Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Butterbean On Brawl For All, Bart Gunn KO, Johnny Knoxville, 200+ Pound Weight Loss With DDPY

Episode Date: August 24, 2023

Eric Esch better known as Butterbean (@butterbeanboxer) is a professional boxer and mixed martial artist. He sits down with Chris Van Vliet in Atlanta, GA to talk about how Diamond Dallas Page and DDPY helped him get out of a wheelchair and lose over 200 pounds! He also discusses his legendary boxing career, being the "King Of The 4 Rounders", how he got the nickname "Butterbean", being invited to be part of Brawl for All in WWE, the vicious knockout to Bart Gunn, the invitation from Johnny Knoxville to knock him out on an episode of Jackass, why he never fought Mike Tyson during his prime, wanting one more fight before he retires, his mixed martial arts career and more. Sponsors: MANSCAPED - Get 20% off and free worldwide shipping with the code CVV at manscaped.com   To get 15% off go to http://mudwtr.com/cvv to support the show and use the code CVV15  Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to http://TryMiracle.com/CVV and use the code CVV to claim your FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF  Use the code CVV to get your first month of BlueChew for FREE at http://bluechew.com  Get $150 off your Plunge with the coupon code CVV150 at http://plunge.com Quote I'm thinking about: “Do not fear failure but rather fear not trying.” - Roy T. Bennett For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to: https://podcast.chrisvanvliet.com If you enjoyed this episode, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast/iTunes? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests.  Follow CVV on social media:  Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet TikTok: tiktok.com/@Chris.VanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All systems are gathered. Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Van Bleas! All right, my friends, welcome back to another one here on Insight. I'm CBV, Chris Van Fleet. Thanks for being with us. And thank you for making Insight, one of the top wrestling podcasts in the world. You know, I say it a lot, but it bears repeating. I appreciate you.

I'm grateful for you. And just thank you for tuning in each. every episode. I got to say, I've always wanted to interview Butterbean. I was at Russell Con this year. His table was like just on the other side of the room from where I was. And I was like, man, what a legend. What a legend.

I mean, as a wrestling fan, of course, you immediately go to Brawl for All and that nasty, nasty knockout to Bart Gunn. And Butterbean talks about it here, but Bart Gunn really wasn't the same ever again after that, especially in his wrestling career. but all of this came together, this interview, this episode, because of DDP. I was staying with him in Atlanta. That's when I went to the premiere of Cody's documentary. Stayed with DDP.

Interview DDP. That was episode number 500 and one of my favorite conversations I've ever had. And so we wake up that morning the day that we were going to go to the premiere. And he goes, oh, bro, would you want to interview Butterbean? And I'm like, yeah, of course. I mean, absolutely. a freaking legend. And he goes, oh, okay, great. Let me text him. He'll be here at 2.30. And I was like, what? It's, oh, it's happening just like that. So we worked out, got ready for the interview.

Next thing you know, butterbeams at the door. And this interview's happening inside DDP's house. Amazing. I mean, we know the stories about how DDP has helped people like Scott Hall or Jake to Snake Roberts. Well, three years ago, Butterbean was in a wheelchair. He weighed over 500 pounds. He couldn't stand straight up. You can see the photo of him using, like, crutches. He would walk around, like, completely bent over, almost a 90-degree angle. And with DDP's help, he's now lost over 200 pounds. For the first time in his adult life, he's weighing in at less than 300 pounds.

He looks amazing. Obviously, a lot of this is his hard work and his dedication. But if it wasn't for DDP, man, I don't know where Butterbean would be at. and Butterbean also doesn't know where he'd be at. So I love this conversation. Please take a screenshot and share this out. He's at Butterbean Boxer on Instagram. He's also very popular on TikTok. So if you're on TikTok, go find him at Butterbean King of Four Round. I'm at Chris Van Vleet. And if you're on TikTok, I'm at Chris Dot Van Vleet. But I hope you enjoy this. It sounds like we're going to get at least one more Butterbean fight before he officially hangs them up. Could it be against

Mike Tyson. We've never seen Butterbean and Mike Tyson get together. That could be so good. So ladies and gentlemen, here we go, the one and only. Butterbean. All right, sir, he is an honor and a privilege to be sitting down with you here. So thank you for coming by. Hey, thanks for having me on. I'd say thank you for coming by. We're at Diamond Doll's Pages' house. Thank you for coming to DDP's house and then us hanging out here. Yeah, most of how I'm getting tortured downstairs when I'm here. Yeah, you guys go way back here. He was getting you into some. pretty great shape. Oh, you know, when, when you take somebody from not walking in a wheelchair for three years to in four months walking out. Wow. I mean, that's, it's incredible. So you lived

here with Dallas? Well, I lived at the other house. Okay. In the crib. Yeah. How did it get to a point where you were in a wheelchair? Just years of like running, you know, when you're 400 pounds and you're running. Yeah. Because I was putting in two, three miles a day, people don't realize I had to deal a lot. lot of cardio just to be able to fight. You know, you see a big guy you're thinking, well, he's not going to last, but I was quick for myself. Yeah, nobody looks at you and goes, that guy has great cardio. Exactly.

