Pro wrestling legend and AEW star Paul Wight spoke with Joey Franchize about various topics, including who has been the most helpful in his career.
Wight said, “I think throughout my career, probably the guy that helped me the most when I was the greenest as far as everything was probably Undertaker. Yeah, I got to give him the credit, because Taker was on my ass a lot. He’s got a broken tendon in this [right index] finger. So, I would come through the curtain, he’d always have that broken finger, and he would do that [pointing]. And I’m like, ‘Oh damn.’ You don’t want to hear it, like every night there was something I was doing wrong. And sometimes I knew it before I did it, but I’d still get this [pointing]. And I remember one night I messed up, and I didn’t want to hear it. Just, I didn’t want to see his face, I didn’t want to talk to Vince, I didn’t want to hear it. So, I went [through the] side ramp. As soon as I come through the curtain, Taker was there with his finger. [laughter] He knew I would go side ramp; he didn’t let me get away.”
On passing what he learned onto younger talents:
“But what’s funny is, a lot of the things that he taught me about locker room etiquette, handling stuff business-wise, I learned from him. I mean, he taught me a lot because he was the one that was, ‘Hey,’ you know, ‘this this and this.’ And I find myself helping the younger talents out with the same kind of information. I actually talked to him a couple months ago about it and he started laughing. He goes, ‘Well, at least you finally learned something!’ I was like, ‘Yeah, finally.’”
On Undertaker’s “tough love” approach:
“I went to him early in our relationship. I went to him, and I was looking for a — because younger talent’s always looking for that ‘Thatta boy.’ They go out there, they feel good. They didn’t make any mistakes in the match. They go, ‘This is great. I’m awesome, right?’ So, I went, ‘Hey man, what do you think? You got any advice? Got any tips?’ Because as a young guy, you’re supposed to do that to the older talent. He says, What do I think? I think you should take two weeks off and quit the business,’ and he walked off. [laughs] So like, ‘Don’t come to me with that weak ‘You want a pat on the back,’ kid. You know what to do. Go out there and work hard. When the time’s right, you’ll earn it. It’s not going to be given to you.’ It was tough love, but it was good love at the time.”
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(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
