SMOKE SIGNALS
An Interview With Big Vito

Smokey: You had a long independent and overseas career as Skull Von Krush before you began being Vito in ECW. Did you know many of the guys at WCW and did that influence your decision?

Big Vito:No, not really. I mean I've been in the business for 10 years and have wrestled all over the world. I spent three years in Puerto Rico and wrestled in Malaysia and later worked for New Japan. If fact I think I'm one of the few guys who ever pinned Misawa who was the Triple Crown Winner over there.

Smokey: How did that go over with the fans?

Big Vito: It was at a Battle Royale and he and I locked up. I think he realized that I was a young tough guy who wasn't going to back down. I went for it and pinned him and the crowd went crazy. The Japanese press got behind Skull Von Krush, a German Babyface and the people started yelling sieg heil…it was pretty incredible.

Smokey: Even though you spent so much time overseas you've known Page a while haven't you?

Big Vito:Yea, I met Dallas about five years ago when I was at The Power Plant trying out for WCW. He approached me and told me he was a fan and had followed my career when I was with the USWA. He was a good guy who was with a major promotion and I was in another place, but we kept in touch and would call back and forth once in a while. He's a big help to us now, he's a supporter and he adds constructive criticism and that's great for a guy in his spot to take an interest in what we're doing. There is a mutual respect and that's nice to have that.

Big Vito: No I never met John, but when I got here they told me that they wanted to do a thing around the Mafia and wanted to do a an Italian "family" and that there was a good young guy coming out of the Power Plant. John is an Italian guy but even though he grew up in Atlanta, we had similar street backgrounds. We both wanted the team to work and I came down to Atlanta early to work out with him. He was a little green but he worked hard and we got the chance to see what we could do. Paul Orndorf was a big help and really everybody has been great at WCW. I think Terry Taylor, Kevin Sullivan and Mike Graham respect the way we have worked to get better, and they have enough confidence in me and know that I have been in the business long enough to contribute in other ways.

Smokey: How about Disco? Had you ever worked with him before?

Big Vito: No, I knew of Glenn through Page and after we met we all got along good. He's Italian too so we all were familiar with the characters and how they would act. We wanted to build an Italian "family" and Disco is one of us.