That I did. Yeah. I mean, it shocked people. I mean, I went 10 rounds with Holmes. I actually dropped him in the 10th round. So it was just years and years of just wear and tear on your body? Running and then I did MMA for a while. I had probably 40 or 50 different MMA fight.

Yeah, people don't talk about that part of your career nearly as much as, everything you did in boxing for 10, 15 years. And the messed up part about my MMA fights, probably the last, I'd say 15 fights. I didn't even train. I just walked in and fought. It was crazy. And I done really well.

I mean, I beat cabbage up a couple times. Imagine if you had trained? Oh, crazy. Yeah, I just, my hips were so out of whack I couldn't. Yeah. What was the biggest thing that Dallas really worked on with you here? Well, the main thing was stretching my legs. My muscles and my legs were so bad.

because I was in a 90-degree angle. I mean, if we walked up, you know, hey, bro, how are you doing? Yeah. I'd be in your chest. My head was that just bent over. Wow. I mean, I have some friends that are little people. Yeah.

And I was about their height. That's how bent over I was. I was, couldn't walk. Did it come to a point where you had accepted that maybe this was how life was going to be for you? Oh, I did. I mean, they got old of me probably 10 year ago trying to hook me in Dallas up. I said, I'm not doing yoga. It ain't going to help me.

Yoga is, I laughed at them. And then I had Dallas on a podcast, me, Boss Rutan, Flex Wheeler, and Flex goes, Dallas, you got to help Butterbean. Yeah. And Dallas, because I have a show coming up called Change or Die. He goes, I can't tell you much about it because we just thought it up. I don't have much to say about it.

And I said, I want to be on it. Mm. And I was willing to do anything just to be able to walk. He was actually talking to me about that show because Buff Bagwell was on that show. Then I interviewed Buff Bagwell. You guys said you and Buff Bagwell, I don't think got along very well on that show at first. There's a couple bumps and bruises. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, we all on fine now. That's good. And look at you now. And you're preparing for another fight. Yeah, I mean, people laugh because, I mean, I've had, yeah, I've done appearances and things. And I was talking about fighting. The lady come on the internet and goes, he can't fight. He's in a wheelchair.

I go, you were right. I was in a wheelchair. Yeah, yeah. But that's the remarkable. part about this is to come from being a wheelchair. I didn't go. I was inducted in the Alabama Boxing Hall of Fame. Didn't go.

I was too embarrassed. Wow. So now it's like, it's like, I'm going to prove the world. If you have discipline and you're determined to do something, you can accomplish anything. Yeah. Just like Vinnie Penzianzi broke his neck, come back and won a world title. Yeah. Is this one last fight or is this the restart of another career?

I just want to do one. one big fight, maybe two big fights, but that's tops. You know, everybody wanted you in the day to fight Mike Tyson. I would love to fight Tyson. It's one of the guys that we're seriously talking about. And that's where we're here. We're shooting basically a sizzle reel for a major company. Okay.

To show like he's serious. He come from a wheelchair to like being a badass like he used to be. If not, I never fought it 300 pounds. When I walk in the ring, I'll be about 280. And that's light for you. I've never fought that light. I've never fought under a 3.15. That's crazy.

That was the lightest I've ever fought, is 3.15. Wow. What was the best that you felt? What weight did you feel best at? Probably 3.40? That's insane to think about, because we're like the same height. I can't imagine weighing that much. Right now, I mean, I'm at 3.13 right now.

But people are like, there's no way you weigh that much. But in our genetics, we build muscles so quick. Like, it's crazy. When in high school, I started bench, 100 pounds. Okay. Within a month, I was benched 350. What?

It's like, you know, I mean, I could barely benched 100 when we first started. Yeah. Wow. We, I can't explain. I just got really good genetics. My son's same thing in high school. He was tested like 10 times one year for steroid use. Wow.

Because he was just freakously strong for his size. Wow. Why didn't the fight where Tyson happened in the 90s? There's so much politics. I mean, one thing that they never wanted to, Tyson to fight, anybody could punch. If you notice, they kept away from people that they could punch. Kevin McBride, knocked Tyson out.

There's a guy named Louis Monaco that destroyed him and I didn't. Monaco was the easy fight for me. So things like that, you know, they knew one thing I had as a big punch and I had a great chin. I mean, I've been hit with like everything. I've never, you know, been really phased by it. Was there ever a point where it was close to getting a fight with Tyson? I don't think so. I mean, right now it's probably the closest it's ever been.

Because there's serious, serious people in the business that want to see this tape and know I'm serious and I'm very serious about it. You recently also called out Jake Paul. I would love to fight Jake Paul, but he's too smart to fight me. I'm being honest. I mean, I'm not saying he's a coward or anything like that, but I would destroy him. I think he knows, I mean, I hit way too hard for him. Well, you're a lot bigger than him.

