| October 17, 2013 |
In the second part of the shoot interview with Wrestling INC, Holly discussed the Attitude Era, if he ever considered jumping to WCW, being injured during a match with Brock Lesnar and if he tried to sandbag him, not being ready for the World title picture and more.
Wrestling INC: Business started to change again and you had the Attitude Era being pushed in. Was that kind of a slow change, or was that something that they told the talent, that they were going to be changing direction and there were going to be changes on the creative front?
Holly: It just evolved. It wasn't a matter of hey, we're going to change and go this direction. It just happened to evolve that way when the whole Steve Austin and Rock thing took off. It just happened. It wasn't something that was planned. It was just one of those things where these guys just became mega stars and people were paying good money to see these guys and it just happened. Plus, the economy was good back then too and that helped a lot. It was just one of those things that evolved, it just happened. I don't think you could force something like that.
Wrestling INC: WCW started to catch fire. A lot of guys were jumping during that time. What was the locker room atmosphere like when all these guys started jumping and did you ever think about leaving?
Holly: I was approached and my loyalty was with Vince [McMahon]. That's another thing I talk about in my book. I had a lot of time invested in my company and they had a lot of money invested in me. To me, money's not everything. My happiness is what's important. Me being comfortable with my work environment, I know everybody where I was at, yeah, they offered me more money, they offered me like twice the amount of money that I was going to make, but that's not what drives me. Happiness is what drives me and I was very happy where I was at. So that's why I stayed. I think the people that jumped ship, it's more about money to them then anything else. To me, it was my happiness what kept me where I was at.
Wrestling INC: The locker room atmosphere when WWF did start winning the Monday night wars and the tide shifted, did that change how things were in the locker room
Holly: The thing is, the whole thing with the Monday night wars was, here you had two companies that were rivaling each other, competing for ratings on a weekly basis. That is what is great for business. That is what's best for the boys. The atmosphere in the locker room, everybody was… It was fun to be around. Everybody was happy. Everybody was making good money. It was fun because we were wanting to beat the other guy. You're doing everything you can do [so] we can get the ratings to beat those guys. But, I think what hurt us is because we were doing one live show and then taping a show for the following week and they were doing the live every week. I think that's what hurt us and that's why they ended up beating us, but we ended up beating them in the long run. But I just think, everybody in the locker room, it was just a whole different atmosphere. It was a good time for everybody. It was fun. Everybody was in story lines too. That was the main thing. You didn't have guys sitting around that weren't in a story line. It makes a big difference too, when you're in a story line. That's the thing to, it's like even though guys were jumping ship and stuff like that, you never knew they were going to leave. It was just like oh, all of a sudden they're gone. Which was fine, because then it just opened the door for somebody else to step up and take their spot. I thought the Monday night wars were great for everybody, despite us losing in the rating for a little while. It's just good for everybody because the whole thing is, it's like TNA now. I would like to see TNA succeed, but they're going to have a hard time doing it because it's just good for the industry. Competition is good. Back then, it was just unbelievable the business we were doing.
Wrestling INC: I know in your book you also talked about the amount you guys made on PPVs and things like that. Did you think it was a fair amount you guys were getting during the Attitude Era?
Holly: Yeah, oh yeah. I think so. Nobody complained about money then. It was sickening how much everybody was getting. Of course everybody can make more money. Everybody wants to make more money, but me, like I said, I can't speak for everybody else, but I was satisfied getting what I was getting. I was on top of the world because here I worked for one of the greatest companies in the world. I'm making really good money. I'm having fun and I'm happy where I'm at. So, I felt like I was on top of the world back then.
Wrestling INC: I know you've been asked this a lot and you're probably tired of answering it, but the match with Brock Lesnar where you broke your neck, the story going around back then was that it was a botched powerbomb where you guys weren't cooperating or something that led to the broken neck, but since then you've said that it actually wasn't supposed to be a powerbomb. Is that right?
Holly: Yeah. It was supposed to be a deal where he looks like he's going to powerbomb me but I land on my feet, he charges me, I duck underneath his clothesline, he comes back, I give him a dropkick. That was the move. Like I tell, because everybody asks me that same question, it's like okay. People have got to use their head here. If you really stop and think, which these people, they get on the Internet and type all the bulls*** and everything else, they don't think past the end of their nose. If you take a guy like Brock Lesnar, and you take a guy like me, if Brock Lesnar can take Big Show and belly to belly him halfway across the ring, you've got to ask yourself, could I stop Brock Lesnar from giving me a powerbomb? Can I really sandbag that move to where he couldn't do it? When people stop and think about it, it's like well, yeah. That does make sense. If he can pick a 500 pound guy up and throw him over his head, here I'm 228 pounds, you really think I could stop Brock from doing anything to me? I'm serious. [laughter]
On top of that, it was a move that I'm supposed to look good, that I'm supposed to shine on. So, why would I screw up my own move? That just goes to show you, people will say what they want to say and put it out there and it just gets legs and people run with it and say oh, this happened, this happened. They weren't there. They weren't in the locker room. They weren't in the ring. They don't know what was going through anybody's head. How do they know? You really have to stop and think. When stuff like this is put out there, you really have to stop and think. It's nonsense. It's really nonsense because me and Brock have always got along good. I've always loved working with the guy because he's rough. That's my style. I love it like that and I wouldn't have it any other way. I can't stand working with a guy that barely hits you and you can't even sell it because you don't know if you got hit or not. It's just stuff that people put out there and it's hard to believe unless you hear it from the horse's mouth. It's like in Brock's book. He never said one word about doing it on purpose or it was a messed up move or Bob tried to sandbag me and all this. He never said one word of it in his book or in any interviews. People got to really stop and think before they believe what they read.
