Games with Names - The Miz on Facing John Cena | Wrestlemania 27

Episode Date: April 28, 2026

The Miz is in studio! The WWE legend and Triple Crown Champion is with us to relive an all-time moment in his WWE career: Wrestlemania 27 vs. John Cena. We're also breaking down his early days in wres...tling, talking Cleveland Browns football, and a whole lot more.  (00:00) We kick things off. (01:13) The Miz joins us on the couch. (53:19) We breakdown both wrestlers. (1:04:40) We dive into the match. (1:17:42) We score it. Support the show: http://www.gameswithnames.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 2%. That's the number of people who take the stairs when there is also an escalator available. I'm Michael Easter. And on my podcast, 2%. I break down the science of mental toughness, fitness, and building resilience in our strange modern world. Put yourself through some hardships, and you will come out on the other side a happier, more fulfilled, healthier person. Listen to 2%. That's TWO.% on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever. you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.
Starting point is 00:00:36 I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, the Cliford Show.
Starting point is 00:00:50 This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Cliverd show on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,
Starting point is 00:01:05 follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. On the senior show podcast, each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience, and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor, cultural icon Danny Trail to talk about addiction, transformation, and the power of second chances. The entire season two is now available to bench,
Starting point is 00:01:25 featuring powerful conversation with the guests like Tiffany Addish, Johnny Knoxville, and more. I'm an alcohol. And without this truth, I'm going to die. Listen to Sino's show on the IHare Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. On paper, the three hosts of the Nick Dick and Poll show are geniuses. We can explain how AI works, data centers, but there are certain things that we don't necessarily understand. Better version of Play Stupid Games, win Stupid Prizes.
Starting point is 00:01:54 Yes. Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift, who said that for the first time. I actually thought it was. I got that wrong. But hey, no one's perfect. We're pretty close, though. Listen to the Nick, Dick, and Paul show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. April 3, 2011, the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia.
Starting point is 00:02:15 71,000 screaming fans, the Miz, John Cena with the heavyweight title on the line. And Dwayne the Rock Johnson. This is WrestleMania 27. Welcome to Games with Names. I'm Julian Edelman. They're Jack and Kyler. And we are on a mission to finding the greatest game, match anything in history.
Starting point is 00:02:48 And today we have a very special episode with WWE legend, The Miz. And if you haven't already, drop a like and a subscribe to Games with Names. Let's go. Games with Names is a production of Eye Heart Radio. Hello, everyone. And welcome to Games.
Starting point is 00:03:07 Games with Names. I'm the Ms. The host Julian Edelman, Super Bowl winning MVP. Julian Edelman is going to interview me today. And that's how this is going to go. So let's get to it. All right. There's your intro. There we go.
Starting point is 00:03:24 The Mizz. Welcome to Games with Names. Today we are looking at WrestleMania 27. The Mizz versus my daughter calls the John Sina. in one sentence, Ms. The Ms. Why did you pick this match? Why did I pick this match to be my best in one sentence?
Starting point is 00:03:45 In one sentence. Because it's awesome. Because it's awesome. That's simple. I mean, it's not really a sentence. That's not really a sentence because you shouldn't start with because. Yeah. But it is awesome.
Starting point is 00:03:59 Yeah, we're starting to learn that. WrestleMania 27 is awesome. It is awesome. Being the main event of WrestleMania. 27 walking in the WWE champion and walking out the WWE champion is awesome. And not being able to remember it is not awesome, but still,
Starting point is 00:04:16 still a moment. Now, not being able to remember it, will you remember if this is the greatest match of all time just in general? Will I? Yeah. I will tell myself that. I don't know if people will agree with me,
Starting point is 00:04:29 but in my experience and where I'm coming from, coming from Parma, Ohio, being six foot nothing. and literally getting into WWE and people telling me that you're going to get fired within three months and then going on to main event, WrestleMania, something that very few superstars
Starting point is 00:04:45 are able to do to walk in WW champion, walk out WW champion as the bad guy, which never happens. Yeah, that's the greatest moment in my mind. And that is why it's the greatest moment in my mind. And I guarantee if anyone else was in that situation, they would be like, yeah, that's the best match ever. because the experience, the moment,
Starting point is 00:05:04 having my friends from Cleveland, Ohio, literally in front row watching me, and we used to watch the rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, literally with the title that I'm holding at the main event of WrestleMania in my living room, we would watch it, the paper views when I was in high school.
Starting point is 00:05:21 And then there I am, what, seven, eight years later, in the same spot. Well, the first thing that popped into my head that you have rich friends because you had pay-per-view. We used to just steal it with the illegal box. Stolen. Oh, okay, just making sure.
Starting point is 00:05:35 Stolen. My dad had the hot box. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so... One to 99 free. And so, so that's why all my friends would come over to my house because we had the hot box. You gotta have the hot box.
Starting point is 00:05:45 Yeah, had the hot box. Sorry, but I mean... Well, I mean, I think that only would have to be sorry because I feel like I've done pretty well for WWE. They've made their money off you. But they've stolen from them for years. You talked about your friends from Cleveland, Ohio.
Starting point is 00:06:03 You're from Parma, Ohio. What is the sport hierarchy? Is it because you went to Kent Reed, Kent Wright, Kent State? I can't read. Is that why? I can't write. And yes, I did go to Kent State. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:14 Why did you choose your NorCal guy? Why would you choose Kent State out of anywhere to go? They're the only one that let you play quarterback? You want to know why? Because I went to junior college my first year. I was a qualifier out of high school. I didn't get recruited or any scholarships out of high school. school. And I was a quarterback. Why, though? Why do you think? I was a five foot 10 quarterback. And I had a
Starting point is 00:06:35 running back on my high school team that went for like 2,000 yards. That was a monster, Tyrese Jack, shout out. And so I wasn't the focal point of my high school team. How was a big D1 university going to give me the keys to some ship? So I went to Juko and then Kent State came after my first year and they were Division I program. My goal was to be a quarterback in the Division I, at the Division I level. You don't want to be a wide receiver. I wanted to play quarterback. I was a quarterback. But you knew you probably weren't going to go to the NFL, right?
Starting point is 00:07:07 Yeah, but I was thinking CFL. I was thinking as a quarterback 510. CFL, I was thinking I just wanted to play quarter football. When I was a kid, I wasn't even thinking of the pros. It was like, when I was like an 8th, 7th grade high school, we used to have a term, that's so D1. Like if you were on the baseball diamond, you had a great play. That's a D1 play. You had like a great shot in basketball.
Starting point is 00:07:30 That shit was so D1. I wanted to play quarterback at the division one level. And when Kent State came knocking, I remember looking at him. I'm like, where the fuck is Ken State? And then I actually was like, oh shit, didn't we learn about that? Like last year about the May 4th, 1970, state troopers, you know, shot the protesters. I kind of remembered that. But then I looked up the conference.
Starting point is 00:07:55 And that's where Brandon Jacobs and, um, Bowling Green were in. I was going to say it was a bowling green tomato. And he was in and he was in the Heisman hunt that year. And so that came to me and I just, I was like, I went and visited and I went to Ohio and I got to see, you know, the beautiful state of Ohio and the cool campus of Kent, which isn't that cool, but it's not. It's not. But it enjoyed, I went to Miami of Ohio. So I went to the boogey state school. Miami Ohio was elite. Yes. And so was Athens. You know, it's funny. You said, like, oh, in high school, I wasn't thinking I'm going pro. Like, in high school, baseball, basketball, any, any sport I played, I was like, there's, there's, there's, there's, there's an inkling in my brain that would tell me I could go pro. I could do it.
Starting point is 00:08:43 but I wasn't even the best player on any of my teams. But I just, there's something in my brain that would always do that. Like even when I went to Miami, Ohio, I was like, I could play basketball here. So I tried out. Did not make the team whatsoever. I think I airballed like three balls when I played for the tryout. But, uh, but yeah, like I just, I had that, that mentality of that kind of thing where it's like always like, I feel like I could do it.
Starting point is 00:09:06 You know, I was always trying to prove people wrong because I was always the best or one of the best. really but I was always the smallest so they were like ah well he'll he'll peter out always a chip on your shoulder I always had a chip on the shoulder so I was always very focused on what was on my plate at that time you know when I went to Kent I had to beat out the six foot seven quarterback that was the starter and then you know it took me three year or a year to do that did that and then after that you're so focused on just trying to win games for the university that gave you an opportunity to play your dream you know what I mean so It was one of those things were,
Starting point is 00:09:43 I didn't think I was gonna, I didn't think about going to the pros. I always wanted to go the pros. But I was just focused about like, hey, let's go get seven wins for Kent State. Did the, did the determination that you have,
Starting point is 00:09:55 is that from your parents, or is that a coach? My dad. Is it your dad? My dad. Did he give you like a regiment? Like, hey, this is what we're going to do. We practiced every day.
Starting point is 00:10:03 We want you to be. So we practiced. So he was always with you. From high school, until high school. Okay. And then once I left. you know, went to Juko and I got older, you know, his little like drills that he used to instill in me and,
Starting point is 00:10:18 and the art of trying to chase perfection each day in practice, that stuck with me. And, you know, that's when I would just do it without him, but had them in my head. So you weren't the type of kid that was like, I don't want to do this. I don't know. Leave me alone. We all don't want to always do that. There's always that voice in your head. It's just you got to choose the other guy. I got two girls now, and I take them to, like, gymnastics or jujitsu or any type of sport, and they'll always be like, no, I don't want to go. I don't want to. But when they're there, they're loving it. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:10:50 And so it's like, I don't want to be the dad that's like making you do something you don't want to do, but there's also a thing that I want to instill discipline. And I know that jujitsu will help them in later in life. Yeah. Because, I don't know, I saw like a podcast or something. I think Dana White was talking about or Joe Rogan or someone was talking about, like, how, you know, a 300-pound man, like a girl can take care of himself with 300-pound man
Starting point is 00:11:15 if they know the right technique in J-Jitsu. And in my head, I'm going, I have two girls, six and eight. I want them to be able to take care of themselves if dad's not there. So Jiu-Jitsu is one of those things that I was like, all right, we're getting into J-Jitsu. And I found a great teacher, and I found a great school, and I love watching them. And every day afterwards, they're like, can we go practice?
Starting point is 00:11:33 Can we go practice? And then we'll go in, like, our, like, playroom, and I will wrestle with them and teach them. or show them what they learn, like side control or like an Americana or stuff like that. That's got to be awesome for you, though, like, because you're in that world and they're jumping into your world. Now, with my, I have a daughter as well. She's nine. She plays soccer. She plays tennis. She rides horses. And I love the, the soccer for her because I'm a team sport guy. Mm-hmm. You know, and you learn so much in those team sports, especially as these little young
Starting point is 00:12:08 kids are growing and their minds are growing. The accountability factor that you have to learn, the setting of goals, the embarrassment of letting a teammate down, you need to feel that. Because that's what you're going to feel every day in the real world. And when you start putting them in that early, they start to feel that. They resonate to that and they learn how to learn. And the apples don't fall too far from the tree. Right. So your kids are probably going to learn how you learned. And I learned through sport. That taught me and made me a better student because it made me really channel in my focusing on the field and then I would learn how to use that focus in school. So I think there's- And if you didn't do good in school,
Starting point is 00:12:49 you're not playing in the sport. You're not playing in the sport. Exactly. Exactly. Now, back to Cleveland, Ohio, what's your sports hierarchy of Cleveland sports? Brown's number one. Browns. Every year we're going to the Super Bowl. And this is like I should the first year where I'm going maybe not this year. Maybe this is the first time. Like even when we went, oh, in like 16, I was like, we're going to the Super Bowl this year. Brian Horer is taking us to it or something like that.
