Berlyn Interview
September 15, 1999
Page 4
by RichInKC

RichInKC:  Why do you refuse to speak English?  Some have said that you suddenly forgot English, but it has been stated on Nitro that you can speak English, but choose not to.

Berlyn: Of course, I can speak English.  I speak better English than most people in America since I speak the proper English, Oxford English.  In America, there is so much slang and misspelling that the language is unrecognizable.  They spell colour as color.  I will not stoop to that level.

RichInKC:   When did you first come to WCW?

Berlyn:  I was 18 years old then. 

RichInKC:  How old are you now?

Berlyn:   24.  I have been with WCW for 6 years.

RichInKC:  You have had many different feuds and partners.  You have held the WCW Cruiserweight Title and the WCW Television title.  What were some of your most memorable matches?

Berlyn:  I had great matches with the Ultimo Dragon, Chris Jericho and Disco Inferno.  Disco and I used to work the house show circuit for six months or more and we always had good matches. I also had great matches with Brian Pillman, Arn Anderson, Flair,Benoit, Malenko, Fit Finley, Scotty Riggs, the Guerrero's.

RichInKC:   Where would you like to see Berlyn go from here?

Berlyn:  I would like to see Berlyn get the chance that Alex Wright never got.  I want to see WCW finally sees there is a future for young guys.  This is a really good character and I know I can make it work.  I am a company man and I want to see WCW get the big ratings again.

RichInKC:   With the changes WCW has made backstage, do you think they are on the right track?

Berlyn:   I think it is too soon to tell. Nothing is completely set in stone.   It will be a few more weeks before we know for sure.

RichInKC:   I just had an idea.  If you won the US Title, would you insist that people call it the German Title?

Berlyn:  Of course, then the title would mean something.

RichInKC:  You may want to wait until Sid doesn't have it.  I understand he works pretty stiff.     Who are some of the stiffest workers you have worked with? 

Berlyn:  I wrestle anybody and I like working snug.  A lot of guys don't like to working snug, but that keeps me going in the ring.  It makes me more aggressive and gets my adrenaline going.  Someone like Benoit is more of a snug worker, great execution. I like working him. Some of the young guys in Japan are more stiff workers.  When I wrestled there for the Junior Cup, they were really stiff.  You have to show them the ropes right in the first few minutes .

RichInKC: You have fought on three continents then?

Berlyn:  Yes.    

RichInKC:  How would you describe the different audiences?

Berlyn:   In Japan, they are only now getting into the more "show"  aspect of wrestling.  It has always been treated as seriously as any other sport.  In the States, people want to see more in the way of entertainment.  They want the interviews, the fireworks, everything. Personally, I like wrestling in the States most because people get so into it and are so behind the wrestlers whether they are a heel or face.  If they hate him, they really hate him.  If they love him, they really love him. Germany is like a cross section of the American and Japanese audience.

RichInKC:  Where does Berlyn consider his home?  Berlin?

Berlyn:   I consider my hometown to be Nuremberg, but Berlyn moved to Berlin, of course, since it is the capitol of Germany.  That is where all the great German athletes go for training with the German Consortium.

RichInKC:   You use a reverse neckbreaker as your finisher.  Have you given it a name yet?

Berlyn:  I have been thinking about that.  I am thinking of calling it Schafot. 

RichInKC:  Schafot?  What does that mean?

Berlyn:   It is where the executions would take place, where they keep the guillotine.  That name isn't written in stone, though.

RichInKC: I would think the German Suplex would be a natural choice for a finisher.

Berlyn:  Well, I am a pretty big guy, but I am not the biggest guy.  With a move like that, it would be hard to lift someone like a Hugh Morrus or another guy much larger than me.  I could do it, but it would increase the chances that I would hurt myself, hurt my back, or injure them. 

RichInKC:   What is the best advice you have ever gotten in this business?

Berlyn:  From my father."Never Trust Anybody". 

RichInKC: That is the last of our time.  I'd like to thank you and Uta for taking the time to talk to us today.