Wrestling INC: So there was no heat at all on your end for the incident or anything like that?
Holly: Oh, absolutely not. No, because he was trying to hold me. We got in the back and he was like, Bob, I was trying to hold you up. He had the flu anyway and he was like I was trying to hold ya. I was trying to reach for the back of his head. It just happened. It was an accident. The guy just got there. He hadn't been there very long, so it's not like he's going to start dumping people on their head and hurting people. He doesn't want to end up losing his job. There was no heat there whatsoever. He called me after I had my surgery and everything, called me, checked on me, and stuff like that. We've always had a great relationship. It's just people that decide, let me write a blog. Brock did it on purpose because Bob tried to sandbag him and then see how far that goes. It just spread like wildfires. It's people that weren't there. They don't know.
Wrestling INC: When you did come back you were put into the world title picture. I believe that was the first time in your career, right? That you had a PPV world title match?
Holly: Yep. First time and only time. [laughter] The thing is, I wasn't ready for that spot anyway.
Wrestling INC: Yeah, that's what I was just about to ask. That was kind of a big jump. Were you not ready for that then? Is that what you were saying.
Holly: No. No way was I ready. I was far from it because here I went, putting people over and getting wins here and there, few and far between. Putting people over, like what I said, I had no problem doing because I was making a good living at it. They'd keep me alive here and there and give me wins and put me in little story lines here and there and stuff, but throwing me out there with Brock in the world title picture? No. I wasn't ready for it. I'll be the first to admit it, I didn't want to be in that spot. I wasn't going to tell them. It's like, let me work myself up that way first and let me get comfortable and feel it out, stuff like that. But you can't tell them oh, I'm not ready. You just have to do what they want you to do. I was just doing what I was told to do and like I said, I'll be the first to tell you, I wasn't ready.
Wrestling INC: Business started to change again and you had the Attitude Era being pushed in. Was that kind of a slow change, or was that something that they told the talent, that they were going to be changing direction and there were going to be changes on the creative front?
Holly: It just evolved. It wasn't a matter of hey, we're going to change and go this direction. It just happened to evolve that way when the whole Steve Austin and Rock thing took off. It just happened. It wasn't something that was planned. It was just one of those things where these guys just became mega stars and people were paying good money to see these guys and it just happened. Plus, the economy was good back then too and that helped a lot. It was just one of those things that evolved, it just happened. I don't think you could force something like that.
Wrestling INC: WCW started to catch fire. A lot of guys were jumping during that time. What was the locker room atmosphere like when all these guys started jumping and did you ever think about leaving?
Holly: I was approached and my loyalty was with Vince [McMahon]. That's another thing I talk about in my book. I had a lot of time invested in my company and they had a lot of money invested in me. To me, money's not everything. My happiness is what's important. Me being comfortable with my work environment, I know everybody where I was at, yeah, they offered me more money, they offered me like twice the amount of money that I was going to make, but that's not what drives me. Happiness is what drives me and I was very happy where I was at. So that's why I stayed. I think the people that jumped ship, it's more about money to them then anything else. To me, it was my happiness what kept me where I was at.
Wrestling INC: The locker room atmosphere when WWF did start winning the Monday night wars and the tide shifted, did that change how things were in the locker room
Holly: The thing is, the whole thing with the Monday night wars was, here you had two companies that were rivaling each other, competing for ratings on a weekly basis. That is what is great for business. That is what's best for the boys. The atmosphere in the locker room, everybody was… It was fun to be around. Everybody was happy. Everybody was making good money. It was fun because we were wanting to beat the other guy. You're doing everything you can do [so] we can get the ratings to beat those guys. But, I think what hurt us is because we were doing one live show and then taping a show for the following week and they were doing the live every week. I think that's what hurt us and that's why they ended up beating us, but we ended up beating them in the long run. But I just think, everybody in the locker room, it was just a whole different atmosphere. It was a good time for everybody. It was fun. Everybody was in story lines too. That was the main thing. You didn't have guys sitting around that weren't in a story line. It makes a big difference too, when you're in a story line. That's the thing to, it's like even though guys were jumping ship and stuff like that, you never knew they were going to leave. It was just like oh, all of a sudden they're gone. Which was fine, because then it just opened the door for somebody else to step up and take their spot. I thought the Monday night wars were great for everybody, despite us losing in the rating for a little while. It's just good for everybody because the whole thing is, it's like TNA now. I would like to see TNA succeed, but they're going to have a hard time doing it because it's just good for the industry. Competition is good. Back then, it was just unbelievable the business we were doing.