Starting point is 00:13:16 Boy dog. Yeah. And so, so now this is the first year where I'm like, maybe not. Whenever your coach misses the coach's picture. Got a haircut. You got a haircut.
Starting point is 00:13:26 Like, that's not a good look. Like, imagine going into that meeting and a guy comes in late and he's trying to like tell the locker room, hey, you know, you're kind of late. like, yeah, but you didn't even make the coaches meeting. You didn't make the coach's picture.
Starting point is 00:13:39 But to his defense, they changed the coaches meeting to earlier. And I believe he was getting a haircut before. But no one called him. He has no, he has no friends to like, hey, dude, we're all here. Where are you at? It's a cool world out there. It really is. But by the way, it always has to happen to the Browns.
Starting point is 00:14:02 Like always. Like that's the type of like, like, like why? Why is it always the Browns that have to like have all this stuff happen to us? And I like to say us because I feel like I'm a part of the team because I've been in Cleveland, I've been a Cleveland Browns fan my entire life. Ever since Bernie Cozar. And we still can't find a quarterback. You available? No. Shadurv, I changed positions for a reason.
Starting point is 00:14:27 Yeah, I feel terrible because I went to school with all the Northeast Ohio people and they are feigning for a great football. team because and even if their team isn't great, they're still going to have their beer on the weekend, drink it up and watch the Browns and act a fool and love them to death no matter what. So I just wish that, you know, in the near future, this whole thing changes for them because I think they're deserving fan fan group. What do you think the, uh, the Patriots do that? Because I don't think you, you never played for anyone else besides the Patriots, right?
Starting point is 00:15:03 So what do they do that sets them apart and makes them an excellent, like, place to win championships? Starts with the owner and the owner finding the right coach and the GM relationship and then also the quarterback. Those things have to be aligned. And if those aren't aligned. But don't you think all the, all the owners are like, I want to win. I want to win. I want to. I feel like Haslin wants to win.
Starting point is 00:15:29 He wants, he's doing everything he possibly can. Hell, he brought a guy that does numbers. Yeah, but he's, Ms. It's like, these are really wealthy, successful men in business. They don't know a lick about football. So you get a football guy in a room with a business guy, and he starts talking football. This business guy thinks this guy knows football.
Starting point is 00:15:55 But like that, the hiring process of finding the right guy to run the show is the hardest thing to do for these guys because they're not experts in the field. You know what I mean? So if you may hear something from a coach that sounds like a goddamn car salesman when he's out there pitching for his job,
Starting point is 00:16:15 he may not know how to lead a group of men or the intricacies of starting a skate. But Stefanski was coached the year twice. Twice, man. And everyone I talked to in the football world said. What the owner do? He stepped in, he brought in the whole, Sean Watson thing.
Starting point is 00:16:32 Yeah. Like then... We had Baker Mayfield. I have never been so upset about getting rid of a person. I felt like Baker Mayfield had the grit, the moxie that Cleveland needed to be successful. And now he's over in Tampa Bay doing wonders, doing great. Well, they missed the playoffs last year. He has done very well ever since.
Starting point is 00:16:52 Whenever he's not injured. Whenever he's not injured, I feel like he does really well. And he did have a playoff win in Ohio. I know. That's crazy. He opened the beer. They got rid of him. They opened the beer. They opened the beer fridge for them.
Starting point is 00:17:02 I had the beer fridge. We know I was there. So the, what was it? Budlight called me up. It's like, hey, do you want one of these fridges? I was like, yeah, but will it work in my house? And they were like, yeah. And I go, but I'm in, I was living in Austin at the time.
Starting point is 00:17:16 And they're like, yeah, it'll work in Austin. I go, no way. So I get it. It's chained up, right? And I'm like, oh, man, this is really cool. But there's no way this is going to work. There's no way that chain is going to fall. There's beer in there and everything.
Starting point is 00:17:27 So I think it was the New York Jets game. and Baker Mayfield actually first came in. That was the first game. Yeah. And I remember we won. And I remember me and Ryan Cabrero was over at the time. And we were watching the thing and waiting for it. And within like seconds, the change just fell off of the, like they had some sort of remote that they, in some sort of magnet that when they pressed it, it just released it.
Starting point is 00:17:53 They came off. drank all the beer. Man. There was a celebration. That is technology right there. We want a game. I remember watching this. like every week in the Cleveland bars.
Starting point is 00:18:01 Like everyone would be like, no, we're not opening it. It's so cool. Like I, they did a, um, so I got to do a pretty cool thing where I went to Cleveland and I sold them. Like I was like a used car salesman and like it was like a promotion. But, uh, but yeah, I got to go there and, uh, yeah, they gave me one and it was very, and all Cleveland got behind it because we just wanted to win a game. Man, at least you got some.
Starting point is 00:18:23 You didn't know what it's like to like. I went to Kent. Yeah, okay. I went to Kent. Maybe you do. I mean, I went to school with all the kids from Northeast Ohio, the Pittsburgh kids. I lived in that part of the world for three years of my life, three years of my developing brain life. So I know exactly what you're going through.
Starting point is 00:18:44 I felt that when I played at Kent where we didn't get the wins, but we loved it. And, you know, I think there's some good stuff coming around the corner for Cleveland. I mean, you guys are. Is it? Could be. Could be. I mean, you've been in football. You know football. You're a wide receiver.
Starting point is 00:19:00 But it's not just one guy. You know what you want your quarterback. Yeah. I mean, I just so happy. I got to play with the greatest of all time. So my judgment on quarterback play is kind of skewed because all I see is how it's supposed to be done. And a lot of guys who are even really good don't always do it the same way. So that's the hardest position to evaluate by far.
Starting point is 00:19:24 And you need a lot of good things around it. You know, football is like we talked about with the daughter's ultimate team sport. You got to have the quarterback, but your 53rd guy has to be as, you know, you're only as strong as the weakest one. So it takes a lot of brain power of the general manager of how the team is designed, the coaching power of having the general manager and the coach being able to coach the type of players that the general manner is bringing in. And the quarterback has to be able to get everything going.
Starting point is 00:19:53 It's, it's tough. It's tough. Now hearing you talk, I always thought like, I was like, it's a little bit of luck. But then seeing what the Patriots did this year with Vrable, I was like, it's not luck. They lucked into getting him and they kind of lucked into getting Drake May. Not luck.
Starting point is 00:20:12 They had to suck. Yeah. But they also, I don't know if that's luck or if it's just exactly what the Patriots are able to do each and every time. They find a way to win. They figure it out every single time. Like, the Browns haven't done that. Our guy, our guy, Haslam's got to just, you got to find
Starting point is 00:20:28 someone that knows the game. You know the Andrew Barry knows the game? Well, I, you know what? I'll tell you, one of the strengths of Mr. Kraft, our owner, is that if he doesn't know something and he knows someone else as an expert in that field, he'll rely on that. And he's smart enough to know that he doesn't know about that. But he knows enough now because he's been around it for so long that he can identify other things now.
Starting point is 00:20:57 So like, I think that's all. It's the Holy Trinity, bro. I played, I played at the American Century Championship, right? And Vrable's there. Yeah. And I get it. Like, he is the type of aura. Not only is he an alpha, but he's an alpha that you want to hang out with.
Starting point is 00:21:14 He's not a bully alpha. He's like the guy you want to. He used to be a bully. People all like. He used to be a bully. People all try to talk to him, like, and try to get around him just to have conversation because he's fun. He's exciting.
Starting point is 00:21:27 He always. always has a good story on the back of the head that you're literally like, oh my God, this is the best story ever. He can speak and he's a great storyteller. Yeah. You were just at the Masters too, weren't you? I was at the Masters. How was that experience?
Starting point is 00:21:38 It was like everything I thought the Masters would be, it surpassed it. I paid $1.50 for a sandwich. Which one? I got them all. So I ate them all. You want to hear them ranked? Okay. So Pimento cheese is number one.
Starting point is 00:21:53 But a local told me... What kind of bread is it on? It's like white Wonderbread. So pimento on white wonder. It's just white bread. Okay. So, but, so what a local told me was like, hey, you don't just get the pimento. You get the side of barbecue, pulled pork, and you put it on the pimento.
Starting point is 00:22:11 So I did that, and that was chef's kiss. We'll be right back after this quick break. I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot of my mind, and now got my own show. So if you're tired of lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week. Film Never Lies available on all TSN platforms
Starting point is 00:22:31 in the IHeartRadio app. 2%. That is the number of people who take the stairs when there is also an escalator available. I'm Michael Easter, and on my podcast, 2%, I break down the science
Starting point is 00:22:44 of mental toughness, fitness, and building resilience in our strange modern world. I'll be speaking with writers, researchers, and other health and fitness experts, and more to look past the impractical
Starting point is 00:22:56 and way too complex pseudoscience that dominates the wellness industry. We really believe that seed oils were inherently inflammatory. We got it wrong. Many of the problems that we are freaked out about in the world are the result of stress. Put yourself through some hardships, and you will come out on the other side a happier, more fulfilled, healthier person. Listen to 2%.
Starting point is 00:23:21 That's T-W-O-Persent on the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,
Starting point is 00:23:42 or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.
Starting point is 00:24:01 One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Cliverts Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clivert Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast,
Starting point is 00:24:26 wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. I went and sat on the little ottoman in front of him. Hi, dad.
Starting point is 00:24:39 And just when I said that, my mom comes out of the kitchen and she says, I have some cookies and milk. This is a badass convict me just finished five years. I'm going to have cookies and milk at him. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:24:55 On the senior show, podcast, each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience, and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor, cultural icon Danny Trail, talk about addiction, transformation, and the power of second chances. The entire season two is now available to binge featuring powerful conversations with the guests like Tiffany Addish, Johnny Knoxville, and more. I'm an alcoholic.
Starting point is 00:25:22 And without this trouble, I'm going to die. Open your free IHR radio app. Search the Cito Show and listen now. So then I would say the ham and cheese on rye surprised me. I was like, I was like, oh, it's just ham and cheese on rye. It's not really going to, but it was awesome. Egg salad is number three, but everyone loves the egg salad. Everyone's like, get the hat.
Starting point is 00:25:48 Yeah, he had the hat. He did have the hat. That's number three. And then I would say that's my top three. the chicken sandwich didn't do it for me. It didn't do it for me. It didn't.
Starting point is 00:26:02 No, but everything else is great. Oh, and if you're, if you consider ice cream sandwich, a sandwich, the Georgia Peach ice cream sandwich is phenomenal. Yeah. Georgia Peach.
