Ryder: This is Bob Ryder, with Dave Scherer, we're at the ECW Arena just after the end of the show, on the 19th of December, we've got Shane Douglas, the ECW World Champion. We're gonna ask Shane a few questions, we're gonna get him on record about some of the rumors that have been going around on the Internet and other places. Best way to start, Shane, a bunch of rumors you might be leaving the company, what do you have to say to that?

Douglas: If I had a dollar for everytime, and every rumor that's been out there about me and Candido going back to the WWF, me going to WWF, me going to WCW, I'd be a wealthy man. I can tell you this, I am extremely happy, no pun intended, here in ECW. Unless somebody else, one of the other companies is gonna make me an offer, that I can't refuse. And put it this way, When I talk about money I can't refuse, I'm talking about in the same atmosphere as Bret Hart, the same atmosphere as Hulk Hogan, cause I'll draw them as much money if not more, if played the right way, and the character not being gimmicked as the Dean was. Allow me to be a franchise, and I'll draw somebody money. Those places aren't going to allow a loose cannon like me to go in there and do what I can do best. I am best fitted for ECW and I'm gonna tell you point blank, on the record, as straight up and on my father's grave, truthful as I can be, ECW is the only organization I have ever worked for that has treated me right, they've paid me fairly, they've given me ample opportunity to ply my trade. They have never, and I know this will come with some snickers from many corners, Paul Heyman has never lied to me on substantial issues. Yeah, "I'll call you back in five minutes" and I hear from him the next day, but when it comes to, I am gonna pay you this much money, I'm going to make you the main event on this Pay-per view, I'm going to make you this kind of a central themed character, I will make you a franchise, on every above noted promise, Paul Heyman has come through, Eric Bischoff cannot say that, WCW can't say that, on any time that I've worked with them. Vince McMahon couldn't say it, even lying, as big a liar as he is, with a straight face. No other company has treated me as fairly as ECW. I'm going nowhere.

Ryder: Shane, other people in ECW have left in recent weeks. You've had of course, Mikey Whipwreck and the Blue Meanie are the most recent. The rumors are that there are other people that are talking about leaving. Bam Bam Bigelow, of course, part of the Triple Threat is gone, Chris Candido had put some things up on the Internet, that stirred up a lot of interest in recent weeks. What's the status of the triple threat, and what do you think Chris Candido's got in his mind, where is he going?

Shane: I've spoken, with Chris, very briefly, last night for the first time since all this hit, With the Japanese trip, and his grandmother and the coast of Spain and everything else. Chris' mind set is, he hasn't made up his mind, is the best I can tell from gauging, what he's told me. The Triple Threat remains intact. The Triple Threat is always in a state of flux. It started off with Benoit and Malenko. It's always stood for a symbol of excellence, no pun intended again. There are plenty, of amply gifted wrestlers here in ECW that can easily fit in to a triple threat type mode. There are other wrestlers out their on the market that could fit in. The triple threat is going to remain central to ECW's storylines. Let's face it, it has name value, and Paul Heyman won't let that slip away. As long as Shane Douglas is here, there will be a triple threat. As far as the overall question of people leaving, I can say this: The Denver Broncos that won the Superbowl last year are not the same team this year. They made changes. I didn't see all kind of postings on the Internet that "My god, the Denver Broncos are folding by June, the Denver Broncos are done, the Denver Broncos are moving out of Denver, all the "sky is falling", all the chicken littles. This is another ruse by Eric Bischoff. When I first came back here, from WWF, the first rumor, within weeks of me being back here, was I signed a contract with WCW, a six month contract, and was leaving shortly. This has been a constant game by Eric Bischoff. A little advice for the guy. I don't know him personally, except as an announcer, whenever I was there before. Start worrying about your own product and maybe you won't be number two in the ratings. Stop worrying about ECW. There is a big enough market slice out there for everybody. Eric, you are not going to get the ECW hardcore fans to come your product. It's like trying to get the local catholic priest to come down to the whorehouse. It's just not gonna happen. Eric Bischoff is not going to get the hardcore fans to come, no matter how hard he plays to them. No matter how hard he says he's gonna piss on ECW's grave. Remember the old story in "A Christmas Carol" and what he sees in the ghost of Christmas Future, is his own death. Eric Bischoff better be more concerned with Eric Bischoff and WCW and he'll do fine. ECW's around to stay, we have a new management team put in place. Let me once and for all quell all these rumors of "ECW is folding", We have a substantial management team put in place, one of the greatest things, I'm happy to report here, and I don't know if he wants me to say this or not, Paul Heyman has been released from the everyday workings of ECW. Paul Heyman has been released creatively to be a booker, to be a producer of the television show, to come up with creative ideas to keep the Pay Per Views hot, to keep the characters fresh. No longer does Paul Heyman have to worry about balancing a checkbook, which god knows he cannot do. He can't. He's not a businessman, so he's been relieved of that. That gives me great relief, because now I know that there's a central team been put in place to manage this company. The company has now grown beyond the boundaries of being able to be a Mom-and-pop type of organization, we're well beyond that. Our growth, and you know this and our fans know this, our growth has been unprecedented in the last several years. If we're suffering from anything, it's growing pains. The rumors are completely false, this company is not folding. There is substantial interest out their for ECW and continues to be. Again, our problem is trying to keep up with all the growth.