You weigh a lot more than him. Well, once you're in the heavyweight division, you're heavyweight. Is he a heavyweight? Yeah, he's heavyweight. I thought he was, bonson. He can go down to the cruiser, but he's easy. Wasn't his last fight like 190 something? 197's heavyweight.

Oh, wow. Yeah, I guess that's it. Yeah, he's right at heavyweight. I feel like the matches that he's making are like, he's trying to make as much money as he can in these fights. Which is smart. He's fighting. What bugs me, he's fighting ex-MMA guys only in a boxing match.

Yeah. Now, when I had a fight scheduled to fight Mark Hunt, and it was on an MMA card, but we were going to stand-up box. Mark Hunt couldn't get into the country, so they changed the fight to MMA fight, which I hadn't had M-M-A fights before, but I wasn't training for an M-M-A fight.

Yeah. thing that they're good at. Exactly. If the boxing don't work, they can take them down. What do you think of his boxing, Jake Paul's boxing? It's getting better. You know, he made a statement a while back about me. He's like, they said something about him. He goes, I'm not like butter bean. I'm not, I'm not a joke. Yeah. Ever since I want to fight him. Just to show him. I mean, if he thinks I'm a joke, I want to fight him. I feel like the Tommy Fury fight kind of showed like, you know, a boxer, he finally fought a boxer and he lost to the boxer. I think it kind of made people go, Oh, maybe he's not as good as we thought he might have been.

He's getting better. I mean, I'm not downing him. He's getting better. And then he makes statements like, yeah, I'm proven people that I'm really, I'm really a fighter. I go out there and I train in a dungeon-type atmosphere and that makes me work harder for it. That ain't how it works. When he leaves that dungeon-type atmosphere, he goes to the million-dollar house.

Multi-million dollar out. Multi-million-hard, but whatever. But yeah, but it's the guy. is that don't have that multi-billion-dollar, million-dollar house to fall back on, them are the ones that fight harder. What's that whole idea of like when you got the satin sheets? I'm sure you've heard it. When you got the satin sheets, it's hard to get out of bed.

Yeah. It's hard to get out of bed and want to go train. But when you don't have that, you're trying to reach for that. You're trying to get that because you're hungry for it. See, everybody's like, oh, butterbean just wants a payday. I would love it being another big payday. I'll be honest with you. But when you get injured and you can't work for five years,

eats away a lot of the savings that you've put back. Yeah. But like my house, everything, you know, all that been paid for by my, you know, by my boxing career. So I'm not, I'm not in like desperate need or nothing like that. Yeah. Love a big payday, but that ain't, I'm dealing because I want to prove to everybody. If you, to you have determination, it's kind of like being president.

How they always say when your kid, you can be even president if you want to be. Yeah. They lie to you that it's never going to happen. But if you put your mind to something, You can accomplish almost anything you want to do in life. I think there's people that would look at you and they would go, man, that guy does not look like a box. And I feel like you proved so many people wrong during your career. Oh, even like Larry Merchant, even like he had used words a couple times.

You know, here I'm fighting a ripped guy just like, you know, and he ended, his name is Louis Monaco. He actually ended up knocking out Buster Douglas, knocked out a bunch of big names. Oh, this guy's going to destroy a butter, I knocked the guy out. And they can't say nothing about it afterwards. They don't want to like me because I don't look like a typical fighter. Yeah. But, I mean, if you've seen me a year and a half ago, you'd be like, wow, there's no way he's accomplished what he has now. I mean, I was 500 pounds.

Wow. Wow. I would say closer to 515. At what age did you realize you had a real gift for this? I'm right now, I feel younger and in better shape than I did. in my prime back then. Wow. Which is scary.

I don't know why I have that feeling that I'm just like, I feel like I'm 10 times a fighter now, just from the experience, from what I've did, to just how I'm feeling inside. I feel like energetic. I got energy. I'm like, I'm alive. Yeah.

When you were a kid, did you go, like was there something that happened that made you go, oh my gosh, boxing is for me? No, I was a fat kid that pig kid. picked on and I hate bullies. And I've even bullied a couple kids in school and I feel bad about it because I was bullied so I just passed it on to a couple. Me and that guy, a couple guys I did bully.

We're friends now. So I've, and I get it. And kids are cruel. I mean, I was, even adults pick on you. You know, I mean, I even get there once in a while, you fat ass, you this and that. And then they realize who I am and they change their own story. Then ain't how it should be. you know, I'm not, there's not many 300-pounders walk around that look as good as I do right now.

And that have the power in that right hand that you have. We're left. That's true. That's true. Yeah, I'm like, I'm very fortunate to be blessed with good genetics. I mean, it's crazy. This episode is brought to you by mud water. And I say this to you as I drink here from my mug of mud water.