Starting point is 00:26:11 Crown's Nest is a solid beer. I had everything. I wanted the master's experience. I wanted to experience everything. I sat at hole number one and watched everyone drive the ball on hole number one, watch Rory.
Starting point is 00:26:24 And in my head, I'm going, God, this guy's short. And but just stocky, like full of muscle. And he uses every ounce of his body to hit that ball farther than everybody. And you can just tell when I saw him, I think it was Thursday, he was locked in. He was ready to dress in navy blue head to toe. I was like, this dude, this dude is on a mission to go back to back. It is so incredible to watch him hit the ball.
Starting point is 00:26:49 And he's a superstar. Like you watch other people walk up to the tea and it's like, Rory, walks up, kind of silence, like a little takes your breath away kind of aura. You know, an aura of a superstar. I imagine Tom has that same. So what's his wrestling equivalent? Like a John Cena. What about Scotty Schaeffler?
Starting point is 00:27:10 Guy Schaffler. Maybe like, I didn't see Scotty that day. So I didn't get to feel the aura. Like Undertaker has an aura. When Undertaker walks in the room, you go, whoa. Have you met Undertaker? I haven't yet, but I love Undertaker. He is, he is ever since.
Starting point is 00:27:25 I first met him even till now. He just, he doesn't realize it. He doesn't know, like, when he walks into a room, it's Undertaker. Like, whoa. Like, there's an aura around him. What about Brooks Kepka? You get to see him? Brooks Kepka?
Starting point is 00:27:38 I didn't see Brooks. No. Kind of a bad guy. He could be a heel now. Kind of bad guy. Because he went to live. That would be me, right? Then I'd be a, I'd be the bad guy.
Starting point is 00:27:45 I mean, but he's pretty damn good. I'm loyal. I'm loyal to my company. You're loyal to the soil. I'm loyal to the WWE, yes. That's amazing. It's all I ever wanted to be. I wanted to be a WWE superstar.
Starting point is 00:27:55 And now here I am 20 years in, still doing it and still going and still feel great. Like, I'm 45 and I honestly feel better than I've ever have. I'm smarter than I've ever been. And I just feel like any time I go out there, I can compete with any person and literally make a crowd, have a moment that they will have for the rest of their life. Every time I go out. When did you know you wanted to become a professional wrestler? Real world.
Starting point is 00:28:23 real world. So when you growing up, I guess you always were like, I'm going to play football and play football. Me, like I would have in the back of my head, I could do this, I could do this, but it was never like a real thought. The real thought was always like when you're done with high school, you go to college. After college, you go back to where you live, you get a job, you get a family, and that's what you do for the rest of your life? That's, that was my mentality. Then I saw, I was at Miami, Ohio, and my fraternity. And I saw on TV, I was watching Real World New Orleans. And it said, do you want to try out for the real world?
Starting point is 00:28:52 here's how you do it. And I was like, I want to try out. All my friends were like, dude, don't try it. You're not going to make it. There's like 60,000 people. Like back then, MTV was everything. It was huge. It was huge.
Starting point is 00:29:02 I love the world. Everybody watch. Yeah, everybody watched. Shut up on. Yes. Yes. I'm glad that you remember those days because people now, MTV, it's like, what's that?
Starting point is 00:29:11 It's like, it's no, like. It was the biggest shit. It was everything. It was like, it was the biggest shows. You know the housewives now? What's the real world? I would even say it was bigger than, the housewives. What's the equivalent, Jack? He's a big reality TV guy. I would say
Starting point is 00:29:26 housewives is up there. You got your summer house. But I think Mike's spot on. There was nothing like the real world, man. Nothing. Like you, it appealed the broad appeal age range. I mean, I was like eight years old. I wanted to go on MTV Spring Break, bro. I did do that. So my goal was like to go do the real world, do the challenges, and host spring break. And I got to do it all. I went to, I went to Cancun for a month. I think they gave me the key to the city. Talk about hitting for the cycle. Oh my God. That's how you do it, maybe. Did you meet Pauly Shore?
Starting point is 00:29:54 Was he, was he still hosting it? Did I meet Polly Shore? I didn't meet Polly Shore. No, no. The wheeze? No, he was not hosting it at the time. I did a show for like Dr. Pepper or something like that. Man.
Starting point is 00:30:05 Dude, the strangled old MTV had on us, unbelievable. Now, when you're doing the real world and you figure out that you want to do wrestling. Well, first off, when I was doing the real world, it wasn't like, oh, I want to be a wrestler. I'm going to do the MIS. I did the MIS because I was, uncomfortable in my situation. And whenever I would drink, I would just start cutting promos like I saw my wrestlers do. And everyone ended up starting loving it. So everyone, all my, all the castmates who hated me were like, do the Ms, do the Ms. because it was fun. It was exciting, right? And so I'd just start
Starting point is 00:30:39 doing the Miz. And then the Mizz, they liked Miz more than they liked Mike. And I was like, wow, this is, this is fun. And then afterwards, I remember going back being in my dad's condo and being like, what do I want to do for the rest of my life? Like, what do I want to do? Do I want to go back to college, Miami, Ohio, and have business classes that I literally was like getting D's in and not really doing well in
Starting point is 00:31:00 because it was college and it was fun. And so I was like, you know what? I'm gonna, I'm gonna become a WWE, like, superstar. I'm gonna try that. So I went on my computer. I looked up like wrestling schools and there was one in Louisville
Starting point is 00:31:15 and there was one in L.A. And I was like, I'm going to L.A. I'm going to L.A. Are you kidding me? But I didn't have any money. because real world doesn't pay. Like, I made nothing on the real world. Like, legit.
Starting point is 00:31:26 I went bankrupt on the real world. I spent all my credit cards. Like, because I was like, I wanted to live the life, right? I'm in New York City for the first time, had a credit card. Blasted, blast it. Oh, you guys want drinks. Here you go. Here you go.
Starting point is 00:31:38 Great city to have it into. Oh, my God. The best or the worst. Great city. Best or the worst. Expensive, but awesome. Very expensive. And I lived in like a three-story, like, mansion.
Starting point is 00:31:49 I'll never have a house like that in New York. York ever again because it was unreal. And so it's funny. People always ask me, like, is it really real? Is it really real? Like, that's the number one question I get with real world, wrestling, everything. Is it real? Is it real? And I always say real world was as real as you can get on TV because there are cameras around. There's cameras around you 24-7. But once you have a camera around you 24-7 for a week, it just becomes a part of life. And it's the norm. And so then you just start living your life. And that's the way it is. Now, is there editing? Is there music? Is there all these different things.
Starting point is 00:32:22 Yeah. But the experiences that I lived there were 100% true. And so I, and whenever people tell you like, oh, they edited me wrong, they did this wrong, they did this dirty on me.
Starting point is 00:32:33 Usually those are the people that they weren't themselves on the show. They tried to portray a character or a character, and then they watch the show and they don't see the person that they are. Or they don't realize who they are. And then they see it and they're like, well, that's not me. And it's like, that's the way you were on the show.
Starting point is 00:32:50 So I don't know. That's the reality right there. So then I got on a challenge because I didn't get paid anything, right? They offered a challenge to me. And I was like, oh my God, a challenge. Yeah, I have to win this thing because I need money. So I ended up going on the challenge, winning the challenge and taking all that money and moving to Los Angeles, paid for rent, paid for people.
Starting point is 00:33:13 People were like, would you, would you buy your big? What was the first thing you bought? I was like, well, I bought wrestling classes so I can learn. how to learn the other professional wrestling, acting classes, improv. I went to groundlings, improv Olympics, and, uh, second city. And then, uh, I was like, I remember the only way I would, I could afford like a workout was like through like muscle and fitness, like magazines, right? I'd buy a magazine and just find the workout. And, uh, like I had a nutritious that came in there. I had to pay him $100 a month in order to get me like the right foods that I should be eating
Starting point is 00:33:46 to really lock in my body. Yeah. And so that's kind of, all the money that I spent on WW. And you would think, since I was on the real world, the most popular show in America at the time, that WW was like, hey, come on over to WW, but they weren't. As a matter of fact, it was a negative.
Starting point is 00:34:05 Like, if you were on a reality show, you were not, like, Hollywood didn't want you. You weren't allowed to go on, like, auditions. Now, nowadays, it's like, oh, my gosh, you have a fan base? Yes, come on, let's do it. Oh, you have social media, you have this, you have this. Influencers are like, oh, that like everything back then it was no way you were an anomaly yeah nobody wanted you because you
Starting point is 00:34:27 were taking one in hollywood you were taking jobs from actors real actors like you're a no talent hack all you're on you're on a reality show you're you're you what have you done you lived your life in front of a camera congratulations you have no talent so i wanted to obviously prove them wrong chip on my shoulder kind of like you had and so i just kept going and kept working kept working kept work Every time I'd go out to a club, people would be like, why do you want to be a wrestler? You want to be a wrestler? You want to be a wrestler? You know who was always supportive?
Starting point is 00:34:58 Anytime I'd go on a challenge, the castmates of the real world, they could have been jealous, right? They could have been like, oh, whatever. They were so supportive. They would wear, like, I saw that WW did a lot of merch, right? So I was like, I'm going to make my own merch. And WW will see that I can sell merch. And if I can sell merch, I have a fan base, I have an audience.
Starting point is 00:35:17 I'm doing all the acting, all the improv. all the wrestling school, they'll see me and they'll want to try to give me a tryout. And that still wasn't the case. But I was going to try to do it. And whenever I brought the merch onto the challenges, they all would wear my shirts, would all wear my logos. They would always ask me to do promos. And they were so supportive.
Starting point is 00:35:38 And they didn't have to be. And now you will see that no one's allowed to do that anymore because I ruined it for everybody. No one's allowed to bring their own merch on TV, on the challenge. Licensing is now. Yeah, because now they do that. that like they didn't have that back then. I ruined it for everybody. You fucking the wall wall west back then you killed it. But think about it. You try to find it like it's like with football right. I imagine you find all the tools you could possibly do to succeed when you were going
Starting point is 00:36:03 for your tryout for New England or when you got drafted what seventh round. Yeah. Like you weren't making that team. There's no way you were going to make that team. But in your mind you were and you were going to use every tool you could possibly do in order to make sure that you made that team. whatever it possible is. Same with WWE. You need to find every single tool to find to make sure that you're a no-brainer. That they have to take you. And it took
Starting point is 00:36:28 three years, three years of like going on the independence. And you know what's funny? Matt Light, I wrestled for his foundation. Matt Light Foundation. Shout out. Matt Light Foundation. Shootout coming to you. So he was, by the way, Matt Light,
Starting point is 00:36:44 thank you for actually booking me. Because no one would book me. I was having a hard time on the Indies to try to do it. And he had this show at like, maybe it was like the Roxy in Boston. And by the way, everyone showed up. Oh, yeah. Like that was one of the cool moments. I was like, oh, wow, like all the, almost the entire offensive line, Brady was there.
Starting point is 00:37:06 And it was just a show at the Roxy. And I was a part of the show. They flew me out to Boston to, and this was like in 2000. Before I was in WWW, I was on. real world but was not getting booked and got to meet everybody and hang out with everybody. And it was awesome because you could see why they're winning Super Bowls. Like they were friends. They were hanging out with each other.
