In a recent episode of his podcast, “Everybody’s Got A Pod”, WWE Hall of Fame inductee, Ted DiBiase Sr., recollected an episode from WCW Slamboree, 1997.
During that event, renowned wrestlers Ric Flair and Roddy Piper had expressed their apprehensions about Sean Waltman, alternatively known as Syxx, participating in a six-man tag team match together with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall.
Some notable moments from the podcast are highlighted below:
On the origin of the incident: “Sean is a good buddy of mine. However, at that point, he wasn’t recognized as a prominent name in the industry. Basically, if you intend to elevate his status, you do just that. You put him in matches where he’s the focus, he wins repeatedly, and thus, gain the fame. I can’t recall a lot about it, but in retrospect, I can understand why there might have been disagreement. Also, keep in mind, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall were also relatively new at the time.”
On the topic of Ric Flair and Roddy Piper wrestling in their prime years: “In wrestling, if you’ve still got the fire, you should pursue it. The strife you see in the ring is one thing, the strife behind the curtains is another. It made me ponder if I could have gone on for a few more years. Physically, I was on par with the rest. It was more of a personal decision. Today, looking back, I’m satisfied with that call. I look at individuals who continued until 45, or even those who wrestled into their early 50’s. I’ve had both my knees replaced, but despite that, my recent check-up with my cardiologist was positive. He said, ‘Ted, you’re unlikely to succumb to a heart attack. You have the arteries of a man much younger.'”
On veteran wrestlers still getting TV time: “Coming from a wrestling background myself, I respect the veterans. There are a few who’ve shared stories of wrestling with my father and how he greatly contributed to their careers. I didn’t learn to wrestle in a gym, but in the ring, in front of a live audience. That’s the traditional way. Anyone with that sort of understanding, I’m open to learning from them.”
The episode where DiBiase Sr. discusses these topics can be found here. (Embedded link to the video)