Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Rhino Hasn't Aged At All! His Most Vicious GORE, Paul Heyman, ECW's Last World Champ

Episode Date: January 26, 2024

Rhino (@rhinoterrygarin) is a professional wrestler known for his time in ECW, WWE, TNA and Ring Of Honor. He sits down with Chris Van Vliet in Las Vegas to talk about the return of TNA Wrestling, coming up on his 30 year anniversary as a wrestler, his memories of being ECW's final World Heavyweight Champion and also the final ECW TV Champion, giving Sandman's wife a piledriver through a table, how Paul Heyman got his gore over by famously shouting "Gore! Gore! Gore!", coming up with the idea for Jeff Hardy to be speared off the ladder by Edge at WrestleMania 17, goring Chris Jericho through the Smackdown set and much more! Quote I'm thinking about: “Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.” - Bob Kerrey Sponsors: BETTERHELP: Get 10% off your first month with the code INSIGHT at http://betterhelp.com/insight MUDWTR: Get $20 off when you subscribe at http://mudwtr.com/cvv You’ll also get a free frother and a sample of their delicious coconut creamer. MAGIC SPOON: Get $5 off with the code CVV at http://magicspoon.com/cvv ROCKET MONEY: Join Rocket Money today and experience financial freedom: https://rocketmoney.com/cvv FITBOD: Get 25% off when you use the code INSIGHT at http://fitbod.me/INSIGHT MYBOOKIE: Bet on WWE! Get up to $200 cash bonus when you use the code CVV and sign up at http://mybookie.ag BLUECHEW: Use the code CVV to get your first month of BlueChew for FREE at http://bluechew.com GHOSTBED: Get 40% of your purchase with the code CVV at http://ghostbed.com/cvv MIRACLE MADE: 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 PLUNGE: Get $150 off your Plunge with the coupon code CVV150 at http://plunge.com BONCHARGE: Go to http://boncharge.com/CVV and use coupon code CVV to save 25% 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

Chris. Oh, yes. Welcome back to another one on Inside. I'm CBV, Chris Van Fleet. And if you missed it on the last episode, that is the brand new theme song, courtesy of Downstate. Yeah, the same band who does theme songs for Cody Rhodes,

Dolph Ziegler, The Miz, Matt Cardona, so many more. They do the theme song for Insight. So good. And I know there's a lot of wrestling podcasts out there. So thank you for deciding to, listen to us and thank you for making insight one of the top wrestling podcast on the planet. Could I make a deal with you?

If you're one of the thousands of people who just listen to the show but don't follow the show, could we change that right now? Just that one little thing, just hitting that follow button is so incredibly helpful to grow the show and to keep climbing up the charts. So here's the deal. In exchange for you hitting that follow button, I will promise to keep bringing you the best wrestling interviews on planet Earth. And I feel like we've got a bit of an animal theme going on here. We just had moose on the show. Now we've got rhino. And I know that you're just listening to this,

but if you haven't seen rhino in a while, he looks almost identical to how he looked back in ECW. Go check out the video on YouTube when you have a second today. It's just amazing. It's amazing to see what I'm talking about here. And for how intense he was. in the ring. What a kind man he is. It's such a great storyteller, too. Like, I feel like we could have gone on for a long time. He was last on the show almost five years ago. May 2019, he announced on this podcast that he was not going to stay with WWE, even though they offered to double his salary at the time. He was more interested in doing his own thing. And that's what he's been doing. You've seen him most recently in TNA. We did this interview.

to Heart to Kill weekend in Vegas. And just what a great, what a great guy. He's not very active on social media, but you can find him on Instagram at Rhino

Terry Garin. That's his real name. T-E-R-R-R-Y-G-A-R-N. I'm at Chris Van Fleet, so snap a screenshot, tag us, and I can't say that he'll share it out, but I will share it out

if you tag me. Let's dive into this. Please welcome. The one the only Rhino. Well, my friend, it's so good to see you again.

Well, great to see you and we're in a beautiful studio. Congratulations. Thank you. Although, the last interview that we did, which was five years ago, that was one of my favorite settings ever. Yeah. We were a Big Daddy's Boatyard.

Springtime. Yeah. That was so cool. And I mean, it's crazy to think that Rhino owns a marina. Yes. And I don't want to pat myself on the back, but we sold out the last three years.

Pat yourself away. That's incredible. Right. Right. So a lot of hard work and, you know, well, you know what it's like when hard work and when it pays off, it's very rewarding. But are you doing like the hands-on stuff? Oh, yeah. Oh, Jesus.

Yeah. Like what? Some days I just think, why did I ever buy a marina? Especially when you're yanking those dock posts out for the wintertime. Because, you know, if the ice will get a hold of the dock post and they'll push the docks up. So then in springtime, you got to pound them back down in the muck. And it's terrible. So, yeah.

Are there people that come by Big Daddy's Boatyard and they, you know, they didn't know that Rhino owned a marina? Wait a second. At first. Now I'm just part of the scenery. It's like, oh, that guy again. You're not keeping up on that grass. You know, geez, there goes my phone.

Who's calling you? It's going on here. This could be big news. Here we go. Yeah, yeah. You know what a rookie. I'm a cult for the Royal Rumble right here on the show. A bulk to rumble cut to mania.

But yeah, I have no idea. Actually, it's probably a dock. I just missed the sale on a dock in the springtime. Were you a big boater? Is that word? Oh, yeah. Actually, since we did that interview, I purchased a 1969 lineman,

had to put a new bottle in, took it up to my buddy shop up in Alginak, Michigan, which was the home of Chris Cranagh. boats and a little history there on boating, but people are like, hell's a criss crap boat. They're actually still in business. I think Winnebago bought them and they're in Florida. So they've been in Florida since the late 60s, early 70s. So anyways, I took the boat up there.

We put a bottom in it and it's sitting in my yard right now for the wintertime. What a boating lesson. Oh, I know. I know. Thank you so much. And something else, never buy a wooden boat. So they're just where you live. Right, right.

There are a lot of maintenance and not as much as you mean. thing, but it's well worth it when you're going out and you're getting all the looks and stuff. You brought me presents here. I'm going to open this up on camera. What did you bring me? You brought me a beanie or what we would call in Canada, a toque.

Yes. This is a toke from insane wrestling revolution, which you're also wearing the hoodie for. Yes. Actually, you brought me two of these. I only grabbed one, but you brought one for my wife. Yes. That is so kind of you.

And we're looking for a shirt for your... For our little girl. Yes. And then we got... Another one? Okay, wow. I love a guest that comes bearing gifts. Yes.

Thank you. And then we've got the rhino shirt. Gore, gar, gar, gar. You know, it's just, very kind. You were wearing the Big Daddy's Bowyard T-shirt. Someone put it over and was like, hey, I'm coming across. It's popped up on my news feed. I was wearing it in the Zach Gowan interview.

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm like, oh, yeah, that's Chris. I know him really well. He's a nice guy. Yeah, so. But anyways.

You have not aged at all in the last 20 years. I try not to. How? You know, I joke around sometimes I tell people like fans, they'll say that when they're coming up and getting autographed pictures and stuff at the gimmick tables on the independence. I tell them I take a little shot of, shoot, embalming fluid once a month. And they're like, they actually think, and I sell it like I'm, I actually do this. And then I tell them I don't because I don't want them to go and try to find.

Involment fluid and drink a shot once a month. They'd probably kill them on the first shot, but who knows? But what's the secret here? Because it's not like your... Oh, geez. It's a hard life. It is. Lots of water, which I don't drink enough water, but the guys in my family, they aged well, but they didn't live long.

So, I mean, I don't mean to laugh about that, but no, it's just I think Italians, they age pretty well. So, and then, yeah, so. Well, you kept your hair. Yeah. That's important. Yeah. Yeah, the hair line's going back a little bit. I don't know.

It looks pretty good. Yeah, but it'll stop. Yeah. You are a very large, man. I mean, yeah. I've known you for years, but every time I see you, I'm like, man, I'm shocked at how you're as wide as you are tall. Yeah.

And I mean that with great. Oh, yeah, yeah. That's another Italian thing. You're like a cylinder. Joey Stiles came up to me. He goes, I never knew your middle name. was Guido, I go, yeah. He goes, so you're a Pisan. I go, yeah. Garon comes from the northwestern part of Italy. He goes, that explains your cylinder-like shape. I go, well, there you go. I'm never going to be

a bodybuilder, you know, I don't have that tapered waist. So what do you weigh as you sit here right now? 310. 310. I told you bulk to rumble cut to mania. That was actually a joke in WWB because everyone was like bulk to me or rumble cut to media. Yeah. So what would you bulk to and then what would you cut to? Oh, usually I try not to get above 310. Yeah, I would always wrestle anywhere from 279 to 299 right around there. I don't know how you could be 300-ish pounds and move the way that you do. Oh, I know, and it's actually gotten better. I had some bone spurs in my hip. I had cleaned up and, you know, that was nagging me for a while and, you know, I actually feel 21 again. Yeah. I mean, you pretty much look 21 again too. I, you know, sometimes I don't feel 21, especially

when I'm wrestling those dock posts out of the muck. Those are your toughest opponents? Yeah, yeah. And then you have to lift them out of the water, set them on the dock. And, you know, they've been sitting in the water all season. So they're waterlogged in, oh, Jesus. Yeah, but anyways, I bubble most of the marina now. So I invested it several grain into de-isers.