Starting point is 00:37:30 You know, that's how you build a bond. That's how you build a locker room. And like that's how you win a men, how you have a winning mentality. 1,000 percent. I mean, you willed yourself to become a WWE superstar. I mean, acting class, wrestling school, nutritionist. I mean, people don't, I hope people understand how hard it is to chase your dream. And it's not everyone, whenever anyone says, oh, I would give anything to be in that guy's shoes, you wouldn't.
Starting point is 00:38:05 Because you had the opportunity to. You want the lifestyle. You want the lifestyle. But you don't understand the grit and the hard work it took for you. to transform yourself. Because at that time, like you said, first thing I, first thing I said,
Starting point is 00:38:21 when I went, when we got you on the show, I was like, man, it's so crazy that he became from the, he came from the real world and now has been in the WWE for 20 fucking years. And has been like, no one even knows he's part of the real world.
Starting point is 00:38:36 But if you're my age, that was crazy. They do, though. People do. Like, to this day, I still get recognized on a daily basis. for the real world, for the challenges.
Starting point is 00:38:49 Challenges. Who is the Boston guy? C.T. C.T. Man. CT's the man, dude. He was so good. We were friendly for a little while, I think, years ago. He was so good at the challenges and still is still good at the challenge.
Starting point is 00:39:02 He just knows how to play. I hosted a show called Champs versus Stars. Yeah. It was like a spin-off where celebrities like T.O. came on, and they would challenge the challengers, like the champions. and the challengers would mop the floor with all these superstars. And I'm talking, these aren't like, these are athletes,
Starting point is 00:39:21 they're like T-O-type athletes. And they were just beating them because they know how to play the game. There's a game within the game of the challenge. You need not only be athletic, but you need to know, have the mentality to know how to play that game as well. Survivor's shit. It really is. Like Lord of the Flies.
Starting point is 00:39:38 All those games. You know the athletes didn't read Lord of the Flies, so they have no shot. All those games, every single game. out there, it's not just about athletic ability. Like, you look at, you know, sometimes you'll see traders, right? And you'll see all the athletic ability that you have to have, but also like, you have to be able to play the game. All those games, they're games. And gamers are able to
Starting point is 00:39:59 really figure out how to win. Like, I was able to win two, uh, two challenges. And the reason I won them, one, I was very athletic and I was very good at things, but I also know how to play the game. Yeah. Yeah. It's politics. It really. It really. really is in those games. All right. Let's go. Hold on real quick. So when was the actual
Starting point is 00:40:18 first time you got the call from the WWE? The call, okay, so the first call from WWE was for Tough Enough. And I always thought I wasn't allowed to do Tough Enough.
Starting point is 00:40:30 Tough Enough was a show on MTV, very popular as well, where you could win a WWE contract. Yes. And so it was on MTV. And so I asked
Starting point is 00:40:39 one of my producers for the real world. I was like, hey, can I try out for tough enough. And they went back and they said no, because back then you couldn't mix other shows. You could do the challenge because that's a sister show.
Starting point is 00:40:54 Yeah. But you could not do tough enough. So I couldn't do both. But three years later, it was getting off of MTV and going on to the CW. And so it was going to be on during Smackdown. And so they were like, would you like try out?
Starting point is 00:41:07 I thought I wasn't allowed. They were like, yes, you could try out. It's a million dollar tough enough. You could win a million dollars. And I said, can I get back to you? Now, you might be going, wait, this is your opportunity, this is your moment. But I knew back then respect was a big thing. And watching what happened to the tough enough contestants,
Starting point is 00:41:27 they would get just beat up, right? They were, they were, like being on a reality show, you are looked at as lower than dirt. And so then being on a reality show and going into WWE, they got to weed out the people that are just there for 15 minutes of fame. They got to know that you love what they're about to teach you because it's an art form. And by the way, these people are paying their hard earned money to see you. What happens if this guy is just a person that doesn't show up on time or isn't professional
Starting point is 00:42:01 or is just here for the glitz and glam isn't there for the right reasons. And if you're not in WWE for the right reasons, if you're there for the fame, the money, then you're in for the wrong reasons and they will weed you out. At least back then, that's the way it was. Yeah. And so I was under the, like, I knew that because I was training in the independence
Starting point is 00:42:23 and you'd hear stories about you don't want to be on tough enough because you want the respect. You want the older guys, the main eventers, to teach you how to become a main eventer. You don't become a great wide receiver without other great wide receivers. Randy Moss coming in there and telling you, Hey, hey, it'll nut.
Starting point is 00:42:42 You need to do this, this, this, this and this in order to be successful. You're not doing this, right? And so you need those guys, right? Definitely. I needed those superstars in WWE. And if I came in on tough enough, I might not be able to get them. I might not be able to get the respect. So I was like, I don't know if I want to do it.
Starting point is 00:43:00 So I got off the phone. I was like, I'll call you right back. Just got to check my schedule, blah, blah, blah. Hung up. I called the guy that did UPW, Ultimpro, Pro Wrestling, which was the school I went to is Rick Bassman. And he's like, hey, call Mike Bucci, who is Simon Dean at the time. He was in WWE.
Starting point is 00:43:15 And call him. He might give you advice. So I called him up and I said, hey, I just need to know, should I do this tough enough thing, man? Or should I try to get in the right way? Like I want to go to Japan. I want to make sure that, you know, he's like, are you getting opportunities in Japan? I'm like, no. And he's like, well, are you getting opportunities in the Indies?
Starting point is 00:43:33 Not really. I don't understand why. It's like I'm doing everything I possibly can. I feel like I'm doing all the right moves. He goes, you have an opportunity. for a million dollars. Do you know what most people would give for a million dollars? It's like the money was second to me,
Starting point is 00:43:46 which is crazy to think because I wasn't rich. I had no money. Like I was broke, if you will. I was spending all my money on trying to become a WWE superstar. And then here I am getting the opportunity to have a million dollar contract, but I wanted the respect in the business. I wanted to learn from the top guys.
Starting point is 00:44:02 And I felt like if I did that, but the opportunities weren't knocking. I would go do, try to do what were called dark matches. I'd go backstage. And I would shake hands with everyone, do the whole, hello sir, hello sir. And by the way, back then, if you walked into backstage
Starting point is 00:44:17 and you did not shake someone's hand and look them in the eye, then that was considered very disrespectful. And it could mean that you're not gonna get a job or it could mean the end of WWE as we know it. Right. Like so when I'd go backstage, I'd do all the handshakes. I would practice in the ring.
Starting point is 00:44:35 They would take a look at me and they would just be like, all right, go ahead, kid. And they would do interviews with me like that social media knew who I was. So the social media would have me like talking and doing stuff. Like even the social media had me doing like an article. Like I'd do articles for them. You do right?
Starting point is 00:44:51 A little blog action? I would do articles for them. Vlogging? Yeah, vlogging. I would vlog for them. But I wasn't signed. I wasn't with WWE. But I was trying to get in.
Starting point is 00:45:02 I was trying to knock on the door. But no one was no one was answering. Yeah. So finally I was like, you know what? I'm going to figure this. out. So Simon Dean was like, you have an opportunity of a lifetime. You're not getting any opportunities. You might never get this opportunity again. Take every opportunity you possibly can. Yeah. So I did. I went for it. I wasn't given the up. Like they were like, hey, you can be one of 50.
Starting point is 00:45:25 If you make it to the top eight, then you get to go move on. So I had to try out. Went and tried out in Venice. I remember Bill DeMott coming up to me. And it's like there was this obstacle course on the, on the sand. And it was very difficult. Everyone was getting like three, like four minutes, three, 45, around that. And so Bill DeMock comes up to me, and it's an idea for a reality show, right? You got to make drama. Oh, you're the reality show guy, huh?
Starting point is 00:45:52 Yeah, what time are you going to get? Oh, I'm going to do my best. I want a time. Now I have to say something fast because, and I'm thinking I need to pace myself because if you blow it right in the beginning, you're done. So, and I've never done the obstacle course before,
Starting point is 00:46:08 so I don't know where I can really, sprint it. I'm like, oh, man, you know, I'm going to, I'm going to do as best I can. I want a number. I'll do under three. Under three. There hasn't been anyone under 330 and you think you're going to be 30 seconds faster than everybody else. Oh, here's the reality guy, everyone. Oh, big real world guy going to start it up. And so the bell rang. I did the obstacle course. 257. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Yeah. I did it.
Starting point is 00:46:41 At the end, Bill DeMont, slap my five. I thought I was going to faint. I thought I was going to throw up. But I did it. I made it on to the final eight. And I made it all the way up to the runner up and didn't win tough enough.
Starting point is 00:46:55 It was an, if the execs were voting like they usually do, I probably would have won. But the audience was voting. And this guy, Daniel Puter came in and almost tapped out Kurt Engel. Like legit.
Starting point is 00:47:08 Gold medal. It was, it was crazy. We'll be right back after this quick break. I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot of my mind, and now I've got my own show.
Starting point is 00:47:20 So if you're tired of lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week. Film Never Lies available on all TSN platforms in the IHeart Radio app. 2%. That is the number of people who take the stairs
Starting point is 00:47:33 when there is also an escalator available. I'm Michael Easter, and on my podcast, 2%. I break down the science of mental toughness, fitness, and building resilience in our strange modern world. I'll be speaking with writers, researchers, and other health and fitness experts, and more, to look past the impractical and way too complex pseudoscience that dominates the wellness industry. We really believe that seed oils were inherently inflammatory. We got it wrong.
Starting point is 00:48:03 Many of the problems that we are freaked out about in the world are the result of stress. Put yourself through some hard. and you will come out on the other side a happier, more fulfilled, healthier person. Listen to 2%. That's T-W-O-P-Cent on the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying.
Starting point is 00:48:31 Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment,
Starting point is 00:49:01 and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. I went and sat on the little ottoman in front of him.
Starting point is 00:49:34 Hi, Dad. And just when I said that, my mom comes out of the kitchen. She says, I have some cookies and milk. This is a badass convict. Right. Just finished five years. I'm going to have cookies and milk at them all. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:49:51 On the Sino Show podcast, each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience, and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor, cultural icon, Danny Trail, talk about addiction, transformation, and the power of second chances. The entire season two is now available. to bench featuring powerful conversations with the guests like Tiffany Addish, Johnny Knoxville, and more. I'm an alcoholic.
Starting point is 00:50:18 And without this trouble, I'm going to die. Open your free I-Heart radio app. Search the Cito Show and listen now. And so that kind of set him over the bar. It was like, oh, man. So then I lost, and I was like, oh, I lost my opportunity. That was it. Like, that was my chance.
