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RF Video Shoot Interview with Sid Vicious, Volume 1

This was filmed on March 1, 1998

The Interview was conducted by Doug Gentry

It runs at one hour and twenty-two minutes long






Sid is first asked how he got into the business. He said he was living in a town in Arkansas that was about 15 minutes away from Memphis and working out at a gym when he saw Randy Savage and his brother Lanny. At the time, Sid was getting ready for spring camp at Arkansas State and just got married and had a baby. He had aspirations of being an NFL offensive lineman then Savage told him that a guy like him could probably make more in wrestling then he started to speak with other guys like Harley Davidson (Hillbilly Jim) and ended up training under Tojo Yammamoto.


He said that is first match was as the replacement partner for Austin Idol when Terry Funk no-showed. Sid said they called him up at home and he did not even have wrestling gear at the time and was very nervous. Idol told him to look big, as Sid was using the "Lord Humongous" gimmick but Sid said he could not even flex his muscles due to his nerves.


After that, he went to CWA and was managed by Downtown Bruno (Harvey Whippleman) and he stayed there for 8 months then Bruno left as the booker, Eddie Gilbert, brought in Paul Heyman has a manager and Bruno felt that his spot was threatened. After that Sid did an angle in which he was Shane Douglas' long-lost cousin.


Sid said that Eddie gave him a lot of knowledge about the business then goes into how he was lucky as he started in the business and was always around the bookers and other great minds.


On Jerry Lawler, Sid said that they respect each other as he knows the frustrations of being a booker then talks about how he would like to book wrestling one day.


He went to WCW and teamed with Dan Spivey as part of the Skyscrapers. At first, he did tryout matches as a singles wrestler then the committee put him with Spivey. He said that they had a lot of fun together traveling but the team ended when he punctured his lung and broke his ribs then got replaced by Mean Mark Callous (Undertaker).


After coming back from injury, Sid was repackaged as a singles wrestler then got to work with the Four Horseman. He said that he loved doing interviews most of all.


About his feud with Pillman and rumors in the dirt sheets that he was pissed that Pillman was too small for him, Sid said that was untrue.


Sid talks about how Dusty told him that he was going to become the World Champion after beating Vader then Rick Rude. He was first going to beat Vader then came up with an idea to make Rude stronger after seeing a commercial for something that listed off all the things someone had beaten so Sid thought that Rude should do that as he was a great worker and talker. They brought Sid to the office and offered him a multiyear deal and Sid felt insulted by how low it was then said he heard about Hulk Hogan leaving soon and he had a good opportunity to leave and join the WWF.


He said that he talked to Vince McMahon, who wanted him to fly in and talk. Vince asked him what he wanted and Sid laid it out then went back home and found out that WCW had doubled their offer and they had a guaranteed deal, unlike Vince. Sid said that he did not want to be playing the middle and decided he would take the WCW deal then head to the WWF another day. He then swears on the lives of his child and wife that he was just about to walk out of the door when the phone rang and it was Vince. He asked Sid if he had signed the WCW contract and he said that he was on his way to do that and Vince told him that this was his opportunity and that it might be only one as Sid said Vince more or less gave him an ultimatum. He hung up the phone and went to WCW headquarters and they gave him the contract then Sid gave it right back to him and said that he was finished and heading to the WWF. Sid said that they let him finish up early and he stayed at home before going to the WWF. He said if he stayed with WCW he would have gone over El Gigante in their stretcher match at SuperBrawl.


When he first got to the WWF, Sid said that the first thing that blew him away was the amount of fans that showed up to the arenas as that rarely happened in WCW. Sid also said that was how he knew he was drawing money.


On the locker room, Sid said that the guys were good to him at first. He then said that you also found out quickly who the bullshitters and ass kissers were, two things that Sid said he is not. Sid said that Jake Roberts got him into trouble up there and from that he talks about how anything you say gets magnified by an unbelievable amount.


Sid said that Vince's promises never went how he said they would and he got sick of it and told Vince that he wanted to part ways with him and went to shake his hand and Vince declined. Sid said he benefited financially from staying but that the lies all added up and that when he was told he was going to be the biggest heel in the business then had the Ultimate Warrior kick out of his finish, he said that was it then talked about at that show (which took place in Boston) they drew a terrible house when the last time he was there against the Undertaker they sold out. Sid said he told the agents he would have the Warrior kick out of his finish but that he was going to quit afterwards and they pleaded with him but he stuck to his word.


