1. Well for the benefit of fans who don't follow the indy scene, can you give them a good idea of who "Low Life" Louie Ramos is? 1) Well Lowlife Louie Ramos is 27 years old, born and bred in Sunset Park, Brooklyn NY. I have been wrestling since 1997 ,I was trained by Homicide and Laithon TOT at Arena PR wrestling gym in Brooklyn, and later the well known LIWF Doghouse. I'm a big sports fan of wrestling, boxing, MMA, hockey, football, basketball and baseball.

2. What made you decide to get into the wrestling business and how did you go about getting into it?

I always was a wrestling fan, and always was interested in wrestling, In 1995 I graduated High School, (1 year late mind you) and had a full academic scholarship to go to Duke University. I was following the upstart ECW company, and saw the match that would change my life Ian Rotten vs Axl Rotten (Barbed wire bat Match) that match mesmerized me more than anything. I started looking into the hardcore wrestling scene, and thanks to RF Video, amassed a huge collection of Japanese hardcore tapes: FMW, W*ING, Big Japan, IWA Japan, and Best of Abdullah the Butcher, Cactus Jack, The Sheik, Sabu, Onita, Mr Pogo, Terry Funk, Mr Danger, but Ian and Axl were special as to me they paved the way in the USA to do this, they are pioneers and legends. Especially Ian, who has put IWA on the map. I looked for a school, and all of them were quite expensive, but then I found Arena PR, in a small church in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, and that is where My boys (who at the time included Low'Ki, Monsta Mack, Mace Mendoza and Buff-e) started self training. Homicide and TOT, took a liking to us and helped teach us the right way. Also Benji AKA Suicide, helped out in the early days big ups to him too.

3. What made you decide to get into hardcore wrestling?

I loved Hardcore since I saw Ian vs Axl, and then studied the hardcore greats, all the guys I mentioned before, and I decided that is was the way for me to go everyone else was doing regular wrestling or high flying stuff after learning how to wrestle, I delved into hardcore. That is the biggest misconception, that hardcore guys cant work, and that is BS.

4. You've wrestled for quite a few independent promotions, what have been some of your favorite place to wrestle and why?

My favorite places to work, well of course the LIWF Doghouse, thanks to Bobby Lombadi we had a place to train, and a home. I learned all aspects of the business there: Wrestling, Referee work, booking, running a locker room, and so many non wrestling life lessons, also USAPRO, Frank Goodman is the man in NY, and he has given me a shot to bring back hardcore wrestling to NYC, and he treats everyone great, and I recently worked IWA, and Ian Rotten and the boys over there are great, one of the best locker rooms ever.

5. Who are your favorite wrestlers to work with and why?

Wrestling my trainer Homicide is fun, he brings out the best wrestling in me, working the Christopher St Connection is fun, since they are great and I started with them. Wrestling Ian Rotten is an honor and means the world, he kicks my ass all the time. I have also wrestled many legends like: Abdullah the Butcher, Terry Funk, Balls Mahoney, Axl Rotten, New Jack, Corporal Robinson, wrestling them means a lot because they are pioneers, and I have a match vs Mad Man Pondo lined up. Beating up Johnny Bison Bravado is fun too. I would like to work Necro Butcher, Wifebeater, Mr Insanity Toby Klien and Tank.

6. When you first debuted in pro-wrestling you went by The Jackal, what brought about the name change?

My original name was War Machine, I used the Jackal as an alter ego under a mask so we had more characters on our IWW shows, which we did when we first started training. The Jackal name came from a character from Spanish variety show named El Chakal ( Jackal in Spanish).

7. One of the first places you made a name for yourself was in Jersey All Pro Wrestling, where you traded the Suicide Title back and forth with your trainer Homicide and Jay Lover. Looking back how do you feel about these feuds over the title, and what you feel the best moments of each feuds were?

The Suicidal title was my first major title in the indies. I had picked up titles in the IWW and the WWU, but Fat Frank from JAPW gave me my first big break ,and I thank him. Wrestling Homicide is always great, no matter what style, J Lover on the other hand, I carried many times and don't really want to give him any press.

8. One of your most memorable matches happened in JAPW, that match was the Christmas Tree Death Match. Can you explain what this match was, how came up with the idea, and your feelings on this match?

The Christmas Tree Match is still spoken about to this day, it was a brutal bout. The idea came from Fat Frank and Glen Strange (AKA JAPW booker Ray Sager) it was a classic match, weapons were wrapped in Xmas paper, and a MACHETE was used. I pinned Homicide to win the vacant title that night.

9. In JAPW, during a 1999 show you had a chance to work a steel cage with New Jack, what was it like to work with New Jack?

New Jack is the utmost professional, working him was an honor because I was a big New Jack fan during his ECW days, so being in that situation was surreal, but fun. He beat me good, I worked with him again a few weeks ago for USAPRO and he can still go, this match was even better because I have improved and he still works hard each and every match out.

10. Also in JAPW during 2000 you got a chance to work with The Bad Breed, Ian and Axl Rotten, and in fact you acquired a victory over Ian Rotten. What was it like for you to get to work with two hardcore legends?

