Interview with TNA's Executive Vice President John Gaburick: "Mahabali Shera has the IT factor"

Executive Vice President of TNA, John Gaburick – The man with a vision

We caught up with the man behind the wheels that run TNA – Executive Vice President John Gaburick – at the TNA press conference held in Mumbai. He shared his views on WWE, Matt Hardy, the opportunity for promising Indian talents and the live shows to be held in India among other topics.

Here are the excerpts:

John, you were part of WWE for over 13 years and now you’re part of Team TNA for the past 2 years. How has the transition been and what’s different?

Well, I spent the better part of 13 years at WWE and I learned an awful lot when I was there. When given the opportunity to work for TNA, I jumped at it because I saw the vision that people like Dixie Carter (President of TNA) had and I wanted to be a part of this vision. That is to go across the world, in the United States, all across Japan, India, and Brazil and to showcase the greatest wrestlers in the world.

TNA is a different model than the WWE. In WWE, they just give you the show and leave and it’s been very successful for that and I think it’s wonderful for them. For us, we want to me more immersed in what we do and where we are instead of just going in and out.

Talking about Mahabali Shera, what do you think made him stand out of the pack? Thousands of wrestlers in India want to make it to where he is right now; what do they need to do to get there?

I think in addition to his physical attributes, he had that intangible quality that when you look at someone and whether it’s his smile, his personality and the way he speaks all that is exactly what we look for in a superstar. It’s a makeup of that IT factor that he clearly has. Trust me he puts in a lot of work and a lot of hours. It’s not as if he became a star overnight. He works hard at his craft and he is making that commitment to be an even bigger star

Is there any chance we could get to see an Indian woman wrestler being a part of the TNA roster?

Yeah, I think so. Look, the Indian actors and actresses are now part of the American culture. It’s important we recognize that we have so many people here with unimaginable talent. Whether it’s a male or a female, we’re looking for the best of the best. I am really excited about this talent search because I think it could lead to something very special. There are obviously more special people like Mahabali Shera out there.

For all the wrestlers who want to be part of TNA, how can they reach you and your organization? Not every wrestler has an agent. He/she might be very talented, but how do they get recognized by you?

You know right now we get so many tapes and DVDs from wrestlers and yes there is a chance it could get lost in the shuffle. But I think true creative people find a way to get noticed. Whether that’s while I am here and looking for more Indian talent or whether it’s reaching out to me – they willl get it done.

They have to try every way possible to get noticed and they are the ones generally who are the cream of the crop. They’re like the big potatoes that rise to the top. I am confident I am going to find some of them here.

Talking about Matt Hardy, he has been part of the industry for over two decades now. Your thoughts on him as a professional? He is still out there at age 41 doing pretty well.

I’ve worked with Matt at WWE and now at TNA. He is one of the best wrestlers I have ever worked with. As you said he’s been part of the industry for such a long time but still performing at a high level. He is such a loyal and committed guy. This doesn’t happen overnight. You have to constantly train, and there is a physical toll on your body that you have to be prepared for. Matt is somebody that clearly knows that and hence has risen to the top of his craft

Did you ever imagine that TNA would pick up in India?

I have been across the world – Japan, China, Australia, UK and Europe – but this is my first time in India. I was speaking to Shera and I didn’t realize the passion that India has for both athletics and in our case professional wrestling. It made me smile that there are so many people here that respond to our form of entertainment.

There are so many families that want to be involved with us and watch TNA. It’s a natural fit for us. It’s very humbling to see people here so passionate about what we do, and I believe it inspires our wrestlers to perform at the highest level.

You have taken WWE to great heights. What do you envision for TNA five years from now?

I think our future is unlimited. This is the beginning and we’re building a foundation here in India. My overall dream? I hope someday we could build the infrastructure and the facilities in India where we can put out live events on a regular basis to showcase our talent. We wish to showcase Indian stars, along with American stars and global stars all being part of this.

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