Former WWE RAW Tag Team Champion Scott Dawson got people talking over a recent message that he posted on social media.
It’s no secret that The Revival is heavily influenced by legendary pro wrestlers including Arn Anderson. Dawson recently took to his official Twitter account where he noted Arn taught them well and that he’d see him soon.
You can see Dawson’s full tweet here as well as a response from Starrcast:
The pro wrestling legend departed from WWE over an incident at a live event involving Alicia Fox back in February. Since then, there has been speculation about Anderson’s future and him potentially going to All Elite Wrestling.
Anderson talked about his departure from WWE at Starrcast II earlier this year where he mentioned that he signed a non-disclosure agreement. It’s been reported that WWE is paying him a severance package. Once clear of the NDA, then the belief is that he can start working for any promotion he wants including AEW.
It was reported a few months ago that Dawson and Dash Wilder had been offered five-year, $500,000 per year deals to stay with WWE, but haven’t accepted.
Back in January, it was reported that The Revival were unhappy about their position in the company and requested their releases.
Arn Anderson has clarified his current status in the pro wrestling industry. The former-WWE employee spoke with The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast and addressed his current career choices.
Naturally, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) was brought up as a key focus in during their conversation.
“We Haven’t Had That Discussion As Of Yet”
Anderson emphatically told the show that he does not work for AEW, explaining that they have not yet had that particular conversation.
“I wasn’t at the show,” Arn confessed. “I was there doing some signings and I did a stage show that I did with Tony Schiavone and I didn’t go to the show because I didn’t want anybody coming up because make no mistake about it, I do not work for AEW, we haven’t had that discussion as of yet—and not to say I wouldn’t be honored somewhere down the road to be offered a position with those guys.”
He explained that part of the reason they haven’t spoken about Arn becoming a part of AEW is due to WWE’s non-disclosure agreement.
“[…] we just haven’t had that conversation because, quite frankly, I am legally bound to a non-disclosure agreement and for a few more months I am going to be still on a severance package. I can’t talk to anybody about anything as far as going forward, but with that being said I was so excited for them that I might as well have been working for them because I was pulling for them every step of the way and they paid it off.”
Arn had high praise for Cody’s vision and the entire AEW operation, comparing it to Jim Crockett Promotions because of how everyone is so excited to perform for their audience. He claimed that if a fan doesn’t “feel good about what is going on with AEW and the impact it has had on the business, you are a fool, and that’s it.”
Longtime WWE agent and pro wrestling legend Arn Anderson talked about his departure from WWE. He did so when he took the stage on Friday at Starrcast II where he discussed his WWE exit.
This is where he mentioned that he signed a non-disclosure agreement. Thus, that means that he can’t give details about the situation but made it clear that he’s not angry about it. Anderson also brought up while he enjoyed having a safe job in WWE, it was a difficult place to work due to the pressure of the position and long hours/travel.
“I don’t want to be anywhere where I’m not wanted,” he explained. “Because after 37 years I think I deserve that.”
It was reported that Anderson was let go over an incident at a live event involving Alicia Fox back in February. According to the report, Fox showed up at the event intoxicated. Anderson was the agent for her match and allowed her to perform that night, which upset WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.
McMahon was reportedly furious when he found out and it was the final straw that led to the firing.
As previously reported, there were several interesting wrestling-related trademark applications filed over the past week.
In addition to Cody Rhodes filing applications for the phrases “The American Dream” and “The American Nightmare” and Arn Anderson trademarking his ring name, another application was filed for the legendary “Four Horsemen” stable.
According to the US Patent and Trademark office, the “Four Horsemen” application was filed by a company called Toot Toot LLC. Toot Toot LLC is based out of Huntsville, Alabama and has the same mailing address as 1st Family Mortgage. The President of 1st Family Mortgage is the one and only Conrad Thompson.
Four Horsemen At Starrcast II
Thompson recently revealed that Four Horsemen’s enforcer, Arn Anderson, will take part in the Starrcast II convention.
“We’re proud to have Arn Anderson on stage as one of our marquee events,” Thompson said to SI.com. “We can’t wait for Arn to have a live mic in his hand, and stay tuned for more details.”
Anderson had the following to say regarding his recent release from WWE.
“I was fortunate enough to work with WWE for 18 years,” Anderson said. “Certainly that provided my family and myself with a nice living, and I have no regrets. A lot of my best friends still work there. Everything has a shelf life, and I guess mine ran out.”
