Former WWE Superstar Heath Slater recently sat down with Kenny McIntosh of Inside The Ropes and shared a behind-the-scenes look at how one of his most memorable runs came to life—the weeks leading up to RAW 1000, where Slater became the unlikely punching bag for WWE Legends.
Slater recalled how the run began with an unexpected match against Vader. What seemed like a rib at first turned out to be a major moment in his career:
“I walked into Gorilla or Talent Relations. I looked at the list and it said Heath versus Vader,” Slater said. “I looked over at Mark Carrano and asked, ‘Is this Swoggle coming out dressed as him or something?’ He said, ‘Nah man, it’s Big Van Vader.’ I said, ‘Like the Big Van Vader?’ He replied, ‘Yes, which other Big Van Vaders do you know?’”
Slater was then told that WWE was bringing in a different legend each week leading up to RAW 1000, simply to have them beat someone for a nostalgic pop. That’s when Slater saw the opportunity—and seized it.
Understanding that this could be a standout moment for his career, Slater took matters into his own hands and approached Vince McMahon directly:
“I said, ‘Hey man, RAW 1000 has legends coming in each week. You mind if I be the guy that wrestles them?’ Vince looked at me and said, ‘Why would you want to do that?’”
Slater’s answer? Simple. He wanted to be the “Legend Builder”—the guy who talked trash to the legends only to get destroyed, week after week. He explained:
“You know how Randy’s the Legend Killer? I could be the Legend Builder. I could be talking junk… They come out and demolish me.”
To his surprise, Vince loved the idea.
“He said, ‘Yeah, man, let’s do that then. I’ll give you a minute promo and the match.’”
From that moment on, Slater never knew who he would be facing until he got to the arena. The surprises kept coming—Sycho Sid, Rikishi, Doink the Clown, Road Warrior Animal, and many more.
“It was like a childhood dream. I remember playing with those dudes as toys—and then they let me be in the ring. Holy crap, this is Sid Vicious. Wow!”
The run culminated at RAW 1000 when Slater faced Lita—only to be ambushed by a full lineup of WWE Legends.
Though the “Legend Builder” title may have started as a joke, Slater’s willingness to embrace the role turned it into one of the most beloved underdog runs in recent RAW history. It showed his versatility, charisma, and dedication to entertaining the fans—whether he was winning or not.
