On a recent edition of the “Hall of Fame” podcast, Booker T spoke to Maven about his stint with WWE and more.
Following a four-year run with WWE, Maven was released from his contract on July 5, 2005.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On whether he misses being on the road with WWE: “Yes, but I know a man has to know his limitations. I heard a saying once: you can’t drive a car looking through the rearview mirror. I’ve always looked at it, I’m trying to find what my next challenge is going to be. I think you’re the same way. Yeah, I’m happy with the life I’ve lived up to this point. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying to achieve. I have a goal set for what I’d like to achieve. But new goals find me week in and week out. So I do miss life. I miss backstage, man. I miss how the football players say they miss the locker room. Yeah, that’s what I miss. And I don’t miss airports, I don’t miss rental cars, I don’t miss hotels, I don’t miss late-night restaurants. That stuff I could do without. The time right before you go through the curtain and you see, you feel that reaction, whether positive or negative. I miss that. And then I miss being backstage with the guys, the laughing and the cutting up. Yeah, that’s definitely — because even if I go to an indie show or a smaller show now, I see the younger guys that have it, and they have the inside jokes that I’m not privy to. Yeah. And I’m a little bit envious when they have them.”
On making the transition into being a WWE star: “It was the training and all the wrestling stuff aside, because that’s — if you don’t have it in you to do that, then it’s the wrong business for you. But what the tough part was for me was just proving to you, to all the other guys, not that I belonged because time will tell if I belonged or not, But it was just that I deserved to be there because I came in in a different way. My first, I dare to say, was not many people’s first match ever. My first match was on SmackDown with Tazz and Book. You were my fourth match ever.”
On working with Bob Holly: “Knowing the way guys were going to view me and you brought him up, Bob Holly. Here’s what I can appreciate: Bob gets the title of being a bully sometimes. That could not be further from the truth. Bob makes you earn your spot. And in that business, if you don’t earn your spot then you need to be doing something else. Bob makes you earn that. And I can appreciate what I did. I would say once I was on a full house show schedule, I think I did three weeks day after day with Bob. And the maddest he ever got at me was not for not hitting him hard enough. But at the end of my run with Bob, I had earned Bob’s respect, and to this day Bob and I are great. And it was almost kind of like a rite of passage. Like once I got past that, I earned Bob’s respect. It was kind of like, ‘All right, you belong here. Now it’s just time to learn how to wrestle.’”
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Former WWE superstar Maven recently appeared on Booker T’s “Hall of Fame” podcast to discuss his time with the company and more. Maven, who was released from his WWE contract in 2005 after a four-year run, shared his thoughts on various aspects of his career.
One of the topics discussed was whether Maven misses being on the road with WWE. He expressed that while he does miss certain aspects of the wrestling life, such as the backstage camaraderie and the adrenaline rush before going through the curtain, he doesn’t miss the constant travel and late-night schedules. Maven also mentioned that he is always looking for new challenges and goals to achieve in his life.
Maven also talked about the transition he made into becoming a WWE star. He acknowledged that the wrestling training was tough, but the real challenge for him was proving himself to his fellow wrestlers. Maven’s first match in WWE was on SmackDown against Tazz and Booker T, which he considered a unique experience compared to others’ first matches. He wanted to show that he deserved to be there despite his unconventional start in the company.
Another topic discussed was Maven’s experience working with Bob Holly, who is sometimes labeled as a bully in the industry. Maven clarified that Holly was not a bully but rather someone who made wrestlers earn their spot in the business. Maven appreciated Holly’s approach and mentioned that he earned Holly’s respect after working with him for several weeks on the house show schedule. Maven considered it a rite of passage and a sign that he belonged in the wrestling industry.
Throughout the podcast, Maven shared his insights and experiences, giving fans a glimpse into his journey as a WWE superstar. The interview provided an opportunity for Maven to reflect on his time in the company and express his gratitude for the opportunities he had.
Fans can watch the full podcast episode on YouTube to hear Maven’s thoughts in more detail. Additionally, they can stay updated on all wrestling news by visiting eWrestlingNews.com or following the website’s Twitter and Facebook pages.
In conclusion, Maven’s appearance on Booker T’s podcast offered fans a chance to hear his perspective on his WWE career and his life after leaving the company. The interview provided insights into the challenges he faced, the relationships he built, and his aspirations for the future.