Chicken Wings, Beer, and Wrestling Glory with Downtown Bruno

Ever wondered how some of wrestling's biggest names have mastered the art of longevity and audience engagement? Join us for an exciting episode of Road Trip After Hours with our special guest, the legendary Downtown Bruno. Filling in for our usual co-host Teddy Long, Bruno takes us down memory lane, sharing his incredible journey from his early days in mid-continent wrestling under Dale Man to his big break in Memphis when Jimmy Hart left for New York. Listen as he recounts his valuable mentorships with Guido Mongo and Jonathan Boyd and the pivotal moment when Rocky Johnson brought him to Hawaii, realizing his dream to manage in his home territory.

In this captivating conversation, we dive deep into the nuances of professional wrestling. Bruno sheds light on the importance of timing, pacing, and the "less is more" philosophy in the ring, a strategy that icons like The Rock, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and John Cena have mastered to ensure career longevity and unmatched audience engagement. Bruno also opens up about his near-fatal accident in 1994 and the business side of wrestling, stressing the significance of selling action rather than time. Despite stepping back from full-time wrestling, his passion for the sport remains undiminished as he continues to participate in smaller events and conventions.

We conclude this episode with heartfelt reflections from Bruno as he reminisces about his induction into the Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame and the excitement of signing with WWE over 35 years ago. He shares his admiration for influential figures such as Triple H, Randy Orton, Vince McMahon, and The Rock. With a cozy chat that includes his usual nighttime routine of chicken wings and cold beer, we wrap up by expressing our gratitude to Bruno for making this episode truly special. Don't miss this enjoyable and relaxed conversation that captures the essence of wrestling's evolution and its enduring appeal.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:38

Hello again, everybody and welcome to Road Trip After Hours. I'm your host, mac Davis, and my well, my normal co-host, mr Teddy. Teddy Long, he's not here. He's on a special assignment. We'll find out more about that next week, but this week I made a phone call. There's this one guy that Teddy and I have talked to in the last year two years now and I always feel like we just click so easy that having a conversation is no problem. So I picked up the phone, called downtown Bruno and asked him would he join the show? And he said absolutely, bruno, how you doing?

Speaker 2: 1:13

brother. Good, I want to say hi y'all from Mississippi.

Speaker 1: 1:17

I heard Georgia said y'all was down here too.

Speaker 2: 1:22

There you go, so I'm just happy to be here. There you go, so I'm just happy to be here.

Speaker 1: 1:35

And you know I always hate it when Teddy's not involved because that means I'm going to get uglyly, that you and I we kind of click Just immediately. I could tell how easy you are to talk to and we didn't have a whole lot of time the first time we had a chat to really kind of find out some of the details of how you actually got into wrestling. I know that you came in before Rocky Johnson got in the picture, correct?

Speaker 2: 2:01

Yeah, the first guy I worked for was a guy named dale man. It was mid-continent, wrestling out of jamestown, kentucky, and uh, I went on tour with him working on the ring crew and he let me manage, even though I didn't have a clue what I was doing. He let me manage and uh, that's how I kind of got my first feet wet as a manager, which I always wanted to be, but I wasn't. I had potential but I wasn't any good at it because I didn't know what I was doing. And then I got him Newton Patrick, who was Guido Mongo. He helped me a lot in those days too, as did a guy named Jonathan Boyd, one of the original Kiwi sheep herders before Luke and Butch. He was also one of the Royal Kangaroos. They all helped me along the way.

Speaker 2: 2:51

But then, when I went to work for Bob Geigler in Kansas City is when Rocky and I clicked, just like you and I did, and me and Teddy and me and a lot of people, and Rocky brought me to Hawaii and got me my first full-time managing thing where I didn't have to put up the ring, I didn't have to put out posters, I didn't have to put up chairs. And then, of course my goal in life was I was to manage here in the Memphis territory, which you know everybody, wherever they grew up. That's their goal if they're in our business, to be in their home territory. Yeah, that was the big leagues to me and it was. And uh, lawler was in hawaii and he was explaining to me. He thought I was doing a great job. He had me manage him over there.

Speaker 2: 3:36

But there was this guy you might have heard of that was managing in memphis at the time, named jimmy hart. So there wasn't a spot for another manager and you know, they probably had like a valet girl with some guy, or maybe Tojo was always there as a manager, but there wasn't a spot for me. Well, when Hart left for New York, there was my spot, there was my break and everything went from there. So, long story short, that's in a nutshell how I got my uh, my uh starting the business, the one thing that you know.

