Mr. Anderson Talks About Samoa Joe’s TNA Departure

In an interview with Ring Rust Radio, Mr. Anderson spoke about Samoa Joe’s TNA departure and more. Here are highlights:

On his time with the Aces & Eights story: “Creatively, you’re dealing with a group of ten guys that all have different ideas, people who are writing stuff behind the scenes, and at the end of the day you all have to agree on certain things. I think in every situation and match I have been in in the wrestling business, I never looked backed and said, “that was awesome, boy I just loved that match I was involved in”. Usually it’s actually the opposite. I ignore all the positive things that happened in the match and focus on the little things that irritate me that somebody else might not even notice. There is certain things I wish I could change. I wish we could of played some things out a little longer, but I also feel at some point the Aces and Eights segments were eating up so much time on TV. That would be my only regret or criticism. We would come out four times a night and it would lose its luster after you already heard the song three times, by the fourth time it means even less.”

On an idea he had that was never used: “There was a program I pitched in the WWE for a character idea. It was a heel and had to do with laying guys out back stage with the camera never seeing who it was. I was a baby face on TV but all these people would be laid out backstage. Back in Vietnam, they would lay ace of spades cards on the dead bodies of the killed. It was an idea that was given to me by Steve Austin at one point. So that would be my calling card and then at some point I would come out to make the big save and turn on who I was saving to reveal myself. Throw an ace of spades card on them after. After pitching in WWE it got turned down, so I pitched it in TNA and they liked it but nothing came of it. I try to as much as I can stay out of that aspect of the business. I don’t involve myself in story lines and angles. I take what is given to me and make the most of it.”

On Samoa Joe leaving TNA and his role backstage: “Joe was a locker room leader, no question about it. Not a locker room leader that raised his hand and says, “I want to be the leader, I want to be your leader, I want you to look up to me”. People just naturally gravitated to him and his respect is all earned. When a guy like that leaves it impacts the locker room. In the business, we have come accustomed to people coming and going all the time, that’s just how this industry operate. Were still friends and still all connected. You can go five, ten years without talking to somebody, and then bump into them and pick up like it was yesterday. Joe, whatever he does, even if it’s just indies, he will be just fine.”