DDP’s WWE debut was one of the most controversial in wrestling history. Instead of being presented as a top WCW star, he was booked as The Undertaker’s wife’s stalker. Looking back, DDP regrets not fighting it.
“If I had been in WCW, I would have fought it. But I wanted to be a team player in WWE, so I went with it,” he admitted on Six Feet Under.
DDP explained that he had pitched an entirely different idea—The People’s Champion vs. The People’s Champion—where he would challenge The Rock.
“I had this whole vision: lights go out, everyone thinks it’s Jericho, and then boom—‘Who’s the real People’s Champion?’ But I let them talk me out of it,” he said.
Instead, he found himself stuck in a storyline that didn’t make sense.
“I should have said, ‘Are you looking at my wife? She’s one of the most beautiful women in the world. You think I’d stalk Undertaker’s wife?’”
The angle flopped, and DDP’s WWE career never recovered. But he took an important lesson from it.
“That was the first time I let someone talk me out of my gut instinct, and I learned a big lesson from it.”
When WCW was bought by WWE in 2001, many wrestlers chose to sit out the remainder of their lucrative contracts. But not Diamond Dallas Page. On Six Feet Under, DDP revealed he left $487,000 on the table to jump to WWE early—against the advice of Dusty Rhodes.
“Dusty told me, ‘Don’t do it. Take the money.’ But I was 45, my body was breaking down, and I didn’t have time to sit around,” DDP said.
At the time, top WCW stars like Kevin Nash and Goldberg had contracts that allowed them to be paid in full while staying home. WWE offered them a fraction of that to start working immediately, and most declined.
“I could have sat at home, done nothing, and still made nearly half a million dollars,” he admitted. “But I wasn’t 35 anymore. I wasn’t even 40. If I sat out for another year, my window might’ve closed.”
DDP explained that while money was important, he had a deep love for wrestling that made the decision easy.
“Kevin Nash is one of the smartest businessmen in wrestling history. He told me, ‘Dude, take the money.’ And if I listened to him, I probably would’ve had a couple million more in my account today. But I had to bet on myself.”
Unfortunately, DDP’s WWE run didn’t go as planned. Despite how things unfolded, the master of the Diamond Cutter wouldn’t change a thing.
“Looking back, would I make the same choice? Hell yeah. Because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have learned the lessons that made me who I am today.”
Before Scott Hall became the legendary Razor Ramon, he was struggling to find his place in the wrestling world. But thanks to Diamond Dallas Page, his entire look and career trajectory changed forever.
On Six Feet Under with The Undertaker, DDP shared the untold story of how he helped Hall completely reinvent himself.
“Scott said, ‘I’ve had this mustache since I was 15!’ And I said, ‘Another reason to shave it!’” DDP recalled with a laugh.
Hall had returned from a run in Germany, unsure of his next move. DDP saw potential in him but knew he needed a new look. That’s when inspiration struck.
“I was watching MTV and George Michael came on. He had this patent leather outfit, that brush-cut beard, that five o’clock shadow. I thought, ‘That’s a smaller version of Scott Hall!’”
Scott Hall, his sweet mustache, and Curt Hennig (Photo: Pro Wrestling Illustrated)
DDP immediately called Hall at 2 a.m. to pitch the idea.
“I said, ‘Dude, walk outside right now. I got an idea. You gotta shave the mustache.’ He goes, ‘What?!’ I said, ‘You have to shave it and grow out a five o’clock shadow. Trust me, this is gonna work.’”
Reluctantly, Hall agreed. But it wasn’t just the facial hair—DDP had a full makeover planned.
“I dyed his hair jet black, gave him a full-length lambskin coat, baggy pants, tank top, sunglasses—told him not to take them off. When we walked into WCW, nobody recognized him.”
The final piece of the puzzle? The infamous toothpick.
“We were at Waffle House, and I grabbed a toothpick. I said, ‘At the end of every promo, we both flick these into the camera.’ Right in the middle of talking, mine falls out of my mouth. I was pissed, but Scott? He nailed it. And that became his thing.”
Hall later took that entire persona to WWE, where it evolved into Razor Ramon. Looking back, DDP takes pride in seeing how one simple idea changed a career.
“Scott didn’t drink back then, but he sure as hell loved to roll a joint and quote Scarface. That was just him naturally. He was already Razor before WWE even knew it.”