WWE Hall Of Famer Arn Anderson has broken his silence since his release from the company last month. Anderson spoke to Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso to issue his first public comments on the matter since his firing. The 60-year-old said he had a great 18-year run with the company, but his shelf life simply came to an end:
“I was fortunate enough to work with WWE for 18 years,” Anderson said. “Certainly that provided my family and myself with a nice living, and I have no regrets. A lot of my best friends still work there. Everything has a shelf life, and I guess mine ran out.”
Details behind the reasoning for Anderson’s release were reported shortly after he was let go. It appears an incident at a WWE live event involving Alicia Fox led to the end of his time with the company. Fox reportedly showed up to the live event intoxicated. Anderson, who was the agent for her match that night, still allowed her to compete. WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon was furious with Anderson for the decision.
This was deemed the final straw for Anderson, and he was subsequently handed his walking papers. There’s currently no news on Fox’s status with the company, but we’ll keep you updated as we learn more.
What do you think about Anderson’s comments following his WWE release?
Arn Anderson and Cody Runnels have each filed for new trademarks recently. Arn Anderson has filed to trademark his on-screen name. AEW’s Cody recently filed to trademark the terms “American Dream” and “American Nightmare” as well.
Arn Anderson Trademark
Real name Marty Lunde filed to trademark his wrestling name Arn Anderson on March 9th, 2019. The purpose of the trademark as listed by documents filed with the US trademark and patents office is as follows:
“Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainment personality, Entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainment personality; Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer.”
Cody Trademark
As AEW builds towards launch, Cody has filed for two new trademarks under his name recently. On March 10th he applied to trademark the term “the American Dream” and “the American Nightmare.”
Four Horsemen Trademark Filed
A company named “Toot Toot LLC” has filed to trademark the term “Four Horsemen” on March 10th as well.
Cody Comments on Arn Anderson’s Release
Not long after news of Anderson’s WWE release broke, Cody made his opinions of his departure public.
“I’m just shocked because the entire current top talent at WWE — Seth Rollins, John Cena, Brock, even, Charlotte — I mean, everybody within the ‘golden circle’ is an Arn guy or girl,” Cody said to Pro Wrestling Sheet. I feel like that blows my mind. […] Arn Anderson is a gift the to the industry,” he said. “He’s not corporate, he’s a wrestler, but you cannot take wrestlers out of the wrestling business.”
Since it was revealed last month that WWE had fired longtime agent Arn Anderson, there’s been speculation as to what was the reason for it.
A new report has surfaced online that sheds some light on the situation that caused him to be released from the company. On Monday, Wrestling Inc came out with a report that stated Anderson was let go over an incident at a live event involving Alicia Fox.
According to the report, Fox showed up at the event intoxicated. Anderson was the agent for her match and allowed her to perform that night, which upset WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.
McMahon was reportedly furious when he found out and it was the final straw that led to the firing. It will be interesting to see if Fox is punished for this incident as her status with the company is unclear as of this writing.
It should be noted that she was not backstage at the Monday Night RAW TV last week. By looking at her match stats, she hasn’t wrestled since the February 10th live event in Saginaw, Michigan. This is where Fox teamed with Mickie James and Nikki Cross to lose to Bayley, Dana Brooke and Natalya.
WWE has seen numerous internal changes made in recent weeks, with talent asking for their releases and backstage personnel departing the company. New backstage talent have started working, and some old faces have even returned.
However, a major name to recently leave the promotion is Arn Anderson. Although details are still light as to the exact reason why, it appears to revolve around an argument that took place with WWE Chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon.
Speaking with Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet, Cody gave his thoughts on Anderson parting ways with WWE, claiming he was “shocked” by the announcement.
“I’m just shocked because the entire current top talent at WWE — Seth Rollins, John Cena, Brock, even, Charlotte — I mean, everybody within the ‘golden circle’ is an Arn guy or girl. I feel like that blows my mind. […] Arn Anderson is a gift the to the industry,” he said. “He’s not corporate, he’s a wrestler, but you cannot take wrestlers out of the wrestling business. I don’t know, man. Especially because he was so instrumental to the Triple H character…gosh, I don’t know. My mind is blown.”
Cody’s reaction came off of Satin confirming the story of Arn’s departure during the interview — something Cody was initially unaware of.
