Hacksaw Jim Duggan Says He’s Doing Well After Heart Issues In 2018

In an interview with Wrestling Inc, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan spoke about how his health is after he dealt with heart problems at the end of 2018. At the time, he was hospitalized and moved to the ICU. Here are highlights:

On his “Hooo!” chant vs. Ric flair’s “Wooo!”: “I ask Ric, every time I see Ric it’s Wooooo! I’m like, ‘Ric, are your trunks too tight or what?’ It’s more like a Hoooooo! Every one should start the morning off with a good Hooo.”

On his health: “I’m doing great but I had a few health issues last year. I listened to my doctor and I’ve dropped about 40 pounds and am doing much better. I just turned 66 and I joke that Flair and Hogan still call me ‘kid’. Jake [Roberts] says he’s younger but I wanna see a birth certificate. Once in a while I’ll hit the ring with a 2×4. I joke that it works as good as it always has. I still love doing the indies because those are the kids that really love wrestling. They have regular jobs but still love wrestling so much. They know the odds of making it are a million to one but it’s still great to go out and see those kids out there and be a part of their show.”

On his career highlights: “As in the WWF, no one knew how large the company would become as in the Royal Rumble. Back then, I was more shocked than anyone to find out I was gonna win. If you look at the talent in the ring – for them to put me over – of course that’s my biggest feather. But not my biggest memory as that was wrestling Andre in the Garden.”

On winning the first Royal Rumble: “It was great to win it. I joke I was never World or Intercontinental or Tag Team champion as I was lucky to win a match. So to win the Royal Rumble was great. But that was my character – I didn’t care if I won the match as long as I won the fight, tough guy. Hoooooo!”

On the title shot at Wrestlemania not existing back then: “I’d like to get that pay-off, brother! The thing about the title – my character was never much of a title guy. I just needed a 2×4 and the flag of the United States of America. There was nothing fancy about Hacksaw Jim Duggan, tough guy.”

On his one man shows: “Piper was the first guy to start doing these and then Mick Foley took them to a different level. Now Jake’s doing them and then DiBiase and myself. It’s wrestling stories – it’s not comedy as up there telling jokes. It’s talking about traveling with Jake Roberts, wrestling Andre the Giant. It’s a behind the scenes look at the Golden Age of Wrestling that so many people are intrigued by. Even folks that aren’t wrestling fans, I’ll be on an airplane and a guy will go, ‘I’m not a wrestling fan but how about…and they’ll ask a question. It’s a fun night out. At this stage of my life, me and my wife travel the world telling wrestling stories. What a great business. Backstage in general, what you remember the most, what was the toughest guy. How was Macho Man backstage? Who pulled the biggest ribs? It’s a million and one stories. Even the product now – people are critical but they still have 100,000 people at ‘Mania. But that era was the golden era. Thank goodness folks remember our era.”