Ryder: You've been critical in the past about Ric Flair and others of that caliber, that maybe hung on a little bit too long. You've said that Ric Flair didn't really take care of the younger guys coming up, didn't give them the opportunity. You're at a stage in your career where you've had some injuries lately. You've got a cast on your arm right now. You're I guess, at the twilight of your career maybe, as far as you've said in the past. How long do you plan to go?

Shane: That's a great question. And believe me, I've legitimately asked myself this question nightly. I mean, I've spoken it over with my close friends, my family, It runs through my mind constantly. Because, I want to be very cautious to make sure that I don't become hypocritical in the things that I've said in the past. I had a match tonight with Lance Storm that I thought was a very good match, and I know that I've got better in me. The better days of Shane Douglas are not behind me, they're ahead. But, what we have done here in ECW, is we're into uncharted territory. I mean, 20 years ago, 30 years ago, you could grab an armbar and hold it for twenty minutes and the fans stayed into the match. God, if you do that today for 20 seconds, you know this, everybody that I'm talking to right now listening to this, is aware of this, You can't do it today. So today, instead of laying in something a little slug....I'll put it to you this way. Dominic DeNucci, who trained me, came to ECW in Pittsburgh, and he was amazed at what he saw. He laughed, he couldn't believe that we were doing exactly what we did. The old-timers, even Terry Funk tells us this, what we're doing today is unprecedented to the overall, nightly mode that this industry is used to. After a four day loop here in ECW, the guys are half-beaten to death, they can't really make it to five or six. So, at 35 years old, I think I'm probably where Flair was at 45. So, every night, I try to make sure I gauge to make sure that I don't have a down match. This year was a terrible year for me with injuries. 17 years in the sport and the first 11 had two broken bones, a broken hand, a broken foot, and some sprains and some contusions. But, in this last year, my god, the litany of injuries has been ridiculous almost to the point of me thinking someone had a voodoo doll or something. But I can tell you, the elbow was the worst, the fractured wrist right now is very minor. I've had lots of fractured bones in my life from riding motorcycles and playing football and wrestling, and this certainly is not going to be a career ender. But I will be the first, I just signed a deal with Paul Heyman that takes me through to 40 years old, I just turned 35. If I make 40 years old, I don't want people to remember Shane Douglas' greatest match as being from five years ago, somebody saying "Boy, remember five years ago in the ECW Arena I saw him against Lance Storm or John Doe or whoever, and it was a great match, but tonight he's a shell of himself, which is what the big criticism of Ric Flair is. I mean, I remember when Ric Flair was the measuring stick in this business. Kudos to the guy. I personally dislike him, but I take my hat off to the guy, he certainly set the standard here, through the early 80's to mid 80's in this sport, but he simply is not what he used to be. He should have stepped aside. It was appalling to see Muhammad Ali get knocked through the ropes by Holmes. And it was appalling to see Ric Flair climb into the ring, and have Hulk Hogan shove a bandana into his mouth. I mean, come on, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair? To me, that's like God vs. some amateur someplace. I think Flair would have been much better served to take the Vader match, as being his last match, step aside, feed off what he knows, his vast knowledge of the sport, to the younger talent that was there. Brian Pillman, Shane Douglas, Johnny Ace, Tom Zenk, Brad Armstrong, god almighty, the list of names popping into my head, that were there at that time, that could have legitimately been taught by one of the greatest of all time, if not the greatest of all time. He well overstayed his welcome in this business, in my opinion.