Speaker 1: 4:11

I always ask this to people who are a little bit more old school, like I am, and I believe you and I are probably. I think we're probably the same age or very close to it. Okay, I'm 60. So, yeah, yeah, we are close in age. I kind of felt that when we talked a few times Right, when you watch wrestling now, bruno, it's not what we grew up with. When you see it now, how do you, as an old school fan, what do you feel like you're watching now?

Speaker 1: 4:38

Well, uh, and let me say I just realized I look, I know your friends who are with rock and I don't I don't want to put you on the spot because he's with the company, but I mean just in general, there are things that are different in wrestling that really drive me crazy, and I imagine there are some with you as well well, yeah, and you know what, and you know I'm still with the company too.

Speaker 2: 4:59

You know I'm still a member of wwe, um, and it's not WWE or NXT or any of these other organizations that you know. I never said competition to WWE, but opposition. I'll say Anything any of them do, because there is no competition for WWE, it's like you know. But anyway, that's not. By the way, before we get off the subject, that's not me telling the company a lie, we get off the subject. That's not me telling the company a lie, that's the truth.

Speaker 2: 5:27

I mean, it really is but the thing is not to put a damper on what the business is doing. Now, especially, wwe is doing tremendous business, so I'm not putting anything down. It's just not what I'm used to. Let me say that it was a lot slower in our day. There's some things that in any wrestling organization, whether it's WWE or a small indie show that I might be at for whatever reason, certain things I've never liked Three guys standing on the floor waiting for one guy to dive over the top rope it's like they all catch him. I hate that. I swear to you In real life. Let's just say you and me and Teddy were standing talking together somewhere. Some guy came running and diving at us, like in a bar or something. We're going to move out of the way, yeah.

Speaker 1: 6:14

The hand couldn't hit Right. We're going to catch him.

Speaker 2: 6:17

You know what?

Speaker 1: 6:18

To me that's like things like that, yeah, and you know what, and I've seen that some people can do that and it looks right. But it has to be timed exactly right in order for it to happen. Because, you're right, if you look off to the side of the ring and you see a bunch of guys grouping together, you know, and you know they're getting ready to catch the guy who's bouncing from the other side of the ring over the road, right, you know it's like, okay, come on, guys, you need to time this where you actually all kind of come together, right as he's coming over the top of the rope and it just looks like he got lucky and you guys came together at the same time, right, something like that. But you know, have you seen some of the latest stuff, uh, from rock and, uh, what they led into with wrestlemania? Did you watch any of that?

Speaker 2: 7:01

oh, yeah, and actually, uh, I was at the fedex forum in memphis when smackdown, just a few weeks before wrestlemania, was here in memphis and I, you know, met with rock and that was how he did the rock concert where he sang the funny song and everything and, uh, you know the interaction with cody rose and everything. Yeah, now let me tell you the stuff. Now, if you really want to compartmentalize these things, if you notice guys like Rock, cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns and let's go back, not far back, but just recently, stone Cold and Rock Undertaker Triple H, some of the greatest workers in the business, john Cena, okay, have you noticed all these top, top, top tier guys that I just mentioned? None of them did all that crazy, you know stuff and they got overused. The guys that do the crazy stuff are never the main event.

Speaker 1: 7:59

I was taught when I first got into wrestling that less is more. You don't have to, you know, build to the excitement at the end of the match. And again, less is more, that you know you don't have to kill yourself. You don't need to do 50 somersaults from the top ropes because once they see one, they've seen enough. And unless you can top that, how many times can you continue to top that move? It shortens your lifespan. To me in the ring.

Speaker 2: 8:25

I agree. Not only that, we call it high spots for a reason, if it's one after the other after the other. It's average. Make it mean something. Jimmy Snook couldn't dive off the top rope five times during his match. When he did it, the whole audience became electric.

Speaker 1: 8:43

Yes, you've got to build to it. I don't see that anymore. I I see a lot of guys going there and especially now, I will say this and this happens in all the companies. Again, it's not just one company, uh, but I see too many times the things that they do in the ring that shouldn't be happening in the ring. Um, it just makes you want to really kind of punch the screen at times, right.

