[Nic Totopoulous is standing backstage with a TNT Wrestling interviewer.  He is in his regular wrestling attire as they stand in a corridor at a local TNT Wrestling non televised live live event.]

I'm standing here with TNT Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Nic Totopoulous.  Over the past few weeks it has been rough to be the World Champion.  Nic you have been struggling over the past weeks.  It seems that ever since the end of Terror Xtreme, your career has reached somewhat of a standstill.  It seems like last week you had the roughest week in your stay here in TNT.  You suffered only your second defeat since the resurgence of TNT Wrestling.  How are you feeling right now?

How am I feeling?  How do you think I'm feeling?  Last week Lo-Lander used a pair of brass knuckles on me to help him get an unearned victory.  Then he stole my belt.

Well I'm going to guess that you don't feel very good.

Well you'd be right in assuming that.  But even though I might not feel like my usual self, this has given me the opportunity to reflect on my career, and a chance for me to reflect on what I am doing, not only as a wrestler but in my life, as a person.  For the past little while I have simply been going through the motions in life.  I have gotten up, eaten breakfast, gone to the gym, go to the show.  I've been simply going through the motions and not giving all of my energy, or not giving all of my focus on one thing.  When I wake up in the morning, I don't feel that drive I felt a few months ago.  I don't feel that same intensity, that same want to be the best that I felt a few months ago.  This past month, coming to shows and wrestling has felt like a job.  In the past I looked forward to coming to the shows and watching and  competing.  Every Sunday was the highlight of my week.  I would train all week in preparation for my match on Sunday night.  I would come to the show, I would hang out with the boys and watch the show.  I would have butterflies in my stomach as I would stand behind the curtain waiting for my music to hit.  Then the music would hit and the crowd would erupt into cheers.  I would walk out on stage and take in the electricity in the crowd.  I would just stare out and take in the reaction, the energy and the tremendous feeling.  Then when I would compete in the ring, I was there for a reason.  I was there because I wanted to be the best, and I wanted to be the champion of the world.  It would be the highlight of my week whether I won or lost.  Even if there was an attack after the match, or if I lost unjustly, it was still fun, and it was still a blast to come to the shows and give it my all.  The problem is that I just don't feel that anymore.  The excitement I once felt for this business, it's just not there the way it used to be.  I used to come to the shows and hang out with friends, and we'd plan strategies against enemies.  It just seems that friends are hard to come by these days, and I seem to be making more enemies than ever.

Well let me get off topic for a moment here Nic.  Just this past Sunday night it was revealed that The Golden Boy is none other than UWA superstar, former World Champion and Hall of famer Michael Edwards.  How do you feel about him coming to TNT Wrestling?

Well I'm not sure what to think.  I know what Michael Edwards is capable of.  I remember back in UWA what he was able to do.  I remember what type of a wrestler he was, and he was a very good one.  He always seemed to have the best interests of the UWA in mind.  Whether or not that is the case now, I'm not so sure.  He has the power to come to TNT Wrestling and do his best to keep TNT Wrestling the best wrestling company it is today.  He also has the power to single handedly dismantle TNT Wrestling.  He has been able to defeat wrestlers of all kinds, all sizes.  Whether they are friend or foe, if you are on the other side of the ring he has the ability to beat you if he wants to.  He has the ability to make you submit, to pin you, to do what he wants.  If he wants you to think you have a glimmer of hope in the ring with you he will, but then he will shut the door and any light you might have seen at the end of the tunnel will be gone.

Sounds like he will be quite an impact on TNT Wrestling.

An impact is an understatement.  He will definitely be a force to be reckoned with, it just depends on who he wants to reckon with, and who wants to reckon with him.  When he comes in everything will be in his hands.  If he wants to make an impact he will.  If he just wants to settle for being one of the boys he will.  If he wants to be the best, then he probably will.

Well what about you?

What about me?

Well don't you want to be the best in TNT Wrestling?  Don't you have the talent to best the best in TNT Wrestling, even if Edwards is around?

Well you see of course I do.  But like I said before I am at a cross-roads in my career.  I know what it takes to be a champion, that's obvious by the fact that I am the champion.  It's just whether or not I have my mind in the match, and whether I have my mind on what is important in wrestling.  Right now what is important is winning overtime I can, and winning every match that my title is on the line.  I know that I have been criticized for about the past month for not putting my title on the line overtime I step into the ring for singles competition.  Well the truth is that I don't decide when my title is on the line.  I don't decide whether or not I have a match, what type of match, or what belt will be on the line.  When you think about it though, it's bad business to put the World Title on the line every week.  If President Marcel puts the World Title on the line every week, and gives the fans a free World Title match on TV, then what's the point of having a Pay Per View?  Why would someone want to pay fourty bucks for to watch a World Title match when they can see it for free on Mayhem?  What's the point of blowing your money?

