Rhino Reveals Triple H Was Instrumental in His 2013 WWE Return

– During a recent interview with Insight with Chris Van Vliet, former WWE Superstar Rhino discussed his career, returning to WWE in 2013, his favorite Gore moment, and more. Below are some highlights:

Rhino the spear onto Jeff Hardy at WrestleMania 17: “So it’s a big match. Everybody’s down there. And I didn’t do any appearances because they took me off TV. Lita was taken out, Spike was taken out, I was taken out. So nobody knew we were going to be there. So we didn’t have any appearances or anything. And so I just go work out, lay low, go to bed early. I go to bed early a lot whenever I can unless I’m on the road wrestling. So we’re all asked to be at The Astrodome in Houston. And I think it was like 11 pm When we got there [the night before] maybe 12. And I mean, I tried to take a nap before so I’d be awake. And I’m sitting in Michael Cole’s announce seat and I’m just sitting there and they’re comfortable, especially at one o’clock. They’re just working and this and that and they’re talking and I’m starting to doze off. And it’s when you’re starting to doze off you are fighting it, but it’s not working.

“And all of a sudden, I hear ‘Rhino!’ I jumped, it’s Edge. Bubba’s glaring at me. Bubba, told him, Look at your boy, sleeping. WrestleMania is tomorrow. A big match. Yeah, I mean, that was a big match ahead. So anyways, now I’m like, Okay, I gotta get up, walk around, move around. I didn’t want to interrupt the match. I’m not in the match, but you’re part of the match later on. And it was one of those things where you’re still the new kid on the block. You kind of want to know your role. You don’t want to be overly [involved] then it’s like, Who’s this kid? You don’t want to fall asleep. So I got up and started walking around, and that Spear spot, Edge and Jeff Hardy, they’re just kind of going over this and he [Edge] can’t jump that far, and you’re 18 feet [in the air]. I think those are 18-foot ladders or something crazy. And I’m just like, I’ve got the answer. But I don’t want to say anything because I have got heat with Bubba. And we knew each other in ECW and he knew I wasn’t a jerk or anything. So that’s why I think he let it slide and he didn’t actually kill me. So I’m just like, kind of like wanting to raise my hand going, Oh, I know the answer. I know the answer. And I’m like, You got to get him swinging, that’s the whole key to that. So you got to get them close enough. I go, why don’t you just pick up the ladder? Because you don’t see Edge up there. And, Bubba, if you’re trying to get the ladder out from underneath, so that all happens. So I redeemed myself to Bubba. It’s legendary. That’s probably the greatest Spear ever.”

Rhino on what he thinks the best Gore he hit was: “Believe it or not one of the best Gore I’ve ever hit on someone was in Cadillac, Michigan. It wasn’t for WWE. WWE used to go up there a lot in the 90s. Then they grew out of the building. And then we went back there. They just added it to a little bit was sold out. Big Show and Rey were in the main event. And it was for an independent group that we had probably about 900 people there. And Sabu was on the card too. And the guy’s name was Gameboy, but I still see him really cool dude. And I don’t know what it was, but you could probably find it out there. It was so gnarly. I literally thought I was sending them to the hospital.”

On goring Chris Jericho thorugh the SmackDown set: “When they told me they’re like, Hey, we’re getting the set can you do something? I’m like, this ain’t gonna be memorable. But that is probably one of the most memorable moments. I think it hurt him more than a table [bump] but Jericho is tough, he can handle it. He’s like bring it.”

Rhino on getting re-hired by Triple H in 2013: “Hunter wanted to hire me back after TNA. Vince told Hunter I like Terry as a person but he’s never going to work for us again, never. I heard that in 2013. Terry Taylor actually told me, I’m not sure if he was supposed to tell me or if Hunter told him. Hunter was a big fan of my work, he knows the importance of veterans working with younger talent in the ring. He said It’s not a battle I can win. I see Pat Patterson who has always been a fan of mine in Montreal in 2014. When you hear that it’s like ugh, but I know I can change minds. Never doesn’t mean neer. So Pat goes to Vince, Steve Lombardi tells me I’m going to get a call. So, no call, Pat went to Vince, you gotta hire this guy, looks great, the crowd loves him, and we need him. Nothing. So Triple H, everything was going great in NXT, it was the hottest show. Vince likes everything to go through him because if it goes wrong he has no one to blame but him. Which is totally respectable, I get it, but he likes ideas. Hunter booked me for NXT and I worked with Elias before he came up with that character. I was like please remember me. Hunter knew it would work, he knows how to book stuff and how to run wrestling. If something worked, Vince would be like ok, you don’t have to run stuff by me. I’m not saying I opened the door for Samoa Joe and the other guys, they were all important for NXT. but if he had someone come out and it was a dud then it wouldn’t have gotten the leeway.”