TNA Uncertainty

Nobody’s saying the quiet part out loud, but wrestling fans can feel when something’s shifting. On this Wednesday night of Wrestling’s Road Trip After Hours, we start with a quick reality check on MLW Fusion and the Center Stage airing, then we get into the bigger story that’s got everyone talking: the wave of departures from TNA, including Eric Young being granted his release. When the locker room hears news through rumors instead of leadership, what does that do to morale, job security, and the future of the brand?

From there, we open it up and let the room steer the conversation the way it should be. We talk about why so many of us can’t sit through full wrestling shows anymore and end up living on YouTube clips, and we get honest about WWE under TKO, fan backlash, and how hard it is to win people back once they check out. If you’ve been searching for straight talk on the wrestling product, wrestler releases, and what fans actually want, you’ll feel right at home here.

Then Teddy Long delivers the stories only a Hall of Famer can tell: Lex Luger memories and how people change over time, weird memorabilia that shows up at signings, bootleg merch using a wrestler’s name, and the all-time Undertaker coffin moment where you can hear the crowd before they even know what’s coming. We also get personal about managing Mark Henry through a brutal injury night, and we close with a real safety note about fans throwing bottles, plus Teddy’s upcoming August 1 appearance in Monroe, North Carolina.

Subscribe, share this with a wrestling friend, and leave us a review so more fans can find the show. What’s your read on the TNA situation right now?

Transcript

After Hours Banter And Setup

SPEAKER_01 1:48

And it's another Wednesday night. This, of course, is Wrestling's Road Trip After Hours. I'm your host, Mack Davis, and that bald peanut head you see dancing around right there. That's what we call him a milk dud head. Uh, did you find your light there, Teddy?

SPEAKER_05 2:03

Yeah, I think I got it on there.

SPEAKER_01 2:05

What was the problem? You were trying to find something to put under the light?

SPEAKER_05 2:08

I'm trying to find a block uh to go in the socket there. I didn't have nothing uh I could put it in.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Ah, okay, I got you. Well, I thought you were gonna work on that room. The last time we talked to you, you said you were gonna work on that room. I it doesn't matter as much as I like I lied.

SPEAKER_00 2:26

Fucking I lied.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Tony, what are you been doing? What have you been doing since we last talked?

SPEAKER_05 2:33

Uh nothing, man. Just uh taking it easy, uh doing my regular routine each and every day, staying in the gym, trying to take healthy, trying to stay alive, man.

SPEAKER_01 2:41

Look here, and I know that uh you're staying busy as well because uh I've seen where even this weekend you're gonna be in the Atlanta area. Uh and I feel like I got something in here I can uh actually show everybody.

SPEAKER_05 2:53

I don't I don't nobody's talked to me about that.

SPEAKER_01 2:55

I don't know anything about that. Really? No. So this MLW news, you know nothing about this at center stage on Saturday night. No, wow, wow, okay. Well, we don't need to talk about that then. So and nobody talked to me. Man, I wonder what oh wow, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 3:12

They're probably gonna show the when I was there last time. That's probably what's gonna be at them gonna show that uh maybe on film or something, because uh I I have no I know nothing about that.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

Yeah, I'm I'm trying to look back now. Is this this Saturday? On well, maybe that's what it is. Maybe it's not that it's live, maybe it was that this show uh was recorded from center stage. When they came last time, you were at center stage, right? Yes. Okay, that's what this is. They're probably airing that show uh this coming Saturday at 6.05. That's what this is, probably. So if you want to see Teddy and MLW and what happened at Center Stage, uh that'll be taking place on Saturday night, 6.05 on uh MLW Fusion. Uh so I just want to make sure we mentioned that because I did see that right before uh we came into the room.

MLW Fusion And Center Stage Confusion

SPEAKER_01 3:59

I also saw Teddy, you know, we talked about this last week, uh, that we had TNA issues uh where it seemed like a lot of people were leaving or requesting to be let go. Uh the latest one today, just before uh we started, maybe just within an hour, uh Eric Young, I see, is now uh he he requested his release and was granted the release. Teddy, I mean, look, you you've been around this business long enough. Hearing as much as we've heard in the last couple of weeks now with TNA, what is your gut reaction that's happening here?

SPEAKER_05 4:33

Well, I really don't know. Uh it's kind of hard to say because it looks just like you know, nobody is explaining nothing to nobody. Just all of a sudden, you hear, well, this guy's gone. Uh this uh well, he's asked for his release. Well, why? Why did you ask for your release? What is really going on? So nobody's talking about it. So uh I really don't know what to tell you, but it it it it seems to me that whatever's going on, it don't look like it's happening for the for the best.

