Interview with Mike Polowy – 7th November 2007
By Eddie Preston (Contributing Writer)

Since joining the Sanctioned Violence Organization at it’s inception in September of 2007, Michael Polowy has faced mixed audience reactions at best. However, despite the love, or in most cases the hate, cast upon him by fans all over the world, one thing has certainly become clear: The Mike Effect is the face of the sVo, and this multi-time world champion is carving out a solid legacy for himself in the business of professional wrestling.

From his in-ring debut in 2002 in the Atlantic City Wrestling Federation, right up to his World Championship victory at the Sanctioned Violence Organization’s Ultimate Victory PPV in Las Vegas, the self proclaimed “cockiest man in wrestling” has continued to prove to the audiences and peers alike that he’s got the talent to maintain an illustrious career for many years to come. Originally from Buffalo, New York, Michael began his career wrestling for his father’s promotion, the ACWF, and moving on to such places as Dynasty Wrestling and the Canadian Wrestling Alliance before finding fame in Jimmy Moretti’s Project: Violence in November of 2006.

Shortly after his controversial victory over tournament qualifier Joey Peyton at the sVo’s inaugural pay-per-view event, Ultimate Victory, Michael Polowy sat down with INSIDE WRESTLING contributing writer Eddie Preston to talk about a number of subjects, including his recent World Championship victory, longtime relationship with former stable The Legend’s Club, and rumors of a possible motion picture deal with Paramount Pictures.

Q: Michael, thanks for taking time out of your schedule to talk with me today. This year has certainly been a big one for you already. As the end of 2007 grows near, how would you describe the last year?

A: It’s been hectic. The SVO is thankfully based here in Las Vegas, so there isn’t a lot of road travel for shows or anything, but before this I was doing shows all over the country, plus a few bookings and appearances overseas and in Canada. The workload in Project: Violence in particular was pretty hefty, and we were on the road sometimes for months on end. Even when we did stop for a few weeks in one particular area, it was always someplace like Oklahoma. No offense to people from Oklahoma, it’s just the most boring place in the world, save maybe a few third world countries. They barely have cable. And of course, once P:V went under in June of 2007, I went on to EMPIRE, but they lasted maybe a second and a half as a promotion. I maybe wrestled one or two matches there, and because of it ended up wrestling injured for the next couple of months.

Q: Not many people are aware of that. Exactly what was the nature of your injury?

A: I tore my rotator cuff in my first match at EMPIRE. I was wrestling the late Curtis Knight in a tournament qualifier match and he just ragdolled me. I mean, say what you will about the guy, but one thing he had was this animal strength, and he had this ability to just toss you around like you weighed about a pound and a half. I don’t even remember what he did to me, I just remember sitting up and thinking, “Well, that’s it. I’m done.” and feeling my shoulder just about separate itself from my body. My doctors pretty much told me I couldn’t wrestle for like, nine months, but that was absolutely not happening, so I just continued to wrestle and do appearances for another couple of months until finally I just couldn’t move anymore. It still bothers me from time to time, but there’s a show to do and I’m The Mike Effect, so a little shoulder pain isn’t going to keep me from the ring, you know?

Q: You mentioned Curtis Knight, a wrestler you’ve got quite a bit of history with.

A: That’s probably an understatement. Curtis was that guy you didn’t want to piss off unless you had two or three guys standing behind you to back you up. I knew Curtis both as an opponent, and as a friend. For those who never had the privilege of seeing me wrestle back during my stint in Project: Violence, you probably don’t know a lot about The Legend’s Club or it’s beginnings. A lot of teams you see in wrestling get together because they think that there is strength in numbers, and so they’ll tag up or stable up because they think that as a unit, they’ll have that talent they didn’t have before. With The Legend’s Club, it was different, because we were a couple of guys who got together because we were ALREADY the best, and we just figured that excellence deserved good company. It was like the guild of champions, for awhile. Knight was holding down the Xtreme Title, and just dominating the whole division, and I was holding the P:V World Championship. Eventually we recruited The Shooting Star and he started walking around with the Television Title, and the guy was just unbeatable. It was a lot of fun, back then, we’d just go nuts and party all the time. But of course, all good things must come to an end, eventually, and we all went our separate ways. There were a lot of differences of opinion, and a lot of tension.

Q: Why do you think The Legend’s Club failed as an entity in Project: Violence?

A: I don’t. A lot of people have that misconception. They think that because The Legend’s Club had some dissension from within the ranks that it was a failure, and I really don’t think that’s true at all. If that were true, what would we say about our governments, or our religions? Everyone has some tension, everyone has some dissension from within. For The Legend’s Club, it was all about egos. Here you had a group of guys who were just the best there was… Mike Polowy, The Shooting Star, and Curtis Knight, and there just wasn’t enough attention to keep everyone happy. Me and Shooting Star started getting a lot of great press, and Knight kind of fell out of the spotlight when he lost his championship to Jay Rayez. We could all tell it was getting to him, but we figured he’d get over it. He got a little too jealous, though, and he overstepped his bounds. I don’t regret it, though, because it gave me a chance to wrestle one of the best in the business quite a few times, and we had some match ups that really helped cement my career into what it is today. In all actuality, I have Curtis Knight to thank for that. So no, I don’t think The Legend’s Club was a failure.

Q: Do you think there is a chance that we’ll ever see The Legend’s Club in the Sanctioned Violence Organization?