‘Diamond’ Dallas Page’s days competing in the ring are behind the WWE Hall of Famer, but the positive legend has plans for at least one last Diamond Cutter. On the Insight podcast, Page, who is 68, was asked if he’d consider wrestling again, possibly for his 70th birthday.
“No [laughs]. It’s so important for me, my body feels good.”
Page recalled wrestling a 70-year-old Bruno Sammartino as part of a fan event, which Page saw as an incredible honor. Despite Sammartino feeling like he wouldn’t be able to do much due to his “aches and pains” Page recalled the former WWWF World Champion holding nothing back when he fought off an interfering Larry Zybysko.
Page’s last official match came on the Page has no plans on competing January 15, 2020, edition of AEW Dynamite, where he was on the losing end of a six-man tag-team match. While Page doesn’t plan on wrestling at 70, the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion does have something special planned to mark the occasion.
“I am there for a diamond cutter. I do want to hit one when I’m 70.”
With his commitment to fitness and his signature brand of DDP Yoga, Page remains in excellent shape at his age, and could theoretically have a match. Nevertheless, Page is happy to leave his time in the ring in the past, though wrestlers should watch out for a Diamond Cutter out of nowhere by the WWE Hall of Famer.
Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts would not be living right now if not for the immense effort from him and others to combat his substance abuse issues. For years, Roberts battled an addiction to alcohol and other substances and would spend 14 weeks in a WWE-endorsed rehab clinic in 2007. Despite this, it wouldn’t be until Page moved in with ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page in 2012 that Roberts was able to turn his life around.
Speaking on the Insight podcast, Roberts was asked if he still struggles with his sobriety and shared that alcohol no longer is able to coax him.
“The smell of alcohol turns my stomach. I can walk through an airport blindfolded and tell you where the bars are at. Because of the smell. That’s my stomach now and I’m glad.”
Roberts’ time with DDP and battle with substance abuse was documented in the documentary The Resurrection of Jake the Snake. When asked how he was able to overcome his demons, Jake made clear it wasn’t a solitary venture.
“A lot of damn work, it took a lot of work. It took a lot of patience and some good friends.
Roberts is just one of several wrestlers helped by DDP, who also aided Scott Hall with his battles with substances. Had Page not stepped in, Roberts would not have been alive for the interview according to the WWE legend.
“Nope. No doubt in my mind. I’d have been dead several years ago. That’s where I was going.”
Roberts is not just surviving, but thriving at the age of 69 as the manager of La Facción Ingobernable. Roberts also serves as an advisor for the community outreach program AEW Together where he uses his experience to help others make the right choices.
WWE is once again going to “feel the bang” as DDP has signed a legends deal with the company. Cody Rhodes’ ‘Nightmare Family’ crew is finding themselves into the WWE fold as ‘The Master Of The Diamond Cutter’ announced via social media that he put pen to paper on a WWE legends deal.
Last night, #WWEBadBlood was one of the first pay-per-views I really enjoyed from beginning to end.
Got to the building early to spend some quality time with @CodyRhodes, but he was so busy, it’s something we'll have to do at a later date. @WWE actually had all of the legends… pic.twitter.com/OzkGOOACmh
Page kept his ties to Cody Rhodes all the way back at the Royal Rumble earlier this year when Dallas sat in the post-show media scrum for Cody after ‘The American Nightmare’ won the 30-man match.
Despite his kindship with Cody, Page has his ties all over the mainstream wrestling world as WCW’s “People’s Champion” is proactive in the wellness of both legends and modern talent alike. Dallas has notoriously helped names like Jake Roberts and Scott Hall on their roads to sobriety in addition to helping current stars bounce back like Drew McIntyre, Darby Allin and Big Bill.
Another ‘Nightmare Family’ name who was in attendance for WWE Bad Blood was WWE Hall Of Famer Arn Anderson who has been a prominent presence at the side of Rhodes both in AEW and WWE. On the latest episode of “ARN”, ‘The Enforcer’ revealed that as of that recording, he was not under a legends deal with WWE, but it remains to be seen if he signed a deal while in Atlanta this past Saturday.
WWE had a huge list of legends in attendance for Bad Blood and the likes of such had its fair share of ties to Atlanta, GA.
The company started off the PLE by showing that Goldberg was in attendance with his son Gage who nearly got physical with GUNTHER after the WWE World Heavyweight Champion called ‘Da Man’ out later on in the show.
However, there was a quite the plethora of names taking in the action. In addition to Goldberg, Bad Blood also featured several WCW luminaries including Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Diamond Dallas Page, Booker T, Scott Steiner and Syxx aka Sean Waltman.