So then I wrestle with that during the wintertime too, because sometimes the wind will blow the water out. then ice will start to gather around the cage where the propellers at for these de-isers. If you don't know what I'm talking about and you're interested, just look it up. So what it does is you set these machines with the propellers, you hang them from the docks, and you drop them down to the bottom, pick them up the bottom foot, turn them on, and they'll agitate the water so it doesn't freeze. So when the water drops and the temperature drops, which it's doing right now in Michigan,

so where the marina's at, they'll start to freeze, so you have to go yank, mile of water, bang the ice out. One time I was out there for 24 hours straight through the, I mean, talk about, it was like seven degrees when chilled, it felt like negative 10, you know, oh, it was a nightmare. Once you got three or four of them cleaned off, you'd have to start all over again. And, oh, man, it was a nightmare. I feel like we could talk about boating for an hour here. I've owned several boats.

I've owned a lot of bass boats. Oh, really? I had a skater and I most recently had a Ranger Z-520. Look at you. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Bass fishing is one of my real passions. One of my first loves. Yeah.

Where would you go? Lake Ontario and stuff? Yeah. I grew up in Pickering, so we were right on Lake Ontario. And when I moved to Cleveland, Lake Erie was like right in my backyard. Yeah. I would launch my boat in Sandusky a lot of times. Yeah.

That's where Lyman boats were made. Look at this boating history we're getting here. Yeah. The factory's actually still there. It's a marina and a banquet hall. Oh, wow. Yeah. So Lake Erie is one of the best smallmouth bass fisheries.

in the world. That's where my marina's at. You can move one of your boats over to my place. I'll look after it. I mean, I got a doc for you. Friends and family discount? Hell yeah. Thank you. That discount, you pay more friends and family because you're a pain in the ass. That's why.

You're on technically on Erie? You technically have at St. Clair. No, like Erie. Yeah. Yeah, we're in Monroe, Michigan. Yeah. Because, I mean, Michigan also has the Detroit River. Yep. Yeah. We have gone way down a rabbit hole. Oh, we have. Everyone was saying, like, I thought we were going to talk about wrestling.

Yeah. Which you still are doing. You're not just wrestling talk posts. Yeah. Yeah, well, I'm wrestling for T&A. Well, I'm. Yes, TN. Yeah, I got used to same impact.

And then they switch it up, which I thought was a smart move going back to TNA. And a lot of the overseas markets still called the T&A and presented it as TNA. And I actually sat down with Scott DeMore and I asked them why, why, why, why, why, why, why, move back to T&A and he explained to me. And when they announced it, I mean, everybody in Chicago, everybody started chanting T&A and the support online for switching it back. I mean, it's incredible. And it's not just like a shock moment.

I mean, people were wanting that. Oh, the amount of nostalgia that is attached to the three letters. Yeah. Man, for so many great wrestlers yourself included. Yeah. Yeah. When I first went there, I'm like, I don't like, I don't like this. name and then I got used to the name and then I really liked the name and then even after I had left

I you know I'm like okay and everybody you know you'd mentioned T&A and everybody knew what you were talking about and then you know they change it I'm like I understand but so and then here's several years later they changed it back how different was it wrestling in the six-sided ring versus the four-sided ring to me when I first got in there I'm like okay when I went over there and in 2005. I thought it was going to be a little difficult, but I just decided, okay, well, if I want to go to the ropes, I'll head towards the ropes if I want to go to Turnbuckle. So you had a little bit more less rope to play. Well, more rope technically, but, you know, not as much room in between. But they're tighter ropes, right? About the same. The cable, yeah, yeah. It wasn't a, it didn't take

me long to switch, you know, or get used to it. I remember I went to a meet and greet with AJ Stiles like 2008. Yeah. And I remember asking him like how different is. He's like, it's exactly the same, man. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, wow.

I thought it might be slightly different. What a great guy too. Isn't he awesome? Yeah, family guy and yeah, him and his wife. And then I was, well, I wasn't too shocked that I found out he was a cheerleader. And then I'm like, it made sense, you know, how great he is as an athlete. Oh, his, yeah, his athleticism. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. And then I'm like, man. you must have really picked up some chicks in college, especially on the team. And he goes, I met my wife then. And I'm like, oh, the opportunities you missed out on him. How did you find your way to ECW? Ulf Herman.

I actually, I don't know if you ever heard of him. He's a German wrestler. And he wrestled for Otto and all around. And he came in, I worked with him in 97 over for Otto Vance and Peter Williams. And then he, he, he. in 98 came over in Sabu. I don't know how he knew Sabu, but him and Michael Kovacs.

So then back in 98 season started up, we, I was asking him a lot of questions. I was over there and I just thought it was blood and guts and everybody bled and everything was hardcore. No, no, no. So, you know, I give him credit, you know. So he got me in touch with Peewee,

the referee and then we would try. was him and Sabu would travel and all that. Kind of like Sabu's young boy. That's a Japanese term and stuff. Anyways, long story short, we got a hold of him and then rode into ECW. Had a couple tryouts and got hired. Do you remember your first conversation with Paul Hammond?

Oh, yeah. Yeah. It took place at 3 o'clock in the morning. Yeah. And I never knew him in Cornett had heat, right? Okay. This, I don't even know if I've ever said this in an interview. So I worked with a local wrestler, you know, myself, I was a local wrestler too.

It was in Detroit. It was my memory sharp, too. So Grand Rapids, there were a lot of people working out there. Then Lansing, there were no workouts before the show. Then in Detroit, it was myself and one other person. Taz and Paul were sitting ringside. just had a good solid, you know, basic five-minute match. So he goes, hey, how old are you?

And at the time I just turned 23. He goes, how tall are you, you go, six foot? He goes, I want to talk to you after the show. So I'm like, okay, so I hung out, watch the show. It was a great show, too, in Detroit. And that's when Sid came out and he choked slammed, oh, I forget, over the top rope through a table. It was cool. It was cool as shit.

and the, I don't know if we can cuss. Of course you can. So long story short, I say that a lot. You got to, everybody take a shot every time they hear me say long story short. You're getting drunk tonight. So, so afterwards, you know, they do all the promos. And then Paul's like, hey, hey, I want to have to talk with you. And I remember it like it was yesterday.

He was standing there. And we're in this hallway. It was an arena at the fairgrounds, Detroit. fairgrounds and then um the locker rooms here so he's like hey did you ever try go in wcw or w af at the time it was w w f and i go well i'd send stuff to wcw and never hear anything back um cornet got me a trial really like you know in 98 the summer and this is january of 99 um so i go nothing came of it the the camp and all that the so it was with dory fong junior and and uh so he's he goes, I go, Cornet really loves my work.

And he literally looks off to the side. He goes, huh, we agree on something. And look back at me and I didn't know what that meant. So Peewee told me, he left around 1 o'clock. He goes, I got to tap out. I got to go home. Call me right when you get home. Let me know what Paul says.

So after the meeting, Paul goes, you want a job? I go, yeah, he goes, you're hired, Bala. You'll start next week. So I call Peewee, tell him I got hired. I go, one thing. I go, and I told him, well, I just told you about him and Cornette. He goes, oh, they got big heat. I'm like, well, I'm glad I can bridge that gap of heat.

You know, they agree on something, you know. When you were there, like a roster in ECW stacked. Oh, yeah. Stacked. Yeah. Yeah, trying to make waves through a roster like that. It's a little hard, but you were working with a lot of great guys. Tracy Smothers was actually the first one to tell me to spear someone.

It was my first match. too. And I went to Tracy and I said, Tracy, I go, I don't want. And Adam Copeland Edge started doing it in WWE. And you'd get a, you'd hear some of the crowds say Goldberg, but not a lot. And I go, I'm afraid they'll think, you know, the boys in the locker room that I'm stealing someone's stuff if the crowd starts chanting Goldberg. He goes, I didn't ask you what you think the boys will think. think of you or the crowd. I go, I asked you if you could do a spear. And I said, yes. He goes, okay, hit me with it then. And a couple people chanted Goldberg, but nothing major. And it was just felt so natural. I did it one other time before in 96. Not saying it's mine, Goldberg got it

over. People did it all the time. Well, some people did it before that, but he's the one that put it on the map and Adam was using it before I was. And so I just have a different version. I'm a little lower center of gravity and my leg strength. So that's what I say. The difference is there's no difference. Fans are like, oh, is there a difference? I'm like, yeah, lower center of gravity and more leg strength. And I'm like, oh, yeah. I'm like, there's really no difference. Well, the thing is the way you do it is so different. Yeah, yeah. It has a different name. Right, right. Well, well, here's the thing. Paul gave it the name to Joey. And I'd use it. I wouldn't use it as a finish. Steve Lombardi gave me as a finish.

now that I'm one of the old veteran wrestlers, when you're younger, you're like, oh, that guy don't want it. That old veteran don't want to do this because he wants to be lazy or he doesn't, he doesn't want to take this bump or that bump. And, you know, and as you become that veteran, you realize, you know, you're, because of all that time you put in, you're helping them out, right? So I'll get back to Lombardi. So I'd hit them with a, because I would use a pile driver as a finish in ECW.

Then when I went to WWF or Walt WWE was F at the time, you couldn't do a pile driver, only Undertaker. So, and that was a blessing in disguise because my back would have been tore up. Sure. So I would work with Steve on the live events. And this is important for younger guys to work with veterans. And then I'd hit him with a spear when he'd come off the ropes or gore. And then I'd pick him up and do a TKO. So I settled on a TKO for a finish.