A: I’ve been getting that question a lot, all week. People saw Shooting Star debut at Ultimate Victory and help me out during the tournament final, and immediately everyone assumed that this means The Legend’s Club is back in action. But the simple fact of the matter is that The Legend’s Club is Michael Polowy, The Shooting Star, and Curtis Knight. Without Curtis, who is a founding member, there just isn’t a Legend’s Club, and unfortunately for us and for the world of professional wrestling Knight isn’t with us anymore. I was sad to hear of his passing, I think he was working for the GLCW at the time, and it’s a shame I’ll never have a chance to work with him again. So to answer your question, is the Legend’s Club getting back together? Not unless Curtis Knight comes back from the dead.

Q: Speaking of The Shooting Star, there’s been a lot of buzz on the Internet this week and most of it seems to revolve around his involvement in the main event at Ultimate Victory.

A: That doesn’t surprise me much at all, actually. One of the things I’ve always loved about Chris Starr is that he commands attention. From the second I first saw him, I knew that guy was going to be something big. Pardon the pun, but the kid is undeniably a star. Attacking a title contender in the middle of a pay-per-view main event commands attention, and so it’s perfectly logical to me that attacking Joey Peyton at Ultimate Victory was a lot more about turning heads and making an entrance than it was about helping me score a victory. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the gesture… I just don’t think that a check mark in my win column was the primary reason for the assault on my unfortunate opponent.

Q: Well we’ve talked a little bit about the past, Mike, now how about we talk a little bit about the future? What’s in store for the sVo in the coming months?

A: That’s a good question. I see big things for the Sanctioned Violence Organization, especially with a guy like me at the helm. I know that sounds arrogant, but before anyone starts getting up on their soap boxes or high horses, they need to stop and look at my track record. I draw money, wherever I go. It’s just a fact. I’m a smart businessman, and I know how to deliver what Jimmy Moretti and Jonathan Page want… money. When Brutal Steve captured the first Project: Violence World Championship, the place went damn need bankrupt. A few months later, Moretti opens the place up, practically out of a garage, and the second I win the title, he’s rolling in money knee deep and looking for places to hide the runoff. It’s a simple matter of business, and if you want to expand and make money, I’m the right guy to have steering the ship. It’s going to be the same thing here. Fans will rush the ticket counters So for the sVo, I see nothing but prosperous times ahead. And for me? Well, I don’t want to tip my hand too early, but the future is looking pretty bright for The Mike Effect.

Q: You seem very confident in your ability to lead the company as champion. How, then, do you feel about the recent influx of talent making its way into the Sanctioned Violence Organization?

A: Wow, well, there is a hell of a lot of talent coming into the company right now. Take a guy like Nick Etch. This kid looks like a real solid fighter, with a good head on his shoulders. I like his chances in the sVo, as long as he makes friends with the right people. That’s what its all about, around here. It’s not about being the best, it’s about knowing the right people. It’s fortunate for me that I happen to be the best the organization has to offer, but as we’ve seen over the last few weeks, when you’re on the wrong side of the wrong people, the journey gets a whole lot tougher. I know that sounds like some kind of threat, but I can assure you it’s really not. It’s just smart business.

Q: Just a few last questions before we wrap this up. On to a lighter subject, the rumor mill has been churning as of late about a possible career in acting presenting itself your way. Can you confirm rumors that you’re in the process of signing a deal with Paramount Pictures for a two picture deal?

A: I have? (laughs) Well the rumor mills are certainly churning out some interesting tidbits these days, aren’t they? I will say that I have been contacted by a major motion picture company, and that an offer was made. I’ll admit, I’d been considering it, but all I can really say at current is that I’m at a point in my life where I’m happy with who I am and what I’m doing. Hollywood might not be quite ready for The Mike Effect, and honestly, I don’t know that The Mike Effect is quite ready for Hollywood. So if you’re waiting to see me gracing the covers of movie posters in your local theaters, don’t hold your breath… still, never say never.

Q: There are quite a few folks out there who believe wholeheartedly that Joey Peyton should be the sVo Champion right now. What would you say to the critics who think you’re not fit to hold the World Championship, or that your victory over Joey Peyton was only made possible by The Shooting Star’s involvement in the main event?

A: Honestly? I think my in-ring ability speaks for itself. I’m sure you, and everyone out there who reads this, is half expecting me to fly off the handle and start lecturing about respect and all that jazz, but when it comes down to it, either you’re going to love me, or you’re going to hate me, and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it. Alot of people think I’m anti-fan, or that I hate the people who come to our shows. That’s really not true at all… I wish they were a bit open minded, yes, but I certainly don’t hate them. These people are paying my bills and helping me live the kind of life I like to live. Who cares if they boo me, or if they cheer me? I’m going to go out there and do my thing, and if they like what they see…. which a lot of them do, by the way… then they can go home and make macaroni signs with MY name on them for a change. If not? Well, then the world keeps turning, and all the critics in the world can’t change the fact that I’m the sVo World Champion. My name’s in the record books, and the ink has dried.

Q: Alright, one last question. What does the future hold for Michael Polowy?

A: I’m the champion, and I’m going to stay the champion. What does the future hold? Probably a bunch of guys coming for me and gunning for my title, trying to make a name for themselves. They’re always there, and they’ll always be there. But I guess that means the future holds a lot more wins on my record, and a lot more dollars in my bank account.