You can watch the interview in its entirety below:
Arn Anderson was recently let go by WWE after nearly two decades. Anderson joined the company not long after WCW closed in 2001. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, Anderson was fired due to an incident at a recent house show.
“Arn got fired. It’s an incident that everyone is pretty much keeping quiet what it was,” Dave Meltzer said. “It was an incident with Vince.”
“I don’t know the whole details of the incident other than it was something at a house show that evidently wasn’t handled well and Arn took the blame for that.”
The report continued to say that Arn and Vince had clashed over the years but that Arn had supporters in WWE management. Triple H is said to be a big Arn Anderson supporter. Anderson was also said to have been the agent assigned to John Cena matches as well. Some are speculating that if John Cena was full-time, Anderson would not have been let go.
The majority of Arn Anderson’s in-ring career was spent with Crockett and WCW. He did have a brief run in WWE during the late 1980s, however. He teamed with Tully Blanchard during this period as the Brainbusters along with their manager Bobby “the Brain” Heenan
Cruiserweight Classic winner TJ Perkins and Tye Dillinger have both vented publicly about their frustrations. Dillinger issued a statement earlier this week telling fans on social media that he requested to be released. He expressed gratitude for his time with WWE and wrote,
“To the male and female locker rooms, coaches and producers, to the production/ring crew, all the way up to the very top of WWE and most of al the fans…I wish you all the very best and thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything.”
TJP wrote the following in response to WWE’s announcement:
Thanks for giving me a chance and letting me play for the team I grew up watching ????? https://t.co/r7001mqjx2
As noted early Friday morning, WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson has also been released. Anderson had been working with talent backstage as a producer. AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes commented on AA’s situation:
Love AA. I stole all of his catchphrases & use them on a daily basis. He went to bat for young talent & at the same time is essentially responsible for all of the current top guys & “golden circle”. He’s not corporate, but that’s a compliment. Can’t take wrestlers outta wrestling
The most iconic member of the 4 Horsemen not named Ric Flair has been let go from WWE. According to a report from Pro Wrestling Sheet, Arn Anderson is no longer with the company. As of this writing, it is not clear what led to Anderson’s departure.
Anderson began working for WWE as an agent not long after WCW closed. The 60-year-old was also inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012 as part of the 4 Horsemen. WWE has planned a 70th birthday celebration for Arn’s longtime ally Ric Flair on Monday.
While Anderson has spent most of his behind-the-scenes career in WWE, he spent most of his in-ring career outside of it. He only wrestled in the company for one stint between 1988 and 1990. During that time, Arn teamed with his longtime teammate Tully Blanchard. They were named “the Brain Busters’ and were managed by Bobby Heenan.
Despite winning the tag titles on one occasion with Blanchard, Arn returned to WCW in early 1990.
The readers of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter voted Arn as the “Best on Interviews” in 1990. The highest ranking he ever achieved on the PWI top 500 was at #9 in 1991. He was forced to retire in 1997 due to injuries.
– There was a Four Horsemen reunion at Saturday’s Maryland Championship Wrestling (MCW) show in Joppa, Maryland with WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham and J.J. Dillon.
After signing autographs, the Horsemen spoke before a packed crowd at the MCW Arena. They shared fond memories of being back together, the good times they enjoyed in Baltimore and asked the crowd to enjoy the show.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfUmm_Rn7Ld/
Former WWE star Rosa Mendes, who was making her first appearance at an independent wrestling show, introduced the Horsemen. Before the show, she also met with fans.
WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson was the latest guest on the The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast. On this episode, Double A relives some of the Four Horseman’s most classic feuds and matches in a staple area for the Crockett territory as well as shares what the modern day wrestling convention means to the “old timers.” He also dives deep into the formation of the Horseman, the promos they cut and what made them become such a dominant group in the business. Here are some highlights the show sent in:
Working for both the NWA and WWE in the 1980’s:
“In those days if you lived up North and you didn’t have TBS you were WWF fans at the time (obviously now WWE) and they didn’t get a lot of stuff unless it was syndicated Crockett stuff. There were definitely two distinct audiences. People still come up to me now and know me in The Brain Busters. It is not so much the Horseman (of course they know about it) but they were Brain Buster fans or they hated The Brain Buster’s guts. The cross pollination of all of that with the brands being consolidated and it is always somebody that has a different story but I think everybody understands that Crockett was something pretty special and a lot of major talent came from that company and that era and I will be forever grateful because that is where I cut my chops and figured out what to do in this business and how to grow, excel and add to the business itself and contribute.”
