[We come back from a commercial with Jimmy Kimmel sitting behind his desk on at the Jimmy Kimmel show.  He begins to announce his next guest.  Can you guess who?]

I would to announce my next guest.  He is a man who has wrestled all over the United States, and all over Canada.  He is a three time World Heavyweight Champion, and the current TNT Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion.  He is a man that I'm sure most of you will recognize if you follow pro wrestling.  He is Nic Totopoulous.

[Then Kick Start my Heart by Motley Crue begins to play over the speakers.  Nic Totopoulous comes out from behind the curtain and walks out onto the stage.  The audience begins to cheer as Nic Totopoulous raises his arms in the air.  Jimmy Kimmel steps out from behind his desk and walks out to greet Totopoulous.  They shake hands, and Totopoulous waves at the crowd again.  He takes his seat in the chair, and Kimmel takes his seat behind his desk.  Nic Totopoulous is in his street clothes, wearing jeans, a nice shirt and black leather boots.]

Hey, hey, Nic Totopoulous everybody.

[The crowd begins to cheer again.]

So let me get this straight, you are a bad guy right?

Ya that's right.

So why are they cheering you?

Well they know I'm actually a good guy when I'm not in character.

So you won't be talking to us in character?

No, of course not.  I like to be myself when I'm not in front of camera at work.  Helps keep me sane.

Otherwise you'd just be an egotistical jerk?

That's about right.  That's who I play on TV.

Well we had you booked here today because we're just a few days away from the next TNT Wrestling Pay Per View called June Meltdown.

That's right.  I'm a two time TNT Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion, and I'll be defending my title against two of the best wrestlers in the world today.  I'll be defending in a triple threat match against Jonny Fly and Big Boss.  Both of these two guys are lots of fun to work with in the ring.  Big Boss has a very physical and hardcore style.  He likes to take things to the outside, and he likes to use the weapons as well.  When he punches you, while it's not supposed to be real, he more or less connects with every blow.  He's pretty physical.

Well doesn't that make you angry?

No, not really.  I just hit him right back just as hard.  We accept it, and it makes for a better show for the fans.  And Jonny Fly is great to work with.  He's a high flyer.  He likes to take a lot of risks, and he innovates a lot of new moves on the spot.  When he comes up with something new while you're in the ring with him, it makes you feel really good, it's a honour.  You know that he trusts you to not screw it up, or not to hurt him.

So Jonny Fly is a dare devil then?

One of the finest.
 

 

So let's talk for a second about life as a wrestler.  I know it's tough on the body and a lot of wrestlers turn to pills to ease the pain.  What about you?  Do you do that, or do you stay natural?

Well there are some guys who are on steroids to get a good look.  There are some guys who take pills to ease their pain.  I don't anymore.  I used to take the steroids when I first started.  I also took the pain pills.  When I first started I took a lot of chances and put my body through a lot of pain.  It probably wasn't the best thing for me.  I was fired from TNT once before because of it.  Marcel found out that addicted to the pills, to the steroids, and I had become a slight alcoholic.  He fired me and helped to put me through rehab.  He knew it was tough for me to get through it, and he was with me every step of the way.  There were a lot of guys who helped me out.  Gravedigger, he used to be known as Blader Skum was a really help.  We were pretty good friends, and he really helped me through my problem.  I made it through and came back to TNT.  Marcel really helped me out through it.  His brother Shadow was a great help too.  Very supportive.  As time went on, Michael Edwards and I become friends in the UWA, and he helped to keep me in line whenever I felt the urge.

So you've got it pretty tough then?

Well, some might say that.  There are others who have had it worse than me.  I mean right now I'm doing great.  I haven't felt an urge for anything in such a long time.  I've got lots of money, I'm the World Champion in the best company in the world.  I've had a great career, and I wouldn't change any of it.

So what do you prefer, to be a good guy or a bad guy?  Do you like hearing the crowd cheer or boo?