SPEAKER_01 5:00

Yeah, and uh we we did mention this last week if you wanted to hear what we had to say about it last week. I I still think though that the value of the company, and you and I mentioned this off-camera just a few moments ago, uh, because we were saying, well, maybe Vince will buy this company, you know. And and I my thing was, well, it's kind of like WCW was back in the day. Uh at the end uh when he bought them, there's really nothing to purchase other than the video library, and uh, you know, how much you're gonna pay for that's really what it comes down to because most of the talent that they wanted they've already got, so they don't need any of the talent that's currently there.

SPEAKER_05 5:35

Wasn't W wasn't WWE involved with them some kind of way?

SPEAKER_01 5:38

When they send them talent there, yeah. But see, Teddy, I even mentioned this way back then that I was like, well, how does this benefit TNA? You know, WWE is gonna get their cream of the crop talent and get them out of there and bring them over to the WWE, leaving TNA with nothing. And you know, that's basically where they are now. You know, they they've gotten what they want, you know. Like they say, you know, what why buy a cow when you can get the milk for free?

SPEAKER_05 6:04

Yeah. Well, well, that's right. Like I said, it's it's really uh nobody's talking, and so it's like a mystery over there. It's like, God, we haven't been better get out of here.

SPEAKER_01 6:16

Maybe something big, maybe something huge is about to happen. I have no idea, but just from hearing what I'm hearing so far, it just doesn't look good.

SPEAKER_05 6:23

Uh my thing is this, man. Uh I feel bad for some of the guys over there, you know, that's not gonna have no no no no work, you know what I mean? That's what I really think about. Um, a lot of guys, you know, maybe WWE may use some of them and maybe not all of them, I can guarantee you that. So a lot of guys may be left without work. So whatever happens, I hope it happens for the good. You know, something good comes out of it. And some of those guys that were employed, maybe they'd be able to go back, you know, and you know, and go back to work. So that's the main thing is go to work.

SPEAKER_01 6:52

Yeah, absolutely is. And and like you say, there's a lot of good people with jobs there right now, and you don't want to see anything go under. Uh, and and with the TV deal right now, I can't imagine that they're gonna go under. They just got to regroup and get that thing up and running pretty quickly. And I, you know, they've been talking about the possibility of road dog being over there as well. Uh that would be a good move. That would be good. That would certainly be a good move. Yeah, that would be very interesting. So uh that that's something, you know, again, we just don't know what the future's gonna hold, but uh so far, uh it just looks

TNA Releases And What It Signals

SPEAKER_01 7:23

kind of crazy. Zach Minger is in the room, and by the way, if you want to be a part of the show, all you have to do is simply send us a message in the uh message board right there, and we'll throw it up on the screen and we'll discuss it. And uh do us a favor when you come by and say hello. Also ask a question because that's what this is really all about. Anything you want to talk about, it's open. Uh look, uh, you can even ask Daddy for love advice. I don't know if you really want it for daddy.

SPEAKER_05 7:47

You can't ask me about no love advice. I ain't I ain't got no advice.

SPEAKER_01 7:50

No, well, look here, you must be doing something right if you got Miss Denise. Well, that's it. Well, that's what I'm saying, though. So you who else better to give advice out here than a guy who's being successful.

SPEAKER_05 8:02

Well, I ain't gonna give my advice. That's my secret. I mess around and tell you that, then I look around, you might take Denise.

SPEAKER_01 8:13

All right, let's see. Michael uh Lotta is in the room as well. Michael from Alabama saying, hey gentlemen, good evening. Happy to be in the room with y'all tonight. Thank you, Michael. Curly man is in the room. Always good to see you, Curly Man. Hey Teddy and Mac, I got a question. Teddy, how's your grandkids doing?

SPEAKER_05 8:30

Uh, they're doing good. I have uh well, I talked to one of them uh the other day, so I don't I don't see them very much now. You know, I'm I'm living, you know, I'm by myself and everything. So I uh but I do talk to them every once in a while, but they're really big now, man. They're in the football and everything now, so they're pretty big.

SPEAKER_01 8:46

Weren't you just recently you went to Tennessee, wasn't it? Uh to see one of the people.

SPEAKER_05 8:50

Oh, I went to see uh my son, God rest his soul. I went to his uh my grandson, I went to his uh graduation in uh Tennessee.

SPEAKER_01 8:58

And he's a ball player, is he the one that was playing football too?