When asked about if he failed a drug test before WrestleMania, Sid said he told Vince what he was using and that everyone knows who is using what.


He went back to WCW and said that it was easy and relaxed the second time around with guaranteed money but did miss the big arena sellouts in the WWF.


They ask him about wrestling Sting. Sid calls him a great worker and could sell for a heel like himself.


Sid is asked about the "Psycho Sid" name and he said it was a rib on him due to the scissors incident with Arn Anderson. He gets asked about what happened then tells his side of the story. Sid said they were at the bar drinking when someone asked what was wrong with the business and why weren't they drawing and Sid said it was because you have older guys like Ric Flair who will not step aside for younger guys. Arn apparently threatened to throw his beer in Sid's face after that. Sid later went upstairs where Arn was in the hallway and broke a beer bottle, threatening to cut him. Sid said his room was a few doors past him and wanted to go to his room because they delivered his food there but got to thinking about what Arn had done to him and said that he had a bad temper too and ripped a leg off of a chair that was near him and planned to "whack Arn off of his fucking head a couple of times" but went he went out, there was no one out in the hallway so he pounded on Arn's door and threatened him to come out and bring his beer bottle. As this was happening, Sid said he turned around and walked away as he realized the whole situation was stupid but the open door and Arn came out holding a pair of scissors. Sid then claims that Arn lied when he said that he used a stick to hit him as he threw it 20 feet away and even the police reports state that it was not used in the fight. Arn came after him and Sid said that he did not remember getting stabbed at the beginning then talked about how Arn backed him up where he had nowhere to run to then eventually dropped him with a punch and when he did, saw the scissors fall out of his stomach then realized that he was stabbed. Arn went back for the scissors then Sid talks about how this happened so fast and it felt like a nightmare and someone said how they were killing Arn and he saw the scissors in his hand and tossed them down the hall and freaked out as he was in all white clothing. Sid then took Arn down to the front desk and asked for them to call an ambulance and as that happened, blood started to gush out of Sid's stomach and he ran down the hallway freaking out.


In the hospital, the police asked Sid if he wanted to press charges and he declined then they told him that Arn was unharmed so he was thinking about pressing charges but later that night, the nurse told him that Arn was in really bad shape so he decided that he was not going to press charges at all. As he was leaving the hospital, he saw Joey Maggs with Arn's boots and asked how Arn was doing and Maggs said he was really messed up so Sid told him to tell Arn that he was sorry. Sid then talks about how Arn would be the last person he would want to hurt and he would never want to do that to anybody. Sid said that Arn was always a gentleman to his face. When he asked Maggs what Arn said about him, Maggs said that Arn was too drunk to remember. Sid said if Maggs says any different about that then he is a "fucking liar."


Sid said that Eric Bischoff told him that a lot of guys came up to him threatening to quit if he came back then Sid and his lawyer talked with the WCW representatives and they released him shortly after that.


After leaving WCW again, Sid said that Vince called him and wanted him to come in and work with Diesel to help him get over as Sid said he what he could with Diesel and doesn't know if it worked or not then talks about Vince used what happened in WCW to "fuck with him more" but Sid said that he had a family to support and that he had to eat a lot of shit.


When asked about Shawn Michaels, he joked that he was his bodyguard for a week. He then talks about getting the biggest reaction in the building when he turned on him.


Sid is asked about the Kliq and said that he had no problems with them as he broke in with Diesel in WCW and knew Shawn and Razor but that he knew they were jealous when he got big reactions. This prompts Sid to talk about how the wrestling fans are smarter now and you cannot program them like you did years ago. Sid puts over Diesel for being hilarious.


On how he injured his neck, Sid said that months before in a cage match, Diesel hit him from behind and he heard his neck pop and it tingled down and he felt numb in his arm. Later on, he was at the gym with Bob Holly at the gym and was unable to curl his arm and got scared so he went to the doctors and was told he could never wrestle again. Sid got a second opinion and they said the same thing so he called Vince and JJ Dillon to say he was leaving as he could not wrestle due to injury. He decided to take classes in Agriculture and worked on a farm when he was told that Vince was calling him and he told them to tell Vince he was not there. One day he picked up and it was Vince who wanted him to do a few dates and that the flight was leaving in 40 minutes so he rushed out and wrestled Owen Hart and did several other house shows then was the replacement for the Ultimate Warrior at "In Your House 9: International Incident."


