At EPIC’s inaugural show, International Collision, Joshua Shibata had the opportunity to sit down and interview the CZW/BJW Junior Heavyweight Champion and CZW Best of the Best 2 winner, Trent Acid. Acid talked about how he got into wrestling, wrestling in Combat Zone Wrestling, wrestling in Big Japan, New Jack’s role in his wrestling training, and much more. Speaking of New Jack, New Jack makes a cameo appearance in this interview and makes his presence felt.
First, I want to thank all the hard working people at EPIC for giving me the opportunity to go back stage and interview the wrestlers, and I hope I didn’t cause too many distractions to what you guys were doing. I especially want to thank Gary, Marc, Paul T (my yellow brother) and Lazie for just being the nicest of people to me and making this show very memorable.
Joshua Shibata: Alright, this is Joshua Shibata and I am here with…
Trent Acid: Yea, this is Joshua Shibata…
Joshua Shibata: And I’m here with the Best of the Best 2 winner, Trent Acid.
Trent Acid: And I would have been the winner of the Best of the Best 1 if it wasn’t for my OWN tag team partner, Johnny Kashmere, who screwed me over wrestling as the Winger. But I think I gained my revenge by proving to the CZW world that I am the best of the best last week.
Josh: Alright, calm down there Trent.
Trent is handed cigarettes from two people.
Josh: Damn. You’re getting cigs left and right. Alright, what made you want to become a wrestler?
Trent: I love everything about it, man. The whole sport, traveling, entertaining and meeting new people. That is what I am all about. I’ve been a born entertainer all my life. My grandma started taking me to shows when I was 4 years old.
Josh: Your grandma was into wrestling?
Trent: My grandma took me to the Civic Center. We watched NWA every week or every other week whenever they would run. We saw Nikita Koloff, Magnum TA, all that good shit. I don’t know if we’re not supposed to curse but I don’t care. Since we are speaking the truth here, we’re “shooting”. My grandma took me when I was four and I have been watching ever since. Ever since my grandma died, my career has escalated a little bit so I think I have an angel on my shoulder.
Josh: That’s great. So how did the Trent Acid gimmick come about?
Trent: Well believe it or not, the funny story is, no matter what anyone tells you, the reason why [the name] “Trent” was picked was because it was one of the 100 most popular names for males. And I was skimming through a magazine at the time in 1994 and I was thinking, well my real name, and I wont tell you what it is but it is the most popular name for males…
Josh: Michael.
Trent: OK. You can think its Michael. It may be Michael. It may be Wilbur. It may be Billy. It may be… I don’t know. Anyway, it was the 100th most popular name for males. As for Acid, well, I would rather keep that on the DL, you know what I mean? I thought it was catchy.
Josh: Sure. We’ll let our readers decide why you picked that name.
Trent: Yea. Let them decide.
Josh: Now your career escalated when you were teamed up with Johnny Kashmere and became one half of the Backseat Boys. How did that gimmick come about?
Trent: Well, what happened is, everybody loves the backseat, and a lot of actions happen in the backseat, and I happen to believe I provide a lot of actions for the fans and for any of the female fans that want to get involved. Anyways, the Backseat Boys came about when I was with Johnny Kashmere, who I have wrestled previously for three and half years. I met him and the Wifebeater and also Nick Berk. Heard of him? We were all training at the same gym and there was a promoter/co-booker of the NWA New Jersey, Donnie B., who thought it would be a good idea to put two good looking guys together like me and Johnny Kashmere, and it worked pretty well. Only because me and Johnny were put together all the time on the Indy shows…
New Jack makes his presence known.
New Jack: Who is this [interview] for?
Josh: SoCal Uncensored?
New Jack: Who?
Josh: SoCal Uncensored.
Trent: It’s a shoot.
New Jack: Who are you talking about?
Trent: About myself. I’m talking about myself.
New Jack: This is my buddy [Trent] right? And whatever he says is true. If he said I fucked a goat, I did. But I was drunk, and the goat had lipstick on so I thought the bitch was pretty.
Trent: And the thing about training, this is the guy who taught me the most devastating punch in wrestling.
