The Magnificent Seven: Top 7 Wanted Wrestling Podcast Guests

Note: This column was written prior to the Survivor Series announcement that Vince McMahon would appear on The Steve Austin Show.

Over the past couple years, I’ve joined the masses of podcast fans, with a particular affinity for The Steve Austin Show, The Ross Report, and Talk is Jericho. A long-time fan of wrestling memoirs and documentaries, it was a short leap to embrace this form of entertainment, easy to digest over long walks and carrides. Over the years, I’ve loved shows featuring legends like Bret Hart, Ric Flair, and Michael Hayes; current stars like John Cena, CM Punk, and AJ Styles; and personalities like Paul Heyman, Vince Russo, and Eric Bischoff.

The podcasting world has blown up as a new forum to hear wrestlers tell their shoot stories in an honest, straight-forward, relaxed fashion. There remain a handful of wrestling personalities we haven’t heard from who I imagine would have a treasure trove of stories to share with the fans. So, this week I present a list of the top seven parties on my wrestling podcast wishlist.

#7. Kevin Von Erich

Of all of the tragedies that have befallen the wrestling world, I don’t know that there’s any truer survivor than Kevin Von Erich. He was a part of one of wrestling’s great families—between his father and his brothers, the fundamental anchors of the Dallas wrestling region. And then came the tragedy. David Von Erich who died in a hotel room mere months away from winning the NWA Championship; Mike and Chris Von Erich who each committed suicide when they didn’t achieve wrestling stardom. Kerry Von Erich, who after a brief sting as NWA Champion lost his foot due to a motorcycle accident, succumbed to drug addiction, and kept wrestling for another year before he ultimately shot himself.

Kevin Von Erich was a popular second or third banana to David and Kerry, and a talented wrestler in one of wrestling’s hottest territories. He was one of five brothers, and all too young became the lone survivor. Kevin has proven himself as well-spoken, a key figure in both the Heroes of World Class and the WWE-produced Triumph and Tragedy documentaries. I’d love to hear Kevin a bit more off the cuff, talking about his family’s history, untold memories from WCCW, the next generation of Von Erichs—Lacey, Ross, and Marshall, and his learned perspective on the wrestling world today.

#6. The Iron Sheik

Yes, The Iron Sheik was one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time and an iconic figure if for nothing else than being the man who famously ended Bob Backlund’s first run as the WWF World Champion, and formally passed the torch to Hulk Hogan. But perhaps more importantly for this conversation, the dude is batshit crazy.

Via shoot interviews, his Hall of Fame induction speech, and his famous Twitter rants about humbling B. Brian Blair with the camel clutch, The Iron Sheik has made a name for himself as one of wrestling’s most celebrated and unpredictable crazy old men. Admittedly, part of the appeal of a podcast featuring the man would be to see just how much of his insanity is schtick, and how he would actually conduct himself in the relatively informal, but long-form layout of a podcast conversation.

#5. Bobby Heenan

Between his work as a manager and as a heel color commentator, Bobby Heenan earned himself a place on the list of wrestling’s all-time great talkers—both uproariously funny and boasting an understanding of wrestling psychology that so few can compare to. On top of that, consider the list of men Heenan managed or engaged in programs against—ranging from Nick Bockwinkel to Andre the Giant to Hulk Hogan to Ric Flair. And while Heenan’s most iconic work showed up in the WWF, before that he was a lead heel manager in the AWA, and after that he suffered through key periods in WCW’s history as a broadcaster.

I would probably rank Heenan a couple places higher on this list were it not for his health problems, including throat and tongue cancer episodes that have made it difficult for him to talk. I don’t know that it’s realistic to expect Heenan to be physically capable of thriving in the podcast format at this point in his life—but if he could pull it off, I have little doubt the results would be legendary.

#4. Muhammed Hassan

Whether you interpret WWE’s booking of Muhammed Hassan as the portrayal of a terrorist character or you think that the late stages of his WWE run were the advanced stages of a complex character, some simple truths remain: Hassan was one of the most controversial characters in WWE history, he was a talented young stud whose career ended too soon, and there remain a number of unanswered questions about the character and the man.

Hassan seems to have all but entirely removed himself from the wrestling world to focus on other pursuits, including an acting career. I don’t expect we’ll hear him talk about his wrestling career, but I suspect that a conversation between him and someone like Steve Austin about how he came up in wrestling, the justifications given to him behind his booking, what it was like to play his character, his interactions with fans, and his ultimate fall from grace in the wrestling world would be darn compelling to listen to.

#3. Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar has never been known as a particularly great talker, but he proved his ability to cut an effective promo under the right circumstances upon his initial return to WWE in 2012, and moreover there’s the simple fact that he is one of the most fascinating figures in pro wrestling history—and particularly one of the most interesting acts around today. I’d love to get the inside track on what led him back to WWE, his unique deal (working part-time and accepting sponsorships for his ring gear), his side of the story when it comes to ending The Streak, and what he really thinks about any number of his contemporaries.

We probably won’t hear Lesnar speak his truths anytime soon, but here’s hoping that down the road we can get the full story, straight from The Beast’s mouth.

#2. The Undertaker

The Undertaker is truly remarkable in his refusal to shed kayfabe, and insistence on more or less maintaining his character in all aspects of his public persona. Yes, the biker era exposed a different side of The Dead Man on air, and he has opened up a bit, speaking to the media at MMA events, and speaking candidly on the Triple H Thy Kingdom Come documentary. These remain the exceptions, not the rule, however, as ‘Taker seems better represented by his choices to wait until Raw went off the air pay tribute to Ric Flair on his retirement Raw, or to offer a wordless, fully in character gesture in tribute to Paul Bearer when he went into the WWE Hall of Fame.

I can’t help thinking ‘Taker would have a unique perspective on all things WWE from 1990 to the present, including the transitions between eras and top stars, his WrestleMania undefeated streak, the evolution of Kane, and how he, himself, evolved his in-ring style over time. If only for longevity and commitment to his craft, The Undertaker is undeniably one of wrestling’s all-time greats and I would be fascinated to hear his story in his own words.

#1. Vince McMahon

My interest in hearing people on podcasts is largely about wanting to hear their honest stories, uncensored by the WWE brass and untempered by implications on their own careers or personal relationships. I don’t know that Vince McMahon could ever give a totally honest, earnest interview, given that his life is so fundamentally intertwined with the WWE “machine.” Just the same, if all things were equal, I can’t imagine anyone with a more knowledgeable or unique perspective on wrestling history in the last fifty years than McMahon himself. We’ve seen hints as to his insights on various documentary releases. How cool would it be to a get a full, first-hand account of the nationalization of the WWF product, the reasoning behind the Montreal Screwjob, the rise of the Attitude Era, the Monday Night War, the decision to launch the WWE Network, and so much more? I can only imagine that an hour-plus conversation between him and epic on-air rival/top business partner Steve Austin, or on-again off-again right hand man Jim Ross would be pure magic.

Which wrestling personalities would you most like to hear on podcasts? Dean Ambrose? Dixie Carter? Alberto Del Rio? Sid? Let us know what you think in the comments section. See you in seven.