Starting point is 00:50:40 That was my opportunity. They gave me everything that they possibly. could have given me. I had promo time. I had every opportunity. The fans didn't want me. But then they gave me a developmental contract. They're like, hey, go to Deep South wrestling in McDonough, Georgia. So I moved from L.A. to McDonough, Georgia, and lived there for six months, became the first ever Deep South heavyweight champion. It was a brand new territory at the time. And I remember Bill DeMott telling us, going, if you can sell out here, then you go to another territory. The old school way was you sell it at one territory, then you go to another
Starting point is 00:51:14 territory. You sell out there, you sell out there. Then you get to go to the big territory, which would be WWE, right? So we had our first show. It was sold out. Like we had to turn people away. Second show, sold out, turned people away. My merch was selling crazy, right? And I was a baby face. I was a good guy, believe it or not. And so then I became first ever deep south heavyweight champion. And after I did that, Paul Heyman was like, all right, we want to see how you'll do at Ohio Valley Wrestling. So Paul Heyman brought me to Ohio Valley Wrestling. And it wasn't the same as it was in McDonough. I finally learned like territories, different states, different places, different cities are all different. And I imagine that's the same for football. Different styles too.
Starting point is 00:51:57 Different audiences, different noise, different things. They like different things, right? So I went there doing what I did in McDonough and it wasn't working. It was, I mean, it was, I had reactions, but it wasn't the reaction I was getting there. I was, I was, Paul. I don't know what's going on. He goes, you know why? You're not a baby face. You're a heel. I go, I don't know, man.
Starting point is 00:52:18 Back McDonough, George. I'm telling Paul Heyman in this, by way. I can't do it to Georgia. I was pretty over as a baby face. And he's like, no, you're a heel. Let's try it. I go, okay. So Paul and I wrote my first heel promo,
Starting point is 00:52:31 went out there and did it. And I'll tell you what, from that moment on, I was never a baby face ever again. I was a bad guy. Before we get into this match, What goes into making and brainstorming the perfect promo? The perfect promo? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:52:48 What goes in? The story. Yeah. Like that, that would I would say is number one about always is what story are you trying to tell? Where are we going with this story? Are we going to WrestleMania with it? Are we going to Somerslam?
Starting point is 00:53:02 Is this a one-off? So then that's the first thing. First thing is always story. Then it's like, how can we captivate an audience? How can we get them into this promo? what's what's like in an improv you would say what's the game we can play that the back and forth what are the lines that we can use to really engage them and get them going and so then you figure that out and sometimes
Starting point is 00:53:24 you use catchphrases in there mine is i'm the miss and i'm awesome very simple very easy you would think like that's it it's like yeah sometimes a simple word like yes and no are our promos that are great that's all wow jacky let's jump into this smash We got, oh my God, what a match this was. WrestleMania 27. 71,000, the Georgia Dome? Unbelievable. You got the rock coming out.
Starting point is 00:53:49 I mean, Sina coming out with the choir. You got the Mizz with the bubbles. I mean. By the way, and before that, you got to mention the hate me now. You can hate me? Yeah. So I, before I was going out in this, I'm going to, can I set it up? You said it all me, me.
Starting point is 00:54:07 Yes. Can I set it up correctly? Yes. So in this in this moment, I'm an up and coming. I'm the champion, but I'm like an up and coming superstar, right? Cina's made. Rock is living legend, movie star. We all know the rock, right?
Starting point is 00:54:25 And then there's me as the champion. And I'm trying to compete with these icons. And I'm not at icon status yet. Like I'm not there. It's very, it takes a long time to develop that. But I was getting the momentum. I had the momentum. And so I remember the week before cutting a pro,
Starting point is 00:54:44 I dressed up as the rock. And I remember going to Vince going, this isn't going to work. No one's going to believe on the rock. I don't look like the rock. I just don't. I have blue eyes. Like I'm not bald.
Starting point is 00:54:56 Like I, I, I, I, I'm not six foot seven Samoan, right? I, I'm not the rock. And he's like, don't believe. And I go, it's not going to work, man. It's like, we'll put a bald cap on you. Thanks. I'm still not six, six, five. You know, I'm not, I'm built, but I'm not built.
Starting point is 00:55:15 So I ended up putting on the t-shirt, the rock music hits, right? And the crowd goes nuts. This is when rock wasn't there all the time. Yeah, he was new movies. Yeah, he came back. I mean, the crowd went nuts. And in my head, I'm backstage going, this is going to be horrible. And then I remember as I'm about to walk out, Vince, sent him, goes, wait!
Starting point is 00:55:37 And I'm like, and then I hear the crowd at the peak and they start coming down. It's like, now! And then I walk out and I did the best rock impression I possibly could. And as I'm walking out, there's another eruption bigger than the one before. And I'm like, how is this working? Do they not know I'm not the rock? So then I'm like, you know what, give them a little something else?
Starting point is 00:56:01 I'll take the sunglasses off and see if they pop again. Took the sunglasses off. They pop again. and I'm going, this is unbelievable. And then finally, as I start walking down, they start realizing it's me. And the pop goes into a huge chorus of booze, which is exactly what we want.
Starting point is 00:56:20 I beat up John Sina. I cut a promo on the rock, on the fans, on John Sina, and we are ready for WrestleMania. I remember that day, I flew back to L.A. and I got a voicemail from the rock being like, that's how you do it. That's how you step up to the plate and hit a home run.
Starting point is 00:56:36 It was like one of those. motivational, by the way, does not have to do this. He's the rock. He's the rock. But man, it was like one of those inspirational, like, I mean, this is the guy. Like, I remember when I was on the real world and people were like, what made you want to do it? I remember my castmates got me an action figure of the rock and it was on my shelf.
Starting point is 00:56:53 When I was looking at myself in the mirror saying, what do you want to do with the rest of your life? There was a action figure of the rock. And I was going to be a W.W. Superstar. And then here I am getting a voicemail from the rock being like, this is, this is what you needed to do. So then cut to the day of WrestleMania, like I felt like I was, I was where I needed to be and I was in the place I wanted to be in. And so I remember doing like press conferences,
Starting point is 00:57:19 uh, and the crowd was ready. And then right before I'm about to go out, they play this vignette. And it's like people call it to hate me now. It's, I would say it's the best vignette ever. Some people say it's the rock Austin one, uh, with limp biscuit. Uh, but, I think it's my vignette because it's me, right? And this vignette, not only was I there, it set it apart from everything else. And it got everyone right. And you can hear the crowd go, oh, it told my story.
Starting point is 00:57:50 Like I told you, the best promo is about stories. Story. This vignette told my story in three minutes and 30 seconds and got you prepared and made you go, wow, this guy had to go through a lot to get here. And now he's there. And so as I'm walking out, they're like, Ms. there's going to be like 20 seconds of pyro.
Starting point is 00:58:09 Like so make sure you stand there. I'm like, oh, man, first time you getting pyro. Let's go. I bust through these bubbles, by the way. By the way, when I first saw the bubbles, I went, bubbles, bubbles, like, I'm the main event of WrestleMania and I'm popping through bubbles, you know?
Starting point is 00:58:28 But I come to love the bubbles and they ended up losing them somehow, some way. I wish I still had them. So I bust out of the bubbles. I hoist my title up. I get the pose. And all of a sudden I see the pyro and it's just like sparklers that are like 15 high. I was thinking like boom, boom, boom, boom, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.
Starting point is 00:58:47 And it's just like, and I'm like, oh, man. All right. Okay. So as I'm walking down, I'm thinking about that. I get in the ring. I see my friends that were all in the front row that were in my living room. And I'm just, I look at them. I'm like, dude, we did it.
Starting point is 00:59:02 Because without their support, without your friends and family support, like sometimes you won't be able to make and believe in yourself the way other people believe in you. And they believe to me the entire time. So to sit there and go, we did it with the title that we watched Rock and Austin have and then watch Sina's choir, this beautiful choir. I'm like, he gets a choir. Of course he gets a choir.
Starting point is 00:59:23 Why wouldn't John Cena get a choir? So then we go into the match. And to be honest, I don't remember a lot of it. I just, I don't. That's because the concussion. Yeah. So in the end, of the,
Starting point is 00:59:32 was it the one where you hit your head in the back? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So. The, the ground is undefeated. I remember,
Starting point is 00:59:39 I remember, like, everything was, like, we just, we did it in the match, like we did in the ring. Like,
Starting point is 00:59:44 a lot of times people call matches or whatever. We did that one in the ring. We called in the ring. Wow. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. So how do you control your emotions
Starting point is 00:59:54 of having that real, like right before that match, you're sitting looking at your friends, you're sitting looking at the rock, sitting here in John Cena. This is like your fucking make it moment, bro. How do you control that to then go on and execute your game plan of how you have to go into this match?
Starting point is 01:00:13 Okay. How did you make that catch in the Super Bowl to make you into the team? Through preparation. I was ready. All the preparation that I prepared myself for this. And when the big moments happen, I want that pressure. I love that. I yearn for that pressure.
Starting point is 01:00:31 some people can't handle it. It's very like a lot of people are like, why didn't, like in football, why didn't this guy make it? Why didn't this guy make it? And you could be in the room with them and you can be like, I know why. Like they just, they didn't,
Starting point is 01:00:43 they couldn't handle the pressure. Some people, you know, just fumble under it. I feel like that's when I'm at my best. When the pressure is at the highest is where I feel like I am at my height. And I can really do it. And all my preparation,
Starting point is 01:00:58 by the way, I am big, big on preparing. When you talk about promos, I am going through every scenario. Before a promo, I am nervous. I'm about to throw, I don't know about you in games, but before a game, I'm not hyped. Before a match, I'm not hyped up. I am going through everything in my head that could go wrong.
Starting point is 01:01:17 And all the things that I could do. Exactly. Cramming. That's all I'm doing. I feel like I'm going to throw up, feel I'm going to pass out. But once my music hits, everything goes away. Yeah. It all, like I use that energy, that nervous energy.
Starting point is 01:01:31 and it just becomes adrenaline and it just, I do what I do because I'm, I've prepared for it. And all the preparation, all the stuff you don't want to do. Like, I honestly, I hate working out. I do it because I know I need to. Getting in the ring, I love getting in the ring. I really enjoy wrestling, but it hurts, man. It's, it's tough.
Starting point is 01:01:50 Like to practice all the time and get to a certain level, it hurts. But you go through it. I remember being at Deep South wrestling. Every day I'd wake up and go, one more day. You can do it. One more day. You can do it. Most people quit.
Starting point is 01:02:03 And I'd watch people quit. And the best advice that I've ever gotten might have, it should be what Simon Dean told me, but it's not. I was at the Playboy Mansion. You know, it's a little thing. It's a fleck.
Starting point is 01:02:15 It's a sick flex. But this is when I was on the real world, right? And so I got in the Playboy Mansion and I saw Billy Kidman there. Tori Wilson just did the cover. And I was like, I have to go to this party because I might meet somebody, you know, and maybe be able to get into WWE.
Starting point is 01:02:31 I saw Billy Kidman and I said, hello sir, is there any advice you can give me? And he's like, stick with it. And it might sound, well, that's kind of an easy one, but it's not. That's like the most difficult to stick with something when everything is tearing you down, when your body is hurting,
Starting point is 01:02:50 when your family and friends are like saying, you're not going to, or your family's saying you're not going to make it, or your wife or your girlfriend, or, oh, traveling, or there's so many excuses. that people can come up with in order not to do something. So stick with it. If you stick with it, it gives you an opportunity.