He is asked about his expectations in his comeback. Sid said he did not want to come back full-time. He then said that the fan reaction at that PPV was crazy for him and he thought it was fun to see that as well. Sid then talks about how the house show revenue was four times higher when he came back and knew the houses went up when he was champ because he was on the shows when Shawn was the champion. Sid says that unlike any other sport, wrestling determines the best by how much money you draw.


Sid talks about how he wanted to be built up for six months then become champion as it takes more than a week to get a push and said that if they built up him and Vader appropriately, they could have drawn a ton of money.


On Shawn getting booed out of the building at the 1996 Survivor Series, Sid joked that the agents were crying when that happened. He then said that Shawn was courteous to him in person but knew that he was making calls behind his back but that will always happen and if you cannot handle that then you are in the wrong business.


When Shawn won the title at the 1997 Royal Rumble, Sid said that the plan was originally for him to hold the belt for as long as he was drawing good money. While at the NAPI Convention in  New Orleans, Vince told him that he was going to have Shawn win the belt at the Royal Rumble in his hometown of San Antonio but that Sid would win it back on the Thursday night edition of RAW. However, that edition of RAW was when Shawn Michaels gave his "lost my smile" speech. When asked, Sid said that he does not resent Shawn for that because that was Shawn's business and does not judge him for that as he has done things like swear at promoters and that he got paid the same anyway.


He is asked about the problems between Bret Hart and Shawn. Sid said he could feel the tension between them while they had three-way matches then talks about how Bret would always tinker with their matches at the last second. Sid then said that Bret was taking care of himself and if that is how he thinks he has to do business then he has no problem. Sid said that Bret was a gentleman to him and that he was really easy to work with.


Sid said that he knew he was getting the belt from Bret and when asked if Bret himself knew that, he said he hoped that he did.


He talked about his car accident. Sid said that it happened in Canada and he flipped his car over and that the left side of his body went numb and they thought it was a stroke but that he went to another doctor and they found that his numbness was caused by a broken vertebrae that was pinching up against his spinal cord.


On his back injury, Sid said that his back was legitimately fucked up as he was taking superplexes from Bret every night. After WrestleMania XIII, Sid said that he went to Vince and wanted to take time off instead of going to the bullshit" tour of Saudi Arabia because he knew that wasn't going to draw money anyways. He said when they came back from the tour, Bruce Prichard and "fat ass" Jim Ross asked if he was cleared to return to the ring by his doctor, who was treating him with epidurals, because they needed him at RAW. Sid said that he didnt know if his doctor could see him in such short notice. A half-hour later, they called back and said that they called his doctor and booked an appointment for him. Sid showed up and the doctor told him that he was still between 6-8 weeks from being able to return and he called them back with the news then goes off on Prichard and Ross and said that he was going to return to work without clearance from a doctor and that all wrestlers do that but they were trying to fuck him over so he sat out until he was cleared as he wanted some time off. Sid summarizes by saying they wanted him to have a doctors clearance to return in an attempt to fuck with him so he decided to fuck with them back and get some extra time off for himself.


Sid confirms that he collapsed in the locker room the night on RAW when Steve Austin was his mystery partner. He talks about telling Jim Cornette and the rest of Vince's stooges how he was feeling terrible after Vince himself saw Sid in agony and asked him if he got the message and Vince told Sid that there was no way he would have had him go out there like that if he had known.


He is now asked about his contract status with the WWF. Sid said that they are trying to get the final details of the merchandising he is owed before the release his official but the WWF will not return his lawyers phone calls but Sid added that he could work anywhere he wants to at the moment.


Sid talks about the money being good when he was on top and that he has a strong following in the Northeast.


On Vince, Sid said that he will wrestle longer than his reign and that he uses him as motivation when he works out. He doubts that he could ever work their again and that they would have to change their bogus contracts then accidentally slips that he got a $50,000 bonus in WCW for being the champ. Sid says he got paid well by Vince but that he never delivers on his promises. Sid then talks about Vince resenting him because he is his own entity and not a creation of Titan Sports, which he says sounds weird to say but feels this is the case.


