Mike Da Silva's Indy Interview: Tyson Dux Talks About Team Canada, His Appearances For WWE, Super 8 Tournament, Scott D'Amore, BCW, and More

Mike Da Silva's Indy Interview: Tyson Dux Talks About Team Canada, His Appearances For WWE, Super 8 Tournament, Scott D'Amore, BCW, and More

Tyson Dux is one of the top regional stars in Ontario, Canada’s independent wrestling scene. He has also appeared in ECWA’s Super 8 tournament and represented Team Canada in Total Nonstop Action (TNA). I recently had the opportunity to conduct an e-interview with Mr. Dux. He was nice enough to clear up some misleading information I was given doing my internet research as well as shining a lot on the current independent wrestling scene.

Windsor, Ontario’s Scott D’Amore, trained you. What made you decide to become a wrestler and why did you choose to train with D'Amore?

I was trained in Ontario but I did not start out with Scott I am sad to say. But I had a little luck on my side to run into guys along the way that helped me with my training - Scott being a major role as well as Joe Hitchen, Terry Taylor and many others.

You have appeared in D'Amore's company, Border City Wrestling, for most of your career. How did BCW compare to other independent wrestling companies throughout North America? More specifically, how did it compare to other promotions in Ontario?

When BCW was running it was the best place to be. Everyone wanted to work for them who lived in the area. They were always professional with a great venue, many people backstage to help you out and lots of talent new and old. It was one of the only places that I know as an indy that would draw a 1000 plus fans every month.

At that time you had the opportunity to work with a lot of wrestlers who would go on to be stars throughout the independent scene. Many of them have also made a name for themselves in TNA. Which BCW wrestler or wrestlers do you think you had the best matches with?

I was in a tag for my BCW career first. My partner was a big guy named Jack Damage that later quit the business. The other was Mark Tornado Bartolucci who is still my tag partner in many places. We feuded a year or so with Terry Taylor and a few combinations of partners for him. I learned a great deal from that time.

What was it like working with Bobby Roode specifically? I understand you two wrestled against Rodney Mack and Raven in a dark match once.

The dark match was me and Larry Destiny vs Raven and Mack and it was OK - nothing to write home about. Working with Bobby was great though. In the WWE we were given lots of respect after having two great matches for the company.

My first time seeing you perform was in a WWE dark match against Scott Vick at an October 2002 Smackdown! taping in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This was one of many appearances you made in WWE during that era. How did you get involved with WWE?

I kept sending them my tapes and they kept telling me what they wanted me to improve on and I would do it and then send another tape. Eventually I had to chance to go have a tryout in Toronto and it went really well. That night I was the one picked to wrestle a dark match with Sick Boy.

Did you make any conscious changes to the way you worked in WWE compared to working on the independent scene?

No, not really. I always try to improve everyday.

According to your website you made 3 appearances on Velocity and 2 appearances on Heat while those shows were still on television. Did the TV cameras affect your work in any way? Does knowing your match is going to be televised change your approach to the match?

It did not affect my work but you do have to be more aware that there are cameras there and be watching for the red light to get a good shot. It's all about self -promotion.

I understand that when you started wrestling you avoided gimmicks. You "just wanted to wrestle and not worry about stupid gimmicks" until you were good enough. At what point did you realize you had your wrestling down and could begin to focus on creating a persona?

I think you have to be comfortable in the ring before you think about doing a character. The character is what you become and if you are not comfortable in your environment how can you even think of trying to be a persona?

Early in your career you had a trademark dance. You used this to get the crowd to notice you at the Smackdown! taping I attended. How did you come up with the idea of the dance and why did you later drop it from your act?

The dance used to be done by Jack Damage when he was a heel and beating people up. I would tag with him and make fun of him by doing the dance really, really badly. Of course, the bad dance was the one that got over. I have not dropped it but I don't like to be type-casted in any type role. Plus, the way it's done is really hard on the body. I know that sounds funny, but its true.

Early in your career you were a high flyer. Now, however, you chose to focus on technical wrestling. This change has paid off, as you are a former Ontario Indy Wrestling Technical Wrestler of the Year. What caused you to make this change?

I wanted to work different from the rest of the lightweights and I love technical wrestling. Now though I have been doing more dives and different moves that a lighter wrestler would do just because I want to keep improving and never be put in a category, unless that section is the greatest wrestlers section – lol.

Was it difficult changing your style so drastically?

It is hard to change your style, but not impossible. You just need to keep a good work ethic and want to always improve yourself.

This change in style has been accompanied by a change in gimmick. You appear to have returned a more no nonsense style. Was this a conscious decision?

I don't think so. I just want to put on a great show and sometimes that means being more of a hard ass and other times it means try to have fun out there and make sure everyone is have a great time.

After an injury forced you to pull out of the ECWA Super 8 Tournament in 2004, you were invited back in 2005 where JJ Perez defeated you. What did it mean to you to appear at this prestigious event?

I loved the chance to wrestle in the Super 8. It was a big deal for me. I just wish I was ready mentally for it since I was a mess for a while after hurting my knee.

You had a brief run in TNA in 2006 as a member of Team Canada. How did that come about?

I live in Windsor close to Scott D'Amore and he wanted to give me a chance to work for TNA. Scott has always been on my side and has helped me a great deal over the years.

What were the differences between working in WWE and working in TNA?

TNA is a little less political or at least it was when I was there.

You recently began working for UWA Hardcore Wrestling out of Mississauga, Ontario. What makes UWA Hardcore Wrestling different from other independent promotions?

All indy places are usually the same give or take some small differences like the fact that UWA has the best venue for a wrestling show and some real hardcore fans that love the product. It is more of a place where they are buddys putting on a show rather that a promotion putting one on.

You had the opportunity to work with one of Ultimo Dragon's students, Brian Lee, at UWA Hardcore Wrestling's June show. What was that like?

Not that great - lol.

Does the language barrier make wrestling with foreign stars more difficult than wrestling English-speaking wrestlers?

Not really because wrestling is universal. At the Can Am Wrestling School in Windsor we have two guys from AJPW training with us. When they first arrived they did not speak any English, but wrestling was the easiest way to interact with them.

We here at World Wrestling Insanity like to ask the same question whenever we book an interview: If you could wrestle any wrestler from any era in their prime, who would you choose and why?

Keiji Mutoh, because he is my favorite and that’s a tough question because there are so many that I would love to wrestle.

Before we let you go, are there any websites or promotions you would like to promote?

First, Scott D'Amore’s wrestling school in Windsor. It is the Can Am Wrestling School and has trained many of the best wrestlers.

Second, go check out a show for BSE [Blood, Sweat and Ears], one of the top promotions around.