SPEAKER_05 9:01

Yes, yes, yes. Very good football player. Man, outstanding.

SPEAKER_01 9:05

Man, that's great. Uh Michael is uh saying, hey Teddy, you got a question that's not the right one. Hang on. Uh oh, here it is. Michael is saying, uh, you don't have a better background. He's giving you hell too for not doing it like you said you were gonna do it last week.

SPEAKER_05 9:20

This is the best background you have ever seen in your entire life because everything you see, it's real.

SPEAKER_01 9:26

It's absolutely real.

SPEAKER_05 9:28

There's an old TV box back there. The guy took the TV out of it, it's behind me there.

SPEAKER_01 9:32

And uh, I see you're a hoarder, aren't you? You're gonna throw a box away.

SPEAKER_05 9:39

Nope, nope, gonna keep that box. That's that's why I have to keep that box in case something happens to that TV. You know, that's my part of my warranty. I put it right back in that box.

SPEAKER_01 9:47

You know, that's sad. We have to have enough room in our house to store all the boxes the things we had to take back one day. Yeah. No, nothing's built worth of crap anymore, anyhow.

SPEAKER_05 9:58

No.

SPEAKER_01 9:58

Uh Dave is in the room. Hey, Dave saying, Good evening, gentlemen. It's hot as hell in Louisiana. Yeah, man, I I can imagine. It's horrible in Georgia.

SPEAKER_05 10:08

Brother, it's unbelievable.

SPEAKER_01 10:10

I I think my wife told me today it was 117 heat index or something like that. And people wonder why I don't like to go out more.

SPEAKER_05 10:18

Yeah, and now we're waiting on storms.

SPEAKER_01 10:20

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You got storms planned for tonight for uh your area up there? Yeah. Yeah. See, I think we have some late in the morning. I think they're saying the possibility of, but I bet you anything it dies down before it ever gets here. But that man, it just even when they don't call for a storm around here, and probably the same in Louisiana, if it gets hot enough, a storm will pop up somewhere. And then when those pop up, they're pretty evil. Uh, I've seen more damage from those pop-up storms than most that I've seen roll in from a long way away. Even pretty classy lady is saying it's too hot outside.

SPEAKER_05 10:54

Yeah, yes, it is.

SPEAKER_01 10:56

Michael's saying it is hot. Uh Mike Harold uh getting a shout out from Dave Crone. Also, pretty classy lady is saying it's maybe it's gonna be the Teddy Long impersonator there.

SPEAKER_05 11:12

I'd like to see that guy.

SPEAKER_01 11:15

That would be interesting to see. Yeah. I've been watching this uh new guy. I'm gonna see if I can pull him up on my phone real quick. There is an English comedian I think you would like. Uh, and I I'm usually not big about some of the comedians. I hell, I can't pull it up right now. I'll send it to you later. But this is this English comedian that uh is absolutely hilarious, a little skinny guy wears a little suit and got a tie. Man, he he just takes questions and fires it back at people who are insulting him from the uh the audience. Great stuff. Great stuff, man. Uh let's see. We also have uh Ellen. Hey Ellen saying uh Buddy says hello as well. He's enjoying his week at horse camps. Thanks again for sharing about his fundraising uh t-shirts.

SPEAKER_05 11:59

Oh, no problem, no problem, man. I'm glad he's having himself a ball, man. That's good for him, man. I love Buddy.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

Uh let's see. Dave is also saying, have you guys seen Citizen Vigilante? Vigilante. Uh I haven't. I'm not even sure what that is, Dave. Um, he's in I said he's telling me now. I said he was in Louisiana. No, he's in St. Louis. I'm sorry, brother. Uh yeah. I saw LOU and I just figured it was Louisiana. Just say no. Just say no. No, no.

Lex Luger Then And Now

SPEAKER_01 12:33

Teddy. Teddy, I was Luger backstage at WCW. Who I was Luger? Yeah, Luger. Oh, he was all right. I know it. Now come on, be be honest, Teddy. Now I'm gonna tell you my first experience with Luger. And um, and I told him this, as a matter of fact, uh, when he we interviewed him, I told him my first uh you know meeting with him was not very friendly. He was kind of a he was an asshole. I'm just gonna call it what it was back then. Uh I got the chance to meet Sting and I met uh Luger at the same time. This is at the height of their careers when they were inside uh the NWA Jim Crockett stuff that was going on where they were really getting hot. And uh he just he was not a nice guy, not at all. And then later on, he became a super nice guy. Uh and that's what I always go back to. You can't judge people based on how they were 20 years ago because people change over time. We all grow as we continue, and uh some people change.