His favorite incarnation of the Four Horsemen:
“The first will always be special just because it was the first. It was unique. I would say that I agree with the fans that say the Barry Windham incarnation was probably the most functional and most fun to watch and most exciting and best group bell to bell. You can probably name any other grouping and it is open to conjecture but certainly the first one and the Barry Windham version would be the top 2.”
Getting a chance to wrestle fellow Horseman and best friend Ric Flair during a brief program in 1995:
“A lot of people go to talk about the Ric Flair and myself match in Asheville, North Carolina on a pay per view. I don’t think that match was one of my favorites and I didn’t particularly enjoy it. It is kind of hard to pound a knot in your best friend even if he is acting up and showing his ass and doing a lot of things that are disrespectful to you. I guess we had to have that match and get it out of our system.”
The lasting legacy of War Games:
“It was a full days work that is for sure. A lot of nights I thought that this was a hard way to make a living. When you are trapped in that cage with Dusty, Nikita, The Road Warriors, Luger and whoever else it was like a Barry Windham or Ricky Steamboat it is a hard 35-40 minutes. But it also played perfectly into what we were and we always said and we made no bones about it, if you jump on one of us you will jump on five of us. We were in our element and I can’t remember a War Games where we got dominated. I don’t if we won (if we won any) but the fact is if you ask anybody today who won War Games in a particular town that they were in that night now I am not sure if they can tell you but they would say; “My God what a blood bath and what a war”. That is what sold tickets and to be able to pull off 22 out of 36 days one summer where we went on tour in the stadiums and all of us almost bled to death that summer. It was something special and has also stood the test of time and that is one of those instances where adversity introduces you to yourself and in one of those War Games matches is probably where that quote came from.”
Arn Anderson will be appearing at the Mid Atlantic Wrestle Expo on May 20th in Richmond, Virginia. For more information, visit Wrestleexporva.com.
For this and every other episode of @TwoManPowerTrip, subscribe on iTunes, Podomatic, Player FM, Earpeeler and Tune In Radio.
At a couple different points tonight, the official WWE Games Twitter account tweeted these animated GIFs to hype Tuesday’s release of the Hall of Fame downloadable content pack for WWE 2K16, which is out this Tuesday:
It was already known that 1991 versions of Ric Flair and Tatsumi Fujinami plus a relevant match replay mode were in the Hall of Fame pack, but they had two matches that year. It seemed like it made more sense for 2K to base it off their match from Superbrawl in St. Petersburg, Florida, but from the above footage, it looks like they didn’t. Instead, 2K picked the OTHER Flair-Fujinami match, from the NJPW Tokyo Dome show that year, which is known as both WCW Japan Supershow and NJPW Starrcade ’91 In The Tokyo Dome. So that means that the arena that comes in the pack is an ersatz Tokyo Dome, faithfully recreated by 2K Sports. They can’t call it that (and I don’t believe WWE games ever name real venues), but 2K does a great job with the presentation of the arenas and this should be no exception.
Here’s the full lineup for the DLC pack, which, if this is any indication, should also include at least two more WCW arenas and some early ’90s WWF arenas along with period appropriate versions of the wrestlers:
“Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Jake “The Snake” Roberts
Rikishi vs. The Rock
Alundra Blayze vs. Paige
Larry Zbyszko and Arn Anderson vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes
Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Ric Flair
The Bushwhackers (Butch Miller and Luke Williams) vs. The Natural Disasters (Typhoon and Earthquake)
The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) vs. Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray)
– For whatever this is worth, WWE is still advertising “The Viper” Randy Orton for tonight’s WWE Night Of Champions pay-per-view at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Arn Anderson celebrates his 57th birthday today. Also celebrating birthdays today are Greg Valentine (64), Tony Garea (69) and Joel Gertner (40).
– The latest edition of “Canvas 2 Canvas” features art from Rob Schamberger on NXT Women’s Champion Bayley:
– The following is a clip from the Dusty Rhodes tribute that aired on the WWE Network after Monday’s edition of RAW. In the clip below, Arn Anderson talks about Ric Flair’s rivalry with Rhodes outside the ring.
