Mike Orlando (‘The Green Machine’) Discusses Character Evolution, What He’s Learned & More

Independent wrestling star, ‘The Elite Athlete’ Mike Orlando recently took some time out of his busy schedule to participate in an interview with me. In the interview, Orlando opens up about how his character has evolved, the code that exists amongst talent and his initial WWE Performance training experience. He discusses his future, his passion for the sport and how he takes great pride in the championships that he holds. Check out excerpts of the interview below and the interview in its entirety here.

On the crowd’s reaction after working a match with Sami Callahan:

For example, I had power bombed somebody and everybody oohs and ahhs, and everyone gets that reaction. I never heard anybody on their feet the whole time like that was. I remember going to this corkscrew, almost hesitated, but I didn’t and it was the craziest thing I had done in my career. Everyone popped and it was awesome, and everyone went for the finishes and everyone was happy with it. We went to the back and he gave me his information. Here, I am just going to a seminar, and here I am at the end of my night talking with Sami Callahan and I am wrestling with him. That is something that really stands out in my career. It was one of these Oh My God moments for me.

On what he has learned from the business to date:

…As far as learning, it’s like anything else. Remember when your Mom would say don’t touch the stove it’s hot, it’s hot, it’s hot? Then all of a sudden you go ahead and touch it and say ‘ouch,’ you burned yourself because it was hot. It wasn’t hot because your Mom said it was hot. But you touched it, and not because you didn’t believe your Mom. It’s like that with wrestling; you go out there and you think you know everything and you meet these guys in better positions and they kind of give you advice and you act, ‘Oh, what does he know?’ That’s not what I want to do. You have your input and you try to act a certain way, and then you go out there and something completely blows up in your face. Or you think you are going to be the babyface and you try to react and everyone boos the sh** out of you, and now you are the heel and you have to react out there. It is kind of like a learning process, and going through the motions, and trying to go through it.

Regarding the incident at Triplemania:

…Miscommunication happens, and that’s one thing. But to deliberately try to hurt someone is one of the lowest acts for anyone to do, and it makes you a coward. I say you handle it to someone’s face, and you handle it like a professional. Don’t handle it the way it was. We are supposed to be a brotherhood. Everybody should know the trust can’t be broken, and if it is broken you address it in the back…

You can check out the interview in its entirety right here.