And he goes, and I'd always use the gore as a cutoff. And it would get a good reaction. And then he goes, why don't you just cover me after you go on me? And I go, this motherfucker. It's okay. Okay. So I go, he does not want to me to pick him up. take a TKO, but he said, you get a better reaction off of that. Then you're going to pick me up

and do a move that gets no reaction. And I didn't know what a setup would be for a TKO. He goes, and plus you can hit it on anybody. So I'm like, okay, he doesn't want to take the move, but whatever. So I just started doing that as a finish. And it just built from there. And I figured I'd do the thing in the corner, you know, for a setup because people would have setups and stuff, belly to belly or a spine buster before that. And so, but yeah, so that's, that's, uh, listen to the veterans. How much did Paul Heyman yelling gore, gore, gore, commentary. I think that's what really put it over.

That's what really got it over. Because it wasn't just a spear that. No, no, it was something different and how he would say it. And he said people would come up to him and yell that to him like fans in the back and or wherever, yeah, they would yell that to him. So, which was pretty cool. I mean, the thing is you run through people. Yeah.

Yeah. There's various versions of the spear, but the way that you do it, I think it looks the most devastating. Yeah. Well, and plus, like, the tables and stuff like that, it's just, you know, I had something then like an ECW and then I'm like, okay, what can I do to, you know, but like extreme into it? If I use a table, can I do it through a table?

And I go out saying, man, his wife threw it. That was fun. Yeah. And then his wife, I actually, well, ex-wife, the mother of his children. Yeah. So a few of his children. You put her through a table. Yeah. Yeah. I go her right through a table. And you pile drive her through a table. Yes. That was actually my first pile driver through a table. Why? Yeah. Off the ring apron. Yeah. But what was that conversation like? Hey, I got this great idea. Is this you or her? Me. Okay. Yeah. Oh, it wasn't a good idea for her. Hacks in the background gone, it'll be great. Hack, Samman.

Yeah. It's Samman's nickname. But I guess his brother gave it to him when he was a kid. And then when he went to WCW, they couldn't use Saman or they wanted a different name. So I guess they call them out. There's hardcore hack, right? Yeah, yeah. You put his wife through a table, though.

Yeah. Like, oh, she was nervous. Oh, she was nervous as all hack. Yeah. I bet she was. Yeah. And then I go, you don't have to do it if you don't want to. And Samman's like, ow.

And I'll be great. She's going to do it. I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, mowling to her. I'm like, not at all. Did you think you killed her? Because like she looks like she weighs 100 pounds. Yeah, and I think she weighed about 100 pounds.

But she got dinged up a little bit, you know, hands and arms and stuff. But for the most part, she was okay. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. So I tried to take care of her. Sandman was the worst of Powell drive off the ring apron. Holy cow.

Because his weight. And then one time he grabbed the rope. I don't know if he knew he did, but I seen him grab the rope and it threw me off. And he landed on me. I go through the table. The leg comes up and hits me. I actually saved his life one time. Well, actually a couple times.

One when we were wrestling when we were traveling. So, and I love him to death. What a great guy. And he put me on the map. And I'll give him credit. And he started my career because he came back. I'll never forget. It was in the ECW arena the night he came back.

The loudest I've ever heard that place. The October 30th, I think it aired of 99. He walks in and he's just, he's in great shape. And nobody knows he's going to be there. And he said, oh, you're great kid. I told Paul if I come back, I want to work with him. And I've never met him before. And I'm thinking, oh, great.

And I've just seen the, you know, the beer cans and, you know, and I heard nothing but good things about them, but I'm just like, I don't know how, what I could do, you know. And we had great matches. And he was in Gary, Indiana, he goes, this is like the first couple matches. We've had just on live events. We didn't have any matches on TV. They were always running their buildup. And he goes. I'm putting you over tonight.

I'm like, you don't know, whatever is best for business. He goes, it won't hurt me, kid. It's just going to help you. I go, okay, he goes, the crowd, they'll go quiet. They'll start booing, then they'll start chanting refund. And sure is shit, they did exactly as he said. Man, when I pinned them. People thought at first it was a screw up on the refs part or something went wrong.

They didn't think I was going to go over on them. and yeah he actually showed up sober to the arena too I was a little nervous wrestling on him sober I never did that before drinking he's fine yeah he just woke up I forget exactly what happened he's like I'm sober now but hopefully I'll get a buzz by the time I get to the ring and he literally played out his music ran out of beer had to go to the back get some more beer because the opening spot he spits beer in my face so we needed he needed more beer and then

He went to hit me with the kendo stick. I ducked and I closed line him and I start kicking him and I go, I told you I like light beer. He starts laughing. 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 blu.com,

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You'll also get a free frother and a sample of their delicious coconut creamer that I love. Go to mudwater.com slash CVV. That's M-U-D-W-TR.com slash CVV to get $20 off your subscription and your free frother. That's mudwater.com slash CVV. The roster was so stacked at that time. And then you had a lot of guys that were getting picked up elsewhere. Yeah. Mike Awesome and Taz and the list goes on and on.

How close were you to moving and going somewhere else? At that point. Yeah. Because you were there to the very end. Yeah. I remember Mike Awesome because we started traveling. Sabu had left or there was that he tried to leave or something. I don't know what the deal was exactly.

I do, but it's a conversation that really, nothing major. I guess he signed with WCW, and then Paul's like, no, he's got a contract. And then they were like, all right, and then it took him a while

to come back, Sabu. And then when he got back, it really was never. So then, but Mike, right before he left, he didn't tell me he was leaving. He,

you know, growing up watching Hall Cogan, you know, and this was 99, right before, um, 99, 2000, right before Mike Awesome.

had left. And he said, oh, I was hanging out with Hogan, blah, blah, blah, and the boat and Horace Hogan, too. And he goes, yeah, they mentioned you, not to sign me or any, no tampering or anything. But I thought to myself, I'm like, Hogan knows who I am. You know, that little kid is like, yeah, yeah. Yeah, you were there till the very end. What was that final episode of ECW like? I didn't think it was going to be over. Oh, wow. Yeah, and wherever it was, it was in Pine Bluff, Missouri or something like that. And I'm just like, nah, Paul's, you know, and I wasn't drinking the Kool-Aid going,

oh, you know, I believed in the product and I believed in Paul and I believed in everybody in the locker room. Yeah. So if that's drinking the Kool-Aid, then I was. but if you told me Paul Heyman farted rainbows, I wasn't gonna drink the Kool-Aid enough to say yes, he does,

you know, but if everybody working hard for that product and he was working on something and he might have had something come through like a TV dealer, something that, you know, I was probably 50-50. You know, okay, he might, you know,

but he might not. Tommy Dreamer told me, a conspiracy theory that he thought WWE was funding ECW at the time. At that time? Yeah. I'm sure they were giving them some money to keep going. Wow. But I also heard, you know, that they did that before in the past because it was kind of like

a good feeder system. Oh, wow. That's interesting. Yeah. So there was no like, you thought it was going to keep going. So you were the champion at the time and you weren't like, oh, I'm going to be the last champion. No, I didn't think that, you know.

Do you still have the championship? No, actually Conrad has it. Conrad? Yeah. How did he get his hands on it? He called me up. And you know what? Unless you're a classic boat, you know, I don't, it's funny because... We're right back to Boeing. Okay.

I laugh if people are like, you know, like, you know, there's some... I don't want to say Me Too movement or anything. And, you know, people'm like, oh, are you worried about any, you know, comments? I'm like, you know, unless you're... a classic wooden boat i'm not gonna i'm not gonna harass you i'm not gonna probably pay attention to you i just you know i mean who told conrad that you had it yeah um it was one of the guys that started uh it was a hardcore promotion kind of like a um eccw revival yeah you know so um here let me just turn my phone down that's what i got it in my hand um it should have been more professional

professional. It's okay. But yeah, so anyways, Conrad got a hold of me and that thing sat my cellar at my house and I never display anything of rest. So it sat there. I mean, climate control, don't think of a cellar dungeon. You know, it was a built in the 50. So they had, you know, like fruit sellers and all that. So it was a fruit seller. All my old gear, all that, anything, boots and you know so i i never displayed any of them so he got a hold of me and you know he told me about his collection and everything and i go well make me a deal and i didn't need money or anything and um i go if you ever decide to sell it or need to sell it give me first crack at it and he said yeah so wow and he actually uh he he goes because i was kind of like and then uh

uh it's he showed me the display case and it's actually pretty cool. And he actually sent me an exact replica of that. Whoever made that belt, he had to make one and he sent it to me. Yeah. So the ECW championship was not burned live on Impact Wrestling. Oh, no, no, no belt was harmed in that. What was in that?

What was in that bag? It was a TNA belt. Yeah. So that dig bit burned. No. Oh. No, no. No, no.

what happened is if you notice in the I noticed there was a cut. Well yeah I walked off and then I went back and yeah so so many people thought I burnt that. I would never do that. I would never because it's just a you know obviously oh go ahead what were you saying

I was just saying that promo was so good like it was so passionate and there were so many people that were like this was the rhino that we wish we had the whole time in WWE. Well here's the thing when I went there

Scott DeMore was producing and stuff and help write I think Dutch was writing the shows and Jeff and Scott and Scott goes here we'll give Rinal a promo

Jeff and Jared goes he can't talk he goes yes he can and he goes well if he could have talked he would have talked in WWF and he goes

I don't know exactly what he said that you can actually ask him. But he goes, so he ended up sliding my first promo in. And, and then in the production meeting, Jared sees it. He goes, I told you he can't talk. He goes, it's on you. He told Scott, he goes, you know what, it's on you. When he crashes and burns, it's on you. And I, and I'm cutting a promo, right? And we're underneath the bleachers, got lighting, and I'm cutting a promo. And Jared, I see Jared talking to him.

And then we watch it back and he goes, oh, hell, he can cut a promo. And I didn't know what that meant. And Scott told me that afterwards. He said he didn't think you could talk. Oh, okay. Well, you called out Vince McMahon on that promo. Well, not that promo.