– WWE posted the following Total Divas preview clip, which shows Eva Marie training with Brian Kendrick.
– WWE and Mountain Dew are giving away two trips to this year’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York with their new “#WWExDEW Sweepstakes.” Full details on the contest are available at WWE.com. Below is a video of Dolph Ziggler promoting the contest.
Michael Cole’s latest weekly sit-down video interview features WWE executives Arn Anderson and Michael Hayes.
Anderson and Hayes spend several minutes talking about their own personal history with Sting, and then discuss the upcoming in-ring debut of “The Icon.”
Check out the video above to watch Anderson and Hayes break down the upcoming Triple H vs. Sting match at WrestleMania 31.
A lot of the factors in pro wrestling are subjective. Some people enjoy this, some people enjoy that. Some fans prefer a better in-ring technician, some like a strong promo guy and others enjoy a great character. No one is wrong, because it’s all personal preference.
Generally speaking, when an editorial features a list, it’s “the best of” or “the worst of.” Today, we are going to switch gears a bit.
In keeping with the subjective theme, today we are going to look at who I personally consider to be the five best factions in the history of the business. Not the five best, my five favorite. And I’ll explain why, starting with …
#5. The Varsity Club
Many of the current generation of wrestling fans may have never even heard of The Varsity Club. Growing up, they were one of my favorite wrestling stables.
The original group consisted of Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda and Rick Steiner, all of which wore their amateur wrestling letterman jackets. The guys were among the most legitimate tough guys in the business at the time, and the group had the perception of being the baddest son of a bitches on the planet.
As is the case with any wrestling stable, as time went on the group was watered down. Members such as “Dr. Death” Steve Williams and “Dangerous” Dan Spivey were added to the mix, and before too long, the group ceased to exist. While they were around though, in my opinion, they were pretty damn cool.
#4. The Fabulous Freebirds
As far as I’m concerned any writer who doesn’t include The Fabulous Freebirds on their “top stables” or “top factions” lists should have their head examined. The Freebirds were as cool as it got when I was a youngster.
The group was led by Michael “P.S.” Hayes, a current WWE creative team member who is credited with introducing theme music to the ring-walk portion of the professional wrestling presentation. The group consisted of Hayes, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy and Buddy Roberts. Roberts was considered a great in-ring technician, and prior to the Birds, had a lengthy career worthy of Hall Of Fame status. In fact, Roberts was part of the original “Hollywood Blondes” tag-team, a name that was later used for the team of “Stunning” Steve Austin and “Flyin'” Brian Pillman. Gordy was a legend in Japan and portrayed the “enforcer” role in the group. Hayes was a rock star and easily one of the most charismatic wrestlers of his time, if not of all-time.
Later on, Hayes and Jimmy “Jam” Garvin would bring back The Fabulous Freebirds as a straight tag-team act. How this group has yet to receive an induction into the WWE Hall Of Fame confuses me to this very day.
#3. D-Generation X
I’m of the belief that there is not a fan of North American professional wrestling that has not heard of D-Generation X. That would mean they did their jobs and left a lasting legacy in the business.
D-X consisted of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chyna and Rick Rude. When the group officially formed, you could make the argument that along with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, they officially ushered in the infamous “Attitude Era” in WWE. They did things for shock value at a time when Howard Stern, The Jerry Springer Show and many other shock-television style shows reigned supreme. It was a natural fit, and the group really cemented Triple H as a main event performer in WWE.
Later on, as is the case with every faction or stable in history, an attempt was made to get the gang back together, only this time — it worked. You could argue that the second version of D-X was actually more successful than the first. The second group featured Triple H as the leader instead of Michaels, and his group consisted of Chyna, Sean “X-Pac” Waltman, “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn and “The Road Dogg” Jesse James. Anyone who saw WWE RAW the night that D-X “invaded” WCW will never forget that moment. It was amazing entertainment and really symbolized the “Monday Night War” going on at the time between WWE and WCW.
D-X was brought back again in the 2000s as a straight tag-team act that featured the two original members — Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Personally, I didn’t enjoy that run nearly as much as their first run, but it was still a cool thing to see the two back together having fun.