Wrestling INC: I know in your book you also talked about the amount you guys made on PPVs and things like that. Did you think it was a fair amount you guys were getting during the Attitude Era?
Holly: Yeah, oh yeah. I think so. Nobody complained about money then. It was sickening how much everybody was getting. Of course everybody can make more money. Everybody wants to make more money, but me, like I said, I can't speak for everybody else, but I was satisfied getting what I was getting. I was on top of the world because here I worked for one of the greatest companies in the world. I'm making really good money. I'm having fun and I'm happy where I'm at. So, I felt like I was on top of the world back then.
Wrestling INC: I know you've been asked this a lot and you're probably tired of answering it, but the match with Brock Lesnar where you broke your neck, the story going around back then was that it was a botched powerbomb where you guys weren't cooperating or something that led to the broken neck, but since then you've said that it actually wasn't supposed to be a powerbomb. Is that right?
Holly: Yeah. It was supposed to be a deal where he looks like he's going to powerbomb me but I land on my feet, he charges me, I duck underneath his clothesline, he comes back, I give him a dropkick. That was the move. Like I tell, because everybody asks me that same question, it's like okay. People have got to use their head here. If you really stop and think, which these people, they get on the Internet and type all the bulls*** and everything else, they don't think past the end of their nose. If you take a guy like Brock Lesnar, and you take a guy like me, if Brock Lesnar can take Big Show and belly to belly him halfway across the ring, you've got to ask yourself, could I stop Brock Lesnar from giving me a powerbomb? Can I really sandbag that move to where he couldn't do it? When people stop and think about it, it's like well, yeah. That does make sense. If he can pick a 500 pound guy up and throw him over his head, here I'm 228 pounds, you really think I could stop Brock from doing anything to me? I'm serious. [laughter]
On top of that, it was a move that I'm supposed to look good, that I'm supposed to shine on. So, why would I screw up my own move? That just goes to show you, people will say what they want to say and put it out there and it just gets legs and people run with it and say oh, this happened, this happened. They weren't there. They weren't in the locker room. They weren't in the ring. They don't know what was going through anybody's head. How do they know? You really have to stop and think. When stuff like this is put out there, you really have to stop and think. It's nonsense. It's really nonsense because me and Brock have always got along good. I've always loved working with the guy because he's rough. That's my style. I love it like that and I wouldn't have it any other way. I can't stand working with a guy that barely hits you and you can't even sell it because you don't know if you got hit or not. It's just stuff that people put out there and it's hard to believe unless you hear it from the horse's mouth. It's like in Brock's book. He never said one word about doing it on purpose or it was a messed up move or Bob tried to sandbag me and all this. He never said one word of it in his book or in any interviews. People got to really stop and think before they believe what they read.
Wrestling INC: So there was no heat at all on your end for the incident or anything like that?
Holly: Oh, absolutely not. No, because he was trying to hold me. We got in the back and he was like, Bob, I was trying to hold you up. He had the flu anyway and he was like I was trying to hold ya. I was trying to reach for the back of his head. It just happened. It was an accident. The guy just got there. He hadn't been there very long, so it's not like he's going to start dumping people on their head and hurting people. He doesn't want to end up losing his job. There was no heat there whatsoever. He called me after I had my surgery and everything, called me, checked on me, and stuff like that. We've always had a great relationship. It's just people that decide, let me write a blog. Brock did it on purpose because Bob tried to sandbag him and then see how far that goes. It just spread like wildfires. It's people that weren't there. They don't know.
Wrestling INC: When you did come back you were put into the world title picture. I believe that was the first time in your career, right? That you had a PPV world title match?
Holly: Yep. First time and only time. [laughter] The thing is, I wasn't ready for that spot anyway.
Wrestling INC: Yeah, that's what I was just about to ask. That was kind of a big jump. Were you not ready for that then? Is that what you were saying.
Holly: No. No way was I ready. I was far from it because here I went, putting people over and getting wins here and there, few and far between. Putting people over, like what I said, I had no problem doing because I was making a good living at it. They'd keep me alive here and there and give me wins and put me in little story lines here and there and stuff, but throwing me out there with Brock in the world title picture? No. I wasn't ready for it. I'll be the first to admit it, I didn't want to be in that spot. I wasn't going to tell them. It's like, let me work myself up that way first and let me get comfortable and feel it out, stuff like that. But you can't tell them oh, I'm not ready. You just have to do what they want you to do. I was just doing what I was told to do and like I said, I'll be the first to tell you, I wasn't ready.
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