Kage will face "Metalhead" Steve Stone in a first-round match of a tournament that eventually will crown an NWA Indiana champion. Kage answers some questions - via email - from Chicagowrestling.com's Al Lagattolla about his very busy 2004, his past, his future, his name and his goals.

AL: You are in a tournament for the Indiana State title tournament for NWA Midwest against Steve Stone. I'm sure you have faced Stone before, what can fans expect at the show? What would it mean to win that title?

KAGE: I have faced Steve once before for MSPW and I think we had a pretty good match. Everyone seemed to be pretty happy with it. He is easy to work with so I'm sure we will have fun. As far as what to expect from the show, I know that Ed Chuman and all involved in NWA Midwest are planning on making this fed different than the other feds in the area. Ed has the connection to TNA and I believe plans on bringing in some of their talent for these shows down the line, which can only help the Chicago scene. As far as the title, I think it always would be nice to win a title. An NWA title would be even nicer.

AL: You've had a busy last few months, working in a few places. What is the goal in 2004? How would you say the year has gone for you?

KAGE: So far this year has been really good. In January, I got to do the Xplosion show for TNA. In February I got to wrestle Ace Steel at RCW. I got to have a few matches against Eric Priest the past few months. When you get to wrestle guys like Ace, Priest, Elix Skipper, that really gives you a lot of knowledge. It's something that I believe can elevate you as a wrestler if you want to learn. Those guys have been all over. They can teach you. My goal in 2004 is to keep on wrestling guys that I haven't worked before and that can teach me things that I don't know. Otherwise, I wouldn't be really moving up.

AL: Your name gets tossed around a lot as one of the real promising guys in the region. Does that mean anything to you?

KAGE: I'd be lying if I said it didn't. In life, some people say good things about you and some people say bad. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and they can say whatever they want to, you know. I am appreciative that those who have come to see me work have enjoyed themselves and I hope that I can only get better and continue entertaining people.

AL: Did it hurt your progress when MCW stopped running last year, or were you able to find enough places to keep working?

KAGE: That's kind of a tough question. When me and Mike Matthews debuted in May of 2002 for MCW, we had only been training for about 4 months. We learned faster than most in our class sothey put us out there to get the experience in front of people. This was good for us because you have to know what it's like to work in the ring. Then in Mike's 4th and 5th matches, he was working guys like Chris Chetti and Amazing Red. In my 4th and 5th matches, I was working Amazing Red and BJ Whitmer. Those matches were probably some of the best things that could have happened to us because they really taught us what it was like to have a match like that at such a young age. However, like 2 months later MCW went on hiatus, Jayson Reign retired, and Eric Priest came in. It all happened at the same time, actually at the same show. MCW was such a great place to learn. I really believe that (Brian) Zenner could have made that place into the type of fed ROH has if he had wanted to. He had the talent there. As far as getting work after MCW shut down, I took about 6 months off to continue my training under Eric Priest. He taught me all about psychology and I started getting more comfortable in the ring. This time off was needed. When I was out there wrestling for MCW, I knew what I was doing but didnt have a good grasp on psychology and that's the most important. I took the time off, learned, and when I was ready, I started working for a bunch of different places.

AL: I know MSPW became kind of a home base for a lot of the guys, and how has that worked out? It seems very closely related to NWA Midwest, and it seems the quality of their shows is improving. How do you like working there, and where do you see them going?

KAGE: MSPW is definitely a family atmosphere. We all are close friends so the shows are so fun. I really look forward to working there. The locker room is so fun, and everyone has a say in what goes down at the shows. The main people there listen to all opinions and I think that's how it has to be. MSPW is one of the few feds that actually runs storylines on a regular basis. Some people like that, some people don't, and that's OK. It is definitely more of a sports entertainment fed. But the storylines aren't unrealistic. The fed definitely aims at the family/ little kid demographic. These days, there are so many different styles of wrestling. If that is the style you like, then I recommend checking out MSPW.