Arn Anderson may have gotten the biggest pop out of all the legends and for good reason. ‘The Enforcer’ shocked the fans at WWE SummerSlam in Cleveland when he so happened to share a few words of wisdom for Cody Rhodes before he went out for his WWE Undisputed Title defense against Solo Sikoa. Arn’s attendance at Bad Blood constitutes as a full circle moment as Cody Rhodes will be tagging up with Roman Reigns to face Solo once again. However, this time Sikoa has Jacob Fatu as his tag team partner.
WWE legends weren’t the only dignitaries in town. Hip-hop artists Killer Mike, Metro Boomin’ and Lil Baby were also seen sitting at ringside. Killer Mike was sitting beside Goldberg to start off the show who seems to be good friends with the WWE Hall of Famer.
Cody Rhodes will always appreciate the WWE fans who easily could’ve rejected the former AEW EVP upon his return at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022. Despite once being a driving force behind WWE’s chief competition, Rhodes has been accepted with open arms by the WWE Universe, in stark contrast to the often-hostile reactions he received in AEW.
Speaking to ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page, Rhodes said he had “nothing but positive things” to say about the fans and that he “can’t find a negative in anything that they do.” The Undisputed WWE Champion adds that fans could have “fully rejected me” when he returned two years ago.
“Here’s this guy, he went off and started his own company, he was real bitter about how he left, midcard, jobber, all of this, they really could’ve gone a different way with it and that wasn’t the case. Somebody asked me at Mania, why do you think [they’ve stuck with you] and the only thing I could tell them was that I think it resonated with them, my story is a real story.”
Rather than being rejected, Rhodes has become one of WWE’s top stars, a consistent merchandise-selling powerhouse, and the face of the company in this ‘new era.’ In an era of wrestling where discourse is incredibly tribal, Rhodes’ accomplishments across both AEW and WWE and his story have endeared him to fans across the wrestling landscape.
The Undisputed WWE Champion will next put his title on the line at WWE SummerSlam against Solo Sikoa. The August 3, show will take place from the Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.
Kevin Sullivan has had a rough journey over the past several weeks and ‘The Taskmaster’ is getting a little help from fans and some major wrestling names.
Unfortunately, Sullivan was involved in a car accident back on May 12 while in Florida for an autograph signing. The aftermath was devastating but the hospital was able to save his leg and his life. However, Sullivan developed sepsis and encephalitis and in turn, has been hospitalized in ICU.
Sullivan has been in and out of conciousness, but ‘The Taskmaster’ keeps fighting on. His insurance plan has been nearly exhausted due to the ongoing expenses and his family has created a GoFundMe to help him and his family afford his recovery.
Not only did fans come out of the woodwork to help Kevin Sullivan, but a lot of big names in the pro wrestling world have too.
Jim Cornette and his wife Stacey donated $5,000 to the cause, Chris Jericho donated $2,500, Scott D’Amore donated $1,500, Cody Rhodes sent Sullivan $1,000 and so did Diamond Dallas Page. Norman Smiley also donated.
The original goal for the GoFundMe was $20,000, but with the help from his colleagues and wrestling fans, the donations are up to over $24,000.
The Sullivan family listed all that the money will go to in helping Kevin and it includes continued hospital expenses, skilled nursing care, acute and subacute occupational and physical therapy, recurring medical expenses and transportation.
The pro wrestling world is like a family in many ways. When someone is taken from us, many times the community steps up to help those who were left behind. After Ice Train’s passing, many of those who knew him are now helping his family through this trying time.
Ice Train’s GoFundMe
Ice Train passed away at 56-years-old, and many who worked with him during his days in the ring spoke out to grieve the loss. As of this writing, his cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, but he had health issues. Now, his family is in need of assistance.
The description for the GoFundMe, written by Diamond Dallas Page, explains how the money will be used to help Ice Train’s family. The two had a 30-year friendship, and now DDP wants to make sure that Harold Hogue’s family is taken care of to the best of his ability.
Ice Train was born with congenital heart disease, so he couldn’t get insurance. Due to this, his family is in a terrible circumstance right now.
Harold Hogue aka “Ice Train” aka “Smooth” (to me he was always “H”) was a warrior and one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. Our 30 year relationship was filled with laughter & brotherhood. We were always there for each other.
Our families are one family.