Starting point is 01:03:10 It gives you a chance, you know? And so that's what I always took with that. And I was like, stick with it. Keep going. Keep going, Mike. Keep going, Mike. And there I am in the main event of WrestleMania and can't remember a damn thing. You can't remember again.
Starting point is 01:03:22 Let's freaking go. Should we put a boy in this thing before this bad boy? It's perfect. You don't remember anything because we're out of time. Let's go. Man. We're out of time. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:03:30 You're kidding me. I'm sorry. I know. No, it's amazing. Hey, we're having fun. I hope this is as good as Matt Lights. This is. Matt Light was my favorite.
Starting point is 01:03:38 Listening to him talk about a bow and arrow and at like, at like the practice facility. Like that I was like, I, the mat light I remember like, I mean, he was never, he would never tell those stories like that. And I was like, oh, man. So something still is fucking around in my house. Like my TV turns on at like nine o'clock at night sometime. at night sometimes. My house is either haunted or Matt Light has installed something in my system that I literally think about when it happens. Fucking Matt King. He really is like he really does that. He really does that. And so when you when you have him in your house, you're thinking,
Starting point is 01:04:14 wow, this is Matt Light. No, I'm thinking. By the way, he always makes you think about him, huh? I'm thinking, A, look for important things that may have been stolen and B, look at all the electronics in your house. If it is something that Matt Light did, would you find it and kind of smile and laugh and be like Matt. Yeah. I'd be like, thank God I found this. But the thing is, this guy will leave it, he'll leave a prank going for five years. Like he made a friend think he had AIDS for like two years. Got his wife involved.
Starting point is 01:04:43 It was bad. Let's grade this game. Oh my gosh. Scores bad boy. It's the name of the game. We came up with some names, but if you have a specific name, we'll go with that. We came up with WrestleMania 27. The title defense, you can't beat me.
Starting point is 01:04:58 Thanks, Dway. the three-way feud, all hell in ATL, a Ms. Torrick night or something else. So what is, is this the greatest game of all time? Let's score at decimal.
Starting point is 01:05:14 Okay. Is this the name the game? We're naming this. What's the name of this? This podcast? The match. Your match. My match.
Starting point is 01:05:23 Oh, okay. WrestleMania 27, the title defense. The match. the MIS can't remember. There it is. The match the Miz can't remember. There it is. You really are good at this improv shit.
Starting point is 01:05:37 There it is. You go to know. Is this the greatest game of all time? Let's score. We encourage decimals. The stakes of your first. This is your first world champion. No, this is your first.
Starting point is 01:05:48 Rain. Yes. Is a champion. First ever. Steves. But this is your first main event. Stakes, everything's on the line. I mean,
Starting point is 01:05:56 zero to 10. Zero to 10. So the stakes. I mean, honestly, you're going to get a lot of 10. I mean, I know you're supposed to do like 10.0 then. 10.0. You know, if we have to do a decimal point. But I mean, the stakes were all every, by the way, every time I go out there,
Starting point is 01:06:13 whether it's WrestleMania or a WWE Smackdown or a WWE Raw, if I'm doing this podcast, the stakes are always at a 10. Because I want it to be the best, the best I could possibly make it. Like, and it's not me going, oh, I've got to make this. It's like, that's just the mentality. And everything I do, I do. I want it to be a 10. So I put my stakes really high.
Starting point is 01:06:33 Like before I came on here, I've watched a bunch of your, whoever does your clips, by the way, does a really good job. And they're always in my other rhythm. He's right there. Always in there.
Starting point is 01:06:42 Great job, buddy. You do a great job. I mean, I've seen a lot of your clips, and you do a really good job of just being natural and talking and you find guests that are just very fun to, like, listen to. So, yeah.
Starting point is 01:06:59 That's why we got you on, Bub. Thanks. Appreciate it. So everything's a 10. 10s, baby. Star power. Star power.
Starting point is 01:07:05 The Rock, John Cena, myself. 10. 10. Gameplay. Let me do mine. My stakes. I got to go a nine. We've done.
Starting point is 01:07:16 Jack at 8.9. Let's go. 4.1. Just because star power. We got to get him out. He's got so many other things to do. Star power for me. I mean, you got some of the craziest stars of all time.
Starting point is 01:07:27 Who's a bigger star than the Rock? Is Brady? I don't know. Rock or Brady? Who's a bigger star? Rock, internationally. Rock.
Starting point is 01:07:36 Rock. Yeah. Scorpion King. Rock. So I mean, would you get Brady? I mean, my daughter, because the Scooby-Doo movies
Starting point is 01:07:42 loves John Cena. You know, it's crazy? I think he gets recognized more for movies now. Dude. Yeah. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 01:07:48 But they also, because of the meme world, they kind of know that. It's fast. It is. Things go fast. They do. I mean,
Starting point is 01:07:55 I've been out for five. Soon people are going to be like, you were a wide receiver. I thought you were just a podcast. Dude, when I went out to Brazil and we did that roast, everyone knew me from the Netflix roast and not from football. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:08:07 What a roast, man. That was nuts. Best roast I've ever seen. My star power, I got to go 9.2. The gameplay of the match. What would make a 10? If the Rock and Johnson and myself,
Starting point is 01:08:20 there is no perfect 10. There is no perfect. Okay. A 10 would have to be like. Like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt. No, it'd have to be like Abraham. Pan Lincoln. Oh, okay.
Starting point is 01:08:33 Martin Luther King. Ologram Tupac. Don King, Tupac. It had to be people that are just not even around. Okay. Gameplay, I got to go, when you got a fucking people's elbow when you won the match. I know.
Starting point is 01:08:49 When do you ever see that? Never been done before. I don't remember it. I got to go. It was pretty sweet though, huh? It was all time, man. It was all time. Well, the stare down.
Starting point is 01:08:59 Like, it was, you were like, you could see that you're like, you're the rock this is like my time then he's like no this is not your time yet and then you like looked at him like he's he's not going to do this is he and he looked at you and you're like I'm going to do this kid it was like the vet to the rook thing right there I loved it I'm going to go with the 9.1 and then the match the miss can't remember I mean I'm a concussion guy myself I got to go at the 9.0 There we go. That's not a bad. Those are high.
Starting point is 01:09:33 By the way, we talked for an hour and still haven't talked about American gladiators. Please. Coming out. I'm going to you guys. 8.4.2. Is it coming? I'm the host.
Starting point is 01:09:42 When is it coming? The all new American gladiators. Yes. April 17th, Prime Video. Like, we have a full season. And let me tell you, do you remember American Gladiators? Do I remember?
Starting point is 01:09:52 That was like what I wanted to do my whole life when I stayed home from school. We'll be right back after this quick break. I'm Luke Wilson. Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot of my mind, and now I've got my own show. So if you're tired or lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week. Film Never Lies available on all TSN platforms in the IHeartRadio app.
Starting point is 01:10:15 2%. That is the number of people who take the stairs when there is also an escalator available. I'm Michael Easter, and on my podcast, 2%, I break down the science of mental toughness, fitness and building resilience in our strange modern world. I'll be speaking with writers, researchers, and other health and fitness experts, and more, to look past the impractical and way too complex pseudoscience that dominates the wellness industry. We really believe that seed oils were inherently inflammatory. We got it wrong.
Starting point is 01:10:48 Many of the problems that we are freaked out about in the world are the result of stress. Put yourself through some hardships, and you will calm out. on the other side, a happier, more fulfilled, healthier person. Listen to 2%. That's T-W-O-Persent on the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'll say it.
Starting point is 01:11:16 Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became big. than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations
Starting point is 01:11:37 with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations,
Starting point is 01:11:55 stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,
Starting point is 01:12:11 follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. I went and sat on the little ottoman in front of him. Hi, Dad. And just when I said that, my mom comes out of the kitchen. And she says, I have some cookies and milk. This is a badass convict. Right. Just finished five years.
Starting point is 01:12:33 I'm going to have cookies and milk at mom. Yeah. On the Seno Show podcast, each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience, and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor, cultural icon Danny Trail to talk about addiction, transformation, and the power of second chances. the entire season two is now available to bench featuring powerful conversations with the guests like Tiffany Addish, Johnny Knoxville, and more.
Starting point is 01:13:01 I'm an alcoholic. And without this trouble, I'm going to die. Open your free I-Heart radio app. Search the Cito Show. And listen now. Me too. It was WW Superstar American Gladiators. Those were the two things.
Starting point is 01:13:19 I mean, obviously, big, bulky. Who is the guy? I always thought I could get past them, too. You know, in the fucking... Oh, you always play with your friends. Powerball joused. We all wanted to have the tennis ball shooter at the end. Yes.
Starting point is 01:13:31 You know what I mean? Where you had to like crawl and then get rid of the dude? You know why they did assault? Why? So I found out as the host now, I was like, I found all the little inklings. The reason they did assault was for an injured gladiator. Because if you remember, they weren't getting hit. By the way, injuries happened.
Starting point is 01:13:47 Oh my God. Every sport. And so when they had that documentary about the injuries and all that stuff, I was like, yeah, it's a sport. Like, and watching it live in front. front of me, I was like, oh my gosh, like what the gladiators have to go through each and every time, because the contenders, they want to win and they want to prove to themselves that they can beat the gladiators. So it's like two Titans going head to head against each other. No, 1,000 percent. You got guys
Starting point is 01:14:11 that like the gladiators don't want to be embarrassed by some guy that ain't a gladiator. And then the guy who's trying to go against the gladiators, he's putting up all his mustard and steam to try to beat the gladiators. This shit's crazy. I loved gladiators. And then the guy. He's trying to go. And Are they going to be wearing the same uniforms? They're wearing similar uniforms, but let me tell you something. The ones that they had before, they were big, right? I'm telling you these gladiators are bigger, better, faster, like ever than before. And they all have unique characters that literally you'll either fall in love with or you won't be able to stand.
Starting point is 01:14:44 Some are true characters in their own way. There's a guy, Steele that is literally the human highlight reel. Like everything he does is a highlight. neon is like his name. Like the names match the person. Like neon, he shines. Like he is bright. Every time he walks out there and does something, it's talked.
Starting point is 01:15:05 It's noteworthy. And some of these got eagle soars. Like whenever it's like hang tough, I remember hang tough with the rings being kind of boring when I was a kid. It might be the most fun you will watch the way the eagle just soars through it and literally comes on. You'll watch like a 300-pound guy just yank on a person. The guy's just holding on for dear life.
Starting point is 01:15:27 And just like, no, please, please no. And just yank him down. It is awesome. There's Crush, who is just one of our females that is just, when she hits, you hear a boom. You know who you need to have come be a gladiator? Who? Danny Amandola. Oh, yeah.
Starting point is 01:15:45 I think Danny Amindola. He had my dance in the stars partner. Didn't he win? Yeah. No. No. He did a third. Whitney, him and Whitney.
Starting point is 01:15:52 I thought like, are you going to do it? No. Come on. It's fun. It's a lot of work, though. I don't want to cut the rug. It's a lot of work. But dude, it's...