SPEAKER_05 13:30

And that's what I was saying, you know. Like I said, when he was, you know, like you said, being an asshole of a guy back in the day like that, you know, I was back there with him, you know. I just didn't never have no problem with him. I mean, you all mean him always spoke, and you know, and I I I was working pretty a whole lot too, so I didn't really have time to mingle a lot, you know what I'm saying? So, but he always, you know, treated me fair. I never had no problem with him.

SPEAKER_01 13:51

Now, he even said when I said something to him, he he had even admitted that he was, you know, that was just kind of how he was back then.

SPEAKER_05 13:56

Well, he well, he did, and you know, he he took his life to God, so uh, you know, he's doing good, you know what I mean? So let's uh give him his props, man.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

You know, I also I saw somewhere where he was has been working with uh Diamond Dallas Page, and I've seen where he's been walking uh in some videos. So that's incredible. That's just incredible. Very good. Yeah, David uh Barnabas. Uh okay, this is Barnabas the Bazaar. This uh gentleman I work with in JCW, one of my favorite talents there to work with on camera because he is uh very theatrical kind of guy, a theatrical kind of guy, and uh is super good at managing. Uh he's saying two truly good brothers here. Always a pleasure working with you, Mac. Would absolutely love to see Teddy join us, even if just once on JCW Lunacy. Keep up the great work, gentlemen. Yeah, Teddy would be cool to have over there. I would love to see Teddy pop in, but uh, you know, that ain't up to me.

SPEAKER_05 14:51

And it ain't up to me. It ain't up to him.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

So uh Connor uh is in the room saying, What's up? And also, uh let's see. And Connor's good to see you, by the way. Somebody else from JCW. Uh Dave, what do you guys think of Mason Rook from NXT? I think he's pretty good. Teddy, do you watch any of that?

SPEAKER_05 15:11

No.

SPEAKER_01 15:12

Yeah, I'm sorry, Dave. I don't watch, I don't, if I'm being completely honest, I watch very little wrestling outside of JCW right now. Um I don't mean that to be mean, but I'm just bored by what I see on some of these shows right now. And when they get my attention to come back, I'll go back and watch them. Uh, but I got other things I'd rather be doing than sitting down watching three hours of subpar wrestling, you know, that you pretty much know what's gonna happen next. Go ahead, Teddy.

SPEAKER_05 15:40

Well, and then that's my reason too. I'm you know, I the reason I don't have time because I'm doing other stuff, you know. I've got the you know, move my life on now. I've got to go on to something else. So I'm doing other things right now. So when I get a chance to look at it, I look at it. And I stop sometimes I stop and I watch it to see what's going on. But like I'm kind of like you, you know. I'll get they'll get me going, and then all of a sudden they kill me. You know what I mean? I'm like, why, you know, so it's just kind of hard for me to stay there. But like I said, it is what it is.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Again, if you want to be a part of the show, it's really simple. All you have to do is leave us a comment in the comment section. We throw it up on the screen, and you're a part of the show. There's no super chats, no stickers, you don't have to buy anything. This is absolutely free uh for you to interact with us and ask us anything uh that's going on. Teddy, I know recently you uh got on to me about uh making sure that people knew some of my background and uh we showed a video back then. I got something new uh to give you a little bit more history about who I am and what I am. Uh, and on the other side of that, we're gonna come back and take more of your questions, so don't go anywhere.

Host Background Video Package

SPEAKER_01 16:42

You didn't say good job, champ.

SPEAKER_00 16:45

Good job, Eric. Way to win your second world title. Let me give you an opportunity.

SPEAKER_01 16:55

Congratulations.

SPEAKER_00 16:57

Okay, and I gotta tell you, I think I think the way you won that title tonight, the way you won't like the world title, bullshit.

SPEAKER_04 17:10

He hangs his boots by the door, leather cracking scar, sees that face in the mirror, still marked from the VR, tape on his ribs like old valves, knuckles wide on the road, H may been the back song, but it never killed the hoe. He walks so past the county fair. Kids stare through the rail. They know that walk from the posters. They know that John Hill. There's a lamp in his left knee and a prayer in his chest. He's been hit by a thousand hard nights. Still stands up with the best. The bell gets quiet, the room leans in. He cracks his neck, he grins again. One more round, one more breath, one more dance. I don't break.

SPEAKER_00 18:54

I like it.