That was the first promo. And this is a year later. The one with the belt in the bag. You called out Vincent. Well, what happened is, you know, and that was nothing personal. Yeah. It was just, they go, hey, do you want to do that? I go, yeah, sure.

because they wanted to hire me back. And it was a year. And I'm glad I didn't go back because I wasn't ready to go back. Personally, I wasn't ready to go back. So, yeah, so they want it. They go, okay, well, you don't want to resign because I said I announced I resigned in Philly at the arena for a live event. And then they said the next TV, well, Johnny Ace called me.

He goes, hey, can you send the title? back. I'm like, no. Legally, I don't know if, you know, I, I would never take it on TV. That's why I never showed it. Sure. Because there was nothing to show. And then we did the thing. And then that was another promo where we had to wait until everything was done. Then we had to go film offsite. And I'm like, that, that ended up, I think we were done around 2 a.m. And I'm like, man. When you're mentioning ECW, when you're referencing the belt, did you feel the need to call Paul Heyman and say, hey, we're going to do this thing on impact. No, I don't think you would have cared.

He never said anything, you know. I mean, I probably could have reached out to him, but I think when I got to TV, they go, or they asked me right before TV. They never asked me to bring the title. So, yeah. And we're jumping all over the place with the timeline here, but when ECW did end and you were like,

I didn't think it would be over, then it does end. Are you like, where am I going to go now? Or did you immediately know? No, no, before. the pay-per-view, Victor Keonis called me to call Bruce. And I called Bruce because they couldn't call me direct. And he goes, hey, you know, we would like to hire you this and that.

I said, I'm under contract. They go, we know, but there's not going to be a pay-per-view. I go, I got my plane ticket. They go, okay, I go, well, how about this? I go, I'm interested. but until they're, you know, closed down and doors shut and all that, you know, I can't, I can't just walk out on, you know, even if legally, you know, I was under contract. Even, you know, I just felt like I'd walk out on a friend and someone that, you know,

gave me so much in wrestling, because loyalty is a big thing for me. Yeah. And it's like, here, someone gave me a break. How could I just walk out on them? You know, so, and I explain that to Bruce. And he goes, okay, well, you know, the, he goes, Paul might fly everybody out to the New York and not have a pay-per-view and say, hey, we're closing shop, you know, he might do that. So I go, okay, well, we'll just, you know, I'll have to wait and see.

So I knew there was some interest. So I really wasn't too worried about it. So the last shows were the 13th and 14th, I think. think in January, 12th and 13th. And then they called me on the 30th. You were putting a good spot. Here's another thing, I'll tell you. Jerry Lynn, because I asked them,

because there weren't any dates after January. So he said, and a lot of guys were going over to New Japan and working with ECW. So I said, hey, can you give my stuff to Brad Riggins? Sure, no problem. I think I put some matches on a VHS tape back to that. Yeah, that's, so Brad Riggins called me. Well, Bruce Pritchard called me.

It was like the 29th or 30th of January in 2001. Bruce Pritcher called me at 1030. I was pulling into my bank. And then I talked to him out in the parking lot on the phone. And he goes, we want to hire you, blah, blah, blah. This is three years. You get a downside. I go, okay.

He goes, we'll overnight the contract. and it'll be at your house first thing tomorrow morning. I go, cool. I'll have the lawyer take a look at it and all that. Literally that night, 12 hours later, it was like 10.30. They were getting out of a booking meeting in Japan. Brad Reggans called me and said, hey, we want to bring it over for the March tour. And I said, I just, and this is the first time I ever talked to him.

He goes, I got your stuff from Jerry Lynn. We were really like your stuff. I want to bring you over for the March tour. And I'm like, told him my conversation earlier on in that day. And he goes, you know what? The contract's going to be great. Go there and make a lot of money. He goes, but if something happens, you know, let us know, the sooner the better, you know.

You were put into a good spot in WWE because there were a lot of people that were part of the invasion angle. Yeah. ECWWCW people that kind of just fell by the wayside. You're put into this angle with Stephanie McMahon. man and Edging Christian and doing stuff with Jericho. That I learned so much working with Jericho. And I'll never forget because, see, I'm that type of person. I'll watch and study and I'll learn, you know.

And I'll go to people one on one. I'm better one on one than standing up in the middle of the locker room going, oh, hey, rah, rah, rah, you know, all this stuff. If I have to, you know, I can talk in front of a large amount of people. You know, so in like a banquet setting or whatever I can, it's not an issue. But, you know, I'm better one-on-one. What's your issue? You know, is it personal?

I can help you out because I went through personal stuff. Is it professional? You know, sometimes because a lot of times, you know, you might start calling off. People start getting upset with themselves. What's going on? And I tell them, like, don't worry. I mean, you have ideas and everything, but it's not a bad thing. you know, and don't get discouraged because you, you know, so I'm pretty one-on-one.

But Vince said, I'd always watch and hear other stories, you know, what people, even Triple H, how he does stuff and Stephanie and even Shane McMahon. And so even Scott, I have a lot of conversation. Vince said, you don't learn wrestling, you learn the business and you learn wrestling traveling town to town. You know, you talk about it. This, this, you know, over dinner, you know, or Denny's, I should say, you don't know when your dinner's going to be. Not Waffle House? Right.

Waffle House, too. So, but I learned so much from Jericho, you know, after the shows and stuff, before I started working with him in the ring. And just with Edge and Christian and we'd all get together and we'd all meet up at a Denny's or a Waffle House or something. And then I learned so much. And then when I started wrestling them, especially with the Stephanie McMahon, where she was the owner of ECW. And I learned a lot off of Stephanie because we do pre-tapes and the lighting crew is there, but the sound. And so I'd ask her questions and how she worked in the mailroom on the summers and stuff when she was a kid and working way up. And her parents said, you got to learn all parts of the business.

And you gain respect from the people that you will once lead, you know, and you'll know what, they need to do their jobs. So a lot of, a lot of stuff like that. So I'm thinking to myself, wow, childhood labor. I could have worked for WWE when I was 12. Family business. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, no, but you learn different things and you learn about people. And then like, you know, you learn how charitable people are and that they don't brag about it and nobody would know. But you hear

things, you see things, you know. So, but, but yeah, I just, that's what I tell guys, especially now. They can learn so much with their phones, watching matches, watching promos, what was old can be new again. What didn't work that night might work the next night, you know. WrestleMania 17. Oh, yeah. It's pretty incredible.

Yeah. Bubba wanted to kill me the night before. Why did Bubba want to kill you? Oh, Bubba gave me the best advice. I this was in 06 after I got divorced I was in a relationship with a person that wasn't wasn't good I'm not going to go into detail because the person's not here to defend themselves but it just you know so I go Bava I go and she'd call me all the time we Bava or Bully Dudley he's always Bava Dudley to me I think that's the greatest name too but anyways Buba and Devon Bava Bava Diva myself we'd change in the one part of the trailer there was like a little back room um for tna wrestling so should always blow up my phone so one time i went to him and i go bubba i go you know

what what's your suggestion he goes can you marry or he go no he goes you know what you got to do that's exactly what he said wow i'm like you're so wise you know and uh so anyways shortly After that, I did what I need to do and got out of that. And then one time I went to him, I go, I'm drinking too much. He goes, you know what you got to do? I'm like, put drinking. He goes, I'm like, you know, it just so little words, but so much meaning behind it. Well, it's also making you realize.

Right. Yeah. Yeah. You say the words. Yeah. I always tell people, it's like if someone says something bad about you, whose fault is it? It's their fault. If you let it bother you, then whose fault is it?

That's your fault. Exactly. So, I mean, it's easy when you read something online, something negative. It's like, but I don't go online and read stuff. But I could see how something like that could bother someone. But you got to always remember, okay, if I let it bother me, then it's my fault. And I seen an interview Vince did. He said, I don't worry about the negative things because then it'll take away my focus on the positive things and moving forward and growing and all that. That's so good. Yeah. Yeah. So what happened the night before WrestleMania 17? Oh, yeah, thanks for getting back to that. How Bubba wanted to kill me. So it's a big match. Everybody's down there. And I'm usually, because I didn't do any appearances because they took me off of TV.

Bubba, like Lita was taken out, Spike was taken out, I was taken out. So nobody knew we were going to be there. So we didn't have any appearances or anything. And so I kind of was, you know, just go work out, lay low, you know, go to bed early. And I go to bed early. lot. So whenever I can, unless I'm on the road wrestling. So we're all asked to be at the the Astrodome in Houston. And I think it was like 11 we got there, maybe 12. It's like one. And I mean, I tried to take a nap before, so I'd be away. And I'm sitting in Michael Coles or I don't think,

yeah, Michael Cole was announcing at the time, JR and King and all that. But anyways, the seat and the announcer seat and i'm just sitting there and they're comfortable especially at one o'clock and more tired and they're just working and this and that and they're talking and uh i'm starting to doze off and it's you know you know when you're starting to doze off you're fighting it but it's not working and all of a sudden i hear this rhino and i jump and it's at them right edge and bubba's glaring at me bubba told him look at your boy sleeping wrestling mania's tomorrow not a big deal right a big match yeah i mean that was a big match they had so anyways i'm like and now i'm like okay i got to get up walk around move around i didn't want to

interrupt the match because it's you know well you weren't in the match right right and i didn't want to but you're part of the match later on and you know and and and it was one of those things where you're still the new kid on the block. You don't want to, you know, you kind of want to know your role. You don't want to be overly. Then it's like, who's this kid? You don't want to fall asleep because it's like, who's this kid, you know? So I got up, started walking around.

