I always knew Terry was gifted in the ring but I had no idea how sharp he is. I see why he’s always made his name backstage as an agent and in the office. As an NWA fan I wouldn’t mind seeing him contribute to that company, especially with his past history with the company
Terry was 100 times better than Shawn Michaels ever was in a wrestling ring...just go back and watch his old matches...Terry had the best punch in the business
i agree. I grew up in New England and remember a match at the old Providence Civic Center with Andre and killer Kahn. Andre was on his way back to the dressing room and a little girl reached out to hug his head from rows up. She missed and Andre turned around and walked back over to let her have another try. Maybe some other night he doesn't turn around but that night he. did.
good interview sir, Terry I am glad you told the story of you and Jim Cornette and Russo. I heard Jims take on it, glad to have yours. Keep up the great job!!
I have personally met Terry Taylor on several occasions,,, I will use his wrestling name,,think what you will OR want,,he is a very good MAN,,, Always courteous and respectful,,, never have I known him for being a rude, obnoxious, arrogant butt,,,a great wrestler AND a Great husband,,, bless you Terry
He was not an awesome wrestler and the more I watch and listen the less I realize he brought to the table as a wrestler as creative and as management and the more u hear about him being a company rat the more u believe.
TNA was different because they didn’t go to different towns they stayed in their element terrys right it’s hard if your doing shows and ppv in the same building same fans if you can get the same reaction of the fans on ppv’s and shows your doing something right
Verne Gagne taught Dusty Rhodes. He was Dirty Dusty Rhodes in 1971 and learned his rap from Billy Superstar Graham and he was a tag team with Dick Murdoch wrestling Larry Hennig and Lars Anderson. He had the greatest match I ever saw in the Minneapolis auditorium with Hennig and Anderson.
@@dtogo4286 yeah, I know he had some success in the territories. I just thought of Mike Graham when he mentioned Eddie early on in the interview. Had to post Mike's legendary catch phrase.
It’s because wrestlemania is established as the big show golf the air!! The questions this guys asking are beyond naive and ignorant…… Taylor has exceptional patience……. I’d have walked off ……
Exhibit A is in reference to what? A crap gimmick but good worker? Or good workers that never made good money? Do you know when Terry was a big draw? It wasn't when he was the rooster.
This was the old formula and new that wwe uses. You couldn’t see a hogan match unless you bought a ticket live or Ppv or vhs. Goldberg is used sparingly. Toward the end taker wrestled once a year so yes the Goldberg idea would have bolstered there ppv numbers but would have hurt there tv rating because many were watching knowing more than like they would see a Goldberg squash match. If they wanted him to trade the belt for a few months big show would have been perfect at that time. He was amazing in his youth.
I did not really believe I would be on the same page as Terry Taylor but his philosophy and mine are near identical . Mystique needs to be protected . Compromises usually suck .
I had no idea just how big tthe guys in Midsouth were until I met Terry Taylor . I used to think he was too small to be a wrestler and definitely to small to beat those particular guy. Then I met Terry and he is big guy . 6' 235lbs which I thought was just billing but it was true . Turns out Barry Darsow is just a rhinoceros compared to Terry Taylor .
I met Tito Santana a few years ago and he was huge. In great shape still, but I wasn't expecting him to be of such a large stature, same thing with meeting Simon Dean(Super Nova). On the other hand, Bubba Ray in 2001, when he was still fat, wasn't nearly as big as I'd thought he'd be in person.
Terry fair or unfair has a REP as a guy who’s buttons are pushed easily and maybe the Mark who’s Podcast this is on is trying to make a name for himself, get a viral video moment.
Eventually people need to chill on wrestling so it can be built up again, it reaches a peak then gets boring and has to go backward before becoming good again, it’s been said already the business is cyclical
I doubt that will happen any time soon. At least our lifetime. People forget pro wrestling is like any sport that entertains. Even the baseball, football, basketball, etc. players look down at everything old as "The Past." They ALL want to start something and say it is their own when it is no way original.
Is Terry Taylor a stooge? Absolutely. Is he a classic flip flopping opportunist? Absolutely. Does he truly love the business and have a sharp mind for it? Absolutely. Unfortunately I think Terry never got the respect from the boys or the office that was needed to truly make a difference as a creative force. Too many of the boys shrugged him off "What the fuck does the Red Rooster know?" and the offices of the major promotions viewed him as an egotistical shark. But just taken for his wrestling acumen, you hear most of the major players, if they're honest, say he was great. For example: He boofooed Cornette out of TNA but Corny will still put him over as a sharp cat. I'm glad at least there's a few videos like this where he got to show his real talents.
