INTERVIEW: WWE Tough Enough's Martin Casaus

The following is an official and authentic interview with UCW wrestler and former WWE Tough Enough participant Martin Casaus, also known as Tristan Gallo. This interview is exclusive to The Universe @ http:///www.theuniverse.forumotion.co.uk/. Under no circumstances may any part of this interview be reproduced or retransmitted in any form without the prior consent from a Universe administrator. All rights reserved.
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First of all, thank you for taking the time to do an interview with us, we obviously have a lot of questions for you, so I'm just going to ask them in chronological order, starting with how you got started and ending with Tough Enough and some user submitted questions. So tell me, how did you get into wrestling? Was there a time where you knew it's what you wanted to do?

I first saw wrestling at my grandparents house. He always watched it and I got hooked pretty easy. After that I started watching it when I got home from school and my sports practices. I was hooked on the story and I didn't even know it. I just knew I was hooked. All I knew back then was that I got angry when people cheated and I loved it when the good guys [faces] fought back and won. I remember always wanting to do it but never fathomed it possible. I knew this is what I wanted to do when I first stepped in the ring in 2003.

Your wrestling training and debut came in Ultra Championship Wrestling-Zero otherwise known as UCW in 2003, where you have spent a lot of your career. How did that come about? What got you started there?

In 2003, I ended up going to a WWE house show in Salt Lake City, Utah and a local wrestler named Derrick Jannetty handed me a flyer to the local show. I never went to the show but I did end up calling the promoter about the school and getting in the ring. Once I stepped through the ropes for the first time I knew that's what I wanted to do. It's funny because Derrick is now one of my best friends today and he changed my life that day just by giving me a flyer.

Your third heavyweight title match was in 2006, against one of your trainers Derrick Jannetty, in which you won your first heavyweight championship in UCW. What was it like to finally hold a major singles title in that promotion, beating one of your trainers nonetheless?

To me the heavyweight title in any promotion means that you are the face of the brand. When people think that brand they think of you and its your job as the champ to perform the best and represent that brand well, both in the ring and out of the ring. Anything you do represents that promotion that your the face of. To win that title felt great to me, it was a level of trust and respect given to me from Derrick and the rest of the guys to carry the company and put on a good match and represent them well. I looked up to Derrick and honestly still do. I thought it was a good match but it was definitely an accomplishment to me to earn his trust and the trust and respect of the locker room.

Skipping ahead to the date April 14, 2007. You were teaming with UCW star Devon Payne against Derrick Jannetty and Radical Ricky in a TLC tag match. During that match, your partner turned on you, knocking you off a 12-foot ladder and to the floor, a pain that must have been very real. What was going through your mind and what exactly makes a TLC match different from any other?

The first thing going through my head was "Oh SH*T!" After I was to far over to do anything but fall, the next thought was to try not to hit the ropes on my way down and start doing flips. It's one thing to fall off a 12 foot ladder onto a table sitting on concrete, it's another to do it while doing uncontrollable flips and landing on your head in the process. The fall was incredibly slow feeling for me. After I made sure I cleared the ropes, I just hit and everything went so fast after that. A TLC match is different because there are so many possibilities on what you and your opponent can do. You have the ring and you have all these tools to put on a show, you just have to make sure to use them right in order to make each move count. It could easily be turned into a crap fest if you just hit each other with the weapons a million times. The fans would get bored and the fans are the reason we do this.

Although you have been heavyweight champion four times in UCW and held other championships, it is hard to ignore that you have specialized in tag team matches throughout the years. A lot of wrestlers feel differently about tag team matches; how are they different? Is there a different kind of preparation necessary and do you have a preference?

There is a different type of dynamic in tag team matches. A lot of possibilities and different stories that we can tell in tag matches too. There's not a different way to prepare for the match because I think you should train just as hard and be ready for any match, but it is a different mind set you bring to the ring. There are strategies that you can have and things that you have to think about that you don't have to think about in singles competition. Things like don't go to your opponents corner and relax cause your gonna get knocked in the face. It's just a different mindset. I prefer singles matches, its more of an opportunity to try things and spotlight yourself.

In mid 2008, you had a tryout with WWE's developmental territory FCW. Did they contact you or did you contact them? And what happened at the tryouts?

I actually flew myself into Houston to work as an extra on a WWE Raw show. There is always a chance before the shows for extras to get in the ring and show what they've got. I wrestled Kevin Thorn, who was currently contracted. After the match, I just asked as many people as I could about advice and improvements that I could have made. Scott Armstrong, [a WWE referee], Mark Henry, and the Big Show gave me some pointers and were impressed that I would fly myself to Texas for a shot. They gave me a good talk and then I got called into Mr. Laurinaitis' office and they sent me to FCW for a week. I thought it was a great opportunity. I was too timid during the week tryout. I was taught respect and told to shake hands and speak when given the chance or spoken to. I had the military "yes sir" mentality when I was there and I didn't stick out. We all kind of had that at the beginning of WWE Tough Enough as well. It's showing that level of respect but still being loud enough somehow to stick out from the crowd and show that you got something worth looking at. It was a great opportunity and I learned a lot but I didn't show my personality at all except for small personal conversations.

In 2011 you became a competitor on WWE Tough Enough. How did you make it onto the show?

I was contacted by one of the shows producers. He told me to put in my audition tape and that I was on the WWE's radar. I did and it seemed to work out for me.