Harold was born with a congenital heart disease and passed away unexpectedly on January 23, 2024. Because of his condition, he was unable to get life insurance, leaving his wife Tiana and his 7 kids too soon…without their rock, and their primary provider.
Please consider donating in honor of Harold, to help support his family after losing such a great husband, father, and friend. I love you H – DDP.
As of this writing, they have raised $17,990 of their $50,000 goal. Some notable names have already contributed substantial donations for the campaign.
Notable Donations Already
Several figures from the wrestling community have contributed to Ice Train’s GoFundMe campaign. Dallas Page donated $10,000, Chris Jericho contributed $5,000, and Cody Rhodes put in $1,000.
Matt Cardona has been making his name ever since his release from WWE, and now the ‘Indy God’ had his name mentioned during the Emmy Awards.
The 75th annual Emmy Awards took place this week from the Peacock Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, California. The awards covered programming from June 2022 to May 2023, with nominations announced in July of 2023.
Paul Walter Hauser took home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role as Larry Hall in Apple TV+’s Black Bird.
Hauser’s acceptance speech included several name-drops and references from the world of pro wrestling, including Matt Cardona and ‘get the tables!’
Paul Walter Hauser brings pro wrestling to the Emmy’s
If Hauser’s name sounds familiar, it’s because had a match for Pro Wrestling REVOLVER last November.
During his acceptance speech, Hauser name-dropped Matt Cardona, saying he’s going to beat the ‘Indy God’ at the upcoming Ready or Not event on March 16.
Kota Ibushi and Matt Cardona shoutouts during the Emmys by Paul Walter Hauser. Incredible.pic.twitter.com/JYhFMdfLqB
It wasn’t just Matt Cardona that Hauser referenced during his rap-based acceptance speech. The actor also gave a shoutout to Kota Ibushi and referred to the ‘Wolfpac’, a nod to the NWO off-shoot faction.
WWE Hall of Famer ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page was among the lengthy list of people that Hauser wished to thank. Hauser ended his speech with a “get the tables”, a nod to the legendary tag team the Dudley Boyz.
Paul Walter Hauser won his Emmy award in a category that also included Murray Bartlett (Welcome to Chippendales, Nick De Noia), Richard Jenkins (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Lionel Dahmer), Joseph Lee (Beef, George Nakai), Ray Liotta (Black Burd, James ‘Big Jim’ Keener), Young Mazino (Beef, Paul Cho), and Jesse Plemons (Love and Death, Allan Gore).
Last time Paul Walter Hauser was in an @PWRevolver ring… He K!LLED a man!
It may have been decades since the release of the popular WCW/nWo Revenge video game, but this week, a hidden feature has been discovered.
WCW/nWo Revenge was released on the Nintendo 64 in late 1998 and as the name suggests, leaned heavily into the popularity of the New World Order at the time. The game featured one of the most up-to-date rosters as well as several arenas.
A New Feature
As one of the most popular wrestling games around, WCW/nWo Revenge still has a legion of loyal players. This week, one player learned of a hidden feature in the game, which allows for running grapples. Rather than a running strike as is the norm, these moves allowed players to perform sequences while in motion, in what was a revolutionary concept for the time.
#AKIDidYouKnow I've just discovered this in the last 10 minutes … but looks like some characters in WCW/nWo Revenge have Running Grapples (front and rear) in their movesets (although it also looks like everyone has them disabled by default via their Parameters): pic.twitter.com/iEeQ31VudT
This reveal even got the attention of Diamond Dallas Page, who was a playable character in the game, and took to Twitter to share his reaction.
So my buddy @Melonbread1979 broke open the code for WCW nWo Revenge and found the rumored fourth Diamond Cutter. A running attack. So wild to see…hidden since 1998. Pretty dope to find something after 25 years. Had to share??DDP https://t.co/9UgFmxCNSF
WCW/nWo Revenge received overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans and critics. Within a month, the game became the top-selling third-party Nintendo game ever. The game was praised for its improved graphics on its predecessor WCW Vs. nWo: World Tour, as well as new features including a Championship Mode. The game would eventually sell 1.88 million copies in the US, making it one of the best-selling N64 games of all time. It would also outsell the also-popular WWF No Mercy game, which would be released two years later.
Triple H should be keeping his eye on Nick Aldis, according to WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page.
In July, the former WWE World Champion was appointed WWE’s Head of Talent Relations replacing John Laurinaitis.
Since his appointment, The Game has brought back several released Superstars, including Karrion Kross, Dexter Lumis, Hit Row, Johnny Gargano and others.