SPEAKER_04 18:58

He's got stars like a role map. From their past to the main. Every broad finger remember. He lost friends to the payday. Lost years to the wreck. But he kept that old lion. Growling under his face. The bell gets quite greens in. He cracks his neck and grins again. One more round. One more breath. One more death. Still got still got.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

I want to do that.

SPEAKER_04 19:56

That's good.

SPEAKER_02 20:26

Still got fire.

SPEAKER_00 20:31

It's gonna be like death row for you. Because it's gonna be like sitting in that wooden chair of electricity, just waiting for the man to fool the stupid wait. You don't know when he's gonna fool it. But you can fit your ass. I'm gonna go too.

SPEAKER_02 20:57

Watch me play! Watch me play! When the dark cuts through, come alive in the whole crowd shakes!

Why Full Shows Feel Unwatchable

SPEAKER_01 21:19

And we're back with more wrestling's road trip after hours. I'm your host, Mac Davis. That of course is WWE Hall of Famer, Mr. Teddy Long. Hey Teddy.

SPEAKER_05 21:27

So so are you are you finna get back in the ring? You know. You gotta be kidding me. You never know. Well, I uh like I say, that's right, you never know.

SPEAKER_01 21:41

Connor uh saying uh he'll see me uh in Ohio on the 24th. Yeah, I'm looking forward to that. Uh that's gonna be uh a one show, one trip uh uh weekend, so that's gonna be unusual, but uh should be uh kind of nice and easy. I'm looking forward to it. Dave saying I can't watch it all the way through, neither a horrible product talking about WWE and the the Guys, product, but I uh watch the best clips on YouTube to skip uh the BS. I think a lot of people that Teddy, that's how people consume most wrestling now is through YouTube clips. I mean, honestly, when's the last time you've ever watched a show starting to finish?

SPEAKER_05 22:16

Oh, I have no idea.

SPEAKER_01 22:18

See, I don't I can't do that. I can't I can do that with JCW. And I say that not because I work there, but because it is entertaining to me. So it will actually draw me the entire program. But the other shows are not doing that for me right now, and uh, they have in the past, it's just currently right now, it's just not working for me. Uh, and maybe I'm just getting too old for whatever product they're trying to push.

Weird Memorabilia And Bootleg Merch

SPEAKER_01 22:40

Mike is saying, Teddy, what was the most memorable item or memorabilia that you have signed?

SPEAKER_05 22:48

Did I sign for some that I signed from Teddy?

SPEAKER_01 22:51

That I was wondering the same thing. Maybe somebody brought something to you uh that you signed that you're like, wow, you know, I haven't seen this, anything like that. No.

SPEAKER_05 23:02

I remember some way back I signed something for somebody and they did bring it, you know, and they showed it to me, you know, and I'm like, wow, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I uh it was like I think one of the referee pictures um back in the day that uh they had of me and I signed it, and that person still had that picture and I and uh and I looked at it.

SPEAKER_01 23:23

Is there ever a time when you're at these shows and you're like, I didn't even know they made these? That you're signing something that's of you, and you're like, What the hell is this from?

SPEAKER_05 23:32

Yeah, I never that yeah, I've had that happen a lot. I'm like, where did you get this at? They never sent me none of them.

SPEAKER_01 23:37

Yeah, nobody gave you a cut of anything. So I mean, and I imagine that happens quite a bit that people make money off of your likeness or your name in many cases that you have no clue about.

SPEAKER_05 23:48

Well, there's a guy out there now that's doing uh Teddy Long Foncos, you know, he didn't get permission from WWE, so I don't know how he gets away with that, but um, yeah, he uh had some of them and uh he sent me one, so then he uh so I said, Well, okay, if you're gonna do that, I said, uh, well, let me buy some, you know. Well, maybe I can have for myself, you know. So he didn't even want to give me a deal on me. Yeah, what an idiot.

SPEAKER_01 24:16

Yeah, look here. I mean, this is such a a quick and easy cease and desist that you could do uh on somebody like that if they're using your likeness and your name, screw that. Yeah, I got you. Yeah, man. Scott Lance saying, Hey, Mac and Teddy. Teddy, which era did you enjoy the most? Referee, manager, general manager, sugar ray long, dancing teddy long, or you know, which one?

SPEAKER_05 24:39

Well, I enjoyed them all because they were me. You know, I didn't have no particular one that I just picked out. I like dancing Teddy Long. I had fun doing that, and the Sugar Ray Long thing with the boxing gloves and stuff with me and Paul Ellerin. So that was pretty good. But every character, well, I won't say character because everything I did was really me. So yeah, I wouldn't yeah, I wasn't acting like nobody else. I was just I was being me.