Teaming with Homicide to wrestle the Bad Breed was awesome, it was a dream match of mine since I was training, it was an overwhelming experience, but fun. I actually hold a victory over Ian in JAPW on April 2000, Ian is the man, and I owe him a lot for that in. At the time is was and still is my biggest win ever.

11. What are your feelings on New Jersey banning hardcore wrestling?

I only got one thing to say, F*%$ Christine Whitman, Bayonne Mayor Doria and all that oppose hardcore in NJ.

12. Do you think hardcore wrestling has an unfair negative stereotype attached to it?

Hell yeah it has a stereotype, that guys that do hardcore can't work, Terry Funk is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, yet he is now remembered for his hardcore matches. Who is gonna say Funk can't wrestle? All of us Hardcore guys learn wrestling first, then we go the hardcore way, no one put a gun to my head and said do hardcore.

13. You are considered to be one of the best hardcore wrestlers on the independent circuit, and in fact you worked CZW's Extreme 8 show, which featured several of the top independent hardcore wrestlers from both CZW, but IWA Mid South as well. How did you become involved in this show, and how did it feel for you to be included in it?

Working for CZW that day was great, and I got a chance to wrestle my inspiration, Ian Rotten, that was a rough match. CZW was a good experience, but nothing like IWA ,if you watch that show, the IWA boys are the ones who steal the show.

14. You worked IWA Mid-South's 2004 King of the Death Match Tournament. How do you think this show compared to the standard that IWA's past tournaments have set?

I was blessed and honored with the opportunity to do IWA KOTDM, it was a great show that rivaled all the other ones. Each tourney is different year in and year out, I just hope people remember this one. It was 2 great nights, and at the end, a super deserving person in Corporal Robinson won the tourney, big ups to him, what a performance I hope that this was not the last one like it has been rumored, I hope there are more to come.

15. There have been both good and bad death match tournaments. In your opinion what goes into making a good death match tournament? Is it the gimmicks, the match-ups, etc?

A good death match is just two guys going out there and giving their all. The only thing that can ruin a death match is when one of the parties involved does not give 100 percent. Each match is unique as the gimmick it carries, its up to the guys doing it to put the gimmick they are using over and have a good ,bloody match

16. You've innovated lots of crazy spots for your death matches such as having a board covered in light tubes spelling out your name, stapling a condom to a valets head during your death match with Danny Yams for USA Pro, etc. How do you come up with ideas to use for death matches?

I want to be original, that is why I come up with zany spots. I have stapled the "used" condom on two people JC The Damager and Penny Dreadful. I have spent 3 hrs making tubes to spell my name, or my opponents name, and I have even brought out a 14inch dildo to the ring, I always want to do new things.

17. You've been involved in unique death matches like the Christmas Tree Death Match for JAPW and the Handicap Nightmare on Elm Street Death Match versus the Elm Street Kids for USA Pro, do you have a favorite type of gimmick match that you've enjoyed watching/working in?

I love the Barbed wire bat match, because its a classic death match and it is the one that inspired me. I will use any gimmick, any match, my faves are the Staple gun match and the Thumbtack bat match.

18. What do you feel has been your best match thus far?

My best hardcore match was either vs Homicide, Terry Funk or Ian Rotten. As far as my best technical match I have two, one vs Homicide, and one vs Grim Reefer, and honorable mention to a match vs Venom ( now known as KC Blade from the DRS tag team) it was his pro debut and it was a solid old school bout.

19. You've worked both singles and tag matches in the past, which do your prefer?

I tag teamed with Grim Reefer, and had a great time. I have also teamed with Mace Mendoza ( who is now Mace from Chiristopher St Connection). I like tag, but doing a single death match, 1 vs 1 is always best.

20. Any funny or amusing stories you'd like to share?

Just traveling with the boys, and hanging out is my fun, but the funniest thing that ever happened to me was that I tried to use the Dildo vs the Elm St Kidz, but it backfired, and they wound up sticking the dildo in mouth, much to my shagrin, it also backfired vs Corp Robinson.

21. How can the fans keep up with your career?

Just keep following USAPRO wrestling, its my home fed, and I do steady work for UWA in NJ. I hope to be brought back to the IWA to do more stuff for them, other than that, just follow indy wrestling as a whole.

22. Any last plugs you want to throw out?

Go to DECLARATIONOFINDEPENDENTS.net. I work for that site from time to time, I also host their hotline at 718 707 1014, visit PWBTS.com, Wrestling-news.com, USAPROWRESTLING.net, UWA/NJ.cjb.net and Elmstreetkids.tk. Big shout outs to my Moms, Rosa, my girlfriend Angela, Homicide, Mace, Buffe, TOT, Low Ki, Steve Mack. Master Goodman, Bobby Lombardi , Ian Rotten, Balls Mahoney, Grim Reefer, Dan Maff, THE ESK FAM, and last but not least my brother, the Late Psycho Ric Ramos, who was my biggest fan and I dedicated my career to, I know my brother watches my matches from up above, much love to all of you, thanks for the interview.......

by Larz Richards.