AL: There was a lot made of your training, especially with Jayson Reign early on. Is there a lot of your style that resembles his? When he left wrestling, did it affect you at all?

KAGE: I have to say that I have been blessed with the trainers that I have had. Me and Matthews started in Jayson's 1st class at MCW. We got to learn something new every day and I am really glad that that is how it worked out. Jayson's style was definitely more of the cruiserweight style and, damn was he good at it. When Jayson left, I have to say it really affected me. He was a friend, man. It sucked because here was this guy who taught us so much and it felt like everything was rolling and all of a sudden he had to leave and we weren't done training yet and I wasnt sure what would happen. Then Priest came in and quickly he became a friend as well as a trainer. This was really important for Chandler McClure because he had barely begun training under Jayson Reign and he needed to still learn the basics. I think he benefited the most from Priest because Priest almost took him under his wing and really pushed that kid. I swear if anyone could have seen Chandler from start to finish you would be shocked. He has improved more than anyone that I have seen come out of that school. Priest was a godsend. He taught us more of a heavyweight style and I am grateful for that. I like to think of myself as not only a cruiserweight. Because of my size, I can't be a heavyweight. But I know both styles and I try to mix them. I usually don't do more than one thing off the top rope in a match. I try to think of creative ways to do things than to just start doing crazy moonsaults and such. I throw that stuff in when I think it will really make sense. Im glad that I can do it, but I try to not get labeled as a straight high flyer.

AL: Eric Priest - in an interview done with a couple of our guys recently - mentioned a few things about you specifically, about how you need to work on standing out more. Do you think that's valid, and what could you do to stand out more?

KAGE: He is most definitely right. I know he mentioned how I needed a better singlet. I'm actually working on getting rid of the singlet and getting a pair of the tights that go from waist to thigh. I have been lifting really hard and doing a lot of cardio. When I am ready to lose the singlet, I will get the tights, which is a goal for the next few months. I don't want to rush it though. I want to look good when I start going out there in just tights.

AL: Where did you come up with your name, and why do you spell Kage with a K?

KAGE: I came up with my name the day before my 1st match. Zenner told us to think of names and then let him know and he would approve. I was thinking of the Mortal Kombat game one day and I remembered Johnny Cage and he was so cool. I liked the name Justin back then for some reason so I said Justin Cage. Then about 3 months later, I get an email from some guy saying that he uses the name Justin Cage and that he copyrighted it somewhere on the east coast and all of this stuff. I was pretty skeptical of this, but I didn't want a name anyway where it was going to get confused with someone else. I went with the K spelling which I liked better anyway and so far I haven't seen anyone with that name. If I could have picked my name over, I would have gone with something different because there are many Cages out there.

AL: What would you describe as some of your career highlights? What has been your best match? Do you have a favorite opponent?

KAGE: My career highlights so far...I would have to say that I have a few. My match with Red was awesome because I really admire his work. My match with BJ and my match with Ace of course because i learned a lot. My favorite highlight was probably the TNA thing, though. It was such a trip to wrestle Elix Skipper and then to get to do that Security thing on PPV. I had a blast there. My best match do date has to be a toss up between my match with Mike Matthews on the Novemeber MCW CLC show and my last match with Eric Priest for MSPW in February. My favorite opponent has to be Mike Matthews. We know each other so well and we just kind of have a feel in the ring together that plays off each other well.

AL: Is there anyone in particular you'd like to face? Who would be your dream match?

KAGE: Locally, I really want to wrestle Austin Aries. I have wrestled him before but never in a one on one match. Every time I see him he blows me away with his work. He has great intensity. On the Independent scene as a whole, I would love to work AJ Styles. He is so smooth and probably one of the best wrestlers in the world right now. I would also love to wrestle Red again because I think that I could really have a great match against him now that I know more. On the mainstream scene, My dream match would be to wrestle Shawn Michaels. Say what you will, but I think that he is the best entertainer to ever enter a ring. If I could have one match with him, I would die a happy man.