On the Radar
WWE is bringing back several names from their past, with Bray Wyatt also rumored to return, but Nick Aldis has never worked for the promotion before.
That should change according to DDP, who during the latest Snake Pit podcast, praised the former two-time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion (via eWrestlingNews.)
“He’s got the friggin’ look, he’s got the work, he’s got the promo. I mean, all this time, he is a hidden, he is a hidden diamond. He isn’t a diamond in the rough, he’s a diamond. Like, he’s ready to go.”
When asked if WWE is aware of Aldis and are considering bringing him in, Page remained coy.
“I would think [so]. And if not right now, at some point later. He [Triple H] has got enough to do right now.”
Diamnd Dallas Page on whether Nick Aldis is on Triple H’s radar.
Nick Aldis
Beginning his wrestling career in 2003, Aldis rose to prominence in TNA/Impact Wrestling, working under the name Magnus.
A former TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Aldis remained with the company 2015, and had a brief return in 2017.
That same year Aldis joined the National Wrestling Alliance, where he is a two-time World Champion.
It appears as though Conrad Thompson also tried getting WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page to do a Last Match.
Recently, two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair headlined a Last Match event in which the main event was headlined by the last match of his career. Flair teamed up with Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.
The event was promoted by Conrad Thompson and Jim Crockett Promotions at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. Since, Thompson has teased doing more events allowing legends to have their “Last Match.”
On a recent episode of his podcast, “DDP Snake Pit,” Diamond Dallas Page revealed that Thompson suggested that he take part in a Last Match. However, it doesn’t seem to be something DDP is interested in.
“It’s nothing I’ll ever do,” DDP said. “Conrad was like ‘You know DDP, you’d be perfect to do one of these,’ I was like ‘Nah bro, I’m good. I had my last match, it’s never going to be better than that.’ I was lucky enough to have all my boys around me and it was fun. I’m good with that.”
Page did get to do a match two years ago in All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he teamed up with Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall against MJF and The Butcher and Blade.
DDP was also at Flair’s Last Match event, where he hit Matt Cardona with a Diamond Cutter, which got quite the reaction from the crowd. He was one of several professional wrestling legends at the show; including The Undertaker, Bret Hart, and Mick Foley.
WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page has said that Tammy Sytch had been doing well prior to her recent arrest.
Sytch was arrested earlier this month and charged with nine felonies, including DUI Manslaughter, related to her role in a three-vehicle car accident in March that killed one man.
Speaking on the latest episode of ‘The Bro Show,’ Page said that Sytch had looked “great” when they met up four months ago:
“She’s been sober for long periods of time. She had been on the right path. I don’t know what the trick here is, but I feel so bad. I saw her, God she looked great.”
Diamond Dallas Page
Page called Sytch’s relapse and recent run-in with the law a “really unfortunate situation.”
The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion has spent years helping others, including Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts and the late-Scott Hall.
Sytch and the Hall of Fame
Sytch was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April 2011, the night before WrestleMania 27.
Tammy Sytch was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011, alongside legends such as Shawn Michaels, the Road Warriors, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan.
With this most recent arrest, there have been calls for her to have her Hall of Fame induction revoked with Mark Henry and Bill DeMott both saying it should happen.
WWE revoked Hulk Hogan’s induction in 2015 after racist comments made by the Hulkster were shared online, but reinstated him into the Hall of Fame three years later.
Sytch has fired back at claims for her to be removed, referencing DeMott’s controversial departure from his role as WWE head trainer.
Diamond Dallas Page says that WWE’s new hires aren’t even given a chance to succeed.
Last week, WWE released ten Superstars from NXT, with Dakota Kai, Harland, Malcolm Bivens and Dexter Lumis all being cut.
Harland was a notable release, as he had received a lot of hype prior to signing with WWE and had been compared to former WWE World Champion Brock Lesnar.
Amid reports that WWE is giving talent 90 days to show improvement before being at risk of release, Harland is one trainee that was not progressing fast enough.
DDP appeared on The Bro Show podcast this week and expressed discouragement with WWE’s approach to talent development.
Page thought Harland in particular had a good luck, but “you never know.”
“It’s so different today. You don’t even have a chance to get stuff over.”
– DDP on recent WWE releases
Contrary to most wrestlers, DDP entered the wrestling profession in his 30s and wouldn’t debut for the WWF until he was 45 in May 2001.