And no, it's not actually mud that I'm drinking. It's a coffee alternative made with four adaptogenic mushrooms and all kinds of other great ingredients that gives you all of the benefits of coffee, all the energy, but with just a fraction of the caffeine and without the jitters or the crash of coffee. And this is something for me that's like a mid-morning drink or like a mid-afternoon drink when you're looking for that boost of energy, but you don't want what's going to come with coffee like half an hour later where you're like, ah, man, I kind of. need another one right now. Mudwater's hooking you up with 15% off when you go to mudwater.com

slash CVV or you use the code CVV15 at checkout. That's 15% off with the code CVV15. I just love the taste of this and I love the way that you feel just a few minutes after drinking it and I know that you will too. Go check out mudwater.com slash CVV. This episode is brought to you by Blue Chew. And if you've ever been thinking of trying Blue Chew, how about your first month for free? Yeah, when you use the promo code CVV at checkout at bluechew.com, you'll get your first month for free. You just have to pay $5 for shipping. Guys, this is the same active ingredients as Viagra, Sealis, and Lovietra, but it's insurable tablets and a fraction of the cost. And the best part, it's all done online.

There's no doctor's visits, no awkward conversations, no waiting in line. at the pharmacy. And look, even if you don't struggle in the bedroom department, this is kind of a fun thing to try. And I promise you, the Mrs. or the girlfriend or whoever it is is going to be a big fan of this too. Bluechew.com. Use that promo code, CVV, a checkout.

And you get your first month for free. You just have to pay $5 for shipping. That's bluechew.com. The promo code is CVV. Maybe. So what age did boxing find you, or did you find boxing? I started young. I was in my 20s when I started fighting. That's not young at all. That's old.

Yeah, exactly. I started like, I was old, but I lied. I was 26 for about five years. And finally, a guy named Dave Bond Temple, he goes, now, Buttergreen, how old are you really this year? I told him, I'm 26. Because you've been 26 for five years. That's like, I'm 27 now. What made you get into it? It was a tough man contest. Okay. I'd work in a factory, and we were making $250 a week, and that's with overtime.

This has been a long time ago now. Yeah. And I could fight in a tough man to make $1,000 in two nights. Had to fight four or five guys, but that's all right. Sure. And then I went to the world tough man. I just walked through it. I mean, until the final fight, and I had the short draw, which means I fought,

the other guy fought, then I fought, and then we had to fight each other. Oh, wow. So I had a very short rest. And he was like the promoters from the same hometown, the promoter and everything. And I actually beat him, but they give it to him. And then I fought in the year after that and I beat him. Oh. People always talk now, like, you never know who might be a boxer, who might be doing

MMA training. You never want to pick a fight with somebody or like a road rage thing. You were like the epitome of that. Like, you're the epitome of like, you never know what someone might be capable of. True story. Like a good friend of my boss rude and, you know, guys would pick on in my bars and that's the wrong guy you have to pick on. Yeah. Because he was like, he's like legit brutal. In your absolute prime, did you have people that would try to pick fights with you at the bar? I really never did. I used to, when I first started, I was a bouncer. Had one guy, you know,

kind of challenged me. I'm going to do it. If you beat me up, I'm going to lose my job. I won't have a boxing career. If you know how to talk to people, you can get out of fights. I mean, I, if money wasn't involved. I didn't want to fight. It hurts. But I just feel like someone would go, man, did you see that? I sucker punched Butterbane. I never had it. I'm looking. It's great, yeah. Like on my social media, when a lot of people go on,

they have all these trolls, I don't get them. If you're kind to people and you treat people with respect, they don't give you that BS. That's what I've found. A lot of people watching this are big wrestling fans. And, you know, when your name comes up in the world of wrestling, it's

brawl for all. Well, it's to me that was a big part of the wrestling. And it's, I think it would go down on the history. I mean, that was a big, to me, that was a big thing. I mean, it was a brilliant idea. Like, can these wrestlers actually fight? And I think that you proved the difference between a pro boxer and a pro wrestler. Without a doubt.

Yeah, poor Bart. Yeah, you, you kind of ended his career. I'm surprised Martin Lernerner didn't do better in it. and what, because he was a golden glove boxer. Yeah, yeah. Me and him had a match prior to that. And he could, Mark could actually legitimately fight. Tell me, like, walk it back here.

Like, what was the setup? How did the call go with WWF at the time of, like, we're doing this thing. Do you want to be part of it? No, it's actually, me, I was supposed to be on the pay-per-view before Tyson got out. Me and Tyson were going back and forth about me and him fighting. No bad blood.

Me and Mike get along great. but they didn't want us in the same arena because they thought it would be legit. See, to me, fighters don't fight like that. Yeah. I mean, if you're a legit fighter, you're a professional fighter,

you act like a professional. You don't get in a fight prior to the fight. Yeah. There's no sense. Sure. It's stupid. But they didn't want to put us together. So, Bart, my understanding,

was supposed to lose to Dr. Death. And he didn't. He knocked him out. So I was brought in his punishment. That's the story I got behind the scenes. What was the vibe like backstage before that? Vince, just say, being, just give it, give it, give it all you got. I mean, it's like, okay, I'll do it like new.