SPEAKER_01 25:04

There had to be something you've done uh promo-wise in the ring that uh you're like, man, this was just a lot

Undertaker Coffin Story And Crowd Pops

SPEAKER_01 25:10

of fun.

SPEAKER_05 25:10

Well, what I really enjoyed was the time that Undertaker kidnapped me and I was in the coffin. Yeah, I loved that. I died, God, I love that so much because when I was in the land in the coffin, I was coming down and I had like I remember I told you the story about Vince asked me how I was gonna get in the air, and I had I told him I'll take my finger and you know put the lid just for a little so I can get some air where it's not noticeable. But anyway, I'm laying in there and I'm coming down the ramp and I know it and I can hear the people. Boy, and they they have no idea that it's me and you know, and they're just I can again. I'm saying to myself, I got them, I got him, I got them. And as soon as they they took that lid off and I was all tired of like that, I could hear the reaction. So I love that. So that was that was great. I had so much fun doing that, man.

SPEAKER_01 26:00

Yeah, because you knew the pop that was about to happen, just simply based on that you knew where where you were, that they didn't, and you hear that crowd, and you already know, oh, they're gonna go nuts when this happens. Yeah, that is a great feeling, too. I don't care who you are. Uh, you could be anybody that's near that ring. When something like that happens, you can feel that energy that comes out of that uh those fans to the stage area or to the ring area. It's actually you can feel that.

SPEAKER_05 26:27

And uh and I and the other thing I was thinking, I said from the reaction, I I'm thinking that Vince is loving this. Vince is loving this, and I was that's why I knew I was doing my job.

SPEAKER_01 26:38

Yep. All right, we got uh let's see, Patrick in the hey Patrick, it's good to see you. Violin J and Vince Russo needs to bring in Eric Young to JCW Lunacy. And uh, like I say, I know that uh Violin J does pop in here from time to time, so uh I'm sure he'll hear uh that comment. Uh Michael is saying, Hey, what's the name of that song in the video package, Mac? Uh it's called uh Fire in the Vein, uh Fire in My Veins. Uh it's something that I created uh myself here. Um and we also have Martin's Daddy. Hey, good to see you again in here. Mac and Teddy, holla players. Hallo player, mid man Mick. Uh just got off of work and wanted to say hi, Mac and Teddy. Good to see you, mid man Mick. Thanks for checking in, player. And let's see, JCW Lunacy start to finish easily. Uh, and that's mid man Mick talking about being able to watch a show start to finish uh in today's wrestling uh environment. Uh Dave is saying, uh, no, the product ain't working for us neither. Yeah, I you know, there's a lot of people who feel that way. I don't know, Teddy, that that even means anything to the current structure of WWE TKO. I don't really know what that means because I I've said this and I'm not speaking for Teddy, but I have said this for a long time that it feels like a money grab, and I don't know how well that's gonna continue if that continues to be the case, because the fans are getting fed up with a lot of things that are taking place and they'll become more vocal. And if those people in TKO, if you've never dealt with wrestling fans, when wrestling fans want to be vocal, they can become very loud. And sometimes you need to listen. You don't want them to turn on you. No, no, and it's so hard to grab these fans and get them back once you piss them off and they uh walk away from you. Uh, let's see. We also have in the room is uh Wolfpack. Hey, Wolfpack, good to see you in here. Yo, Mac and Teddy. Yo, Wolfpack. Michael wants to know uh Teddy, what was it like managing Mark Henry?

Managing Mark Henry And Hard Nights

SPEAKER_05 28:39

Oh, it was great. Me and Mark had a great time. Um, I never forget that I was um managing him and uh he worked with Chris Benoit, God rest his soul. And Mark blew his shoulder out that night. And we were going there, he was on his way to WrestleMania, you know, for the title. And golly, man, that hurt him so bad. Mark cried. I mean, the world's strongest man. I mean, because he knew, you know what I mean? He just, you know, not just kill my spot for WrestleMania, but uh to comfort him like that, you know, I was there talking to him and saying, hey man, things happen, don't worry, you know. But you know, Mark knew that was his big chance, you know. You ain't, you know, to go to WrestleMania, that means something. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So uh yeah, I just had a great time with Mark, man. No, no problem. Great time.

SPEAKER_01 29:24

Yeah. But Mark is uh whenever you hear about those uh big giants that are teddy bears, Mark Henry can be a teddy bear. He can also be a beast if he needs to be. But Mark Henry also is probably one of the kindest hearted people uh that you'll ever meet as well. Uh, just you just treat him right and you'll never have a problem with him. But uh other than that, I mean he really's got a soft heart in a lot of things. When I hear him talk about things, you're like, you can tell, you know, this this guy's got a real heart.