Page was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017 and has worked as a wellness coach in recent years, helping transform the lives of Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts and the late-Scott Hall.
One WWE Hall of Famer thinks Tony Khan should be rushing to the phone to call Dakota Kai.
WWE has been known for having waves of talent releases. The promotion’s most recent one took place in late April. In total, 10 members of the NXT roster were cut. Among the names released was Dakota.
DDP Urges AEW To Sign Dakota Kai
During an appearance on SportsKeeda‘s The Bro Show, WCW legend DDP explained why he thinks AEW President Tony Khan should reach out to Dakota Kai.
“I was surprised they got rid of Dakota [Kai]. She’s good-looking, her work is really good, I was expecting to see her up there, but she never got that shot. If I was Tony Khan, I’d pick her a** up.
“They have some good talent there with the women now. WWE’s women’s talent is off the charts. Most of the girls are better than the guys.
“If I was Tony, I’d pick her up. But it’s a different world now bro.”
AEW hasn’t been afraid to snag former WWE talent. Some feel that Kai could be at the top of Khan’s list as far as female talent is concerned.
During her time in WWE, Dakota became a two-time NXT Tag Team Champion alongside Raquel Gonzalez, now known as Raquel Rodriguez.
Kai also won the 2021 Dusty Rhodes Classic with Raquel. In 2019, Dakota won the NXT Year-End Award for “Future Star of NXT.”
Nearly one month into Cody Rhodes’ return to WWE, the former AEW Executive Vice President is still making big headlines.
It was announced on Friday that Rhodes will join Steve Austin on the Broken Skull Sessions next week. Everyone is expecting some serius discussion during that appearance on why he chose to return WWE.
That topic also came up when Rhodes appeared on Corey Graves’ After The Bell podcast this week. Rhodes revealed during the conversation that there was a surprising name who helped convince him that a return to WWE was the right move: Matt Cardona.
“A very small circle of people when this initially was brought to me knew, and I told him (Cardona) everything, every detail, everything. And I was really legitimately expecting him to go ‘don’t do it, don’t,’ and man, he went completely the opposite way. He was of your train of thought, Corey, of that’s the ultimate undeniable comeback and land in the fashion that you did. And he inadvertently set all of this in motion. I really thought he was going to say go the other way but man no, he was gung ho (about a WWE return),” Cody revealed.
Cody Rhodes On Concerns Over His WWE Return
Additionally, Rhodes revealed that it was Diamond Dallas Page who was more skeptical of his decision to return to WWE. Rhodes recalled a deep conversation he had with the WWE Hall of Famer prior to this decision.
“I think there was one person that was concerned and that was DDP. He came over to my house, and downstairs we have the Nightmare Bar. He came down there, and I just got one of these Bartesians where you get the instant cocktails and I was really excited to show him the light margaritas. And he drank all the ones that I had in stock, and over the course of the six or seven margaritas he kept slamming down, he was just really tensive.
“He brought up a good point: The last time I did something major leaving the WWE, he was of the same thought process. ‘Well if you believe, if you’re confident, then I’ll be confident with you and confident for you.’ And he gave me some tips on people to speak to and people to let things know before it all went down.
“He was the only one who was a little bit more fatherly and like, ‘Okay, let’s make sure this is really what you want and not just a knee-jerk thing.’ For the most part, everyone who knew in that very small circle was like absolutely go do it, absolutely, which surprised me.”
Rhodes will face Seth Rollins next weekend at WWE WrestleMania Backlash, a rematch from WrestleMania 38 where Rhodes returned to the company and defeated Rollins. The two friends have been working this story on television, while Rhodes has also recently mixed it up with another long time good friend: The Miz.
Should Rhodes emerge victorious at WrestleMania Backlash, it will be interesting to see which direction they take his character next. He seems like a logical contender for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship in the not-so-distant future.
Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.
Diamond Dallas Page was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2017. Page was inducted by his longtime friend and former boss, Eric Bischoff.
However, on a recent episode of his DDP Snake Pit podcast, Page revealed he had someone else in mind to perform this honor. If he’d have had his way, the late WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes would’ve inducted him.
“.. and you’ve got to just breathe and keep throwing out into the universe, the Law of Attraction.” said Page. “When he told me, man, I got really choked up and I started welling up, and then I said, ‘I wish Dusty was here.’
“That’s who should have inducted me. The cool thing about Bischoff was he noticed that and he knew that. And that’s something he put in there, that I’m not supposed to be the guy.”