I mean, that was easy. It was pretty easy. If he wouldn't come out like brawling, just, I went back to tough man days, three one minute rounds because it was three minute rounds. Yeah. Three one minute rounds. Yeah. So I went back to just giving everything he got, just go wide open.

You know, when you're boxing, you got three minutes, you gotta pace yourself a little bit. People don't realize how long three minutes is. One minute goes too quick. And he tried to box. Bad mistake. It was 38 seconds? It was pretty quick.

And then I think it's just him falling and his head hitting the rope. Well, Vinny, Vinny, the referee, Vinnie Penzianz, he broke his neck. He knows a tough, he's a tough New York fighter. Sure. So he was going to let it go no matter what. what? Bart's head could have been hanging off as long as he stood up, he would let him fought.

Wow. And the knockdown prior to the last one, he probably shouldn't let him, because his eyes were going everywhere. He was, he was standing and he was out. It's really amazing that, like, Bart Gunn didn't do much after that. No, I mean, it was, it was a bad knocker. He was, he was, I was told he didn't know what, which way he was walking for about two weeks.

Jeez. And it's interesting that in your, Your entire career with all the knockouts that you've had and all the fights that you've had, for a lot of people, it comes down to that one fight. A lot of people know you from that one fight. That's the only thing they know me from, yeah. That's just so interesting. That are knocking out of Giant Knoxville.

Well, yeah, we've got to talk about that. How did that come about? They just called me up, but I thought it was like a movie. And my son goes, Dad, you never seen Jackass? I said, no. They go, just make sure that you know what they want you to do before you go. So I go, they want me to knock out John. And I said, all right.

And so I thought, I was talking with Johnny about, like, the script, you know, what do you want, how do you want to do this? They go, no, well, you really want you to knock me out. And I go, okay. And Johnny goes, that's when I got scared. Because me and Johnny become friends. Yeah. He goes, when you agreed to knock me out so quick, he said, I got terrified. You know, and he goes out and lets a 1,200-pound bull charge you.

Yeah. He said, I got scared. Where were you guys fighting in that? It was in the camp, like a, like a convenience type store. Yeah, it was all the little Hispanic ladies. Oh, Diablo, Satan, oh, they give me hell, believe me. I believe it. I mean, you knocked him out of what was like 10 seconds.

I just like them hit me first, though. You did. It was really nice. I had to be a gentleman about it. Yeah, and then you just unleashed a whole bunch of punches up. I don't remember telling them, though. That's the bad part of it. Did you think at any point when they first called you up?

They're like, this is jackass. Maybe they're going to try to prank me. No, I didn't know what they did. Because that's what they do. Like, they could have hit you in the nuts or something, and that would have just been part of their bit. And they get off on that. That's crazy.

They do. Because when I fought home, was Jeff and Johnny come to the fight. They were, you know, my guess, they come to the fight. They were back to say, they were hitting each other nuts all night. I'm like, what are y'all doing? But that's, they get off on it, you know. I was just with Johnny about four or five months ago with Shot Family Feud, and Johnny, I go,

you ready for a rematch? He goes, I had vertigo for about six weeks. I had to go to the doctor who said I couldn't stand up without getting sick. Oh, my God. Yes, I guess I ate him harder than I thought it did. Did he walk out of there? He kind of. And he had a gash on his head from the display case he hit.

And he had a GQ photo shoot the next day. That actually kind of lines up with his brand. It worked out perfect. I helped him out. Why wasn't this in a ring or something like that? I don't know. Well, I mean, you can't have it a ring if it's called Department Store Boxing. That's a great point.

That's a great point. I'm just using their logic now. It makes perfect sense. What do you think's been the biggest lesson that boxing has taught you in your life? How to treat people? I mean, I judge people on how they treat me. I'll be honest, before I started boxing, I was racist. I mean, because I'm in a small, I was growing up in an all-white town.

In the South. In the South. And I just, I was racist. I'll be honestly. And then once I started fighting, I got, you know, friends of every persuasion of every which way you can go thing. And it just taught me how to treat people. I treat people on how they treat me. I don't care your color.

I don't care if you're green. I don't care if you're gay. or straight, I don't care. But if you treat me right, and that's all the matter. So if you're a good person, you're okay in my book. And that's one thing that boxing did for me that, you know, maybe just to appreciate life better, I guess.

I feel like you win or learn more from a win, or you learn more from a loss. Probably lost. Really? My first loss in Madison Square Garden, which is bad. and I went outside and I got mobbed. I mean, I got mobbed by people.