The following are highlights of a new Shining Wizards podcast interview with WWE Hall Of Famer Ricky Steamboat:
On becoming Ricky Steamboat: “The late Eddie Graham gave me the Steamboat name. In 1976 I walked into the Tampa office and there sat Eddie Graham, and Verne Gagne had sent him pictures of me wrestling as “Rick Blood,” and Eddie said what a great wrestling name- but for a heel. He then said we had a guy here in Florida named Sammy Steamboat and he was from Hawaii. What I would like to do is call you Ricky Steamboat, but I will not bill you as his son. How about you be his nephew? I told Eddie, “you can call me anything you like. I’m just happy to have a job.” The very next night in West Palm Beach- and this is a story that not too many people know… I don’t know if I’ve ever told this story live like this, I told it to a couple friends and some wrestlers- but the story goes that the next night in West Palm Beach, I’m the first match. I’m standing in the ring and the ring announcer goes “Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a substitute this evening. Rick Blood is unable to make it.” And I’m standing there and I completely freak out and forget that I’m Ricky Steamboat. So I make my way up to the announcer in the middle of the ring and I’m saying, “I’m here! Hey, hey, look, I’m right here!” And the announcer puts the microphone behind his back and off the side of his mouth says, “Stand in the corner, kid. Get over there and stand in the corner.” So I go back to the corner, and he says “Give it up, Ladies and Gentlemen, for the nephew of Sam Steamboat, Ricky Steamboat!” And the crowd jumped out of their seats, and I’m looking around with my mouth open. The first thought that comes to my mind is, “Oh, this is what they do when they know you or when you get over.”
On never working heel & wanting to: “I never had a match where I worked as a heel. When I started in 1974, I was always a face, and the reason for that was that the heel would always lead the match. Now for me to graduate to be a heel, most times you started out as a face, and then when you got good, you would transfer over to a heel and you were the guy in charge. So I never had an opportunity to work as a heel, although in and around 1991, I expressed my desire to work as a heel and the response that I got back was it would never work. Pat Patterson said that I was the consummate babyface and it would probably hurt my career. I tried to push it to them hard and said, “Let me go under a mask and let me go under a full suit and cover up my body. I won’t throw any chops and I’ll just kick and punch and I’ll be a heel. Then the big surprise, if we can carry this thing through, after about a year or so, have somebody finally takes the mask off, hopefully the response we get from the fans will be ‘Oh my God, all this time it’s been Ricky Steamboat,’” but they wouldn’t buy it.
On being legit knocked out by a Jake Robert’s DDT: Well you know, I’ve talked about this on other radio stations and in public. They always bring that up, and I want to make this clear that I wasn’t knocked out. I know people watching that, you could hear the splat of my head hitting the cement floor. I know how to take a DDT, and he knows how to give it. You know he was the best in the business, but I just got caught off guard and my forehead hit the cement. I had all my faculties. I was working. My body language was dictating what would happen to a guy if that happened. Jake Roberts was trying to pick up a dead body and I was limp and everybody was thinking that I was knocked out, but I wasn’t. I mean, it sounded like a hand grenade went off in my brain and it wasn’t too long afterwards I had such a lump appear on my head. I mean I looked like Elephant Man. It was huge and there was water and fluids built up underneath. It was huge, but I wasn’t knocked out.”
His last run as a performer in WWE: “A lot of the guys say that, but during the match there were moments where I knew I was a step off, and that’s just Mother Nature. I like to go 100 miles per hour when I hit the ropes, and I knew I was a step off. I wasn’t as flexible as I once was. One of my biggest things before the match was having a lot of the guys ask me what I do before a match. Some guys like to run in place, some would do push-ups, some do warm-ups. I really focused on stretching. I really think that helped me throughout my career. Getting back to the match: God, it was such a great feeling. I had a lot of déjà vu coming back over me in that match with (Chris) Jericho. I was so happy he took care of me.”
On the superstar he’s most proud of: “I was not coaching at the time, but a guy that I’m really, really proud of when I was a producer/agent, with Arn Anderson & Dean Malenko, is Dolph Ziggler. You could talk to him and see it in his eyes that he would get it. He knew what you were talking about. It wasn’t like you just go out there and do something for the sake of doing it. I always told him to have a rhyme and reason. I give this example: You’re having a match and you’ve been working on this guy’s arm and the guy’s gotten away from you a few times but somehow you’ve been able to get back to that arm. The story that you’re telling is that you’re trying to wear the guy’s arm down. Then you have a moment to which he gets away and you end up in the turnbuckle and he charges with a high knee, and you move. He hits the top turnbuckle with his knee and goes down and grabs his knee. I look at Zig and I said, “Dolph, what do you do?” And he said, “Well, I grab the arm.” I said, “You got it, kid.” Most times, the answer I get is “I grab his leg.”