Speaker 2: 9:05

Well, you know, and like I go to a lot of smaller independent shows. You know they have me as a special referee or whatever. Yeah, and one thing I always tell the promoter or whatever, because these guys, it's their hobby, it's not their life, it's my life. Some of these guys just want to wrestle for fun. Well, it's my living and I'm watching. They just want to go these long, broad-out matches. I tell the promoter, look, can I address these guys before the event? And they always say, of course. I say y'all, we're selling action, not time. And that's what a lot of these guys don't understand. It's a business. It's a business. Everything you damn, it's a business. It's a business. Everything you can see behind me. I know it's in a pebble hills house, but everything in this house is paid for, from professional wrestling, everything. So I know what I'm talking about.

Speaker 2: 9:54

After 45 years, I better know what I'm talking about?

Speaker 1: 9:57

yeah, I would hope so, and that's one of the questions I wanted to ask you too, bruno, is you know you've been away from the business on on a large scale for how many years now? It's been a while, right Since COVID, since 2020, I haven't been full-time on the road. Would you like to go back full-time on the road again? Is that something you'd like to do, or are you happy basically what you're doing now?

Speaker 2: 10:17

I'm extremely happy with what I'm doing now because that's 42 years of constant, constant, constant and I've paid a lot of dues. I paid a lot of dues in full, especially July 4th 1994, when I was in the ditch with Joey with that wreck when he got basically beheaded. Oh, wow, okay. I've paid a lot of dues in full and I feel like I've earned a break and I still help people, I still go to small events, I still go to conventions and I'm always there if WWE needs me to do something. But as far as going back on the road, I'm very satisfied and God bless the deal I've got. I'm blessed by God and by WWE. They came together for me.

Speaker 1: 11:09

Your time period in wrestling for a lot of fans, especially my age and even younger and older. I'm kind of in the middle of a group there, but you were a face that was very common to see on the screen and it seems unusual still not to see you appear once in a while as Harvey Whippleman or downtown Bruno with rock back in there. Do you think there might be a chance to be at least get a special guest appearance from Harvey or downtown Bruno?

Speaker 2: 11:40

I mean, if they were asked for it I'll certainly do it, but it's not something that's on my radar. You know, I'm just very happy being still a part of the business that I've always been a part of and been in, and I'm just proud of the fact that I've got a lot of people that looked out for me. And God, I love Triple H, I love Randy Orton. I love I don't give a damn if anybody doesn't like this I love Vince McMahon. He's been nothing but good to me and, as Stone Cold would say, that's the bottom line.

Speaker 2: 12:15

And of course, dwayne. I mean I owe him, I mean he's one of the ones I owe my life to him. And Lawler and Rocky Johnson you know I can't say enough good things and I just I said God bless all of them, god bless the WWE. And you know, I'm just proud of, you know of the accomplishments that I've had and I'm proud that they've respected my time in the business. As I said, I paid those dues in full July 4, 1994, it was 30 years ago, 30 years ago.

Speaker 1: 12:51

What was your proudest moment in wrestling? For you personally, I don't mean it doesn't have to be because of attendance or because of the gate, whatever it may be. For you personally, what was one of those moments?

Speaker 2: 13:07

Well, when they put me in the Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame, that was huge to me because there I was Very cool.

Speaker 1: 13:19

Yeah, it was a big deal to me.

Speaker 2: 13:25

To me, because there I was very cool. Yeah, that was a big deal to me. Um and just be, when I first signed, over 35 years ago or whatever, for wwe, that was a proud moment. That you know. I made it in my home territory and I made it, yes, you know, national and worldwide. Uh, you know, spotlight, that was a huge deal for me. I'm funny, I don't think about the house and the gate, and I was in the main event whatever.

Speaker 2: 13:49

I don't care. Even though it was a goofy thing, when I was the Herveen of the Women's Champion, I can honestly say, even though it was only for one day, I was a world champion in the WWF. So which it was after the time, and that's.

Speaker 1: 14:07

you know, that's how many people can say that you know what did you think when they came to you and said, hey, we had an idea. What did you say? Oh, I said, you know, I'm gay for anything as long as I'm not going to get hurt or hurt somebody else you know I don't care game for anything as long as I'm not going to get hurt or hurt somebody else, I don't care, I'll do anything because that's the business.

Speaker 2: 14:25

Any particular memories from that? No, it was like it probably set the business back 20 years. That might have been the worst match in the history of no. No.