SPEAKER_05 29:54

Yeah, but you don't want to piss him off.

SPEAKER_01 29:55

But you don't want to piss him off. No, no, he'll he'll absolutely come unhinged and kill you if he wants to at that point. So in fact, he says, Don't even touch him now. If you touch him, there's gonna be uh there's gonna be an accident. Uh he doesn't even want anybody touching him anymore. Uh, here we go. We got uh mid man Mick saying any opportunity to work with the Undertaker would have been incredibly cool.

unknown 30:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 30:15

Oh God, yeah, man. I had so much fun there, you know, working with Taker. And then you know, even going back to WCW when he's mean Mark Callis uh managing him there. But when I went to went to work with Vince and, you know, got in that story with him, man. It was just great with Taker because you take it's serious, he don't play around, you know what I mean? And that's what I needed in my life. Some you know, just might let me know. Hey, this ain't no joking. We don't play this as business. And I learned so much, you know, from him and Vince both.

SPEAKER_01 30:42

Let's see, we have uh Elijah saying, uh, hey Mac and Teddy, hope you guys are doing well. Did you see the Michael Jackson movie yet? I still haven't seen it.

SPEAKER_05 30:51

Teddy, you no, I I I don't really have no interest in it, really. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:56

Uh let's see. We have uh Dave saying TKO equals greed. Looks that way to a lot of people. Uh also we have Kodiak.

Viscera Tales And Fan Safety

SPEAKER_01 31:05

Hey Kodiak, any Big Daddy V memories or umaga?

SPEAKER_05 31:10

Uh Vissera was a great guy. Viscera is the only guy that could peel on orange with his uh we used to have a slang or something. I can't remember what the sand was now, but he would peel on orange or something, and we used to mess with him about that. But uh, you know, the whole story about Viscera uh is uh the thing when uh they took me to wrestler's court for selling in Viagra. So, so uh I'll get and that's what I told we talked about this take and I was on Techas Podcast, and so you know, the first one the first time I gave him some, and uh he bought some and he took it and uh uh he came and found me and he's just hitting me on the back, you know, and he says, Hey, hey, hey, he said, I took that thing and I looked down and I like, who's this? Who does this belong to?

SPEAKER_01 31:58

Yeah, you you do realize that he came up behind you, he didn't tap you with his hand either. He he just he ran into you like, what the hell is this?

SPEAKER_05 32:05

Uh Dave Crown. Oh, he could peel an orange, you could peel an orange in his pocket, you could put an orange in his pocket and peel it. That's what it wrote to.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

Yeah, I don't want to know. Okay, uh Dave Crohn going, he's gonna hit you for using his name. Pretty classy lady uh saying, Teddy, do you remember when the crowd used to throw trash in the ring at the city auditorium Atlanta?

SPEAKER_05 32:32

Yeah, yeah, I remember that. Yeah, they still do it now in some places.

SPEAKER_01 32:37

You know, I've seen them do that in JCW, and uh they'll throw trash in the ring. But sometimes, guys, if you if you're watching this and you come to the shows, some of those full bottles can really hurt somebody. So uh, you know, just throw an empty bottle in the ring or something like that. That's okay, but you start throwing that other stuff and uh somebody's gonna get hurt. And I've seen a couple people, I thought one of the girls was gonna get knocked out cold for something. They ain't listen to you. No, no, they ain't gonna listen. But that's okay, they have a great time, which is always good. Uh, let's see what else we have here. We have uh Mike saying, Were there any wrestlers backstage on WCW upset that they didn't have their own trading card in the early 90s?

SPEAKER_05 33:18

Well, if they were, I don't know. Uh, I don't remember them being upset. I didn't have a trading card either. They had um had a shirt that brought out with Butch and Ron on the Doom, and they got I'm on the shirt nowhere, and I'm their manager. So you see what I'm saying?

unknown 33:34

No.

SPEAKER_05 33:35

So uh I'm pretty sure there were a lot of guys that upset, but you know, back then, you know, I didn't have a clue about the cause or none of that, so didn't I didn't really let it get let it bother me.

SPEAKER_01 33:44

Scott Lance is saying, good to see you, Scott. Memories of your heel turn as a referee in the NWA Road Warriors versus varsity club. And Matt, who is your favorite independent wrestling manager of all time, and why is it me? Don't even know who you are, but go ahead, Teddy.