And then that, that spear spot, edge. Edge of Jeff Hart. They're just kind of going over this and, you know, and he can't jump that far. And you're, I mean, you're 18 feet. I think those were 18 foot ladder. or something crazy. And I'm just like, I've got the answer,

but I don't want to say anything because I got a heat with Bubba. And we knew each other in ECW. And he knew I wasn't a jerk or anything. So that's why I think he let it slide and he didn't actually kill me. So I'm just like, kind of like wanting to raise my hand going, oh, I know the answer.

I know the answer. You know, and I'm like, you got to get them swinging. You know, that's the whole key to that. So you got to get them close enough everything else is on you. And so anyways, I go, why don't you just pick up the ladder because you don't see edge up there.

Bubba, if you're trying to get the ladder out from underneath them, you know, so. So then that all happened. So I redeem myself, Bubba. And a legendary spot. Oh, it's legendary. That's probably the greatest fear ever. Spear or go, I always tell people. I go, nobody's ever kicked out of the gore.

And then you see them think, they're like, well, so and so. So, okay. And they're like, where is he going with this? You know, where's Ronald going with this? I go, if they've ever kicked out, it was a spear I hit him with. That's what I, and they always laugh. They always like, yeah. So I feel like it's this. Oh, yeah. Oh, yes. F3. I need to. Here we go. This is really good. Isn't that great? Second one's better than the first. I feel like it's this apocryphal thing where J.R. calls it a 15-foot ladder. it's very clearly not a 15-foot ladder. Like if you count each rung, there's 12-wrongs. Okay.

And I called it an 18-foot ladder. And I feel like in five years we'll be calling it a 20-foot ladder. Right, right. Actually, no, it is a 20-foot ladder. Did he? I believe that's the call. Well, so Adam was up on a 25-foot ladder. So he's up there.

He's 35 feet in the air. Yeah. I'll tell you, when you're up there, you surely feel like you're- And I get it. But if you pause it as he goes to climb the ladder, he's half the height of the ladder. So edge is six foot and change. So it's clearly a 12 foot ladder.

It's like 6.3, I think. Okay, so it's clearly a 12 foot because you count the rings, each rungs one foot, one, two, three, all the way up to 12. Yeah. I pointed this out on Twitter last year,

and I just, people were so mad at me. They're like, who cares how tall the ladder is? Yeah. Well, he called it a 20 foot ladder. Now, did when they said, who cares,

did you let it bother you? No, not really. Okay, good. Like, I'm obvious. It's obviously not a 12-foot, 20-foot ladder. That doesn't take away from the spot. You want to hear something else, funny. So there was, I was, it was on Raw.

Vince goes out, cuts a promo that I'm going to be wrestling, or Jericho's going to, or someone's going to be wrestling, 275-pound rhino. And then someone announced me, Paul might have said I was 285. And then they, the announcer said I was like, 265 or 270. and at the time I think I was about 270.

Yeah, yeah, so the announcer got it right. I remember as a kid, I thought it was gospel, like the height, the weight and all that stuff. When I got into wrestling, a lot of my childhood was really damaged. Yeah, like Hall Cogan when I first seen him, the only time, I've never brought it up to him. You know, I've talked to him several times. We usually talk about boats, believe it or not. And anyways, the last WrestleMania I was involved. involved in. I think it was in New Orleans. We talked boats. We actually talk quite a bit.

But anyways, he likes offshore ones. I'm more of a cruiser. He lives in St. Petersburg. Right, right. Clearwater Beach. Right. So he can afford the gas. Those take a lot of gas. Yeah, those offshore. My buddy, this is back in 2007. It would cost him $1,200 to fill it up, premium gas. And that's like a week. If he, no, no, if he ran it wide open for two and a half hours, it was gone. Jeez. So you're saying when you met Hulk Hococke and he wasn't six foot eight, you were like.

Well, no, that didn't really bother me, right? Because I knew that, but he was drinking beer in the back. That, oh, that messed me up. I justified every beer. So it was the pay-per-view July. It was macho man wrestling Rick Flair for the title main event, Dayton, Ohio, not O'Hare Arena, but Hare Arena in Dayton, Ohio. And I wrestled there in ECW.

And so later on, but this was in 1995. I was there to, you know, just do a job. So ended up not working, but sitting in the back watching the monitor. And he wasn't wrestling that night, cracks a beer. I'm like, what is this? I've actually looked it up a couple years ago. He was 44 years old. Yeah.

So it's still. So you're like if Hogan could crack a beer. Well, no, no, no, I didn't think that. I go, he never said anything about beer. He said, train, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins. Yeah. He never said anything. When I was a kid and I seen him to tabloids, it was his son's birthday party or something.

And someone snuck a photo or whatever. And I'm like, he has a family. I was blown away. I'm like, okay, you know, I get it. He has a family married. but I thought he was fighting Nikolai Volkov, Paul Orndorff, 24-7. There was no time for family. You're kind of happy for him, but you're also like, why isn't he fighting these guys?

Like, I thought 24-7, it's like, let's get the Russians. Let's get the iron sheet. Yeah, so as a kid, I'm like, okay, maybe he's a little human. And then when I was 19 at the time when I'm down there doing jobs, and I'll never forget. I'm like, okay, well, he's over 21, you know. he's got abs he's lean because i'm working out at the time and you know and you know beer has empty calories and all that and then then i see him crack another beer so i'm like you know what too my dad used to drink he could drink 18 and not get a buzz whatever so then he's cracking a third one

i'm like okay how can i justify this and then after and then that was when the big show he was sitting in the crowd they'd pan to him and then he would get up and leave so he comes back he's wearing his French coat. Hogan offers him a beer. And Hogan can tell him looking at him, right? Out of the, corner of my eye and stuff. And he obviously knew I was a fan. And, you know, then you didn't go up to anybody and talk to him, tell me you're a fan. But after the sixth beer, I just said, you know what? Screw it. I'm done. Justifying this guy's bad behaviors. Yeah. Well, the thing was Hulk Hogan wasn't drinking those beers. Terry was drinking. Oh, yeah. Well, he was in his gear because he came halfway down the aisle, then they pushed them back in a match.

Yeah, they told us that, you know, here's another thing. See, Scott booked us for this. And he's like, just go there, shut up, do your job, listen, speak when you're spoken to. And because he knew Jody Hamilton and Terry Taylor and all that. And he'd go down there and do work. And they'd send a lot of his students and stuff. And he never took a cut from us. So anyways, I think Penzer would take a booking fee.

I just found out not too long ago. So anyways, but it was a couple bucks here or there. So, yeah, so learned a lot and everything, and it was good. And then they said, you're not going to wrestle tonight, but we might need just security. And I'm like, wait a second. So these security guards weren't always real security guards. Yeah. So all this stuff is like, you know, and I'm 19 at the time.

The Undertaker's not dead? No, that's real. Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So, no, but as a kid, you know, your, your childhood is kind of being exposed. It's, well, when you're exposed to this stuff, your childhood is taking a little, a little traumatic.

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There's no doubt about it. Hosting the World Cup on the home soil. It comes with its pressures, but we're just really excited just as the people are. The U.S. Soccer podcast, presented by Henco. Follow and listen on your favorite platform. I got to ask you about spearing Chris Jericho through the Smackdown set.

Yeah. Because that as, I think I was a teenager at the time, that is burned into my brain. Yeah. So many people. Yeah. When they told me, they're like, hey, we're getting rid of the set. Can you do something? I'm like, this ain't going to be memorable.

But that is probably one of the most memorable things that I've done. Yeah, 20 plus years later. Yeah. Wasn't any different putting him through the set than putting someone through a table? I think it hurt him a little bit more. But Derek was tough. He can handle it. It looks, Steph.

Oh, yeah. It was, he, he's like, bring it, you know, we got to break this stuff. Yeah, that was the last time they used that set, too. Are you saying we had to break the walls down? There you go. There you go. Getting back to Jericho. Like, if I had a promotion, I'd hire him because you learned so much from them.

And the guys in the locker room learned so much from him. He's just a wealth of knowledge. Yeah. What's the conversation you have with somebody before you give him? a spear for the first time before you get him a gore for the first time this is going to hurt yeah but and that's it drink a f3 energy you'll be fine is that really it it's like i'm really going to give this to you you know what believe it or not one of the best uh gores i've ever hit on someone was in cadillac michigan at the wex center it wasn't for wwee wd we should go up there a lot

in the 90s. Then they grew out of the building. And then we went back there. They just added it to a loop. It was sold out. Big Show and Ray were in the main event. And it was for an independent group that we had probably about 900 people there. And Sabu was on the card too.

And the guy's name was Game Boy. I still see him, a really cool dude. And I don't know what it was. but you could probably find it out there. It was so gnarly. I literally thought I was sending them to the hospital. Look, my editors are the best of the business. They will find this.

Yeah, find it. Game Boy, this was probably about 10 years ago. It was, I don't know what the gods were shining down and ended up being all right. But yeah, it was like you watch. It's one of those. You're like, no way. You rewind it, watch it. Rewind it, watch it.

Rewind it, watch it, you know. So I feel like the one you gave Toledo at WrestleMania 17 It's kind of like that too That was great but not like this Because the Rock takes it the best But this one was The Rock takes the best score Oh yeah

Yeah well I mean he I mean the guy's so talented I know you You have them all the time I've seen him one time Because I knew Van Dam's parents Right they would come to ECW shows Great

and, you know, and they were very supportive of them, good, good family and all that. So I knew them, right? And when we were both in WWE, they came to the Joe, right? And then sometimes they'd take road trips and they were as much part of the locker room family as anyone else, right, or Van Dam's parents. So Rock was walking down and this was in the back, you know, like the hall. and stuff. And then all of a sudden, and nobody knew who they were unless, you know, you were in ECW. And they're just standing there and, and, and Rock just comes over and he goes, hey, I'm so and so. They knew who he was. He goes, and then, uh, he knew they were, uh,

someone's parents or someone. He was just introducing himself. Yeah. I'm like, wow, that's pretty cool. He's the best. Yeah, he just takes his time to just, you know, instead of passing someone by and not saying or introducing you, you know, and he was talking to him for a few minutes. And I thought that was really cool. First time I interviewed him. So, you know, obviously he does a lot of movie interviews, red carpet interviews. But the first time I got him was backstage at Raw.

