Donald Wood from Ring Rust Radio recently spoke with new TNA star “The Miracle” Mike Bennett, and below are some interview highlights:
Ring Rust Radio: Your debut during Impact Wrestling’s first episode on Pop was the highlight of the show for many fans. What went into your decision to sign with TNA and how did it feel getting out there for the first time?
Mike Bennett: The whole situation with TNA is we knew that the Kingdom and Ring of Honor was on its peak – or almost to its peak – and we really wanted to take a leap of faith because we didn’t want to just stick around and just ride and be like, “Well, the Kingdom is doing good so let’s just sit back and ride.” If we couldn’t be innovative or new or reinvent ourselves, then we always thought it would be better to leave on top and leave them wanting more. So really it was time for a change. We didn’t know exactly what the change would be for me and Maria. We were on our tour of Japan and our Ring of Honor contracts were coming up and TNA called us and said, that they had a deal with Pop and they wanted to bring us in and think we would be great. To us it is one of those things where we were like, “Should we wait play out our options or should we just go and make that decision?” There’s a lot to be said about a company that really wants you and really wants to fight for you regardless of anything. So we made the decision and we said let’s go do it. As far as walking out that first time, it gave me goosebumps. I felt like the Internet wrestling world and wrestling in general is really in this boom period. There are a lot of free agents going around and it’s really cool to be one of those free agents that everyone was talking about. The minute me and Maria walked out that place just exploded and I got goosebumps. I was like, “Wow, this is something special.” When I was in that ring cutting that promo, all I could think about was that we do have something special here. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something that’s going to click, and I guarantee you it’s going to work.
Ring Rust Radio: It’s already apparent that you have a really unique character with “The Miracle,” so what went into making that a reality? Who created that gimmick and what was either your reaction or TNA’s reaction to it when it was presented?
Mike Bennett: It’s one of those things where when I was 15 years old, I was a skinny little kid in high school, and I had just started training to be a pro wrestler. I was hanging out with my buddy and he said, “You know you should call yourself ‘The Miracle’ Mike Bennett.” I thought, “Wow that really does stick, sure I’ll do that.” So when I was 16 before anyone had a clue what I was and that I was an awful wrestler in bingo halls and gymnasiums, I was “The Miracle” Mike Bennett. I then progressed from that and went on and did stuff with Ring of Honor. When we finally decided to sign with TNA, David Lagana gave us a call and said this is a good name, The Miracle. Marie and I kind of looked at each other and laughed and he didn’t understand why we were laughing. I asked if he knew and he had no clue that I used to call myself that. Life and wrestling always comes full circle so just seemed like fate. So let’s take it and play with it. Then he started showing me the vignettes they had been working on and that’s when my wheels started moving. Then I thought what can I make this and what can I take from them that they think this should be and turn it into Mike Bennett. I didn’t want to lose my character because my past is what made me, the Kingdom made me, New Japan made me and Ring of Honor made me. I am still that guy. Because if I’m not that guy, then it’s not a big deal that I’m coming out. I’m just Joe Schmoe TNA just signed. If I’m still Kingdom Mike Bennett then I’m somebody. I went to Maria [Kanellis] – who is my brainchild in life – and asked her what we should do. That’s when I came up with this guy who is going to come in and save pro wrestling and TNA. Everyone’s talking about this new deal on Pop; who would be the best guy to have as your front man? The Miracle. The guy who is going to save TNA and that’s how I brought it all full-circle for me.
Ring Rust Radio: The main reason I tuned in to TNA’s debut on POP was for the possibility to see your debut and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. I thought you and Maria stole the show from her introduction, to your awesome theme music and then your excellent promo. What were your thoughts of the debut and was there anything you would have changed?
Mike Bennett: To me, I don’t think so. I don’t like to live in the past and with regrets. As a perfectionist and entertainer, I always sit back and watch my matches and promos. I sit and think to myself, “Oh I should have said that, or should have moved this way, or should of looked at the camera, or taken off my sunglasses.” As a whole, I thought everything from Maria’s part to the entrance, the music, the lighting, it exceeded my expectations. I felt like that night everyone in the company from writers to ring crew everyone was on point. That moment is something you can look at and think that is the moment everything changed. That’s the impact you need to be a major player in pro-wrestling. I critique myself a ridiculous amount, but as a whole it definitely exceeded my expectations.
Ring Rust Radio: One of the dream matches now that you’re part of the TNA roster is a battle against Ethan Carter III. Is this a feud that would interest you and do you feel it would be a better matchup in the ring or on the mic?
Mike Bennett: I have been getting tweets about it, which I love because that means people are talking about it. To me this whole EC3 thing is exactly what TNA needs. They just brought in a free agent, they already have a guy that the company is based around, so let’s take these two guys that everyone’s buzzing about and let’s build this company around them. I have said this before, but I am ready to take this company and put it on my back, and I feel like Maria and I have already started doing that. As far as one of the biggest reasons why I love this idea, is because of the mic work we can do and the promos. I think it will start off with people seeing us going back and forth and seeing this as really entertaining. Then it will build to the point where people want to see us rip each other part in the ring. EC3 probably is one of the best in wrestling on the mic right now and I am a huge fan of his in ring work. I am super excited to see this because we have two different styles yet very similar styles, if that makes any sense. I feel like he has a very different style to me, but we have a similar mentality when it comes to wrestling. I think this is the feud that a year from now people will say that is just what TNA needed.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
