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Marty Scurll Explains Who ‘The Villain’ Is, Talks Daniel Bryan’s Influence and More

December 21, 2016 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
Marty Scurll

– Marty Scurll spoke with Sports Illustrated for a new interview. Highlights are below:

On who “The Villain” is: “Wrestling has been built, for many, many years, as the good guy versus the bad. That’s how wrestling has worked forever. But I am ‘The Villain,’ and I am not defined by whether you like me or don’t like me. I’m a man obsessed with cheating, a man who doesn’t mind cutting corners, I’m a man who will do anything it takes to win the match. I am sick—people chant ‘Sick!’ at me. I am malicious, I am vindictive—that’s just the way I am. I spent my whole life getting knocked back, getting treated like crap, and now everyone wonders why I’m an a–hole. What you see is what you get. Do I have a chip on my shoulder? Absolutely. I’m here to prove to everyone that I’m the best wrestler in the world and that I can revolutionize this business. So when you look at ‘The Villain,’ that’s who I am and what you see is what you get.”

On being influenced by Daniel Bryan early on in his career: “‘The Villain’ doesn’t really have any heroes, as such, but as someone I looked up to more than anyone else and was influenced by, it was the ‘American Dragon’ Bryan Danielson. Daniel Bryan is the reason I wanted to come to Ring of Honor. I watched all those years and saw his body of work in Ring of Honor, and it appealed to me so much. I was just in awe of his work. For me, he’s the best wrestler of all time. I wanted to follow in his first footsteps in order for me to become the best wrestler in the world and the best wrestler of all time. People might laugh at that, but I believe I can do it, and that’s why I’ve come to Ring of Honor. I’d love to follow in Bryan Danielson’s footsteps in Ring of Honor and go even further, then get knighted by the queen, which I shall do.”

On why he uses the crossface chicken wing: “Ironically, Bob Backlund did sign me the rights to the chicken wing. My actual influence for the chicken wing came from the British wrestlers from the 70s and 80s, guys like Marty Jones and Johnny Kidd, even Norman Smiley in WCW. That’s where I learned the hold, the chicken wing, but just like everything else I do, I made it mean ten times more than it did. The chicken wing hadn’t been done in twenty years, but now it means so much more. It’s the most effective move in British wrestling, and it’s not some flip – it’s a submission hold.”