Thanks to Mike Informer for this article in the ChronicleLive:

Interview: Santino Marella, WWE

Nov 7 2008 by Gordon Barr, Evening Chronicle

He’s the WWE intercontinental champion and he means business. Entertainment Editor GORDON BARR grapples with ring star Santino Marella

“NEWCASTLE is a great party town, so maybe we will hit a pub or go to a nightclub,” says Santino Marella.

He is gearing up for another bout at the Metro Radio Arena next week, but has not ruled out enjoying the Toon afterwards with his fellow Raw WWE stars.

“We don’t plan because we like to be a little bit spontaneous,” he says. “Sometimes it depends on what the body says. For example if you have a sore back, stay inside the hotel, relax and get a massage because you have to fight again.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to party, though.”

The guys like to follow a routine in the build up to events. “I like to train constantly because I’m getting a little bit older so if I don’t it’s very easy for me to get a little belly,” he reveals.

“Generally, we fly into a place, we get our car and look in the GPS for a gym.

“Then we will go and eat something healthy before stopping off at a tanning salon. After that, we go to the show and then we’ll see what happens.”

At 29, Santino is enjoying his reign as intercontinental champion. When we chat he is into the 11th week of his reign.

“I want to beat the current record of 64 weeks and then I will be in the record books as the greatest intercontinental champion of all time.

“I love the way that sounds!”

Santino may be a toughie in the ring, but outside of it he is amiable, chatty and not afraid of his celebrity – even in the gym.

“People come up, but they are not rude,” he explains.

“It’s funny because everybody responds differently.

“Some people come up and talk, some people panic and some just stare from across the gym for the whole workout!

“The British fans and I have a very special relationship, more so than fans from any other country, as they appreciate Santino Marella to the fullest.

“They appreciate the combination of comedy and athleticism, theatrics, body language and also the classic wrestling.

“In other countries, the kids just want to see some moves or they want to see the good guys.

“Some places are violent, they want to see blood and they want to see beatings.”

I ask him why he thinks WWE is so popular and how be got into wrestling in the first place.

“It is like an action movie, a comedy movie, a horror movie – so many different emotions that our entertain-ment can hit on.

“It can make you laugh, cry or wonder what’s going on. It is unusual that you can have so many emotions in one show,” he says.

“I’ve been doing grappling for 25 years. When I was a little child I did judo and then I did wrestling in high school and university.

“At university there was one guy on my team whose father was in WWF. I asked if he could train me and now here we are.”

Santino also has some tips for youngsters thinking of following suit, but he stresses it is not an easy job.

“First of all it requires discipline. Anyone can go have a match, but not everyone will be prepared to have a match.

“You have to train, start exercising every single day. And it’s not just your body – you have to learn wrestling in your mind.

“You have to know what to do and you have to develop your skills mentally as well as having your body conditioned.

“Then, when you have learned all that, you have to leave your family and go on the road.

“It means you are by yourself and have to spend hours and hours on the road driving to the next show.

“After that, it’s off to the next show. Wrestling is a never-ending circuit.

“It is difficult, but if you are born to do this it’s perfect.”

WWE Raw is at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle on Wednesday next week.