Unfortunately, Rhodes passed away in 2015 due to kidney failure. He still leaves a huge print on today’s product in the form of the stars he helped train such as Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Jon Moxley, and so many more. However, his legacy also lives on in his two sons, Cody and Dustin Rhodes, both of whom still compete regularly inside the squared circle.
Cody Rhodes recently made his return to WWE after departing All Elite Wrestling (AEW), and has his sights set on winning a World Championship in his father’s honor. As for Diamond Dallas Page, he has gone on to do some work for AEW since his WWE Hall Of Fame induction.
His last official match took place under the AEW banner in 2020 at Bash At The Teach where he teamed up with Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall, coming up short against MFJ and The Butcher & The Blade.
Big E suffered two fractured vertebrae in his neck as a result of a suplex gone wrong this past Friday night during SmackDown. Now, a WWE Hall of Famer wants to help out.
During a tag team match on SmackDown, Big E was given an overhead belly-to-belly suplex by Ridge Holland. Big E landed directly on top of his head, suffering the injury in the process. Big E later published updates on his status via social, both on Friday night and on Saturday.
WWE legend Diamond Dallas Page saw what happened and wants to help out. In a message posted to his own social media account, Page made the following offer to Big E:
“After last nights #SMACKDOWN my heart goes out to my brother @wwebige If you need me brother I got you, after Ciampa & Ivar got done with their broken neck rehab they both came to my crib and stayed a few days with me to [DDP yoga] Rebuild ? @austincreedwins has my # ? don’t hesitate to reach out my friend! @wwe#wwe YOU got THIS! DDP”
As noted, other WWE stars have stayed with DDP in the past following rehab.
Luckily, Big E’s spinal cord and ligaments were not damaged in the injury and he will not have to undergo surgery.
Four months ago, Big E gave an interview where he discussed the need to protect one’s opponent during a wrestling match.
“There’s a certain level of trust you have with someone in what we do, because it is entertainment,” said Big E. “And I have to trust that you’re not going to dump me on my head and break my neck. So, if you respect me, I’ll respect you, we take care of each other and we’ll go home to our families, we pay our bills and we get to move on with our lives.”
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Wrestling veteran Diamond Dallas Page or DDP has married retired adventure athlete and his girlfriend of two years Payge McMahon.
The two got married in an apparently surprise ceremony. It was planned by the former WCW star and his daughter Brittany Page who is a luxury event planner.
The family rented a hotel in Chattanooga, TN. They created false invitations to a friend’s red and white Christmas-themed party and invited 115 of the couple’s closest friends.
The news was revealed by DDP himself. He took on his Twitter to send out a press release and post photos of the surprise wedding ceremony:
A number of wrestling personalities were in attendance for the ceremony. The people who were there included RVD, Katie Forbs, nZo, Big Cass, Ace Austin and more.
This is Diamond Dallas Page’s third wedding. He previously married Kimberly Page in 1991. The couple remained together until they announced an amicable separation and divorce in 2004.
DDP has two daughters from his first marriage. Brittany Page was born in 1987 and his second daughter Kimberly Page was born in 1994.
He married again in 2015 to Brenda Nair. Though this marriage only lasted 5 years and the couple finalized their divorce in 2020.
There are not many wrestlers like Darby Allin. He has it all, from his persona, his in-ring skills, his ability to sell moves and build an underdog connection with the fans. This is a viewpoint shared by wrestling legend Diamond Dallas Page, who has developed a friendship with Allin.
Talking on a recent episode of the It’s My House podcast, Diamond Dallas Page had plenty of say about Darby and his future in wrestling.
DDP holds a very special place in the wrestling community. He has worked with many different promotions and has literally saved the lives of fellow wrestlers with his DDP Yoga lifestyle. He leads a very strict and healthy lifestyle, and that is something he and Darby Allin share. Albeit if via different methodologies.
“I love Darby. He’s a great kid, he’ll call me up if he’s coming into town.”
Page wasted no words in showing his appreciation for Darby as a technician and a hard-working athlete. “Darby is someone who puts the work in and does everything he can to reverse the risk-taking that he does,” said DDP. “But, he doesn’t even need to do that s*it anymore. He could do a coffin drop here and there, he could do like one or two high spots a match. Because Darby really knows how to wrestle, Darby knows how to sell. And the people love him!”