And he was promoting WrestleMania 28. Yeah. His match with Sina. And we're all standing. What was that at? That was in. Was that in Florida? That was Miami.

Yeah. Yeah. So, but we did this in Cleveland when I was in Cleveland. Oh, was there at that. Yeah. And there's a room full of, I think four or five of us we're about to do interviews. There's a room of maybe 10 or 12 us there.

He walked up to each person. Hey, I'm Dwayne. Nice to meet you. I'm Dwayne. Good to meet you. It's like, we know who you are. Like this is amazing. Yeah.

Yeah. What a good, good person, kind of soul. So the rock takes the best gore? Yeah, well, he'd flip and everything. And sometimes people would try to do that. And it's just like they kick in the back of the head. It's like just. He jumps as well.

Like when you're running at, I don't know what he does, but he's just amazing, just amazing athlete. Yeah. Yeah. He, like, I think he like jumps at the last second. And then the stunner, too. Like, I watch some of the stunners. Austin says that that's the best stunter.

He takes the best stunter. Yeah. See why. Yeah. He flips all over the place. I've seen the whole thing. Yeah, I've seen one where he flipped over and rolled over and somehow he got tag feet were up in the robes.

He's late. Yeah. So I think the story behind that is he was trying to get Steve to laugh. Oh, okay. He's like, if I can oversell this, maybe I'll break Steve. Yeah. And so he would just keep doing it in more ridiculous ways. Right, right.

I did that with Sabu one time. I can never get them to laugh. And we're out and, oh, it was probably 2006. And it was a really nice crowd. It was packed too. It was in Jersey someplace. And it wasn't like in Newark. It was like an hour less of that.

And it was a theater setting. And it was packed and we're fighting through the crowd. And I just start screaming every time he put. punches me like overly screaming it and then he grabbed me he goes stop that and he punched me again and sometimes his shots would really land and uh so anyways he goes I told you stop that and I punches me again and he starts laughing that's why he was told me to stop it because he was going to laugh speaking of the rock do you remember the segment with the rock and jericho and stephan McMan and Steph was supposed to cut the rock off when she said,

Mother Effer, and it didn't cut off in time and she ended up saying, do you remember that? I don't really know. I can't remember. I remember I said something. They go, I think it was Stephanie that said, throw this line in. You better respect.

Show some respect for her or something. And they just, I'm like, nobody's going to. react to that. That's what I'm thinking, right? And they just, like, crap to holl the crowd. Like, I didn't know how much, I couldn't have imagined that got that bigger reaction. Jericho made her a mega heel. Oh, yeah. Mega heel. Yeah, yeah. And I remember she was in my corner because she was a manager and she's just, you know, the whole point was, you know, Jericho's just so annoying. We've got to put an end to him and all that. And I was her heater, right? And I was her heater. Right. Yeah. And yeah, it was a lot of fun, a lot of fun. By the way, have you seen A.J. Styles recently? Have you seen since he returned to WWA? No. How long was he off for like six months or something? He's gigantic now. Yeah, that's what everybody says. Yeah. He's huge. I only asked because you worked with him so much in TNA. Oh, he's, I remember when he turned heel and TNA. And then he would go to do a dive. And people were like, yeah, they're cheering.

And then he'd stop and he'd flip the crowd off. And he would get so much heat for that. And yeah, he'd learn how to work a heel. That's like Trey Miguel when he turned heel. I made sure, you know, I'm like, because I ate, well, produced. They used to say aging because with TNA, I produce and Russell. So I go, you're not going to do any dies. He goes, no, I'll tease it.

or something like that. And I go, okay, good. Because sometimes guys will, you know, that are that talented, they'll turn heel, but they'll still do a lot of the stuff. And the fans will still cheer that because it's exciting, you know, but when you go and you take it away. So that's like Booker T and I, we did, I love Booker. This was T&A back in 2008, I want to say.

And I was a baby face. He was a heel. he worked with Samoa Joe. We were in Liverpool. And I always tell everybody, if you're on the fence about going to a wrestling show, just go. If it's not TV,

if it's an independent, just go because there's something going to happen magically that night, you know. So we were in Liverpool. It was the second night. He went to do the spinneroni, and then he doesn't give it to him. He was a heel the whole night,

or the whole match, and then when he went for the spinneroni, they cheer because they want to see it. Sure. He did one of these numbers. So then the next day. On the way to the thing, and I've worked with Booker before in WWE and all that stuff,

I go, book, I go, can you do that again? Then afterwards, I'll hit you with a spy buster. Just give me the floor. And if you don't mind, I'll do the spinneroni. He was thinking, but he trusted me enough. You could tell in his thought. He didn't say no. He was thinking.

and then he's like, you know what, I trust this guy. He goes, okay, go ahead. It was a worst spinnerooney in the history of spinneronis. But it was one of those things where even I made a full rotation. I think I ended up on my head somehow. But he went down for it, right? And the people were like, okay, the fans that were there the night before because it sold out so quick, we had it a second date.

And it was probably about a arena that sat like 25 to 3,000 people. So both nights were sold up. And for some reason, our match, we're like third. It was just the people were allowed for the whole card. But for our match, for some reason, they were just electrified, you know, like tenfold. And anyways, so he goes, he goes for the spinneroni. People are like, okay, he's going to do it tonight. And he did the same thing.

He came to get me, shot me off. I went under his arm, pulled him in, spine buster. He rolled off to the side. And then I just went down for it. and they came alive. And then I did like a rotation. It was just the worst one. Kind of ended up on my head.

I didn't know what I did. I would like to see if there was a video out there. And then Earl goes, Ronald, you did it because I landed and then I popped up like how he finishes. Yeah. If it was, if it would have been a good spinneroni,

it wouldn't have been better. It was better that it was terrible. Yeah. And then book the next night, he goes, Rano, did you ever have a crowd react to you like that? And I said every night book, he laughed.

And he actually said, he goes, that's one of my top five favorite matches. Wow. Yeah. And yeah, that's one of my favorite matches. I'm going to ask you something that might be difficult to answer, but what do you think of the prime years of TNA wrestling? You know what? It's just they put out such a good product now, a great product now. But it's only been TNA again.

Right, right. For, right. Well, with impact, I think with Joe, AJ, Daniels. Unbreakable. How good is that match. So you're going 0.4.05. Shark boy and Curry Man. Okay.

Nobody's heard of Curry Man lately. And what's he up to? I don't know. I'd like to book them. That'd be great. It's very talented. You know what? I thought that was the best.

Every time I'd see that, Shark Boy, too. Shark boy was hilarious. Yeah. So are you saying 05, 06? Yeah. Oh, 7. And you know, what, it's hard to pin. It is.

I definitely think up and tell. you know, and there's stuff, good stuff that happened when Hogan came in and Bischoff. That's very kind of you. You know, I mean, there's, I mean, maybe the whole overall product, you know, that was something, they were building on something. There was, you know, even now lately, it's just, you know. Oh, now it's incredible. Yeah.

And you know what? You had to bring something out of the ashes. And it's a slow. And I'm always, I like to play the long. long game. You know, whether it's with the marina, whether it's with wrestling, whether it's with, you know, my little promotion, whatever. I like to play the long game. And you can throw a lot of money at something and not have the long game in mind. And then you'll burn out quick. You know, but I think that's what when Scott took over, you know, that rebuilding process. The last few years,

people need to stop sleeping on TNA. Yeah. Like the in ring action is. So good. Yeah. Yeah. And it's just, and it's fun. You can tell, I remember Road Dog telling me this one time. He says, when you're out there having fun, the fans feel it, see it, and the product's way better. And it's not out there having fun, like, you know, smacking each other on the ass, laughing and giggling, you know, not that fun.

When you're out there loving what you're doing, feeling what you're doing, you know, he said him and Billy Gunn, which. was my best draw ever. I could build a territory with that guy. But anyways, we just had them in, biggest house we ever drew. He's the best. He is. The easiest to deal with. And what such a large human being. Such a large human being. You look at TV and you're like, okay, he's, he's a big guy. But then he walks in, you're like, he's like way taller, way bigger. He's like 6.6, 280. Yeah. And what a handshake on him too. It's like, man. Lighten up. It's like, It's like a vice script. Yeah, I know.

And he has this huge charisma about him. Like, yeah, sure, of course. We actually in Monroe Township, where the boathyard is, we gave him his own day, December 28th. Billy Gundy. Wow. We presented it to him in the ring. Asked Dad. Daddy As day.

Yes, Daddy. It's funny because here I invite the township supervisor, because it's a township not in Michigan. You know, you have to be a city, you have a mayor and all that. The supervisors like the mayor, and then you have the trustees. So the one trustee came down. They, you know, they all signed off on it. This is great, you know, because he was the first one there. We did a charity for our first show four years ago.

And then, you know, and all the stuff he does. And they go, oh, he's a great guy. You know, they read up on him. And, yeah, we'll make him a day. We don't have a key to the city. So we'll give him his own day because it's not a city. And I go, hey, Billy, he didn't know this. I go, maybe not do the whole suck it thing because, you know, like here's this guy going to give him a war to trust, you know, a member of the township and trustee.