As any viewer of the show could see, the Tough Enough program was a rough one. Was there ever a time that you felt like it was too much or were you always as collected as you seemed to have been when the show aired?

Physically it was very demanding. There wasn't a time where I wanted to quit because I knew the prize of winning WWE Tough Enough and never let it out of sight. Your mind is stronger then your body and your body can go through so much more then it thinks it can when you tired. I wore my wristband, and still do every day, to remind myself that weaknesses and strenghts derive from your mind. Your body will cope and adjust.

What was your favorite part of being on WWE Tough Enough? Least favorite?

My favorite part on WWE Tough Enough was winning the skills challenges, in particular the third skills challenge. It happened to be on my 26th birthday and it meant a great deal to me to win that and prove that I was a very strong contender to win that contract. It removed any doubt that I just got there by chance. My least favorite part of WWE Tough Enough was definitely the run up those mountains. It was early in the competition so I still wasnt sure what to expect and it was a rough run. I hate running anyway but maybe that's just me.

There was a lot of talent shown throughout the competition. Aside from yourself and winner Andy, what other participants did you see potential in, if any?

I did see potential in several of the Tough Enough contestants. Each, I had a reason for thinking so. Eric, AJ, Matt, Luke, Jeremiah and a few others off the top of my head. I think there was potential in a lot of us. Potential but some work to be done in order to be were we need to be, and I'm including myself in this.

As we all know, the reason you were taken off Tough Enough was due to an ankle injury. When it happened, what did you feel and what was running through your mind?

I just felt it pop at first and it threw a lot of pain into my ankle. I just tried to walk it off but I couldn't put any weight on it. It wasn't shown but I went back in and did the drill again. I didn't want to stop the drill or the competition. When I went back in, I did the drill and rolled out and when I tried to stand up straight, it popped again. I knew that something was very very wrong. Thats when the trainer came over to me and you saw the rest. The pain was more bearable to me then not being able to continue in the competition. The few things running through my mind were "I can't miss practice" and "I hope it's something I can just wrap up and get back in the ring". After a while of trying to stand up, the trainer finally convinced me to go to the hospital to at least have it checked. I finally agreed when I knew there wasn't a way I couldn't stand. I went to the hospital with the hopes that it was only a bad sprain or something that could just be taped and sucked up.

Alright, obviously this interview has been a hot topic on the site all week long, and so naturally I have some questions from our users about random things. The first from Richie in North Carolina, had you not sustained an injury, do you believe you would have won Tough Enough?

I believe that in life there are no guarantees. Stone Cold was the executioner in this competition, so that decision was up to him. I do believe that the only thing that would have taken me off this show was Stone Cold Steve Austin himself on the finals of WWE Tough Enough. I think he would have picked me in the final two but I was also surprised by Stone Cold's decision in the end. Anything could and did happen at the finale. Hell, anything can happen anytime Stone Cold Steve Austin is involved. All I could control is that I would get there.

I have two from David in Michigan, the first; who or what is or was your inspiration? H

HBK Shawn Michaels was and is my inspiration for my wrestling career. His innovation, passion, and work ethic for this business made him a legend. I also wanna be half cliché and say my parents as well were and are a huge inspiration to me everyday. They are very shy and conservative but the best and sweetest parents I could ever ask for. I am shy too until ... I get in the ring.

Secondly, what is your favorite match you have ever wrestled in? And I'd like to throw in a bonus question, what about your favorite match you weren't a part of?

My favorite match is always my next one. I'm always excited for my upcoming matches no matter what state, city, or opponent. I've been blessed to have worked enough people that were much better than me and vice versa and there's always something to be learned and take away from in each case. My favorite match is Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels, the first time it happened. Pretty much most of my matches I watch are featuring guys like Shawn Michaels, Dean Malenko, early William Regal, and early Fit Finlay. These guys are very technical in their work and its amazing the things they can do.

This one coming from Karl in Scotland, what are your thoughts on Andy Leavine winning Tough Enough and do you think he has a big future in WWE?

First, I congratulate Andy Leavine on winning WWE Tough Enough. However, winning a WWE contract is just the beginning of an even harder and longer road on your way to a successful WWE career. Ya, I think he has the potential to do so but making that a reality is completely up to him. Best of luck to him.

Adam from Ireland asks for your opinion on today's current indy wrestling and also of TNA.

I think there are a lot of good workers out there. I also think there are a lot of bad ones as well. It's much easier for people to get a ring and boots and call themselves workers without going through any training at all. However, I think we do have your gems out there who can legitimately entertain. TNA I think can be something good and something different from the norm. Their 6 sided ring made them different instantly but then they switched. They have good younger talent but I don't think the younger talent is getting the time needed to show what they can do. No knocks on them at all but the potential is all there for that company to be bigger than it is.

Lastly I ask you, who wins in a match, Martin Casaus or Andy Leavine?

Hahaha well it'd be great technical quickness vs. a big guy match but if a worker has no confidence in himself, then no one else will, so sorry Andy. You're not winning this one.

Thanks again for your time and I along with all of our users wish you nothing but the best in the near future, and hopefully we can see you on TV again soon!

Thank you for the time. I appreciate the interview greatly. Thank you fans for your questions and your support. It's been amazing and I can't thank you enough. Keep in touch with me.

cool interview must say