Hardcore Roadtrip Owner Mark Livingston Speaks Exclusively To PWMania.com

Hardcore Roadtrip is a Canada based wrestling promotion that promises to bring back flaming tables, barb-wire and other aspect of “Extreme Wrestling” made famous by ECW.

First of all, have you found a lot of people hating on “yet another ECW reunion”?

– I actually have not had one person message me and hate on it. That may because were running in a area that never has had a ECW Reunion show. When ECW Ventured to this area back in 2000 for a show they did 5000+ for a house show, I think this market is starved for extreme and will support this event.

Tell us about how the project came to be?

– I have always been a life long ECW fan, I have made trips to Buffalo NY, and Detroit, Michigan to watch ECW back in the day and I wanted to bring that excitement back!

What makes this different from Extreme Rising?

– Extreme Rising is a great promotion and I have enjoyed alot of what they have done. Our goal is to bring Hardcore Wrestling into area`s that are starved for the hardcore edge of pro wrestling.

Tell unfamiliar readers what you have planned for first show? Barbwire? Flaming tables? Matches booked? Talent booked?

– We have alot planned for these events, we have a 8 man tournament booked that will feature the original stars of Extreme Championship Wrestling. Stevie Richards, CW Anderson, The Blue Meanie, Pitbull 1 Gary Wolfe, Axl Rotten, Angel of Da Baldies, The Skull Vito Lograsso, Jason Knight, We are doing 2 shows in 1 day to kick things off so the first round of the tournament will be on the first show `Banned In The USA` with the second and final round taking place later that night in the second show `Born 2B Wired` The Main Event of Born 2B Wired will be a Barbwire Match more details on that later in November.

The first show is planned as a tournament to crown first World Champion, and plans for future titles?

– We have plans for the Heavyweight Championship like you mentioned a 8 man single elimination tournament! As well as a Tag Team Championship, Tag Team Wrestling was always a big part of ECW with teams like The Pitbulls, The Eliminators, The Public Enemy, and we will be having a 3 Way Dance at Born 2B Wired to crown our Tag Team Champions!

Any plans to bring in younger talent? If so how many shows down the road are you talking?

– You will see some younger talent at the very first set of shows. These will be guys that would have fit in perfect back in the original ECW, although many of the ECW Originals we have booked and planning on booking are far from Past there Prime a guy like Stevie Richards still has IT!

How often are you planning to run shows?

– That is really up in the air at this point, I don`t want to get to far ahead of our selves, first things first is March 2nd in Canada.

No doubt some people will say that ECW guys are washed up. What would you say to these people?

– It is what it is, like I said earlier this may be a one time deal or we may run regular it is totally up to the fans. This will be the first of it`s kind in Canada, most fans know what there going to get when they go to a ECW Style Show in 2012.

ECW reunions and “reboots” have been done multiple times, tell me what will make yours special.

– Our show will be different because it`s not all about drawing a crowd and throwing these ECW guys out in boring ass matches. These shows are being built to our Wrestlers Strengths We have great storylines, and great matches lined up! I have had some of the talent contacting me asking if they can do this spot or that spot and I have to tell you, this show is going to blow peoples minds ànd will have the crowd chanting Holly Sh*t!

What exactly from ECW are you wanting to bring in? Not bring in?

– I honestly can`t think of anything I don`t want to bring in from ECW.. One of the biggest things I want to bring in would be the work ethetic of the talent in ECW, that is what has always stood out for me, some of the roster was never the most talented but every night they put out great effort.

ECW fans are loyal and can be unforgiving, worried about the feedback you will receive after?

– Not at all! I look forward to all the chants during Hardcore Roadtrip and to read the reviews online following the show. The fans pay there money and there entitled to express themselves any way they want.

Obviously, ECW was more popular in USA than in Canada, any plans for an (i)PPV, VOD download or DVD for USA fans to see?

– We will have the shows available on iPPV we will have more on that later on.

Your website mentions Joel Gertner is going to be on commentating, will he be alone?

– Were working on bringing in a Hardcore Legend to work alongside Joel on the commentary. Obviously there will only be one Joey Styles so your never going to get a play by play man to fill his shoes.

You are going to have women right? Got to have the ladies! Anyone planned?

– We have been talking to alot of the women of ECW! One of the women were working on locking in for the show is Jazzmine (Jazz). Once we can confirm everything with her we will have a press release at www.HardcoreRoadTrip.ca

For those who don’t know what is the best way to purchase tickets?

– Right now the only way to get tickets is online at www.HardcoreRoadtrip.ca, tickets range from $20 to $75 per show.

Will the company be “shoot” promo for the most part as ECW was or will it be largely “scripted”? Mix of both?

– What you seen in ECW you can expect to see come March 2nd, in Canada

Alot of stuff that use to be acceptable in wrestling is no longer legal in The US, is it different in Canada?

– No longer legal? There is no athletics commission here to enforce anything along those lines.