And I go, maybe, you know, the whole scissor thing, because he wouldn't have gotten that, you know, so. Sure. So he goes, Ronald told me not to do this, but I'm going to do it anyways. And then he does a suck it. And I'm like, all right. So, so then Sammy Callahan was in the match, right? So it was a six-man tag. And Sammy goes,

Rino told me not to do this either. So he did the whole scissor-me-daddy. So which got over huge with everybody wanted. So I'm glad they did it. But so I'm like, maybe he'll walk out the door and not present them with the, you know, Billy the day. Yeah.

So I'm going to ask you one more tough one before we wrap this up. Who's on your ECW Mount Rushmore? Samman, Sabu, Taz, And Raven. That was quick. Yeah. That was quick. You don't put your cell phone there?

No. You don't put, I guess Paul just kind of has to be, I mean, without Paul, none of this exists. Paul's kind of over top of it. Yeah. Yeah. With the puppet strings. The puppet master. What was that?

Metallica, Master of Puppets. Oh, yeah. So what was it again? Give me those four again? It was Raven. Raven will be like, thank God you announced me first this time. those with bad raven him but

Sabu Samman Raven well we'll switch it up Dreamer Oh you just switched it up on us I switched it up Who did you just take Taz off of it? Yeah yeah Oh my goodness

Well no I can't Oh boy You know what Dreamer can go back off to the side We can't even decide on the floor Yeah I know Can we put more on the Rolls Honorable mention So honorable mention

Tommy Dreamer Right right honorable mention He was on there You were already carving out the stone And then you went now Yeah, we'll switch it. Turn it back into Taz. Yeah, right, right.

But who's yours? Oh, my gosh. I think RVD's got to be on there. Yeah, see? I mean, this whole Mount Rushmore, I get it, I like it, but. Okay, I'll try to give you four. RVD, Sandman. Now, see, when you mentioned RVD, you start thinking the matches he had with Jerry Lynn.

I know. Actually, speaking of my, I was just. talking about Christopher Daniels. He was my first match at the arena. Jerry Lynn? No, Daniels. Wow. Jerry Lynn was my second match. Daniels has been around forever. It's incredible. Yeah. Yeah. And he still looks great. That guy's a legend. Yeah, I just talked to him the other day. Yeah. He's great, good family guy. He's always, you know, and see, guys like that, you know, it's good for the younger generation to look up to because they've always lived that strict life, you know, work, you know, never veered off the track, you know, and all that stuff.

And then you have guys that have, you know, messed up a little bit, but straightened out, you know, so you can learn from them, you know. So, but yeah, Daniels is always, you know, so. All right. So I'm going to go RVD, Sandman. It's just so hard. Yeah. We've got to start having Mount Rushmore, like two Mount Rushmore.

Top 10, but then you're going to need more. Okay, I need to finish this off, though. Can I just copy the rest of your Mount Rushmore? Go ahead. All right. So then I got to put, you know, you didn't have Dreamer on there. So I'm going to put Dreamer on. You got to go.

Put your Mountain Rush more on WWF in the mid to late 80s. That's so hard too. I'd say Hulk Hogan, Rowdy Piper. Sure. Okay. No, you can put Warrior on there, macho. I would say macho. I like Warrior, but I definitely say Warrior as the kid.

Okay. So my all-time Mount Rushmore, and the only reason I came to this conclusion, we've gone all over the place here, is I interviewed Hogan and Flair at the same time together. And I'm like, for me, there's two of my members of Mount Rushmore right there. So I go, Hogan. How was that? Oh, it was great. How old was that? That was 2018.

And that's out on my YouTube channel. People can check that out. I also had a day a few months ago, or I interviewed Flare in the morning in Tampa, drove to Clearwater Beach. It was still nighttime for him. I love Flair. He's the best. Drove to Clearwater Beach, did an interview with Hogan, came back, had happy hour with Flair,

and Mike Ciotta was there. We did an interview with Kyoto. What a day that was. So Hogan, Flair, Taker, Austin. That's my Mount Rushmore. And I think a lot of people will go, but you love the Rock. How is the Rock not on there?

The Rock's wrestling run was so short. It's hard for me to put him on. But great, though. So great, right? But if it, you know, and it's Austin Rock kind of like, you know, they were the ones at that time. But definitely, definitely if you had to do 90s, you know. That's my Mount Rushmore. Yeah.

Yeah. Rock, Austin. Taker. Yeah, Taker Hunter. Cain. McFaulie at that time. You know, I heard Kane was only supposed to last until WrestleMania. Didn't you hear that?

I did not know that. No. What a career. I want to say. Undertaker or something, maybe even Kane was telling us, Glenn, in the locker room that they debuted them in November of 97 and they were supposed to build them up to wrestle Undertaker at WrestleMania. And that was going to be it with the character. But it got over so, so much. What a career. I know, like 20-some years. That's another one I wrestled for the first time.

And I'm just like, man, what a massive human being that guy is. Yeah, he goes, put me in like a camel clutch or something. And I'll pick you up and I'll do the electric chair. I'm like, and at the time, I was probably 275, 280. Legit. Yeah. And I'm like, Kenya and I got a lower center of gravity and everything. It's like, I'm pretty sure.

And then I go, I'd rather just, you know, see if he could pick me up here. And he goes, okay, get on and just pick me up, no problem. Like, man, I'm glad I'm glad he's on my side. Big show, too. What a great human. Freak of nature. Yeah, I shake his hand every time, even when I shake.

You know, what's really cool about him is I traveled with him one weekend. And it was myself, Paul Heyman, Nunzio, and myself. And we went to stay at a Marriott. And he had a friend that would like a district manager or whatever. And they gave us a rate, right? The wrestlers, it was in Philly. They go, hey, we'll go park the car. And then, you know, you guys check in because you didn't check in.

So they were telling it it was like double. I go, no, no, we're with the wrestlers. The guy was being a real prick that was checking us in. This is after the show. So they come in and they go, can we have the keys? We're just going to go to another hotel because it was like double or triple or whatever. And big show goes, no, no, no. And he even pulls out.

He goes, no, no. And the guy was in Big Joe started to get mad, right? He wasn't trying to pull like rank or anything. Yeah. He's just like, no, no, no. And you see all the rates. He pulls out his gold card or whatever. And he goes, give me two rooms.

We go, no, show, you can't do that. He goes, no, screw this guy, you know. He goes, I go, no, we can pay for it. But we'd rather, we'll just go, please, you know. And then he would pick up our meals, right? And we felt bad. We're like, he goes, listen, you're my, you know, I'm treating you. Don't.

He's like, show, you know. And so one time we snuck the bill, right? And we were all sitting at the bar because there was no seats. We just pulled up a chair and we just eat our meal. And we give the, our waiter, the Iggy, you know. And so anyways, I'll never forget because I'm sitting on the end, it's non-zeo and Paul and then big show. And then he asked for the bill. He goes, they took care of it.

And he looks down. Oh, it looks get killed. He goes, I thought, literally, I thought he was going to blow a gas. He goes, thank you, but never, ever do that again. I eat with me. And I'm like, man, what a cool dude. And it was cool because they let me drive too. I love driving.

Yeah. So, but I could listen to you tell stories all that. Oh, man. I mean, Terry, you're the best. You're the best. I'm going to be at this for 30 years. It's incredible. Next, well, 29 years in March.

Do you think about hanging it up? You know what? I think I've got, you know, seeing that I got the bone spurs cleaned up, I mean, I feel great, like, just night and day difference. Like, I wish I would have done it years ago. But I like helping out the younger guys. I like producing. I like the player coach. You know, but all the, I love doing independence.

Just because you're interacting with the fans. And for some rate, I don't know what it is, but, and I'm not toot my own horn. I never do people freaking like me. I think Rhino's an easy name to chant too. It's true. You know, like Y is, yeah, yeah. And people just, when I wrestled with Heath, sometimes, you know, because you had a stack card and they like to get a lot of people on the road

working. And sometimes I wouldn't get in until the end. And I would just work that apron and people would just, like, I'd think to myself, why, you know? Like, I enjoy, like, my career and everything, but it's just like, you know, it's like a lot of times, you know, I, this is one of the biggest compliments. And I don't know if Van Dango knows, but we went over two. to, this was when Heath and I were tag champs, we went over to Saudi Arabia. This is before they did the big shows, right? They went over one time before, and this was like a year later. So my first time there.

And then it was like four teams in a tag match. It wasn't an eight-man tag. So I don't know why the crowd I was just, they were just louder than normal, even back here, and they're usually loud over here. and even on indies and all that stuff. But so anyways, we did the thing and then we come back and there were little locker rooms. And I go to walk in to where dango and a lot of the guys just to thank them. And dango goes, man, good thing rhino was in that match.

And I'm like, wow, that's a compliment. I go, hey, guys, thanks and everything. And I didn't know what it was, you know, but maybe it was because my first time there and they've watched me and, you know, years prior. but, you know, and when I'm on the independence or even at, you know, because you get to meet the fans, when I see a father come up with that watch me in ECW or watch me put Jericho through the thing, they tell their son and they, you know, because, and I heard Triple H say this several times, wrestling is a generational thing, you know, so it's that bridge. Like I can't take my daughter to Comerica Park and have her watch her Gibson play.

Sure. You know. You know, or I can't take her to a wings game and have her watch. Right. Or Darren McCarty. You know, but with wrestling, sometimes you can do that. Yeah. You know.

