Interview: KM discusses wrestling in India, Mahabali Shera, his love for MMA, Jericho-Omega and more
In a very short amount of time, KM has become an invaluable part of Impact Wrestling, first playing Sienna's cousin and then, as someone that's out to impress American Top Team for a spot in their ranks. He professed his love for MMA and admiration for Kenny Omega, several times during the course of this conversation.
KM was part of the Impact Wrestling weekly teleconference, featuring media houses from across the world. The man was never at a loss for words, and had an interesting take on every question that was thrown at him.
Q: How was it wrestling in India? You had a long program with Mahabali Shera, whom you wrestled in India. What's your take on him?
A.: Well, going to India with Impact Wrestling, that was actually my second time there. Three, years prior to that I went over there with Sonjay Dutt, Colt Cabana and Trent Barretta. We did five shows in five days, among the four of us. We wrestled each other in tag matches.
It was a four man roster in Assam, India. We were over in Guwahati. So, this is actually my second experience going to India. I have no complaints. Everyone's so nice. I'll happily do it again. It's always an experience professionally considering the first time I went over there was in Assam and this time, it was in Mumbai.
Getting to travel and see different places and countries, it's always cool. As far as Mahabali Shera goes, I like Shera. Even though I slapped him up a couple of times on TV. Shera's a good guy. I have nothing but good things to say about Shera.
The position they put me in...can I really complain? That's a great place to be in, if they want you to wrestle Shera over in India. It's pretty cool, you know. It's like wrestling Grado in Scotland (laughs). No complaints there. All positive things to say. But, I'm saying positive things now, but friendship goes out of the window when the bell rings.
Q.: So based on the events of last week, how does it feel to enter a gym and beat people up?
A.: They want me to prove myself. I don't know how American Top Team will want me to prove myself other than going around and kicking everyone's butt. So, if that's what they want me to do, that's what I'm doing.
I did it over in Canada. In Canada, I took out three people in one shot. Over here, I took out six. Do they want me to take out twelve? Do they want me to take out twenty-four? You name it. I'll keep on doing it until they say, 'whoa, this guy is legit. Let's give him a shot'.
You want me to walk into a McDonald's and beat up everybody in there? Let's do it. I'll do what it takes. It's all great. It's all easy.
Q: As an MMA fan then, who are some of your favourite fighters, and what's your personal take on the Jon Jones controversy?
A.: 2002 is when I started watching I think. Fedor Emelianenko was always one of my top guys. Alistair Overeem was always one of my top guys. I liked the Diaz Brothers, way before the Conor McGregor stuff. I was a huge Nick Diaz fan and became a Nate Diaz fan. I was always a Diaz guy. Cub Swanson is exciting. I like guys like Diego Sanchez.
ATT. How can you deny Colby Covington? The number 3 guy in the division. The next in line for a Title Shot, and I think he's going to become the Welterweight Champion. I've never been a GSP guy in the Welterweight Division. I've always been a Nick Diaz guy.
I respect Jon Jones. I always liked Jon Jones and his fighting style. The controversy surrounding him...it's not good right? Jon Jones cannot seem to stay out of trouble. So, he has a bit of an uphill battle for himself. Even if you take all the mess ups away, he's definitely going to tarnish his legacy as the greatest of all time.
He's his only worst enemy. Jon Jones is the only fighter that can beat Jon Jones. That's the truth. Every time he comes back, he destroys the top guy but then he messes himself up. I hope he gets his act together, because it doesn't get any better than Jon Jones. He's proved it time and again.
Currently, Francis Ngannou, he's one of my favourites. Not just because he knocked out Overeem. You look back at my Facebook. January of last year, I predicted that he can fight a Top-5 guy and knock him out which will put him at Number 1.
I'm not saying that I'm Nostradamus yet, but I called it out exactly a year in advance. The trail that he would take. Pay attention to that guy. Nobody's going to beat that guy. His nickname is the Predator. Nobody's going to beat The Predator.
He's literally going to lay a trail of bodies. It's going to be something else. You're going to. What Ronda Rousey did? Killing everyone in the first round in the first minute? That's this guy. But it ain't arm bars. It's knocking people's head off like a video game.
There's a lot of them. I can rattle off who I like in which division. Obviously, it's a rotating door with new guys coming in. But I was never a bandwagon guy with GSP or Anderson Silva. I never liked so and so guy, because the UFC was telling me to like this guy. I always pick and choose my own guys. MMA's a really fun world to follow.
Q. Apart from MMA, you also said you're a big fan of Kenny Omega. What's your take on Omega vs. Jericho at Wrestle Kingdom 12?
A.: I think it's brilliant for business. Much as I think it helps out all brands involved, it sounds crazy but this helps WWE out too, in a big way. It's a crossover without being a crossover. It's great. I'm happy for Kenny Omega. He was with me in developmental, in 2006.
We kind of buddied up with each other. He was out at my house every day, playing video games. We were each other's best friends, throughout our experience there. And now, to see him excel to this level...it's kind of wild. I watched him in developmental and in every match he would have, they would tell him to tone down his style. 'You can't do all that!' 'Work a hold'.
This is how Kenny Omega operates. He needs to not be told what to do. Chances are his ideas are better. What he can do and what should go where, are a 100% better than what anybody's going to give him. He has a very special brain. He'll be the first to tell you that he hates pro wrestling. He wants to be entertained. He doesn't want to watch standard wrestling matches.
He does things in the ring that he feels entertains himself. He calls himself 'The Cleaner', which is obviously a Hitman type reference, but he comes out with a broom sometimes, acting like an idiot. He humours himself, and that's why he's as popular as he is.
You can't handcuff him, and that's what they did in developmental. They handcuffed him. Don't tell him what to do. Literally believe in what he wants to do. The guys could wrestle in front of 5 people. He's a perfectionist. It has to be 5-star. No matter what.
He doesn't want any of his matches out there that are not 5-stars. Even if it is goofy and comedic, he wants it to be entertaining. He and Daniel Bryan at PWG were thumb-wrestling each other and it turned into false finishes. It's just insane.
As for him and Jericho, even though they step it up big time at Wrestle Kingdom, if Omega's closing the show, he's going to have a 6-star match. It's 100% going to happen. I'm going to watch it. I'll stay up and watch it. I'm 100% going to watch that.
Catch KM on Impact Wrestling, only on SONY ESPN and SONY ESPN HD.
For latest WWE News, live coverage and rumours visit our Sportskeeda WWE section.
Also if you are attending a WWE Live event or have a news tip for us drop us an email at fightclub@sportskeeda.com.