Interview with New IZW Impact Division Champion Damien Morte

“I belong in the ring and only the ring.”

Damien Morte is a puzzle, a mystery, a paradox.  A riddle that has no answer.  The newly crowned Impact Division Champion, Morte, is a wrestler that’s hard to get a read on.  And that’s just the way he likes it.  For most of his IZW career, Morte has been one half of the famed tag team, Nemesis, with former partner Rage Logan.  Together the two are two-time IZW Tag Team Champions.  But for the last month, Morte has bulldozed through the competition as a singles wrestler and is coming off the biggest back to back wins of his career.  Defeating Jordan “Lights Out” Jacobs for the Impact Division title on the August 4 edition of IZW TV where the two put on a grappling clinic and defeating Logan in a Falls Count Anywhere Match at “Evolution” in July where Morte and Logan both went through hell and back taking years off of each other’s careers in the process.  Very few wrestlers can match Morte’s anger in the ring and as you’ll find out, that anger and aggression has been a constant in Morte’s life.

It was one of the most anti-establishment feuds ever in the history of the wrestling business that spawned the desire for the young Morte to dedicate his life to the sport, art and craft of professional wrestling.  “I had been a fan of wrestling since I was about eight or nine years old. It was around the start of the ‘Austin VS McMahon’ feud that made me decide that I was going to be a pro wrestler,” Morte said.

But it was a dream that took years to realize and in the meantime, Morte lived life and found other outlets for his “colorful” antics.  “Unfortunately, for me at the time my school did not have a pro wrestling program, [laughs], so I got into basketball. I played basketball for four or five years and I loved it. I had a good time with all of my buddies out on the court. Plus, to this day I’m still the only kid from Nicoma Park to be kicked off the court for fighting with someone from the other team. I think that’s pretty bad ass,” Morte chuckled. 

Timing is everything.  Everybody’s heard it and it’s a phrase tossed around all the time and can be the difference between a life changing event and continuing with the status quo.  Morte had one of these happenstance moments while killing time at a big-box store.  “It was February of 2004, and I was waiting in layaway at the Yukon Wal-Mart when I met a man that would change my life. His name was Rage Logan and we just started kicking it and doing what most 18 year old guys do. We were sitting down one day and I looked over at him and asked ‘Do you watch wrestling?’ He looked at me and just smiled. Little did I know at the time, Rage had been in the business for about three years, if I’m not mistaken, and after I found that out it was on,” Morte exclaimed.

Folks familiar with IZW know of the strong bond shared at one time by Morte and Logan.  But very few know how instrumental Logan was in bringing Morte into the business that both have dominated at one time as one of the most promising tag teams on the circuit.

“I was trained by Rage Logan and a great man and wrestler by the name of Korvin Sage. I did have some help from other guys in the business, but Rage and Sage really made me into the man you see out in the ring today.  After about a year and a half of training, this was in 2006, I was able and proud to be called a greenhorn,” Morte commented.

Standing 6’1” and weighing in around 175 lb, there’s not a lot of extra padding on Morte’s frame to take the heavy bumps and falls that go along with his destructive approach.  Although he’s as tough as anyone and able to withstand the rigors of pro wrestling at its highest level in IZW, Morte still has the battle scars to show just how physical his style of wrestling is.  “Every time you step foot in the ring it’s a challenge. No true pro wrestler is ever feeling 100%. I’ve broken my collar bone, broken my middle finger, had surgery on my right shoulder, dislocated my left shoulder more times than I can count and have had more than my share of  concussions. Not to mention several instances of heavy blood loss, hearing loss in my right ear and bone chips in my right elbow.  Just another day in the office!”

Since 2006, Morte has wrestled for numerous wrestling promotions, but to hear him tell it there’s only one organization that is even worth mentioning.  “What is the past? Well it’s just that…the past. Who really cares what small time shows I’ve worked for in the past? I was there just to pay my dues and earn my spot in the one fed in this part of the country that matters.  I work for the greatest pro wrestling company in the world, IZW!  It’s a fact that there are no independent feds that can come close to touching IZW. IZW’s future is going to be huge, I mean the things this company is doing is just scary huge.”

The fact that Morte’s matches along with everything else in IZW can now be streamed live across the globe every Saturday via GFL.tv also carries weight for the company and makes the promotion leave other groups in the dust.  “Now true fans of pro wrestling from all over the world can get their fill of the best pro wrestling with the help of GFL.tv.  Now instead of people watching something like the WWE or TNA they can log on to GFL.tv and watch the best of the best compete in IZW,” Morte added.

With his big victory on the August 4 edition of IZW TV on GFL.tv and winning the Impact Division Title against Jordan “Lights Out” Jacobs and the equally impressive victory against less than a month earlier at “Evolution” against Rage Logan in a Falls Count Anywhere Match, Morte has finally hit his stride in IZW and it’s only natural to continue to expect big things at “Redemption” on September 15, IZW’s next iPPV.

As far as how Morte views himself in light of the body of work he has amassed in IZW, being the current Impact Division Champion and 2X Tag Team Champion, he continues to focus on what’s ahead and where the next challenge will come from and leaves the critiques and assessments of his performances to the only people that matter to him.  “I’ll let my fans across the world answer that one.”

In the end, Damien Morte remains a conundrum wrapped in an enigma.  “Always, and I mean always, remember that the only true thing you’ll ever know about Damien Morte is…….and that’s all you’ll ever know.”