Well it's always nice hearing the crowd cheer you.  I mean walking down to the ring with twenty thousand people cheering and chanting your name, it's a great feeling.  But being a bad guy is so much more fun.  I get to walk around and act like a jerk.  It's pretty close to the way I actually am though.  I'm very much a jerk in real life, but in a very sarcastic way.  I don't mean any of it.  When I'm on camera, I just kick it up a notch.  I turn up the jerk knob.  It's easy for the crowd to hate you when you're an egotistical jerk.  When I was a good guy, I had to worry about how the crowd would react to what I said.  Now I just say whatever I please, and they usually hate it.

So what's the best feeling you get, right now when you're in the ring?

Well it has to be when I knock down my opponent.  Then what I do it I raise my arms in the air and look out at the crowd.  When they begin to boo me, I know I'm doing my job.  I'm getting the reaction I want.  Even if they cheer it's okay.  I might be a bad guy, but if they cheer me it's okay.  The fans choose who's good and who's bad.  As long as I can get some kind of reaction and not silence I'm happy.

What's it like living life on the road all the time?  Is it hard staying away from your family?  Do you have a wife and kids?

Well I'm still a young man.  I'm not married, never have been.  I don't have kids either.  I just started seeing someone a few weeks ago.  I'm hoping something might come from that.  I met her at a restaurant.  I was out with a couple of my friends, and there was a beautiful brunette sitting a couple of tables over.  She kept looking in my direction, like a lot of people do.  So we happened to be leaving around the same time, I didn't notice though.  My friends and I walked out to the entrance, but one of my friends forgot something at the table.  So we waited as he went back.  Just as I turned I bumped right into her.  I apologized and introduced myself.  We actually went straight for a coffee right then and there.

So how does she feel dating a professional wrestler who is on the road all the time?

Well fortunately she didn't know who I was because she didn't watch wrestling.  She didn't know me as my jerky character, so I was able to give her a fresh start.  She wasn't too pleased when I told her though.  She really doesn't like wrestling at all, but she's giving me a chance, which is all I can ask for.  I don't get to see her as much as I'd like because I'm on the road.  Funny enough though, she lives in my neighbourhood.  I'd never seen her before until then either.

Oh, so easy access getting together then, if you know what I mean?

Ha!  Ha!  Ya that's right.
 

 

So have you gone through a number of different injuries in your career?  I know injuries is a part of every sport, but it's a main part in pro wrestling, am I right?

It certainly is.  There is a lot of danger in wrestling, and you need to be careful.  The idea is to come backstage after a match without being hurt, and without your partner being hurt.  I mean of course accidents happen, but it's usually not too bad.  Most injuries aren't even because of a specific incident.  Most injuries happen because of wear and tear over years of wrestling.  Then something will happen in the ring that will make all the wear and tear, tear.  I mean I've got bad knees and a bad back.  My shoulders aren't too great either.  I know that some day I will be injured.  Most of my injuries have been minor.  I have worked through most of it.  I might take off a few house shows off to nurse the injury, but nothing too serious.  I've been very fortunate, and I hope it will stay that way.  I'm not holding my breath though.

Well I want to wish you the best of luck on staying healthy.  I know it can be tough.  Not from experience, but from what people have told me of course.  I'm to much of a wuss to get in the ring.

Oh come on.  You can do it.  How about I put a hold on you?  Do you people want to see that?

[The crowd begins to cheer.]

All right, all right.  What do I need to do?

Lie down on the floor.

Ooh, in front of all these people?  I thought you might want to lie me down behind closed doors.

Hey, you're lucky I'm going to do anything at all.  So lie down.

[Kimmel comes out from behind the desk.  He lies down on the floor.  Nic Totopoulous gets down next to him.]

So what move are you going to do to me?

It's called a figure four leg lock.

Sounds like a lot fun, and by fun I mean pain.

You won't feel a thing.

[Totopoulous puts the figure four on Kimmel.  Kimmel starts to pretend that it hurts.]

All right that hurts.  How do I get out of it?  You're going to tear my knee apart here.

You've got to tap your hand on the floor.

[Kimmel taps out.  Totopoulous lets go of the hold.  Kimmel pretends he's hurt and can't get up.]

Thanks for coming Nic.

It was my pleasure, and be sure to order June Meltdown this Sunday night on Pay Per View.

[The crowd begins to cheer as the generic Jimmy Kimmel music plays and they go to commercial.]