His favorite match with his favorite opponent, Ric Flair: “This was a match where George Scott was the booker. And I’m going back, say 1979-80. Back then they had time limits and most of the main events had 60 minutes. And we wrestled to a draw. Back then we called them Broadways… George (Scott) said I don’t’ want to beat Ricky & I don’t want to beat Flair, so we wrestled 60 minutes to a draw. I’ve never wrestled anybody as many times as Ric Flair to one hour draws. So we are in Charlotte and this night Flair is going to go over and he was going to cheat, and George said you don’t have to go out there and go 40 or 50 minutes. Just give me a good solid 20. So we’re out there and the flow is going so good after 20-25 minutes that we go 45-50 minutes. The crowd has seen us wrestle so many times to the draw that they’re already calling it. Fifty-five minutes in and the announcer announces: 5 minutes left… 4 minutes left… 3 minutes left… 2 minutes left… 1 minute left in this contest. Then 30 seconds, 15 seconds, and as he starts the countdown 10… Flair hooks my legs and I go down on my back and he puts his feet up on the corner and the ref counts 1-2-3 with 3 seconds left on the clock… I laid there and Flair was laying there, because normally in a Broadway the last couple of minutes you’re really kicking into fifth gear. And I’m painting a picture that I’m trying to pin him all over the place. It’s false finish after false finish because the people understand time’s gonna run out for Ricky. And all of a sudden, he yanks my feet out as he’s begging off in the corner, and throws his feet up on the second rope, and the ref jumps down and counts 1-2-3. There was a hush over the Coliseum, and then all of a sudden it erupted… and they were throwing so much crap at Flair as he was trying to make his way back to the locker room. Coke cans, popcorn, cups… and I just stood there watching him cover up his head and try to make his way to the back… and then I looked up at the people and said, “We got ya.”
The following are highlights of a new Post & Courier interview with WWE Hall Of Famer Arn Anderson:
Being a Horseman: “Being a Horseman isn’t something you put on in the morning and take off at night. It’s a state of mind. It’s excelling to the best of your ability. It’s four individuals thinking singularly, acting collectively.”
Fans supporting him all these years: “For me to still be recognized after all these years of not being on TV, by anybody anywhere, is still a thrill and I really appreciate it. You know the guys who did it for the money … they’re not around. You knows the ones who did it for the glamor … they’re not around. But when we went through that curtain, we tried to outdo each other. Tully and I would try to outdo Barry and Ric, and Ole and I went out and tried to outdo Tully. We were feeding our own egos to see if we could do it, but it basically was for the fans. They were the benefactors. They got the best show possible. It was for them, and we always knew that. Without them, nothing happens.”
Learning from Tully Blanchard and J.J. Dillon: “I learned from them. Both of them, in their own way, were a lot better than I was. I was very fortunate and very lucky to have been in their presence. There was a time that – I don’t think, I know – we were the best in the world. And I have no problem saying that. It was each man carrying his own weight. J.J. was a smart man, a great talker, a great organizer. Tully was a great performer – as good as anybody out there – and a great partner. So it was a very special time, and it will be great to relive that at this event. It will be a celebration of just that.”
What might have been if he would have been able to continuing competing: “I would think for sure I would have had at least five more years. Without the last neck injury, even running on fumes for the first two, I could have gotten by. But who knows? Maybe 10 more years. Thirty-seven is not that old. The crazy thing is that I had those terrible neck injuries, and I wasn’t one to come off the top (rope). I really feel for these guys today.”
Working with Dolph Ziggler, who he says has potential to be a top WWE money maker and is one of the best in the business: “Dolph has got to be one of the toughest men to put on a pair of boots. But he’s going to be like Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) in another five years because that kid beats his body up more than anybody on the crew. I do know this. In my dealings with him, when I’m his producer, he gives everything he’s got. He does some really phenomenal, athletic stuff.”
– Apparently Heath Slater has been given some time off from WWE to deal with some personal issues. As of right now, there’s no official word as to when he’ll be coming back. As a result, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal have been keeping the 3MB gimmick alive by themselves.
– WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler recently spoke to The Washington Times about Arn Anderson helping him backstage in WWE. Ziggler stated:
“Absolutely Arn. He’s taken a liking to me because of my work ethic. I’m the guy who doesn’t necessarily win all the time, always out there giving a great match, [and] making someone else look better. He crushed for so many years like that, so I feel like he relates to me sometimes. He pulls me aside and gives me a lot of pointers. [WWE Hall of Famer] Pat Paterson is another one. Guys who are so good and so smart with the business, loving the business, and [when] they see someone else loving it, they try to pass on their wisdom.”
-The WWE Total Divas reality show will begin airing in Austrailia on Pay TV on October 17th in the Thursday, 8:30pm time slot on the E! channel.
-Legendary wrestler and WWE agent Arn Anderson was referenced on a recent edition of the Comedy Central show Tosh.0.
-Former WWE Diva Kelly Kelly has a role in a new movie, which is out right now. The movie is called, “Angel Investors.”
-Former WWE Superstar Ken Shamrock has made an enemy out of UFC president Dana White. White mentioned Shamrock in a recent media scrum, where he claims Shamrock owes him $175,000 in legal fees, and he is coming after Shamrock for the money. Check out the clip below:
– Silvervision has released WWE’s promotional trailer for its upcoming nWo DVD and Blu-ray release, nWo: Revolution. The video features soundbytes from Booker T, Arn Anderson, Dusty Rhodes, Eric Bischoff, Sean Waltman, Big Show, Cody Rhodes, Kevin Nash and “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase weighing in on the rise and fall of the group.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=216wbicjYzs
The title will be released in North America on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
– The official WWE website has announced that John Cena will appear as a guest on “The Chew” and cook with Chef Michael Symon. The program airs Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. ET.
– Tickets for WWE’s SmackDown taping on Wednesday, Dec. 19 in Rochester, New York at Blue Cross Arena go on sale this Friday via Ticketmaster. (Ticket Information)
In an all-new 10 Count currently airing on WWE Classics On Demand, Matt Striker counts down the ten greatest Superstars to never win a recognized World Championship. The rankings are as follows:
10. Arn Anderson
9. Chief Jay Strongbow
8. Paul Orndorff
7. Nikita Koloff
6. Junkyard Dog
5. Scott Hall
4. Jake “The Snake” Roberts
3. British Bulldog
2. “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase
1. “Rowdy” Roddy Roddy Piper
WWE Hall of Famer Killer Kowalski and Lance Storm were also listed as honorable mentions.
Matches featured in the piece include Arn Anderson vs. NWA World Champion Barry Windham (WCW Slamboree, May 23, 1993), Chief Jay Strongbow vs. Superstar Billy Graham (WWF at the Philadelphia Spectrum, November 25, 1982), Paul Orndorff vs. WWF Champion Hulk Hogan (Saturday Night’s Main Event, January 3, 1987), Nikita Koloff vs. Sting (WCW Great American Bash, July 14, 1991), Junkyard Dog vs. NWA World Champion Ric Flair (Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush; June 13, 1990), Scott Hall vs. WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting (WCW Uncensored, March 15, 1998), Jake “The Snake” Roberts vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude (WrestleMania IV, March 27, 1988), British Bulldog vs. WWF Champion Shawn Michaels (In Your House: Beware of Dog; May 28, 1996), “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase vs. WWF Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage (WWF at Madison Square Garden, April 25, 1988), “Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs. WWF Champion Hulk Hogan (WWF The Wrestling Classic; November 7, 1985).
As advertised, Triple H and WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson appeared at Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown tapings from Columbia, South Carolina. Both men appeared in segments that were off-camera and will not be shown on television.
One of the matches on the show saw Sin Cara wrestle Drew McIntyre. After the match, Drew McIntyre grabbed a microphone and cut a promo demanding a WWE official come out and explain why he is not main eventing SmackDown. That WWE official turned out to be Triple H, who came out, nailed him with a Pedigree and left.
The dark main event after the SmackDown tapings saw Sheamus retain the World Heavyweight Title against Kane in a Steel Cage match. WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson served as the special guest enforcer for the match. After Kane shoved Anderson during the match, Double A hit Kane with a low blow and Sheamus nearly took Kane’s head off with the Brogue Kick for the win. Anderson and Sheamus celebrated after the match.