I was a fan of his back in Mid South until the first time I got to meet him and he was absolute jerk. After that I quietly wished for the "bad guy" to pound him. LOL... I was a kid at the time and he could have handled me differently...jerk
And everybody Shitted on the Gimmick,and theory was When Terry Started clucking like a chicken to the ring and jerking his neck.it was Chicken -Boo from Stephen Spielberg's Animainiacs! But if he did the Red Rooster like an Earnest Scrappy Hero BF ya know,Rah Rah Rah.Keep the Red Stripe but Drop the Spiky 80's Mousse Rooster do.Terry went Literal with the RR. This could have been a thin line between him and Matt Bourne's Doink the Clown
I heard this guy was a stooge but I also heard his wife was battling cancer at the same time . I might stooge too if it secured access to life saving insurance .
This guy doing the interview has no clue what he is doing...he asked Terry if their are to many PPV wrestling shows now a days .that's a stupid question..Terry started to answer it Correctly by saying it's all about Money..if people are willing to pay then why not do a PPV every week or every night..so the answer to his question is hell no .. Not until people stop watching or paying..it's all about Money
Unfortunately, Terry Taylor never became a main event superstar. Vince McMahon completely “sandbagged” Taylor’s in-ring career with the “Red Rooster” gimmick. In the office, Taylor was someone that most of the wrestlers either really liked or really hated.
How he can come from the Eddie Graham school of thought and think Russo is anything but a disgrace to wrestling baffles me. He is a huckster, a great salesman. He sells his bullshit, and strangely people buy it. Then he rides the wave into the next thing. Executives think, well, he must have been good if THEY hired him....and he gets hired again. And he never sell wrestling. Baffling.
I think he was the right person there at the right time during the nid to late 90s with the way the culture was going but the WWF and Vince mcmahon were behind the times. Vince Russo brought the WWF up to date and brought in storylines that fit in with everything else that was going on at the time. He has a good 2 year run but totally was lost after that because the culture had changed again. His ideas were now behind the times not that the times are any better, obviously the culture and times wrestling and otherwise is lousy compared to back then but what he wanted to do worked because it was the right time but ever since it he's done nothing. He's living off past glories just like a band who had one hit or one hit album then put numerous albums out ever since and every one a flop!
@@cutekanjii Also, from what Cornette and others have said, he pitched "dozens/hundreds of ideas, and Vince McMahon would pick the one or 2 he liked from them. Nuggets of "gold" in the piles of shit, as it were. The folks hiring him later didn't realize how much filtering he took. Personally, I never liked anything he did, as I am an old-school wrestling fan, but I do know that his ideas McMahon did accept got over with "sports entertainment" fans.
Terry was the most underrated wrestler in the business. Thank you Terry you made my childhood every weekend
Malenko was a credible US champ
I've heard a ton of guys credit Terry Taylor for helping them along the way.
This is such a great interview. So much can be learned from Terry Taylor just on management and booking. Thank you for posting this entire video.
Malenko was a very credible cruiserweight champion . His mat wrestling style was perfect counter for all of those guys who lived in the air .
This business in WWE today is a whole different level. Basement level. Terry Taylor quote in 2020s.
I always knew Terry was gifted in the ring but I had no idea how sharp he is. I see why he’s always made his name backstage as an agent and in the office. As an NWA fan I wouldn’t mind seeing him contribute to that company, especially with his past history with the company
The NWA, until now, was never a "company," genius. It was an alliance of member promotions.
Terry was 100 times better than Shawn Michaels ever was in a wrestling ring...just go back and watch his old matches...Terry had the best punch in the business
This was more like a deposition than an interview - and I loved it.
yeah right around 30 mins in, there is a shift in 'tude from both parties
The best description of the business I ever watched...
Really good insight to the business. Terry. Write ya book. Kid
Extremely good and educational interview. Well done.
Terry was the only wrestler I ever got a high-five from at a house show. Most wrestlers didn't even bother when the tv cameras weren't on.
i agree. I grew up in New England and remember a match at the old Providence Civic Center with Andre and killer Kahn. Andre was on his way back to the dressing room and a little girl reached out to hug his head from rows up. She missed and Andre turned around and walked back over to let her have another try. Maybe some other night he doesn't turn around but that night he. did.
I got a high-five form him too-at a Mid South show in Lake Charles, La.
Love the old Mid South days and remember when they would come to Lake Charles, LA!
good interview sir, Terry I am glad you told the story of you and Jim Cornette and Russo. I heard Jims take on it, glad to have yours. Keep up the great job!!
Thank you for this
Great interview 👍 I respect Terry
The exposure you get is priceless and for a new guy well worth working for cheap until you get over…… if you can!?
Love Terry ❤ Taylor !!!
