Pro-wrestling legend and current AEW manager/coach Arn Anderson spoke about working with former Chicago Bear Steve “Mongo” McMichael during his WCW days, and reflects on his tag team title reign as a member of the Brainbusters. Highlights are below.
Talks working with Steve “Mongo” McMichael in WCW:
“I would just suggest this – Mongo never had one lesson with any trainer ever. He walked straight into our business from football to where he was something special. He was an All-Pro and he was on that ’85 team that won the Super Bowl that might’ve been the best team of all time. He was an assassin. He brought the same qualities as a man to our business. The only thing was, he’s trying to keep from killing everybody. So, he’s gotta tone it down and he’s gotta try to learn to work with guys and not kill everybody, but with no formal training. Was it gonna be rotten? Probably. Anybody would have. I’m sure we were all rotten when we first started. But he did improve a little bit as we got along, and the main thing was he was such a strong character. He had a great look, and I just knew the man beneath the persona. He was not only all man, but he was a good friend and a good guy to just sit around and talk to. He had a lot of great qualities. He’s never gonna be in that top five workers of all time, but that wasn’t his intention.”
Discusses the Brainbusters tag team title reign and how they nearly worked Demolition at Mania:
“I sure hope so. I don’t think they would’ve took the titles off of us. We were on a roll up there. That’s one thing – they did use us good. We worked with all their tag teams and had plenty of time for the matches. It was good. They used us well, they just didn’t pay us properly. There’s that same thing again. I don’t know what the plans would’ve been, but I know they were happy with our work and all the teams up there wanted to work with us. They did have a history of teams holding onto titles for quite a while – Demolition had them for almost a year straight. So, there you go. I loved to work with those guys as much as possible.”
On the dynamics of babyface vs. heel champions:
“I think a heel with a lot of devilish qualities that just makes you want to see him get his ass kicked, and it doesn’t matter who does it. Once a guy reaches that acclaim and that reputation, that’s when you really draw money. They will pay to see anybody shut this guy up. And it also gives the babyface a mountain to climb and something to achieve. If he’s already the champion, I’m already satisfied. He has to go after a title that means something to him and tell me why it means something to him. He has to earn his way there.”
Check out Anderson’s full thoughts here. (H/T and transcribed by 411 Mania)