SPEAKER_05 34:02

Uh, yeah, the uh the uh the turn on the road warriors. I think that was New Orleans where we did that with the varsity club. Kevin Sullivan, God wretched his soul, it's a big part of that. Uh Mike Retunda. And uh that was that was good. That was a great night. That that's when I started managing.

SPEAKER_01 34:18

All right, we also have uh Michael saying, Will you guys be in Vegas for the uh Cauliflower Alley Club 60th reunion in

Dates, Fan Fests, And Sign-Off

SPEAKER_01 34:27

August? And uh no, uh, I'm actually booked heavy in August. And Teddy, I don't know about you.

SPEAKER_05 34:32

Well, uh Herod Simmons to call me and talk to me about it, and uh I forgot he didn't give me no date. I don't know whether I'll be able to do it or not. I need to get a date on when is the date? Do you have it there with you?

SPEAKER_01 34:43

I do not have it with me right now. I just know it's in August, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 34:46

Yeah, no, I I don't. I you know, those guys never invited me there anyway, so I never really felt comfortable, you know. So I don't think I'll be there.

SPEAKER_01 34:54

I we see uh Wolfpack saying Jeeves got hit with a bottle, same episode he discovered my channel. Yeah, uh again, a bottle. Uh the if we're talking about a glass bottle and not just a plastic one, yeah, that's even worse, guys. Uh Dave is saying, if you throw stuff in St. Louis, they beat you up, drag you out while beating you up.

SPEAKER_05 35:14

Uh that'll teach you a lesson.

SPEAKER_01 35:19

Yeah, that'll teach you. That's how it was in the old days. Elijah going, wow. Uh, and also Chad Driggers. Let me see, brother, see what you're saying because uh we are about to get out on time here. Ascending love and uh hey Chad, we appreciate that very much. Um uh also, let's see, we got a couple more in here, I believe, Teddy. Uh Nick, hey Nick. Uh Mac, if uh if he were GM on SmackDown, what would Teddy's Undertaker call be today on SmackDown to his go-to go guy for a match? What is he talking about? I'm not sure, Nick. I'm not really sure what you're saying.

SPEAKER_05 35:55

If he were mad Mac Davis, if you if he were if he were GM on SmackDown, so who is he? You're talking about me?

SPEAKER_01 36:04

I think he's talking about you.

SPEAKER_05 36:04

So if Teddy were in the Teddy's Undertaker call B to what now?

SPEAKER_01 36:12

To today on SmackDown to his go to.

SPEAKER_05 36:18

I don't, I don't, I well, only thing I'm gonna say, nothing's gonna change about what I say with the Undertaker. That's gonna be just the same thing. One-on-one with the Undertaker. That's it.

SPEAKER_01 36:28

I'm sorry, brother. I just I'm not sure what you were asking. Michael uh saying August 24th through the 27th. That must be the uh the CAC uh Teddy that uh that we're talking about here. Um so all right, we're out of time. Uh and uh we well, right as I said that, uh we get another one that pops in the room. And that uh Nick again, who is Teddy's go-to baby face in WWE right now?

SPEAKER_05 36:53

CM Punk.

SPEAKER_01 36:54

See, you know, there's been a lot of talk about CM Punk too. I'm not sure what all is going on there. Is it is it seemed like everywhere he goes, he has a little bit of drama that follows him uh wherever he goes, but I'm not sure all this is even real.

SPEAKER_05 37:06

I mean, he's he's a starring his own movie, yeah, man.

SPEAKER_01 37:10

All right, guys, we're out of time. We'll be back again next Wednesday night, same time, same place. Uh Teddy, anything coming up for you that we need to talk about?

SPEAKER_05 37:19

Uh no, I'm just gonna be chilling out for the rest of the month here. And uh maybe we'll be I'm doing August 1st. I'll be up in Monroe, North Carolina for the big uh fan fest up there with along with uh Rock and Roll Express, uh Baby Dollar. So I'll be in the building and a lot of the old NWA stars. So we'll see you then uh August 1st in Monroe, North Carolina.

SPEAKER_01 37:38

Is what show is that, Teddy? Is that the gathering show? No, that's not the gathering. Okay, that's not the gathering. There's something like that going on too uh sometimes.

SPEAKER_05 37:48

I saw that too. The gathering, I think, is in Charlotte, I believe.

SPEAKER_01 37:51

That's correct. That's right. That's right.

SPEAKER_05 37:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 37:53

All right, that's it. We're out of time. I'm Mac Davis. That's WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long, and this has been Road Trip After Hours.