortunately for me WCW was sold to the WWE about a week later. I have worked for WWE on numerous occassions and recently I have been working tours with the Japan based promotion Zero-One Pro Wrestling.

This brings us to the present.. TNA. I am very happy to be working for TNA and after winning the X Division Title in the first ever Ultimate X match, all I can say is, the best is yet to come.

This Wednesday, I'll go face to face with Jerry Lynn. Jerry is an extremely talented competitor and I cannot wait to get into the ring with him again. Jerry is one of those guys that brings out the best in everybody and I am looking forward to an incredible match with him. Jerry is a veteran in this business so if I am to walk out of the Asylum holding the X Division Title at the end of the night, I am going to have to really take things to the next level.

I'll leave you with this - if you miss TNA this Wednesday, you're going to miss at least one helluva match - Michael Shane vs. Jerry Lynn - for the X Division Championship.

Sincerely,
Michael Shane

Tuesday, 8/26/03