I'm going, wow, and I lost. So, I mean, it makes you feel appreciated. And then there was a kid that wanted to meet me and I couldn't get over to him. And when I went over to meet him, he was a paraplegic, he was so happy to meet me. I go, I got, I got nothing, I mean, I got no worries. I go, if I can make this kid happy just by meeting me,

I mean, I got something ahead of, you know, something's going to happen good for me. You know, if you can make one person's day better like that, I just appreciate it so much more. Yeah, yeah. I bet you have all kinds of fan interactions like that. I actually saw you at RussellCon. And I didn't know you. I didn't come up and say hi, but I saw you from a distance. And the way that you interacted with fans, you're just so incredibly kind to everybody.

If you can touch somebody, if you can make them, like, I've, I've, I've, We was in the Olympics. A banner holy field was there. Wouldn't sign autographs for no kids. Wouldn't, like, and I got kids coming up. I'm signing autographs. If you can make somebody's day a little bit better by meeting you, you're an ass if you don't do it.

I mean, you're just not a good person. That's also the idea that it's such a small part of your day that will end up being something that that person remembers for the rest of their life. That's what I'm saying. Like, we're at the grocery store today and this lady come up And I was with Josh and we shop And I was getting some groceries and She goes

It's a bird bean. I see them on my family few And just If you can make one person A person day a little better It makes everybody's day better In her circle Yeah

It's just it makes you feel good Yeah I feel like you Like your look Is the epitome of the nickname Butterbean It stuck I mean I really did

I mean I went on a butter bean diet Which is BS It never happened. I used to get gas and the guys would be like, you've been eating butter beans. All right. You got me.

So they started chanting butter being at the fight because they knew it pissed me off. Up to that point, you were just erked everybody? Well, they used to call me John. Okay. Because I was like a John Deer tractor.

We build mobile homes that the motor home would fall off. You know, you'd talk about an 80-foot frame. Instead of calling a forklift, I just, we'd pick it up and they'd put the dollies

under the front wheel. Wow. I've always been really strong. So then you became Butterbean and it just stuck? It stuck big time. And what do people call you now? Is it bean? Bean.

Bean. I can't be Mr. Bean. My wife's, yeah, I know. Believe me, we had a lady call. I had a restaurant. Had a guy called the restaurant. No, wait, they were at the restaurant and they were talking about how they loved me because I've come from Britain here and had a restaurant.

And I'm like, they actually got me confused with Mr. Bean. Oh, man. It was quite funny. Does anyone call you Eric? No. When was the last time someone called you Eric? I spent a while. Oh, that's so funny.

Long time. Does Butterbean or bean? Butterbean or bean? We talked about Brawl for All, but you were also in WWE before that as well. How did that come about? I didn't, like, Mark Merrill is, I stole Sable from him, which me and Mark are still good friends. Um Yeah, it's

It was real The funny part was at the airport And the whole skit gone was Mark was abusive to Sable That's why I was stealing her from him And she had a black guy from a horse kicking her And you know Wrestlers will get each you know

We'll put A little pranks and this and that And a couple of them Backfired on them One of them When I got there I'd do It's going to contract work with Vince And they go

Oh just go on and go on in the office He's right here You know So there's one in he and him and Austin are going at it so ever since then me and Vince hit it off great and it backfired on him but at the airport we're leaving

and I look at Martin's dead serious like I go Mark if you ever touch her ever she's gonna call me and I will come and I'll beat you and he's like being it's a setup it's just not I'm really not being a mean to her I know that but I he actually thought I was pissed about it really yeah it was funny I got if you can fool a wrestler like that you're doing

you did something right. Did you ever think with the few stints you did in WWE that, hey, maybe pro wrestling is a great career for me. They actually talked to me and they've even, you know, they've come to me and Vince even said, he says, you're more of a wrestler than the boxer being. I mean.

But the money I was making so much more money boxing and I was fighting so regularly. I mean, I was, I was fighting once to three times. I fought three times in one month. Yeah, that doesn't happen anymore. No. Yeah, that's crazy. I mean, it's still the case where boxes are making a lot of money and,

wrestlers and UFC fighters are certainly not. No, no, not like they should. Who would be on your boxing Mount Rushmore? Tyson's one of them. Yeah. Tyson, Foreman. You got two more. Yeah, there's a lot of great fighters out there.

I'd hate to, but them are two. Okay, you could just say two then. And, you know, Johnny Tapia is one of the guys that really like me and him become good friends. He's passed away now, which I knew he wasn't to live long anyhow because he had a crazy life. I don't know if you're familiar with Johnny Tappy or not. No. He was a lighterweight guy, probably 114. But when he was kid, he watched his mom being raped or murdered in front of him.

He had a drug problem and they brought him in his boxing, and coming to world like a four or five world time, a little champion, just an amazing fighter. Just always fun. He'd always just backflips something after the fights. He was just one of the guys that were just always fun to watch. After I had hurt my arm, I detached my bicep in a fight. I actually won the fight.

to attach it and still won the fight. He called me every day. He goes, make sure you don't be taking them pain pills. Yeah. And go, Johnny hurts. He said, okay, as soon as he quits hurt and don't be taken off. Man. What about a fight with Mayweather?