I have personally met Terry Taylor on several occasions,,, I will use his wrestling name,,think what you will OR want,,he is a very good MAN,,, Always courteous and respectful,,, never have I known him for being a rude, obnoxious, arrogant butt,,,a great wrestler AND a Great husband,,, bless you Terry
Terry was a awesome wrestler
He was not an awesome wrestler and the more I watch and listen the less I realize he brought to the table as a wrestler as creative and as management and the more u hear about him being a company rat the more u believe.
Wasn’t that good…😂
I thought he was too derivitive of Ric Flair but he was good in the ring .
@@dachronicalalittlebitofeve6630 His work in the ring was very good, just watched some matches.
Hell of a Rooster
Buddy Landel said that Terry Taylor and Lawler were the only two babyfaces that he'd let call the match
Great First Guest,I always loved the Red Rooster😊😁⭐
TNA was different because they didn’t go to different towns they stayed in their element terrys right it’s hard if your doing shows and ppv in the same building same fans if you can get the same reaction of the fans on ppv’s and shows your doing something right
When I was 8, I was a Red Rooster fan, there, I said it.
You'll never live that down.
Nice 90's background..
They could have milked Goldberg's streak for years before beating him .
This guy interviewing is the shits ...show some respect
I’m pretty disappointed he didn’t have a red Mohawk during this interview
Verne Gagne taught Dusty Rhodes. He was Dirty Dusty Rhodes in 1971 and learned his rap from Billy Superstar Graham and he was a tag team with Dick Murdoch wrestling Larry Hennig and Lars Anderson.
He had the greatest match I ever saw in the Minneapolis auditorium with Hennig and Anderson.
Awesome. Thanks for keeping the history alive
Been a fan for a long time but totally unaware that Dusty used the moniker “Dirty”. Also would’ve loved seeing Murdoch & Rhodes in ring with the Ax
"great creative mind, but he never drew a dime" - Mike Graham, probably
He was over in N.C.
@@dtogo4286 yeah, I know he had some success in the territories. I just thought of Mike Graham when he mentioned Eddie early on in the interview. Had to post Mike's legendary catch phrase.
Not many guys have ever truly drew tbh
He was over in Mid-South, the Mid Southern and Mid Atlantic/Georgia. One stupid gimmick ruined it.
@@philipclarke9696 Check out my comment above.✌
It’s because wrestlemania is established as the big show golf the air!!
The questions this guys asking are beyond naive and ignorant…… Taylor has exceptional patience……. I’d have walked off ……
For the people complaining about Nikki's superhero gimmick, look at Exhibit A, the Red Rooster Terry Taylor.
Exhibit A is in reference to what? A crap gimmick but good worker? Or good workers that never made good money? Do you know when Terry was a big draw? It wasn't when he was the rooster.
I'd call him the Red Rooster.
Oh really, too much info being released.......so lets do a shoot
The way this dude is just sitting there staring at Terry the entire interview in the exact same position is uncomfortable.
This was the old formula and new that wwe uses. You couldn’t see a hogan match unless you bought a ticket live or Ppv or vhs. Goldberg is used sparingly. Toward the end taker wrestled once a year so yes the Goldberg idea would have bolstered there ppv numbers but would have hurt there tv rating because many were watching knowing more than like they would see a Goldberg squash match. If they wanted him to trade the belt for a few months big show would have been perfect at that time. He was amazing in his youth.
I did not really believe I would be on the same page as Terry Taylor but his philosophy and mine are near identical . Mystique needs to be protected . Compromises usually suck .
errk aerkk ardoo!!
Yes but Dory Funk taught Eddie Graham .
Sullivan was5’5. I’m 5’10 n thought I was to small to b wrestler in the late 80s
5'8"
I had no idea just how big tthe guys in Midsouth were until I met Terry Taylor . I used to think he was too small to be a wrestler and definitely to small to beat those particular guy. Then I met Terry and he is big guy . 6' 235lbs which I thought was just billing but it was true . Turns out Barry Darsow is just a rhinoceros compared to Terry Taylor .
I met Tito Santana a few years ago and he was huge. In great shape still, but I wasn't expecting him to be of such a large stature, same thing with meeting Simon Dean(Super Nova). On the other hand, Bubba Ray in 2001, when he was still fat, wasn't nearly as big as I'd thought he'd be in person.
Is he just being humble or does he just not want to offend anyone?
Athleticism is not synonymous with good work . Which would you rather watch a stunt man or the actor who does his own stunts ?
You can tell Michael is trying to make Terry upset
Terry fair or unfair has a REP as a guy who’s buttons are pushed easily and maybe the Mark who’s Podcast this is on is trying to make a name for himself, get a viral video moment.
@@rustykuntz94 This is a shoot interview from years back from the guy who owns Highspots wrestling. It's a bit more than a "podcast".