Starting point is 01:16:01 I think he could be a great gladiator because me and him used to go look for obstacle course. I was just going to say, bro. We used to go look for obstacle courses and literally said, we found one right over here in Brentwood at one of the high schools. Like 10 years ago, we drove by it and we're like, we're going to go do gladiators. We race this thing. I ended up busting my shin getting stitches. It was crazy. he beat you or would you beat him?
Starting point is 01:16:23 Dola would win, no question. We don't have enough time for that. Come on. Who used to win? I think he won that day. Oh, he won that day. All right, then Danny Amandola. There we go. Bring him on. He's a stud. Bring him on.
Starting point is 01:16:38 Dude, thank you so much for coming on. Thank you, man. I really appreciate it. I wish we have more time, but we got publicist over here saying you got to go because you got to hit 20 others. I got things to do, man. I'm promoting Merrin Gladiators, pulling WrestleMania 42 on the ESPN. Who I got? Man, I'll tell you what, ever since Big Mouth Pat McVee has come in there and been around Randy Orton. Randy Orton is one of the greatest ever do it. But Cody, I think, is going to be able to win at WrestleMania and beat Randy Orton and get rid of Pat MacMek me forever in WWE.
Starting point is 01:17:07 And then also, Becky Lynch and the international. Yeah, yeah. Ridley, let's go. Becky's great. Seth Rollins, her husband is one of the most elite. If you want to talk about Mr. WrestleMania, look no further than Seth, Frickin Rollins. Then you have CM Punk and Roman Raines going head to head at it for the world heavyweight championship. So it's a huge, huge, huge night ESPN app with the unlimited plan. I'm telling you, April 18th and 19th, Allegiance Stadium going to be sold out, going to be amazing.
Starting point is 01:17:36 And those are all the things that I don't even have a match, by the way, at WrestleMania right now. But you never know what's going to happen because when I hosted at SOFI, I had two matches. And I wasn't supposed to have it. I heard the day of that like, hey, you're having a match today. Wait, what at WrestleMania? So anything can happen at WrestleMania. I could have a match at WrestleMania that is not advertised. You never know what's going to happen.
Starting point is 01:17:56 Right now I'm cursed by Dan Housin. And I'll get rid of that curse very soon. When is? Gladiators coming out? April 17th, Prime Video, the all-new American gladiators. You're not going to want to miss it. I can't wait. Just freaking go. Thank you guys.
Starting point is 01:18:10 Thank you so much, bro. Edel-Nut. Edel-Nut. Man. We could have gone on for three hours. Four hours. You know what? I think it's a compliment when anyone says, man.
Starting point is 01:18:23 It flew by. It flew by. That means they were enjoying their time here in the Nutt House. Time flies when you're having fun. He's got a bunch of promotions going for gladiators. So he had to leave super early. I felt like the Miz wanted to stay for two more hours. I think he's a fan of the show too.
Starting point is 01:18:39 Bro, he was going to put up patrician numbers in here. I would have let him. He 1,000%. And his one out is, he said he doesn't really remember the match. I know. I know. I mean, I've been 15 years.
Starting point is 01:18:54 I mean, when you, I slipped in under low key right there. If you heard, I said that that ground's undefeated. Anytime you hit the head on the ground. It's true. Helmet or no helmet. She is undefeated. Undefeated.
Starting point is 01:19:06 Doesn't move. It doesn't move. And movable object, whatever that saying is. Forrest. Fun fact, his like talk about that match he did with the Light Foundation with Matt Light. He wrestled against a Bruin,
Starting point is 01:19:19 a former Bruin. What's his name? Wouldn't it Lyndon Byers? Yeah, Lyndon Byers. You know what? I think he was a comeback. We'll redact that if he wasn't. He talked about manifesting something.
Starting point is 01:19:29 My guy, if you're really in need for some motivation, you should watch him. Because like, yeah, you could say his schick. Oh, he's goofy, this, that, the awesome, the bubbles. This guy lives, dies, and breeze wrestling. He literally thought this, and he wouldn't in, made it happen. He willed his way. And it was really hard with the whole real world tag.
Starting point is 01:19:57 Yeah. Like people don't realize that now. Oh, yeah. Because nowadays you get, like he said, you get a little social media following. WD,
Starting point is 01:20:03 come on, give it a try. Back then it was the exact opposite. It was the opposite. It was such a niche market of, of type of people that loved it. You know what I mean? Yeah.
Starting point is 01:20:12 That was, he was really cool. He was, I love his perspective and his story and his excitement for, you know, what he's gone out and done. And it's incredible. Don't freaking give up.
Starting point is 01:20:24 I'm with him, man. Never say. Just look at that. Don't stop. Don't stop. No. Stick with it. Stick with it.
Starting point is 01:20:30 Stick with it. And like you said, it might sound corny or tripe, but like that resonates, bro. It means something coming from a guy. He does. You could tell he had a lot of positive energy. In the workspace,
Starting point is 01:20:41 you could tell he's probably one of the guys that like, even when it's a shitty day, like, all right, let's go guys. I know. And it's one of those things where like, I don't want to put words in his mouth, but a guy with a bigger ego would have been like,
Starting point is 01:20:51 I'm not getting in the mix of just seen a rock robbery for my moment. Like he understood what that meant for the company and where he stood in the company that time and what that moment was and didn't make it bigger than himself or about him. Team player. Like you could tell he's egoless. Coming out with the bubbles, changing over to the heel when he wanted to be baby face.
Starting point is 01:21:12 Like there's a lot of like swallowing the ego for all that. And I don't think he gets embarrassed about anything. No, I don't either. He's very self-aware. I think he's very confident in his. Because like a lot of the stuff he does sometimes, you're like, man, that's so cheap. You know what I mean? With the bubble. But he like he embraces like, oh, fucking that's my bubbles. And like he said was awesome. Like, that's his catchphrase. It took him two years for that to get over.
Starting point is 01:21:36 For two years, I'm like, that's this, fuck. What do you do? What is it? Stuck with it. Stuck with it. Stuck with it. That's pretty applicable. That's the mismato. That's the mismato. And look at that moment. When he was a team player and he stuck with it and did what was best for the company. This set up WrestleMania 28. 1.3 million pay-per-view buys.
Starting point is 01:21:55 Seena in the Rock. WrestleMania 25 made the company 72-mill. Set up one of the biggest feuds since Rock and Stone Cold that the WD's ever seen. The MIS is part of that, man. The MIS is part of that, bro. Everyone can say what they want to say. The Miz got that Riz.
Starting point is 01:22:11 And the MIS got that Riz, bro. He was the man. He was. Maybe one of the snaziest dressed. He came in, dabbered up, maybe. He came in. Those shoes.
Starting point is 01:22:18 Dripped out. out. Those cap toes. Ooh, they red bottom. Hey, that boy, they're gonna get no, man. We needed a Ljiton's. We needed a foot check. I need a head to toe fit check.
Starting point is 01:22:28 I need a head to toe fit check. I need a head to toe fit check. 3P. Man. We had I need red bottoms in here in a minute. Jack, before we wrap up this episode, the show,
Starting point is 01:22:36 is there anything that we didn't cover from the match that we want to make sure it's just said just for a prosperity stake? I think Riley coming in with the steel briefcase. Riley. We didn't get into Riley at all. That moment was. We barely, oh man, I wanted to ask him so much what's, like, wrestling against someone you can't see.
Starting point is 01:22:53 Yep. But you can't see him. We, we failed. We didn't, that wouldn't fail. Just didn't have time. Snookie was on the undercard. Snook? Snookie.
Starting point is 01:23:03 Pewey Herman was in a, he was there and a, we cut a promo. Watch that. Love the pee wee. Candy. The rock, the rock and peewee Herman cutting a promo. Wait, whoa, what he? Yeah, because he was. I love pee.
Starting point is 01:23:20 What the wee is cooking? Yeah, he was like, No, he said, the Pee. He spoke the B. Yeah, just for a little backstory, they framed Peewee in this segment
Starting point is 01:23:30 as John Cina's number one fan. Yeah. So then the Rock had to, of course, bully him into joining a team Bring It or whatever. The Rock was saying back then. Bring it on. Bring it, baby. Other things from the match,
Starting point is 01:23:41 I think anytime the ref gets knocked out, I love that, that happened late in this match. Reff gets knocked out. Sina pins the Mizz, but there's no ref to count it out. Doesn't count. That was awesome.
Starting point is 01:23:50 We talked a little. little bit about the kinkush, the Miz just absolutely getting rocked over the barricade onto the hard concrete floor. Unbelievable moment. Tapped out, or 10 count. For both. For both. So the matches rule to draw.
Starting point is 01:24:05 The rock comes in. You never see. One thing I never thought I'd see, the rock coming into a main event in reading off a laptop. It was insane. But he threw that laptop. He said, get that out of this root and tootin' candy ass laptop. Then he said, we're back on.
Starting point is 01:24:21 I declare this match back on and they got in there and the... See the perfect though with the Rock, even in his performance. When he threw the laptop, do you watch? He grabbed the mic to throw it with it so you get the sound effect too. Bro, it's unbelievable. Like, just going... Those guys are, they're fucking...
Starting point is 01:24:38 Always, I know. They're all thought out. It's insane. The Miz walks right in, knows which camera was his. Yes. Like, we were watching this before and Kyle was like, that's part of the business. The Rock, the Miz, Sina, they're pros. They know where their camera is at all times.
Starting point is 01:24:51 They do the little things like that. Drop the mic with it for the extra sound effect. I mean, just pros, pros, seeing all three of them. Fucking the Miz, man. He's been doing it for 20 years. How about that? Insane. Did you cover the rock?
Starting point is 01:25:06 After the match, too? Yeah, we didn't get into that enough. He interfered with Sina to put Miz over. And then he gives the MIS the people's elbow. Yeah. Slams the Rock or slams Sina. Exits the ring. Miz slides in, takes his opportunity,
Starting point is 01:25:23 one, two, three, retains the belt, beat Sina. Then we talked about it a little bit there. He got that epic stare down between the Rock and the Miz. And then you're like, oh, what are we going to do? Which way? Is he going to turn and go to the tunnel? Is he coming back? Oh, he came back in the ring and laid the smack down.
Starting point is 01:25:36 He said, it's still my company. Come on, dog. I've been away, but it's still my company. And then just to sort of bring it full circle, we talked to roast mode, the feud kind of started when the Rock came back for the first time in a long time to do a little bit of a roast at the
Starting point is 01:25:50 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony when he was inducted his dad and he gave Sina a little bit of a Marine joke made a joke about the Marine and people at Guantanamo Bay having to watch that because it was such a bad movie. And then it gave us,
Starting point is 01:26:03 that did give us an iconic John Sina meme the, that was John Sina reacting to it. That said it again? Do it in front of the camera. There you go. You know the Mew I'm talking about? You know what I'm talking about? No.