Would you fight Mayweather? He's too small. I would love to fight Mayweather. Yeah. I just, something about him, he just rubs off. I mean... I think that's kind of his brand. Like, that's kind of what he wants to do.

I guess. He just talks a lot, and, I mean, he does back it up. He's a hack of a fighter just It's like a Vanderanolyfield. I don't like him as a person. Really? No, I don't like Evander as a person. Maybe you should fight a Vader-Ollyfield then.

It wouldn't be a good fight. He would do like Holmes. He'd hit and run. He'd run. He would stay wherever. He would run. I want to fight guys that want to fight. I'm not,

boxing is a boring sport, actually. If you're going to watch Olympic fights, they're boring to watch. It's horrible. I'd rather watch grass grow than go to Olympic. Matter of first. fact, my son just had his first fight. Oh, wow.

And, uh, being junior, being junior, baby bean. Baby bean. But, uh, he actually hurt his arm prior to it. And he didn't let me know how bad it was actually hurt. He had detached his bicep and destroyed it. Like, actually destroyed his bicep and he still fought. Jeez. And he destroyed the guy.

Wow. But it's just, it's a weird, it's a weird sport. It really is. Is there a knockout that you're especially proud of? Bart's one of them. Bar is actually one. There's been, Lewis Monaco is another one.

He's another big fighter that knocked him. There's a couple really, but Barre was always, will be always memorable. What about when you knocked out the referee? Oh, Terry Woods. I remember him. He was brave.

He was a brave guy, but I feel like he got in between you guys just a little too soon there. The bell wrong. I mean, I knew the bell wrong. I mean, I was going to be a dirty shot? Yeah, I was going to, I was getting him one last time

because I had about going in the bell rung and it was already leaving, it was already on its way. And then he gets in there. Oh, he jumped right in. He's a good wrath. He was a good rep. It looked like you felt completely awful about it.

No, I didn't bug me. Didn't bug me? No, I didn't bug me. How many guys can say they got two knockouts and one night? I mean, that's a good point. I remember when I first saw you, and I'm sure you've heard this before, but King Hippo was like

The Mike Tyson character was like, so many people think that was base after me. And I know that the timeline doesn't line up, right? It don't. Because Mike Tyson's punchout came out in 87, and you started your boxing career in the 90s. That in the Robin Williams movie with the Butterbean guy. Everybody thinks that was based after that. It was me. It wasn't me.

I mean, King Himbo looks like it could be you. I didn't get a picture and start signing it. I feel like you do. I mean, that would totally make sense. Yeah, that's one thing I get asked about. about that. Or they asked me about how hard is Tyson hit. I go, apparently, he's free hard. He's knocked out a lot of guys, but I've never fought him. It's funny. When you type your name into Google, one of the top search suggestions is who hits harder, Butterbean or Mike Tyson? And the

answer is like Butterbean might hit harder, but it's more than just hitting someone hard. No, it's not. But the reason so many people think that there's a bait and switch picture of If you Google Butterbean Mike Tyson, the picture will come up with being him in the ring together. Never happen. Can't believe it. But it needs to. So it's not just about how hard you,

it is just about how hard you hit? Yeah, if you connect, they're gone. Rocky told me it's not about how hard you hit. Mike, Mike don't have that great at chin. I'll be honest with you. Wow. I've never been knocked out. He's been knocked out quite a few times.

I feel like the trash talking begins now. I'm not a trash talk. I like Mike Tyson. You're like, I'm just stating facts. But he's actually small. He's not a big guy. He's powerful. I mean, I got no doubt, but the reason that

me and Tyson would be a good fight, like I said, me and Holyfield be a horrible fight. He was hit and run. And that's George Foreman. He told me who he was talking. Me and George are good friends. And that's why he never wanted to fight Larry Helms because Larry makes everybody look bad

because he's got a great jab and he runs. Me and me and Tyson, Tyson wouldn't be afraid. He'd come right at me. He'd go to the center of the ring and we'd beat the shit out of each other. It'd be a hell of a fight to watch. The closest that you and Mike Tyson got to boxing, I think it's that press conference where he comes up behind you, he puts two fingers behind your head. You turn around, see it's him, and then you guys are both kind of like... But that wasn't me.

That wasn't you? No. Oh, wow. Listen, it's an English guy. That looks just like you? Yeah, I did a TikTok. I do TikTok. Yeah.

So I duet that one. Within like a day or two, it had five million views. That's not you. No, it's not me. Everybody online thinks that's you. No, that's not. If you listen to it, it's not me. It's some English, dude.

That is so funny. Yeah, they do the same prank to like five or ten different people, so girls talk about. What do you think about Mike Tyson? She's bashing him, and then he comes out. Yeah, that's not me. Is that your most watch TikTok? I think I had one that had seven me.