Speaker 1: 14:35

You obviously haven't seen Eric Bischoff and Teddy Long. Oh, okay, I got you.

Speaker 2: 14:40

That was a horrible match. Well, I've been in quite a few horrible matches myself.

Speaker 1: 14:47

Were there times, though, for you, because it seems like you were so embedded in the business that you would do whatever you had to do to be there. Were there times where you thought this isn't going to work for me. I got to get out of this and try something else.

Speaker 2: 15:09

No, that never crossed my mind. Yeah, now, there's been days I never, I never, ever, ever contemplated quitting a business. Yeah, but then you know, and anybody will tell you, this is everybody living in our business. There's days you wake up in the morning loving the business and go home at night cursing the day you got in, and vice versa. Yes, you know, it happens. I mean, we all have our days and I've had days where I was pissed off, just wanted to go home, but I never thought about getting out of business, never, never have you know.

Speaker 2: 15:31

And uh, if it wasn't for the business, I wouldn't have close friends like yourself and teddy long and duane and brooklyn brawler, who me and him are very close, and, and to Rich and Doug Gilbert and, god bless, the late Eddie Gilbert and so many close friends the kid Jerry Lawler and Mick Foley I mean, I don't want to keep naming names, I'm going to leave somebody out, obviously. But you know, that's just. I wouldn't have anything what I got. I'm far from rich, but I'm doing. You know, I've had a good life.

Speaker 1: 16:03

I've always said, bruno, that I don't need to be rich, I just want to be able to pay my bills and be happy. That's it. That's all I've ever wanted, and I'm not somebody that's got to have a lot of money. Let me ask you real quick, before we run out of time Did you have a chance to see the WrestleMania 40 special? No, I, I really didn't get an opportunity to see that. Uh, when you get a chance, take a look at it. I'd be curious to know what you think about it. Uh, you know, I I was expecting something that was a little bit more about behind the scenes wrestlemania, but it seemed like it was more of a uh, a promo for rock.

Speaker 1: 16:38

I'm kind of wondering where they may be going with this.

Speaker 2: 16:40

It's kind of interesting yeah, I'll have to check it out. I just been. I got property I take care of here in Walls, mississippi, where I'm from, and during the day and I work for the town of Walls too. I'm actually an elected official.

Speaker 1: 16:52

You told me that actually last night I didn't know you were an elected official.

Speaker 2: 16:56

Yeah, I'm an alderman. I've been an alderman for the last three years. The election is again next June, so I'm going to hope we'll get on here and let me push for some donations. And you know, t-thirds, sides, key rings, whatever. I got to get reelected. But yeah, we had a workshop this morning and we had a meeting after that and I had to get on the tractor and take care of some property, so I stayed busy for the town. You know it's hot and humid, but you know when I'm healing I don't think you can see it on the thing.

Speaker 1: 17:25

Oh yeah, I can. You know, we both have that same problem. If I'm not wearing a hat when I'm out there, especially if I'm cutting, my head will blister up.

Speaker 2: 17:35

So I have to wear like a hat half the time, then take it off so I don't get sunburned. Well, that's the thing. Yeah, I wear a hat too, a baseball hat, turned backwards hats or whatever they do.

Speaker 1: 17:48

They're too irritating, but uh, but uh, sometimes I forget it. This is what happens. You know well, bruno, I appreciate you stopping by and uh, hopping on the air with me, since, uh, teddy, uh had to go into the special assignment out of nowhere and uh, it really I've enjoyed this like. I just knew, like in my mind and I'm and I'm saying this 100 honest when I first thought I need to find a special guest, I mean, mean, it was within 10 seconds your name came to my mind. It was like I'm calling Bruno, I know he'll, he'll do it if he can and we'll have a great conversation and we did.

Speaker 2: 18:16

I love it. Hey, when Teddy comes back and y'all want me to do it again, man, just feel free. I mean I don't want to wear out my welcome to the listeners and the viewers, but Feel free. I mean I don't want to wear out my welcome to the listeners and the viewers, but I mean I'm always happy to do it because at night I just sit here and eat my chicken wings, drink my cold beer and just unwind.

Speaker 1: 18:34

I hear you. That sounds good, especially that cold beer I see in the image right there. There you go. All right, brother, we're out of time. I'm Mac Davis. That's Downtown Bruno, our special co-host this week, and this has been Road Trip After Hours.