Kenny King Talks Supercard of Honor Match Vs. Silas Young, Nick Bockwinkel, WWE Promos

Via Chris Featherstone:

Ring of Honor World Television Champion Kenny King was a guest on the Pancakes and Powerslams Show to promote the ROH Supercard of Honor show scheduled for April 7 at the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, LA. Bell time is 7:30pm CDT, and the pre-show starts at 6:30.

Here are some highlights of the interview:

How Nick Bockwinkel was instrumental in developing his character:

“I’ve always been a performer. I acted on television shows and plays and stuff like that before, but it is definitely different to cut up a promo then it is to perform a monologue. I would say the biggest influence that I had into honing one skill into the next and making it so that the skill that I had [was] utilized the correct way in professional wrestling was [training] with Nick Bockwinkel very early on in my career. Nick Bockwinkel was the promo guy. He would teach promo classes, and Nick was a taskmaster, he didn’t play any games when it came to promo time.

“Nick would always say, if they give you a microphone on their television show, then they’re giving you money. And whatever you do with that money is gonna determine how much of that money that you get to keep. If you get on that mic and you ramble on, and you’re not clear and concise first and foremost, then people’s attention span isn’t long enough to get around to hear what you gotta say… and [your promo is] why people buy tickets. And Nick Bockwinkel was very instrumental in me understanding how a wrestling promo and how a wrestling character is supposed to do the things they’re supposed to do to get people interested.”

If promos and characters are a lost art:

“I think the only place where it is a lost art is in WWE. I feel like that is because they don’t – you’ll never see another Austin 3:16, that promo, or guys that are pushing themselves and finding themselves, because they want to script every word that you say. And that’s not how you breed the creativity that it took to find a ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin from a ringmaster, or to find a Rock from a Rocky Maivia. You have to evolve and grow, and you have to sink or swim in your own character. So, I believe there, you’re not gonna find anybody, unless they give you [something]. A guy like Kevin [Owens], they know Kevin can go and talk. So, as much as they probably hamstring Kevin, they know that Kevin’s biggest strength is to let him be himself and be creative. So, you’re not gonna find anybody who comes up from that system there, reinventing the wheel.

“But, other places where the guys have more freedom, you have the freedom in Ring of Honor… to create your own presentation, your own package, and to present the package the way that you want. And that’s how you ensure your own success, because you have the ability to. No one could say, ‘That’s not what I would have done,’ or ‘That’s not what I would have said,’ because they have the freedom to do so. So, that is what I feel creates those kind of moments, and what makes [ROH] exciting because you never know what you’re gonna hear or say.”

Message for Silas Young:

“This is actually my first Last Man Standing match, and I called for it. Because, at some point, enough’s enough. And at some point, there has to come a climax, there has to come a point of no return, and we’re there. We’re at it. Silas and I have been going at it for a long time, and it’s almost bigger than the title at this point… Silas Young is a very tough man, but, the fact is, it’s my time. I’m wrestling better than I ever wrestled. I’m in as good of shape as I was when I was 22 years old and I’m 36.

“I’m destiny’s child at this point, and I think the only way for me to make Silas – and a lot of people in the ROH fanbase – understand that, is to beat this dude at his own game. And that means we’re gonna go out there, it’s not a wrestling match. I’m not sure if I’m gonna even where boots. It’s just one of those things were we’re gonna have to knuckle up, and whoever is left standing is gonna be Ring or Honor World Television Champion.”

Full interview here