What was that one? It's a friend of my little kid. He goes, are you butterbean? I says, yeah, I'm butterbean king of the four-rounders. Jake Paul will beat you. I go, I'll crush you, kid, and I'll crush Jake Paul. like seven million views. They weren't crazy.

That's pretty good. That's pretty good. It's such a pleasure to be able to sit down with you. And like what a career you've had. I've done so, I've done every kind of combat sport, including single wrestling. Only I haven't done is the slapping yet.

What about bare knuckle? Would you do bare knuckle? I've thought about it. I feel like there would be a big audience for you to do it. I've actually had offers, but the, as a matter of fact, when the first started, I was ranked number one in the rankings for a long time. I had never even thought Barrono.

You and BKFC would be very interesting, I think. How do you think you'd do as in Barronin? I think I would do very good. Well, maybe that's another fight for you. You can't hit as hard in Bear Knuckles as you can with gloves on. People don't realize that. Yeah, it's a totally different sport. Yeah, it's more about cutting the guy with your knuckles and there's more cuts.

A glove protects the hands, which is actually, Bear Knuckle, to me, is safer than boxing. because you're not going to knock them out as much with the gloves on. Yeah. That's what David Feldin, the owner of BKFC, told me. And he's like, basically picture, like, if you're going to go punch a wall with your bare hand, you kind of let up a little bit. Oh, without doubt.

It's not because you don't want to break your hand. No protection. If you had a glove on, you'd try to punch right through it. Yeah, I'd end up with broken hands because I'd hit everything. I'd throw everything I had. I wouldn't care. Maybe it's, maybe the next fight's BKFC then. It's very possible.

So, look, I end every conversation. talking about gratitude because it's such an important part of my life. What are three things as you sit here right now that you're grateful for? For one, Dallas, to be honest, to be able to walk again. I mean, my grandkids never seen me walk before. I left here last time I was here. Wow. So, I mean, that's one thing.

I'm very grateful. I'm grateful for all the people that do support me. I'm grateful for a lot of things. I'm grateful just to be alive. I mean, it's just, it's a blessing to be able to touch people. just by being being me just because I've had a really good career path. And, I mean, if you can make one person happier, you're a bad person if you don't take that advantage or make them better.

Yeah, seriously. Like, if you can make one person smile today. And that's why, that's why I like doing appearances, like public appearances, like autograph signs and things. If you can touch one person, it's like, I had a kid come up to me at a show and he come up and he goes, are you butter being? I says, yeah. And he asked me a couple questions. I answered him. And he goes, how do you shake hands? I got the money to buy nothing. So I shook his hand, and he, he come to the end of my table and stood there. I start crying. And I'm thinking,

warped things. He's dads molesting him or I didn't know why he was crying. Yeah. I come and talk to me. What's that? What's going on? He goes, I just don't until I get to meet you. That kid walked Well, there's so much stuff. But I was, I was, about made me cry. I mean, it means if you can touch somebody like that. Yeah. Do you make one person's day better? Yes.

It's awesome feeling. I love that. It's like if you cook a great meal and you get compliments on it, you know, go good, that warm feeling? Yeah. That's what it is. If you can make one person have a better day. Yeah.

Sir. Thank you. That was a big hand, by the way. Yeah, I got a good size. You maybe hit me. here. Let me punch. Okay, thank you for not punching my hand off. Well, just a sweetheart of a man. Really hope you enjoyed that. And go check him out on Instagram at Butterbean Boxer. On TikTok, he's at Butterbean King of Four Round. And I'm thinking

maybe after hearing this, you might want to go back and watch that knockout again from Brawl for all. Crazy to think that actually happened in real life. And that wasn't just like some story that was like, let's see if Bart Gunn can fight. Ouch, what a knockout. I don't know if that was a good idea or not. I mean, Butterbean's even saying maybe that wasn't such a good idea. But I'm looking forward to, could it be Butterbean versus Mike Tyson sometime in the next few months? I don't know. If you go check out his recent photos, Butterbean's recent photos in social media, the guy looks great. I think he actually might be in better shape now than he was during the time that he was fighting. And a lot of it's his hard work.

A lot of it's also because of DDP. And just the way the DDP believes in people. And if you've never done DDPY, I can't recommend it enough. It is so good. And no matter what state you're at in your fitness journey, no matter what stage you're at there, he has a program for you. So go check out some DDPY.

And I'm going to leave you with a quote from Roy T. Bennett. Seems really fitting for everything we talked about here. Do not fear failure, but rather fear not trying. Be great. Be grateful. We will see you on the next one on Ask CVV episode for some more insight. Jim Rome takes on sports. Why?

Because I have a job to do. With rapid fire takes. So I don't want to hear from you lava pigs on this notion today. No idea what you're talking about. You're complaining. more than you like to breathe air. It's like you get up in the morning only to complain and cry and moan on social media about things that you don't even understand.

He's the spitfire of sports smack. Take advantage of it, but get up in here. The Jim Rome Show podcast. What should be? Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've been warned.