And then the great thing about the network is they can go back and watch a lot of your stuff. Yeah. That's why I don't cut my hair. I hate my long hair. I've hated it probably the last 20s. years. But when you have it down, you look like a total badass. Right. But I don't cut it because people don't want to see me with short hair. Whenever I seen like someone I liked as a kid and they would change their looks and stuff like that, I'd get a little upset. Few,

wrestlers can do that. Like Jericho can do it. Matt Hardy could do it. Yeah. Edge. Yeah, Edge can do it. Very few people. But still, I like my edge. with long hair. I'm not going to lie. But he looks cool as shit with short hair. He does. He looks cool no matter what. Christian.

Christian can pull short air off. Yeah. I don't think I could nor I'm going to take that chance, you know. But I like, I like that fact. And you know what? It's like you bring, you,

I can be like that's something that parents can share with their kids. All right. I'm going to ask you the question that I ask everybody at the end of every episode. By the way, Terry, you're the best. It's, I wish we had. done this sooner. Usually I have to pay people to say that. I wish we had done this sooner. It's been five years. Yeah. Yeah, I know.

So gratitude's so big in my life. If I wake up every day, say out loud, everything I'm grateful for, sets the tone for the day. The end of the day, I do it too. What are three things in your life that you're grateful for right now? I'm grateful for God. I believe that's one thing I don't talk about a lot. I would go to church. I'd try to go to church every day, I'd usually make it four or five times. Every day? Yeah, I'd usually make it four or five times a week.

Wow. At the pandemic, that kind of messed up my routine, but I started going again. I'm not really big into, you know, reading the Bible and stuff, but I always try to, I treat people how I want to be treated. And I've learned with the more I devote myself to that. the more I learn patience, you know, when you're younger. And plus getting older, you know, you don't have patience and stuff. And you learn not to take things too serious as far as, you know, like, oh, I shouldn't say that.

That was bad. You don't take too many things to heart. You know, things are going to work out because, like, there was a time in my life where I drank a lot. And then I, it was funny because I talked to Ted DiBiase. I said, I'm going to stop. And I stopped. And I prayed on and I prayed on. I was ready to stop.

And I don't talk a lot about this because it's not the time. But like three years, I just drank so much. I mean, I should be dead. Literally, I would tell you the story. But I, some people know about it and I can talk to them one on one and say, hey, listen, you're going to go down a road that's not going to be good. So save yourself a lot and don't. And then I quit for like three months.

I go, I'm going to drink a little bit. And then I had and I go, I can never drink again. Well, I could, but I don't want. Sure. Yeah. Because when you say you can't have something, you want something. So I said, one day I'll drink again. And I haven't drank since 2009.

Oh, wow. Yeah. I could go to bars. I could go. Yeah. So I don't know if it's a situational. I don't know if I'm an alcoholic or what. All I know is that's not important in my life because if I go down that rabbit

hole again, it might not be good. Yeah. So you got God as number one. Yeah. But I talked to Ted DiBiase. He said, you thought you were in control. And God was like, go ahead. You got a big guy.

And then I'm like, oh, I can't. So I think, and believing, I think. I talked to Kevin Owens at catering. And he said, and this was years ago, I don't know where he's at. We're just talking religion, you know, and he said the fact that you believe that it, the fact that you believe that it's real or something, I forget exactly what it said, but it made sense, you know. But so anyways, I don't know where I was going to go with that.

But yeah. So, well, that's number one. Religion is poor. Oh, this is where I was going to go. Okay. You can have your freedom taken away from you. you can have everything taken away from you. And a lot of times people have been locked up and they were innocent, you know,

and with DNA and they were proven innocent. You can have everything taken away from you. But the only one that can take God out of your life is you. That's pretty powerful, you know. So I always, but I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful for a career that I've been blessed with, even being able to go back to WWE. actually Hunter was the one that really pushed for me.

Vince said he would never hire me. Wow. I never told, no, Jesus. Do we got a couple more minutes? We got time? Sure. Well, Hunter wanted to hire me back after TNA. Vince told Hunter.

And Hunter didn't tell me this, but Vince told Hunter, I like Terry as a person, but he's never going to work for us again. Wow. Never. I heard that. That was in 2013, right?

So Terry Taylor actually told me. I don't know if he was supposed to tell me or whatever or if Hunter told him. Hunter was a big fan of my work and stuff. And he knows the importance of veterans working with younger guys actually in the ring. He said it's not a battle I can win. I seen Paterson.

Pat Patterson's always been a fan of mine. Up in Montreal was working with him in 2014, I think it was. So then, you know, when you hear that, it's kind of like, oh, but I know I can change people's minds, right? And I know the wrestling business. So this is going out to someone says never, doesn't mean never. So then Pat goes right to Vint and Steve calls me.

He goes, brother, you're going to get a call. My Steve Lombardi sounds like Taz. Brother, you're going to get a call. So then, so no call because he goes, Pat went right to vince. I was there. You got to hire this guy. You got to hire this guy. He's everything looks great.

Work. The crowd loves them. We need them on our roster. So anyways, nothing, right? So then, Triple H was, everything was going great in NXT. It was the hottest wrestling show out there. So that's when he was running.

And Vince likes everything ran through him. Because if something fails, he has nobody to blame but him, which is totally respectable. And I get it. So anyways, but he likes ideas. So the first time, I call him Triple H or Hunter. I have to.

I'm old school. So I call everybody by the wrestling names. So he booked me to come into NXT. And when I went out, I worked with Elias before he came up with that character. people chanted, holy shit. It was, I don't know if you ever seen it, but go back and watch it. It was great because I was praying. I'm like, please let them remember me.

And I mean, I was wrestling full time. I've never stopped wrestling. Yeah. And Hunter knew that. And he knew it would work because he knows how to book stuff. He knows how to run wrestling. He knows how to run a company. And I'm not just saying that because he was in my corner.

But so if something worked, what's going to happen. He's going to get more, okay, you don't have to run more things. Not that, you know, he couldn't, just because Vince liked to, you know, make sure. Yeah.

So that worked. And then if you notice after that, and I'm not saying I opened the door for like Samoa Joe and all these other guys, all those other guys were very important for NXT, you know, but if he had someone come out and it was going to be a dud, then he wouldn't have gotten,

you know, the leeway. You changed Vince's mind. Oh, yeah. Well, this is, thank you for bringing that up. I go on these talking. So a year later, I do, I work with NXT for like nine or ten months. Then I do the pay-per-view in December. And then we, in January, we figure out a Legends contract.

Then in June or July, they break up the brand split. Vince asked for every person that worked for WW. There was like Mark Crono called me up. He goes, hey, we want to give you a three-year deal. He goes, we gave Vince 159 names. You were one of five that he picked, handpicked. So he's like, without saying, will you please accept the deal? He was like, you know, can you really?

So when from Vince doesn't want to hire you to? And three years later, I was one of five that he handpicked. All right. And it was because of Hunter. And I never thanked Hunter for that because it's like when I finished up there, you know, they just sit you at home, you know. So, but, you know, Hunter and Stephanie and Shane and Vince too. I thought about writing Vince a letter, you know, but I didn't think it would get to him

or Hunter. Still can't. Yeah. All right. So what's your third thing you're grateful for? Lake Erie. I don't know. It's just there's so many things.

things for me to narrow it down. I'm grateful for everybody that comes up to me and talks to me. And, you know, that guy in the, I'm blessed to have a memory like I do. I was walking in because we're promoting a show. I'm grateful that I have the mobility of all my limbs. Yeah. You know, I'm grateful for my health, you know. We don't know when it's going to go if it's going to stick around your health. You can always work out and try to do everything and eat clean and all that stuff. you know, but you never know. So every day's a blessing, you know. It's funny because I said this.

I go, you know, it stinks getting older. He goes, no, it doesn't. This guy that's a little older than me. You know, when you get an ache and pain, you're always saying that, right? And he goes, no, he goes, when you quit getting old, they throw dirt in your face. And I'm like, you know what? Getting old's not that bad when you put it like that. Yeah.

What a great way to end things. Right, right. Thank you so much for coming by. So good to see you. Thank you for the lovely gifts that we've got here. Yes, yes. And I'm writing that off on my taxes. Cheers.

Yes, cheers. That's a joke. I'm not right. That's another thing. Pay your taxes. They'll find you if you don't. Well, man, I feel like we could have talked forever there. And I always love a guest who comes bearing gifts like Rino did with the T-shirts and the beanie.

Not only for me, but for my wife as well. And I got to say, I've been living in the U.S. now for 14 years, but It's hard for me. I grew up calling them tukes. If you're from Canada, you know what I mean? It's been an adjustment calling them Beanie. You know, the winter hat. That's what we're talking about.

Like the hat you wear in the winter to keep your head and your ears warm. I always knew them as tukes, but no one knows what I'm, no one knows what I'm talking about when I call them a tuk. Go check out. Go be like an internet detective and check out that spear he was talking about. It is, you can find it on YouTube. It is a devastating spear to Game Boy. was the name of the guy that he gave it to.

He talked a little bit about it on the last interview, but I like how he went into, like, detail here about that spear. And, man, about all of the things. What a career. What a career he's had. And he's, like, showing no signs of slowing down. And he was like a surprise entrant at, like a surprise entered into a match at Hard to Kill or during the pre-show. The pop that he got from everything that he did.

Amazing. Amazing. What a guy. What a guy. If you enjoyed this, snap a screenshot. Share it on social media, tag us. He's at Rhino Terry Garen. I'm at Chris Van Fleet, and how about I leave you with this quote from Bob Carey to send you off another weekend?

Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change. That's true. That's so good. Be great. Be grateful. We will see you on the next one 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. Get up in here. The Jim Rome Show podcast.

What's your beef? Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've been warned.