CBS Cleveland WOIO-TV entertainment reporter Chris Van Vliet spoke with Christopher Daniels yesterday before AIW’s “Failure By Design” show in Cleveland, OH. You can watch the interview above and read some highlights below:
Leaving TNA:
“It wasn’t a decision that I made. They decided that once my contract expired they weren’t going to renew and they decided to go in a different direction with their talent roster so it left me in the position of looking for a new home. They made mention that if circumstances changed, I was welcome back in TNA but at the same time I feel like letting me leave makes me think that they aren’t interested in using me. And I don’t want to work for a company that is not fully invested in working with me. I don’t need charity, I’m still one of the top workers in the world and if they’re not interested in using me then I’m not really interested in putting 100% of my time into them. Ring of Honor, however, has decided to go 100% in my direction and I feel that if a company is 100% devoted to working with me, they will get 100% of my focus and time and energy and that’s how I feel about Ring of Honor at this point.”
When he plans to retire:
“Well I’ll probably pass away in the ring. So that will probably be a decision that I won’t actually make as much as it will be made for me. I always said that if I couldn’t perform at the top level or if I wasn’t having fun anymore I was going to get out. And despite whatever hardships I had whether it was with TNA or on the independent scene or wherever I was still having fun. Once the bell rang and the actual match started I was still having fun.”
TNA’s current situation with Spike TV:
“I heard the news and I think it’s still sort of in negotiations. As someone who has a lot of friends in TNA I certainly hope that something gets resolved in their benefit as soon as possible. It’s never good when any company closes down, especially one that has been as proficient as TNA — a nationally televised show, a touring company and Pay-Per-Views. If that goes away the ability to earn a living goes away for a lot of guys. I’m certainly not rooting for them to fail. I want them to do well even though I’m not there anymore.”
