Eddie Sharkey On Training The Road Warriors, Wasn’t Bothered By Vince McMahon Breaking the Territories

Legendary wrestling trainer and promoter Eddie Sharkey appeared on VOC Nation’s Wrestling with History and discussed training the Road Warriors, plus more. The show sent some highlights along, and you can check them out along with the full audio below:

On how he got into training: “I had to get a job so I went to work – I was going to be a bartender – in a place called (inaudible). I had to work as a bouncer for a month or two before there was an opening. That’s where they all were: Rick Rude was there, Animal, Hawk, Barry Darsow…it was the toughest place in Minneapolis, and Minneapolis is a real tough town. They asked me if I’d like to get back into the business training, and I said ‘no, I’m out of it.’…so Hawk came up and handed me five $100 bills, and that was it…I was in it for 20 years after that.”

On the difference between training in the 80s versus today: “Nothing. Wrestling’s still the same moves, the same holds. Different people, different attitudes, but basically still the same. If you’re good you make it, if you’re not you don’t.”

On training the Road Warriors: “I realized there was something special, but I never dreamt they’d be the best in the world. We never dreamt of that…I basically taught them how to fall, how to protect themselves, how to not get hurt, and how to not hurt their opponent. The rest they kinda picked up on their own.”

On if he was bothered by Vince McMahon breaking the territory rules: “No I couldn’t care less. I didn’t care. Vince offered Vern millions of dollars for the territory. He offered him everything, he offered him the world. Vern just got real nasty with him so (McMahon) came in and took it all.”

On what quality if most important to be successful in wrestling: “The most important thing about a professional wrestler is your friends – having friends in the business. It’s amazing that it hasn’t changed that much…just be a good guy, and a good worker. Especially a good guy. You don’t realize how important that is. You’re in a car, you’re driving to Winnipeg or driving to Chicago..if you don’t have that, you don’t have nothing – – you’re going to have bad matches.”