New Jack: That’s right because all I know is the punch. And those of you who believe that, you’re out of your motherfucking mind. I will work rings around your ass, but I don’t get paid for that kind of shit. I get paid to beat motherfuckers to death. But if you beat me up, I will SHOOT YOU! I’m licensed to carry a gun and I will shoot the shit out of you! All you motherfucking bitches! I ain’t going to be no bitch!
Trent: That man right there is New Jack. He is the man. He taught me the art of wrestling and how to make it look real. Actually, a true story real quick because this is a shoot, I broke my arm five years ago in a gym and everyone thought that I wasn’t even hurt but [New Jack] knew it right away and he rode with me in my car with my mother to the hospital.
New Jack: Yea. We got a history. And look, them two girls in Philly that are pregnant, and they let me and him put it in. But that wasn’t us man. We pulled it out. We pulled it out! That ain’t our babies! We pulled it out and shot them on the chin!
Josh: Now when CZW…
New Jack: Hold on. Don’t move on without me. I got a whole lot of babies. Counting my babies is like playing a game of spades. I got three and four possible. Alright, I’m gone.
Trent: Naw, thanks New Jack. Thanks Jack.
Josh: Wise words from New Jack.
Trent: Yep, a wise man couldn’t have said it better.
Josh: Alright, when CZW started a lot of people were putting it down as an ECW rip off…
Trent: Hey, considering this is a shoot, I’m going to shoot on everybody. Considering I got New Jack here, he’s got my back. I got Sabu and Jerry Lynn. I got a lot of support so I’m going to shoot. Its bullshit. A lot of people talking shit about CZW saying that its hardcore crap. Well, they said the same thing about ECW when it started, yet it changed the history of wrestling. I don’t care what anybody says but ECW changed the face of wrestling, everybody knows it, and it became the biggest threat to everybody. CZW is just something a whole group of guys, from all over the world, compete and work really hard. You want to talk about the best locker room, the nicest guys, guys who take pride in their work. There are no guys with vices, no drug addicts, no idiots that get caught up in all the gaga that goes with it, there are just guys who are athletes working together in a TRUE company and that is why it succeeds, because everybody is good peoples. That is the best way I can put it. There are a lot of people who are jealous and a lot of people are bitter because they can’t do it. But hey, they can’t cut the mustard because it is the best in the Indies.
Messiah stops by.
Trent: That’s why I am there and that’s why people like the Messiah are there.
Messiah: Yea!
Trent: Yea, Messiah is here.
Messiah: In my under-roos!
Trent: And that is why we are here, because it is the best ever and I really believe it is the best in the Independents and I’m sure anybody that is reading this will see that all the hard work we put into it and all the dedication. They are all young and hungry guys and I can’t say enough good things about them.
Josh: Is this the first time you have wrestled in Los Angeles?
Trent: This is my first time wrestling in California. I have been to the West Indies in Trinidad, I’ve been to Alaska, and I’ve been to Japan eleven times. As you know I’m the Big Japan Junior Heavyweight Champion and speaking of which, I have been the champion for a while which is a pretty good long time for an American to hold a Japanese title. I have defended [the Big Japan Junior Heavyweight Title] all over America. Up and down the East Coast. Anyplace you can say, I have been there. I have been with CZW for the last 2 1/2 years because it’s the best and [CZW] has given me the best opportunity to travel and learn. To become a wiser person and a better wrestler.
Josh: With your experience in Japan, do you feel that the Japanese fans are different from American fans?
Trent: The American fans are a lot different, especially in CZW. I believe that the fans are VERY SPOILED!
Josh: Spoiled?
Trent: I think that very bitterly. If bitterly isn’t a word, well it will be now. They are very spoiled and they make you work very hard. A lot different from other crowds that I have wrestled in front of. The Japan crowd, they respect the sport more. Some of the stuff I do in America I can’t get away with in Japan and vice versa. Its two different culture shocks and the people look at it differently in America than they do in Japan. It’s hard to explain unless you actually go. A lot of people I notice in the Indies want to be “Japanese style” wrestlers. Stiff, strong style wrestlers. Yet, they don’t know what stiff and strong style is because they have never been [to Japan]. Its one thing when people go around and say, “I’m stiff, I’m strong, I’m a Japanese style wrestler”. But they have nothing because they have never even been to Japan. It’s a whole different ball game once you go and wrestle and experience it for yourself, than to just say I do it. I see it all the time when people talk about Japan, “Oh I studied tapes. I know this, I know that!” What do they know? They weren’t even there. You can watch as many tapes as you want but you’ll NEVER, in anything in life, WILL NEVER EVER learn anything unless you experience it for yourself.
