Billy Gunn appeared at the For The Love of Wrestling convention in Manchester last weekend, where the All Elite Wrestling star and coach took part in a fan Q&A hosted by SoCal Val. During the session, Gunn discussed everything from his current physical condition to the careers of his sons and several memorable moments from his decades-long wrestling career.
Gunn began by praising the energy of wrestling fans in the United Kingdom, saying the atmosphere overseas often feels different from what he experiences in the United States.
“It’s always awesome to come over here, because the difference between the fans over here is they all appreciate it so much,” Gunn said. “The people here are always amazing. Just anywhere over here is really good.”
He also noted that AEW’s strong attendance and merchandise sales in the region are not surprising to him because of the passion of the local fanbase.
“I know they’re coming, because they just enjoy what we do,” Gunn explained. “That’s the cool thing about coming over here, is you never have to worry about that, because they’re coming.”
A large portion of the conversation focused on Gunn’s sons, Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn, who compete together in AEW as The Gunns. Gunn emphasized that their success has been built on dedication rather than family legacy.
“It’s not my genes, it’s their work ethic,” he said. “They work for everything they got. They are extremely talented. They are going to be huge stars.”
The WWE Hall of Famer added that his own in-ring future will likely depend on when his sons feel ready to fully stand on their own without his guidance.
“As soon as they do that, I can retire because they won’t need me anymore,” Gunn said. “Every time I see them, I go, ‘Can I retire today? Now?’ But not yet.”
At 60 years old, Gunn says he remains in strong physical condition through discipline and consistency.
“It’s not hard at all. It’s just the work you want to put in,” Gunn explained. “It’s consistency, eating right, and going to the gym. I never make excuses why I can’t do it.”
He even suggested that he feels better now than he did earlier in his career.
“I’m at my best now,” Gunn said. “I’m a little bit smarter, a little bit wiser, and I feel amazing.”
Looking back at his career, Gunn described one of his most serious injuries as a torn shoulder suffered while performing a move on Bubba Ray Dudley. He also recalled a particularly unusual injury during a match with The Godwins, when his thumb was partially torn off after getting caught in a pair of suspenders.
Despite those incidents—and even a broken neck in 1995—Gunn said he considers himself fortunate compared to many wrestlers.
He also reflected on his 1999 victory in the King of the Ring tournament and the infamous promo that The Rock delivered about him the following night on Raw.
“It was funny. It was hilarious,” Gunn said, adding that he suspects the decision for him to win the tournament may have been made at the last minute.
When asked about his favorite tag team partner, Gunn chose Road Dogg, citing their time together during the Attitude Era as one of the most memorable periods in wrestling history.
He also named his dream Survivor Series team as Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and himself.
Despite his accomplishments, Gunn closed the discussion by saying he has never viewed himself as a larger-than-life figure.
“I consider myself fortunate,” he said. “I’m just lucky to do what I do and still be able to do it at a high level.”