DDP Understands the Jeff Hardy Comparisons
Any fan of professional wrestling will always make comparisons between wrestlers. Especially wrestlers that have that special something about their character. There has been no shortage of comparisons between Darby Allin and the charismatic enigma Jeff Hardy. Comparisons that DDP understands. However, he also spots one core difference between them.
“He’s a bigger risk taker than Jeff Hardy, and that says something. The difference between [the] two is one is straight edge and one’s not.”
DDP went on to discuss the career of Jeff Hardy and how remarkable it had been. “I think Jeff Hardy is just an unbelievable athlete. I don’t know how he’s still being able to do the s*it he’s able to do. But, he’s still in his 40s. And you really don’t feel this s*it until you start getting in your 50s, and when you get in your 60s. That’s when you feel your shoulders, your knees, your back, your neck.”
Darby Allin is an exciting prospect and has the entire wrestling world ahead of him. With the likes of Diamond Dallas Page and Sting in his corner, there is no end to what he can achieve in this business.
Diamond Dallas Page is a man who needs no introduction. During a recent appearance on the It’s My House podcast, DDP answered the question of what he considers to be the best wrestling finisher. Wrestling is a move of at least a thousand holds – just as Dean Malenko – so coming up with a favorites list is no easy task.
Even DDP struggled to find just one move, instead choosing to go with his two top finishing moves.
“The two greatest finishes ever are the DDT and Diamond Cutter. Randy kept that going with the RKO, there isn’t a better finish than that. Everybody imitates it. Johnny Ace gave me just a run of the mill grab them by the neck and fall down. I came up with all the ways to hit it. And then Johnny went and took all those.“ Diamond Dallas Page answered.
His answers might surprise some, but DDP wrestled in an age when finishers were just that. They were not his multiple times though a match, with the possible exception of a dramatic title match.
Diamond Dallas Page Knows How to End a Fight
While the Diamond Cutter might be his own move, there’s a solid reason for Diamond Dallas Page to pick it as one of his favorites. The cutter is a solid move, and it is versatile. Even in his explanation, he referenced the original cutter from Johnny Ace and the RKO.
Do variations of a move count as separate moves? Possibly. In which case, Diamond Dallas Page’s answer is even more measured, as both his choices are solid and impressive moves, but can have many subtle variations.
The DDT is a move that has become almost criminally weakened over the years, however, when it is executed well it can be devastating. It was a move made famous and often claimed, created by, Jake the Snake Roberts, a close personal friend of Diamon Dallas Page.
The state of Georgia will allow certain businesses to open back up for business this Friday. Gyms, bowling alleys, barbershops, and salons will be allowed to open in the state provided they adhere to social distancing guidelines. One gym which won’t be reopening in the state, however, is Diamond Dallas Page’s DDPY location in Smyrna, GA.
DDP was featured on CNN recently talking about his decision to stay closed.
“I’m very fortunate that my DDP Yoga program isn’t solely based on walk-up traffic,” DDP said on the show. “Of course the DDP Yoga Performance Center in Smyrna, that is and that will be closed. My DDP Yoga company which is app, DVDs, that if anything that’s booming right now. So, I’m in a much better position than a lot of people who are in a spot that got gyms.”
“For me, I’m going to err on the side of caution because first of all, I’m 64, so I definitely don’t want to be out there working with people, putting my hands on people or anything.”
DDP also spoke about the difference between rural Georgia and places like Atlanta in terms of COVID-19 cases. The discussion then led to how gyms will have to change the way they do things once they reopen.
“I believe the gym business is going to have to change the way they do business moving forward,” DDP continued. “I know for sure, when I open at some point, I will definitely be changing the way I do things.”
DDPs comments can be heard in the player below:
Ex-pro wrestler and yoga instructor Diamond Dallas Page says he will not be reopening his gym tomorrow despite the announcement from Georgia Gov. Kemp.
Who better than Kanyon? Was a question Chris Kanyon would often ask WCW crowds that he performed in front of. Kanyon was also once a member of the Jersey Triad with Bam Bam Bigelow and Diamond Dallas Page. Recently on the Jericho Cruise, DDP was asked a question about Kanyon during a panel discussion. DDPs answer was posted to the 83 Weeks podcast YouTube channel.
“He may be the most underrated guys ever,” DDP said of Kanyon.
“Chris was part of the FOP – which was ‘Friends of Page’ – and that helped him and that hurt him in ways too,” DDP said. “I felt like whenever I worked with him, cause he was down in the Power Plant when I was down there, I wanted him to get his body better because back in our generation that was important.”