Josh: So then I take it your experience in Japan was great?
Trent: Wrestling in Japan was great. I got a chance to work with some great people: Kanemura, the Winger, who I’ve become good friends with…
Josh: Men’s Teioh.
Trent: Yea, I did have a few matches with him that went very well. It was funny when I first wrestled Men’s Teioh. I was under the impression that he was a different style wrestler. So, I went into the match thinking a little differently than I probably should’ve, so I underestimated the guy and he beat me the first time we met. It was a good experience I have to say.
Josh: And you don’t speak a lot of Japanese.
Trent: Sukoshi.
Josh: Right, sukoshi. So does that make it hard when you wrestle someone who speaks a different language?
Trent: Well wrestling is universal and when you wrestle, there are just some things when you are trained PROPERLY, and I stress that. When you are trained properly and know what to do, wrestling is universal. You can communicate with guys in different ways. Of course you learn some things more along the way and there are some things you can and can’t do to the extent of the language barrier but other than that, we decided to pull it off. Of course, the more you go [to Japan], the more you adapt and you learn guy’s styles. THEN, you watch tapes and THEN you see what’s going out there. Its like I said, it’s a whole different world out there. Unless you go there, people, unless you go, anyone can be any Japanese superstar you want. I am a Japanese superstar. I have a title to prove it. I’ve been in magazines, and I’ve been there 11 times. SO, I can say I am a JAPANESE style wrestler.
Josh: Do you think CZW is going to be…
Trent: Hey, this is a long interview. Am I getting paid for this?
Josh: No.
Trent: Shit.
Josh: I’m sorry.
Trent: That’s OK.
Josh: Anyway, do you think CZW may become the next big thing to compete with the WWE?
Trent: I believe, it’s not a competitor, because you just cannot touch Vince McMahon. The guy’s a genius. Anyone can say anything about him, but as far as Independent wrestling and making good money and giving guys a good place to work and getting good exposure to elevate them to the next level, then yes. I do believe CZW is in the best position of anyplace, anywhere, that you can get a chance. It is a threat to a lot of people because it’s new and there are a lot of young guys that no one has ever heard of. Yea, they talk about their weedwackers and their hardcore shit but hey, we are living in the year 2002 and we got to keep inventing stuff. Hey, I never experienced getting hit with a weedwacker because that’s not my style. But, there are a lot of great wrestlers and it sucks that a lot of bitter idiots put a bad reputation on CZW just because of some things. They ignore all of the talent that is there. You want to talk about great people with some class, the real human beings that are very good at what they do. That’s why they excel. That is why all the fans choose CZW as the best of the Indies. That is why I choose CZW as the best Indy out there. Hey, I don’t attach myself to shit. While out here in the Independents for however long, for whatever, for as long as CZW is around, I’m going to do my best to help and get the name out there. I’m going to work my hardest to my ability and make my name as well.
Josh: Five years from now, where would you like to see Trent Acid?
Trent: Realistically, why did I get into wrestling? Who did I tell you earlier that I was watching? I was watching WWF and NWA. Now, if there is any wrestler out there who tells you differently, I will Yakuza Kick them myself. It will be foolish to say, “No, I don’t want to go to the WWE. That’s not my goal”. But yes, that is my goal.
Messiah: You guys are still out here?
Trent: Yes, I’m still out here, Messiah. That is a goal of mine and I would love to see myself [in the WWE] in a couple of years. But hey, that’s just the way life works out. If I’m not meant to be on TV every week for the WWE, then that is not what I am meant to do in my life, and Trent Acid moves on and conquers something else. I’m 21 years old and I have to say since I was 14 when I started, I’ve been to Japan, went all around the world, won titles, got good exposure, and made really good money. So far, the wresting business has been really good to me. I’m not bitter. Once I do get bitter, then maybe it will be time for me to leave. But I’m here for the long run unless, God forbid, something bad happens to me, but I don’t think B-Boy would like that to happen.
B-Boy is staring at Trent with a look of shock.
B-Boy: Not Trent!
Josh: Thanks Trent.
Trent: Don’t mention it.