@@rustykuntz94He's also just uncomfortably staring at him in that same position the entire interview.😂🤣
Hes not going talk about what went wrong with the red rooster is he?
Eventually people need to chill on wrestling so it can be built up again, it reaches a peak then gets boring and has to go backward before becoming good again, it’s been said already the business is cyclical
It’s been boring for 15 years now. I think it’s time for a brand new format with a new innovator to shake things up.
yeah but it's been about 20 years now
I doubt that will happen any time soon. At least our lifetime. People forget pro wrestling is like any sport that entertains. Even the baseball, football, basketball, etc. players look down at everything old as "The Past." They ALL want to start something and say it is their own when it is no way original.
Is Terry Taylor a stooge? Absolutely. Is he a classic flip flopping opportunist? Absolutely. Does he truly love the business and have a sharp mind for it? Absolutely. Unfortunately I think Terry never got the respect from the boys or the office that was needed to truly make a difference as a creative force. Too many of the boys shrugged him off "What the fuck does the Red Rooster know?" and the offices of the major promotions viewed him as an egotistical shark. But just taken for his wrestling acumen, you hear most of the major players, if they're honest, say he was great. For example: He boofooed Cornette out of TNA but Corny will still put him over as a sharp cat. I'm glad at least there's a few videos like this where he got to show his real talents.
5:45 - he’s dead right.
I was a fan of his back in Mid South until the first time I got to meet him and he was absolute jerk. After that I quietly wished for the "bad guy" to pound him. LOL... I was a kid at the time and he could have handled me differently...jerk
And everybody Shitted on the Gimmick,and theory was When Terry Started clucking like a chicken to the ring and jerking his neck.it was Chicken -Boo from Stephen Spielberg's Animainiacs! But if he did the Red Rooster like an Earnest Scrappy Hero BF ya know,Rah Rah Rah.Keep the Red Stripe but Drop the Spiky 80's Mousse Rooster do.Terry went Literal with the RR. This could have been a thin line between him and Matt Bourne's Doink the Clown
I heard this guy was a stooge but I also heard his wife was battling cancer at the same time . I might stooge too if it secured access to life saving insurance .
This guy doing the interview has no clue what he is doing...he asked Terry if their are to many PPV wrestling shows now a days
.that's a stupid question..Terry started to answer it Correctly by saying it's all about Money..if people are willing to pay then why not do a PPV every week or every night..so the answer to his question is hell no .. Not until people stop watching or paying..it's all about Money
Unfortunately, Terry Taylor never became a main event superstar. Vince McMahon completely “sandbagged” Taylor’s in-ring career with the “Red Rooster” gimmick. In the office, Taylor was someone that most of the wrestlers either really liked or really hated.
Yea, but Terry Taylor is still employed by WWE to this day.
He thought his sh!t didn't stink
Who's gonna wrestle for 100gs ?? Fresh off the indies
goldberg really sucked
..
How he can come from the Eddie Graham school of thought and think Russo is anything but a disgrace to wrestling baffles me. He is a huckster, a great salesman. He sells his bullshit, and strangely people buy it. Then he rides the wave into the next thing. Executives think, well, he must have been good if THEY hired him....and he gets hired again. And he never sell wrestling. Baffling.
I think he was the right person there at the right time during the nid to late 90s with the way the culture was going but the WWF and Vince mcmahon were behind the times. Vince Russo brought the WWF up to date and brought in storylines that fit in with everything else that was going on at the time. He has a good 2 year run but totally was lost after that because the culture had changed again. His ideas were now behind the times not that the times are any better, obviously the culture and times wrestling and otherwise is lousy compared to back then but what he wanted to do worked because it was the right time but ever since it he's done nothing. He's living off past glories just like a band who had one hit or one hit album then put numerous albums out ever since and every one a flop!
There is no art to what Russo does . He is just exploitive .
Because good creative can synthesise styles. Terry was good at it.
@@cutekanjii Also, from what Cornette and others have said, he pitched "dozens/hundreds of ideas, and Vince McMahon would pick the one or 2 he liked from them. Nuggets of "gold" in the piles of shit, as it were. The folks hiring him later didn't realize how much filtering he took. Personally, I never liked anything he did, as I am an old-school wrestling fan, but I do know that his ideas McMahon did accept got over with "sports entertainment" fans.
Terry is a weasel.
Bruce and WWE destroyed his later career with that RIDICULOUS RED ROOSTER GIMMICK.
No they didn't on contrary he was popular as rooster.. he just didn't have character and was bland as just terry Taylor
This guy is a stooge
What's the point about interviewing a wrestler if he won't talk about his wrestling career? Waste of time
Terry achieved much more success behind the scenes