Umm...  Are you aloud to say that?  I don't think that...

You don't think what?  You don't think Marcel will approve?  You think Marcel will be angry that I'm giving away his secrets?

Hey, behind the camera, I think we should turn this off...

Off?  Why?  I'm just trying to be honest with the fans.  I'm sure that we have smart fans though and they already know what the plan is.  I'm just trying to explain it to The Unforgettable Power.  I'm just trying to explain it to them because they don't seem to understand.  They also don't seem to understand that you need earn a shot to the World Champion.  Now while Lo-Lander did beat me unfairly, I guess he would deserve a title shot.  I have learned in the past that it doesn't matter how you get the job done, as long as you get it done.  Then again I don't choose who I wrestle.  So if Marcel wants to make this match at the next Pay Per View, I invite it.

But what about what you said before?

Well that is another dilemma.  You know, maybe I don't even want to wrestle against him.  Maybe I don't have the desire to put in a full effort.  While he has given me a hard time, maybe I can't be bothered because I don't have the same drive I had in the past.  Now while I still am the champion, I am going to continue to wrestle and to defend my title.  It's just that the desire to remain the champion is lacking what it was last month.  I don't know what to tell you.  But who knows, maybe there will be something that will give me the drive that I need to be where I need to be to compete at my best.
 

 

Well speaking of being at your best, you might need to be at your best when you go up against White Thunder this Sunday night.  It will be a tough match with White Thunder coming off a very convincing victory last weekend against Crak.  You might not only be wrestling against him, you will also have to worry about the rest of the Unforgettable Power.

Yes I know that, and yes I know that White Thunder has been on a role as of late.  He has been impressing everyone, and that would explain why he was invited to join The Unforgettable Power.  Listen, I don't want to take anything away from any of those four men.  They all are very good competitors, and in a four on one I don't like my chances.  Now I know that I've got Nicky Mills to watch my back, and I'm here to watch his.  The problem is that this is a numbers game.  If they plan to add yet another member to the group, it will make things even more difficult for me.  It will make things even more difficult for two people to compete against five, especially five men that have the potential to do some serious damage.  But that's something I'm going to have to worry about when I get there.  I can't think about that right now.  What I have to think about now is trying to focus on wrestling.  What I have to do right now is to try and bring back my love for wrestling.  Because I know deep down that I love to wrestle, and what I need to do is find it.

And about White Thunder?

Well if I would White Thunder I would keep an eye out.  You never know where I might be at.  I mean who knows, maybe by Sunday I will have found what it is that makes me tick, and maybe I'll be using that and be wrestling better than I ever have before.  Maybe I'll have my best match of all time this Sunday night.  Right now I'm about as unpredictable as I can get.  So I want White Thunder to be ready, because he might get the Nic Totopoulous of now, or he might get the Nic Totopoulous of old, the Nic Totopoulous that would do anything to win, the Nic Totopoulous who was focused on wrestling and only wrestling, the Nic Totopoulous that would have no trouble wiping the floor with White Thunder.

Now can I direct you attention to some things that Lo-Lander said.

I don't really care what Lo-Lander has to say.

I'm sure you don't but would you please simply give me a response?

I suppose so.

Thanks.  Lo-Lander says that he is the true champion.  He says that he got a clean victory over you, and that because of that he should be the World Champion.

Well everyone knows that it was not a clear victory.  What that tells me is that he is scared of me.  He was scared of losing before the match started, so he had a backup plan in case I was about to win.  I was about to hit the Diamond Dust, so he had his crew come down to the ring to stop me.  Then he took out the brass knuckles to cheat to win.  So should he be the World Champion?  No.  As far as I'm concerned, unless you get it done in the big match where everything is on the line, the win means nothing.  He didn't beat me when anything was on the line, so therefore he wins nothing.  If he can beat me when my title is on the line, no matter how he wins, he deserves to be the champion.  A champion is a man that knows how to win, no matter what it takes.  If he can do that when it's most important, then he deserves to wear the title belt that he is currently holding for me.

How do you feel about Lo-Lander holding my belt?

I think this interview has gone on a little too long.  If you are going to start asking me stupid questions like that.  How do you think I feel?  Do you think I feel good?  Do you think I threw a party because he stole my belt?  Of course not.  I feel like crap.  Are you happy that you got an answer?  I hope you are.  Now if you will please excuse me, I have things to do.

Well Nic Thanks for your time with us.

[Nic Totopoulous turns and walks down the hallway out of sight.]

That was Nic Totopoulous the TNT Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion.  He seems to be unsure of his future, but if I know him as well as I hope I do, he should be back to his old self soon.

[The scene fades as the interviewer concludes his final words.]