Starting point is 01:26:15 Hold on. Let me pull it up real quick. Just for the, this match was an 8.4.2, 8.42 is our new 37th, just ahead of wide right Super Bowl 25 Bills versus Giants and 18 to 1 Super Bowl. I got, you know, hit, whatever. His charisma and his passion for the match may have skewed my scores. I mean, we were putting, we were all like put in the spot. Oh, you went really high, Jules. Yeah, I was, I mean, that's okay. I went real low. I got bullied. I got,
Starting point is 01:26:50 I went real low, so it offsets it. I got passionately bullied. Although we were like really, really, really running. You know this one. We're really running low for time,
Starting point is 01:26:59 but you were still like, here's the thing why I had squirted so low. Yeah, yeah. Here, let me bring in a new, a completely new topic. I'm like,
Starting point is 01:27:06 hey, no more time left. Have you heard about Danny and Mendola? We used to hang out. Danny, I can see Danny out of the gladiators. Dude, I could do it.
Starting point is 01:27:14 I was so, American Gladiator is fucking awesome. I was so, annoyed that I was like time, time, time, because that would be a great conversation because American Gladiary is awesome. I wonder to know if they let him go through the course. Yeah, he's a perfect host. Oh, it's great. What is it?
Starting point is 01:27:26 He said it's on prime. Yeah. I think a dream job would be naming the American Gladiator. Oh, yeah. It's like naming paints. It's awesome. Yeah. I'm trying to.
Starting point is 01:27:37 Eagle, neon. So blaze. Blaze. Laser. And phaser. Glacier. Lacer. Laser.
Starting point is 01:27:44 Razer. Phaser. Laser. Laser. Laser. taser slash rash rash yeah like they really really get the onomatopoeia's going rocky dude hold on i wonder what the new fits look like i got to look those ones the best american gladiator names of all time here we go nitro laser ice blaze turbo zap tower thunder sky storm hawk
Starting point is 01:28:10 viper saber phoenix atlas diamond siren malibu malibu yeah elatra jade lace wake seta All right. Dude, I got to say... Fun episode. It's an all-time episode. We got to get the Miz back. But, posing the question to the gang here, all three of these dudes that we talked about today
Starting point is 01:28:30 have done their fair share of acting. Who is the best wrestler-turned actor? Is it The Rock? Or is it Sina? Is it... No shade at the Miz, but I don't know that he's put up the box office numbers. Not yet.
Starting point is 01:28:44 Not yet for the Miz. It's got to be the Rock. Gotta be the Rock. I guess. And Kevin Hart, dude. Rock's got, he's in Mummy. There's Dave Batista. Yeah, I forgot about Batista.
Starting point is 01:28:57 He just kind of is. Yeah, I don't even think it's close. Kevin Nash is funny. I know it's not in the same way. I don't think it's close. I don't think so either. I will say, Jesse Ventura.
Starting point is 01:29:08 Jesse the body Ventura. I will say maybe this is my, like Rock, obviously, more bankable, bigger movie star, pop leading man, making money. I do like watching John Sina.
Starting point is 01:29:21 I think he's a better performer. I think he's the way that he can be funny. John Sina's, his comedies are the way he can be funny. He's really acting. Yeah. Yeah. And he does like small roles. Like he showed up in the bear.
Starting point is 01:29:31 He shows up in stuff. He does comedies. Like I think he's more range of an actor. I also think. I also think John Sina's journey in acting is more interesting. And even more, not to glaze him up too hard, but gives me more, it's more commend. Like, I got more respect for Sina, to give it his journey. Now, do we put Arnold in there?
Starting point is 01:29:50 Even though he's not wrestler, but he's bodybuilder turned actor? No. If you do, he wins. Because he's Arnold. But Sina, after the Marine in some of those WWB productions, which are down the middle and what you would think a wrestler would be doing, like, didn't go well at the box office. He took a break from acting.
Starting point is 01:30:06 What did he and his agent? Like, we're doing right now. Where are they going to now? In such a hurry. Oh, I don't know. Rich Eisen. What? Probably. I don't know. Bro. You could be right. We have, sometimes they go from Eisen to us up to four or five or us to
Starting point is 01:30:19 Eisen. But Sina came back into it. Train wreck, baby. I got him back into it. That role. Also, he's from Massachusetts, John Sina. I know.
Starting point is 01:30:28 Shout out, dude. But this was all about the Mizz. What a great episode. The Miz, baby. The Miz got the Riz. The Riz from the Miz. Could you take a people's elbow, you think?
Starting point is 01:30:40 I'd eat that people's elbow. Can I do a Krimogany take? There's no, there's like nothing like, It's all theatrics and not a lot of like the people's elbow. Oh yeah, people, I mean, it's all theatrics more than like,
Starting point is 01:30:55 Like a tombstone, like, oh, fuck, that'll break your neck. Yeah, I like the DDT. Diamond Dallas Diamond Dallas, Diamond Dallas, Diamond Dallas page cutter, DDP. Those are pretty tough. I mean, chin music too, like getting kicked to the chin, that hurts. Skull crushing finale is pretty tough because you're literally like, like getting slammed right on your face.
Starting point is 01:31:13 On your face. We didn't ask them is about that. That's another thing I wish we could have talked about. The tailbone talk, bro. We're watching this match. He was asking me questions, though. Oh, yeah, he was. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:31:22 Like, Rick, this is my show. Although, you know, you know what? You've told a lot of your stories a lot of times because we're on the mic a lot. But he actually got some new stuff out of you. What? There was the, it was a Ken State thing about, oh, Brandon Jacobs in the Hysman. We talked about that before. Not on the show.
Starting point is 01:31:45 No. I never heard that. That's why I liked Ken. Yeah. Because Brandon Jacobs a year before was in the Heisman talks at Bowling Green. Like, wow, this guy's, they talked about him in the Heisman. Fuck it. I'm going to go to Kent.
Starting point is 01:31:59 Yeah. I don't think that's ever been on the show before. Wow, shout out. We got to make that one a clip. It's not Baitec. Brandon Jacobs? No. Omar, no.
Starting point is 01:32:08 Something Jacobs. Yeah, because Brandon Jacobs was to Auburn. It was a quarterback. It could have been another. Boardback, Bowling Green. Oh. Is it Omar? No.
Starting point is 01:32:18 Like 2005. From Florida, went to the Steelers, played in the league. He played for... Omar Jacobs. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, cool. He was all the time.
Starting point is 01:32:28 Slanging. Bowling Green from 2002 to 2005. And then Rothusberger, too, was bawling out. I don't know. That was after you. He didn't even get to ask him about Roth. He probably went to school with Ben. Lodge.
Starting point is 01:32:41 They were hanging out. Yeah, he did. I mean, he wasn't who he was until... Yeah, but if he's at the frats... He is who he did. We let him off the duck. We'll be right back after this quick break. I'm Luke Wilson.
Starting point is 01:32:54 Join me each week for Film Never Lies. Since retiring from the NFL, I've had a lot of my mind, and now I've got my own show. So if you're tired of lazy takes, if you want honest conversations, join us each week. Film Never Lies available on all TSN platforms in the IHeart Radio app. 2%. That is the number of people who take the stairs when there is also an escalator available. I'm Michael Easter. podcast 2%. I break down the science of mental toughness, fitness, and building resilience in our
Starting point is 01:33:24 strange modern world. I'll be speaking with writers, researchers, and other health and fitness experts, and more to look past the impractical and way too complex pseudoscience that dominates the wellness industry. We really believe that seed oils were inherently inflammatory. We got it wrong. Many of the problems that we are freaked out about in the world are the result of stress. Put yourself through some hardships, and you will come out on the other side a happier, more fulfilled, healthier person. Listen to 2%. That's T-W-O-O-Persent on the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.
Starting point is 01:34:13 You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast.
Starting point is 01:34:47 It's a space for honest conversations. stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. I went and sat on the little ottoman in front of him. Hi, Dad. And just when I said that, my mom comes out of the kitchen.
Starting point is 01:35:19 And she says, I have some cookies and milk. This is a badass convict. Right. Just finished five years. I'm going to have cookies and milk at them all. On the Ceno Show podcast, each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience, and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor, cultural icon Danny Trail to talk about addiction, transformation, and the power of second chances. The entire season two is now event.
Starting point is 01:35:49 to bench featuring powerful conversation with the guests like Tiffany Addish, Johnny Knoxville, and more. I'm an alcoholic. And without this trouble, I'm going to die. Open your free I-HAR radio app. Search the Cito Show. And listen now. Dude, Miami. That was a great party school, huh?
Starting point is 01:36:12 Huge. With babes, all that? Oh, nice. Ooh, I keep fucking elongating this thing. Second Mac gets, I believe. What? Tyler said, we got Max Crosby. Eastern Michigan,
Starting point is 01:36:25 the Miz, Miami, Ohio. I think that's our only two Mac Daddy's on the pod. Correct me if I'm wrong. You get any more? I get cribs on. Gotta get cribs.
Starting point is 01:36:35 Hey, young. Got to get crib to the crib. James Harrison would be sick. Marilyn Katz. Oh, Antonio Gates. Oh, Gates, duh. Can't say it's the third. I bet there's more.
Starting point is 01:36:43 Well, it's not burn. Mac action. Mac action. Action. Action. Thanks, well, what a match. Thanks again to the Miz.
Starting point is 01:36:50 That was spectacular. Wish we had a little more time. Shout out the publicist. That's another episode of games with names. By the way, in the future, when we're doing that, that works. Calling out the publicist, like, let it simmer down a hair. It also cues to the talent because I think he just didn't know what time it was, so he was going. But he knew he had to go out too, so just like cueing them all in.
Starting point is 01:37:14 Publicist shows you got to go. All right, next time. Subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you listen to podcast, comment a game you want us to do. And remember, Rate and review. Leave us a five-star review on Spotify while you're there. Remember to follow games with names on YouTube, Instagram, X, TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook. Leave a comment on the YouTube full episodes. We love reading those in future episodes.
Starting point is 01:37:39 Don't forget about that old hotline. 424-291-2290. Love those. We'll see you guys next week. Games with Names and Names Production of My Heart Radio for more podcasts for My Heart Radio. the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. 2%. That's the number of people who take the stairs when there is also an escalator available. I'm Michael Easter. And on my podcast, 2%. I break down the science of mental
Starting point is 01:38:17 toughness, fitness, and building resilience in our strange modern world. Put yourself through some hardships and you will come out on the other side a happier, more fulfilled, healthier person. Listen to 2%. That's T.W. on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.
Starting point is 01:38:47 You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrate. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok.
Starting point is 01:39:15 On the Ceno Show podcast, each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience, and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor, cultural icon, Danny Trail, talk about addiction, transformation and the power of second chances. The entire season two is now available to bench, featuring powerful conversations with the guests like Tiffany
Starting point is 01:39:33 Addish, Johnny Knoxville, and more. I'm an alcohol. And without this truth, I'm going to die. Listen to the Cino show on the IHare Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. On paper, the three hosts of the Nick Dick & Poll show are geniuses. We can explain how AI works, data centers, but there are certain things that we don't necessarily understand. Better version of Play Stupid Games win Stupid Prizes. Yes.
Starting point is 01:40:01 Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift, who said that to the the first time. I actually, I thought it was. I got that wrong. But hey, no one's perfect. We're pretty close, though. Listen to the Nick, Dick, and Paul show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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