Sid is asked if he would work for WCW or ECW then talks about how he was originally going to be on tomorrow's show (ECW 1998 Living Dangerously) and that he told Chris Candido to call him but that he chickened out and had difficulty reaching Heyman but Candido told him that he would be the mystery partner of Leif Cassidy, who would win the match. Sid thought it was a dumb idea for him to do that then was told by Heyman that he would work with Shane Douglas and Bam Bam Bigelow and he would have a plane ticket but it never came. Sid said he would like to work with Heyman and calls him a friend.


His biggest regret in wrestling was not giving Dusty the chance to deliver on what he promised him in WCW and maybe he could have stayed and reached the pinnacle.


When asked about Bill Goldberg, Sid said he has only seen him wrestle once but that he has a great look. He then said he is a great wrestler for two minutes but would like to see him years later when he has grown as a worker.



Final Thoughts: I thought this was a really good interview. Sid was certainly willing to talk and did not care about holding back on the WWF and Vince or even the incident with Arn Anderson. Sid was willing to shoot and it made for a good interview.

The details about the scissors incident with Arn Anderson was pretty good and that along with him talking about how he got the belt in the WWF and the lies he accuses Vince of making make this worth watching. At only one hour and twenty-two minutes, it is a breeze.

The one complaint about it was that since this was older, the sound quality is not the greatest. The room is dark where the interview takes place but that stuff does not bother me as I am interested in what they say, not the lighting of the interview.

I recommend this shoot and Sid also did a follow up shoot with RF Video in 2008 that picks up where this one left off.


The shoot is for sale at RF Video for 15. You can purchase it by clicking on the link below

http://www.rfvideo.com/shootwithsidvicious.aspx


Or for just $4.99, you can download the digital copy at Highspots.com. You can also purchase that by clicking on the link below.

http://www.highspots.com/p/VD_sid_vol1_shoot.html

Comments

  1. the 08 is basically a recant of everything he said bad about Vince.


    I love those Vol. 2s that basically do nothing but eat humble pie.

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  2. The New Age Outlaws is a big example of that

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  3. Yeah, sucks how he died and he came across well in these shoots too

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  4. Good job Mr Bayless. I've always been a fan of Sid, it's just a shame his brain doesn't fire on all cylinders.
    Interesting how another person claims 'Good 'Ol Jim Ross' is nothing of the sort.

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  5. Sid got pretty pissed when recalling some things. I would never want to piss that guy off

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  6. Interesting guy. Even as a big lunk (or especially as), he had the look and the promo skills to really be something special. Kind of a shame that never really happened.

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  7. Sounds like a good interview, but I hope Brian will do the 2008 shoot in the future, since that will cover the end of Sid's career and the horrific leg break. And if the 2008 shoot does in fact take back all of the bad comments about Vince, it will be even more interesting.

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  8. He had charisma in spades

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  9. I vaguely remember one of his old interviews where he did the old 'hickory dickory dock' thing. The fact that I still remember it speaks to his charisma.

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  10. I'm a little disappointed that nobody has pointed out the humor in someone named Sid Vicious being stabbed.

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  11. Based on his appearance on RAW 1000, Sid strikes me as a guy who could still go in a random squash match. I've said this before, but I think WWE ought to get older vets like Sid and Vader and have them do short (like 2 weeks) house show only runs squashing NXT talent. It would give those older guys a nice paycheck and give the NXT guys an opportunity to work with a vet in the ring.

    Plus, it would give house shows an "exclusive" selling point. I'd buy a house show ticket to see Vader. Maybe he can even do post-show autographs to make even more cash.

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  12. Or even make them "network exclusives" where those matches are taped and aired in a block.

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  13. Good thinking! That's another way they could make money off it. They could tape those matches and have like a monthly hour-long Legends program that features legends matches and interviews.

    I really don't see a downside to it. It would've been a perfect use of the New Age Outlaws earlier this year instead of putting them on TV.

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  14. I don't think putting 50 year olds over your future stars are the best idea, but I do think they could work with them and learn (while still going over in the end).

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  15. Anyone know if Sid actually drew as champion or is he using the Kevin Nash TNA charts to put himself over. I imagine if Sid actually drew then Vince would have kept him as champion for a long time.

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  16. Probably trying to make amends so he could get a job.

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    Replies
    1. Sid is the man who ruled the world with only half the brain you have!

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