The Art of Wrestling with Colt Cabana
Episode 298 – Rockstar Spud
Release Date: April 21, 2016
DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN/DOWNLOAD
Report by Chris Davidson
Hot Topics
– Rockstar Spud talks about his career, including his recent run in TNA
– Rockstar Spud and Colt Cabana discuss the ups and downs of their relationship
– Colt Cabana remembers Balls Mahoney
Timestamps
0:00 – Introduction
7:06 – Song of the Week
10:49 – Rockstar Spud Interview
14:21 – Spud talks being in the U.S.
21:41 – Spud talks being successful in wrestling
31:40 – Spud talks growing up and getting into wrestling
41:20 – Spud talks being a short wrestler and making wrestling a career
47:52 – Spud talks about his gimmick
52:25 – Spud talks TNA
1:05:21 – Colt wraps up the show
EPISODE SUMMARY
0:00 – Introduction – Colt opened the show with a few gripes about his hearing and about his shower drain. Colt mentioned his cleaning lady and briefly told a story about a cleaning lady who saw his apartment and left because it was too much. Colt plugged his upcoming comedy shows and recapped his recent House of Hardcore shows. Colt spent a moment giving a tribute to Balls Mahoney and his legacy in wrestling before giving a brief introduction to Rockstar Spud. Colt told a story about telling Spud off in a locker room a few years ago and clearing the ”weirdness” after Spud came to America, because Spud wanted it mentioned in the interview. Colt called the moment one of the weird things that happens because they are in wrestling.
7:06 – Song of the Week – The song of the week this week is “Dustin’s Song” by Rocky Romero, written as an apology to Chuck Taylor for breaking up his tag team with Trent Barreta.
10:49 – Rockstar Spud Interview – Colt opened the interview joking that Spud was wearing a suit and bow tie, even though Spud was wearing a Patrick Swayze t-shirt, because it’s ”theater of the mind.” Spud talked about drinking and getting into bottled Coors Light in America, because beer is not iced in England. Spud brought up a time when Colt went to England and Spud took him to terrible night clubs. Colt, who doesn’t often drink alcohol, discussed drinking on his first tour of England. Both men talked about various methods of keeping beverages cold. Colt asked if Spud was happy to be in America.
14:21 – Spud talks being in the U.S. – Spud had some visa issues and had to go to England for a few months, but he is back in America for now, and wants to be in America for a long time. Spud said that, because of his performer’s visa, he worries when he hears people speculate about TNA folding because he does not want to have to go back to England. Colt asked if Spud drives, and Spud can drive, he just does not own a car and uses Lyft and Uber because they can be a tax write-off. Spud said he loves driving around to shows with other wrestlers, and he’s happy to drive because he likes driving in America. Colt joked about getting a camper to drive a lot of people around, but eventually you get tired of driving. Spud contrasted the differences driving in the U.K. and in the U.S., and briefly about schooling.
21:41 – Spud talks being successful in wrestling – Colt applauded Spud’s story, as he remembered meeting Spud years ago and thinking he was just another small guy, talented but a long shot to be successful. Spud credited being upbeat because he sees many people who are negative because they consider themselves failures in wrestling, even though they have impacted the lives of people who go to their shows and are getting to travel the world and meet interesting people. Colt agreed, and suggested Bushwhacker Luke as someone who he is friends with that everyone he grew up with would think is insane. Spud dropped Kurt Angle as someone who he grew up watching and respecting, but will hug him like an uncle. Spud called Angle a “cyborg” and the nicest man in the world because he’s comfortable being the “baddest man on the planet.” Spud said Angle hobbles to the entry ramp, but as soon as his music hits, he’s on and amazing. Spud told an anecdote about Terry Taylor wrestling Ric Flair, where Flair was wrecked right before the match, but comes out of the locker room immaculate and puts on a 45-minute match. Colt and Spud discussed taking pictures and getting autographs of other wrestlers.
31:40 – Spud talks growing up and getting into wrestling – Spud grew up a small kid who loved wrestling. Spud grew up as a hyperactive kid, and was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. Spud went in depth about his brother who he doesn’t have a lot of contact with because he has set himself apart from Spud. Spud talked more about his family, and his ADHD before Colt asked him about getting into wrestling. Spud credited Spike Dudley as the wrestler who he saw as evidence that he could make it in wrestling. Spud started training with Steve Logan from World of Sport, but Logan essentially had his trainees train themselves. Spud discussed the different wrestlers he met while training and the challenges of being a short wrestler.
41:20 – Spud talks being a short wrestler and making wrestling a career – Colt asked about being one of the shorter wrestlers in the ring. Spud said that he tries to help wrestlers when they are in matches against people bigger than they are, but sometimes he gets dismissed as having a short man complex. Colt asked if Spud had even gotten paid less for being short. Spud hasn’t had an issue with pay, but he feels he undervalues himself and that can come through in his bookings. Spud talked about his lack of a five-year plan, but he was planning on focusing on his day job at a bank if he wasn’t making money by age 30. British Boot Camp came around just months before he turned 30, and then he came to America for TNA right after he turned 30. Colt asked what the plan at the bank would be, but Spud said he would probably stay a teller, as there isn’t a lot of opportunity to move up.
47:52 – Spud talks about his gimmick – Colt noted the changes in Spud’s character and asked about his total change to the Rockstar Spud gimmick, because he doesn’t think he has the guts to completely change his character like Spud did. Spud “turned him heel” because he doesn’t see himself as the same person as his gimmick. Spud credited Colt as the first person to call a match in the ring instead of planning the whole match in the back. Spud turned heel because he wanted to call matches and work on acting, with “all the bad traits” of his personality combined into one.
52:25 – Spud talks TNA – Colt asked if Spud was worried doing British Boot Camp, because WWE has conditioned fans into knowing that the Tough Enough winner isn’t going to end up in the company. Spud said he did worry about that, but working in OVW was some of the best education he could get. Spud said that he was supposed to be in a spot match, but he was losing to Trent Barreta, and confronted Eric Bischoff as to why he was losing as a face, and told Bischoff he would work heel to get Barreta over, then wasn’t booked again for a few months until he became Dixie Carter’s Chief of Staff. When Spud got the Chief of Staff gimmick, he started dressing like annoying people he’d seen at the bank. Spud talked about his involvement with Jeff Hardy’s Willow gimmick. Colt called Spud a wrestling star, but Spud humbly told him he doesn’t see himself that way, but more as an annoying guy. Spud apologized to Colt if he upset him, and Colt mentioned a time in ROH when he told Spud to be respectful in the locker room. Spud spoke about his maturity and Colt reconnecting with him as a friend. Colt compared this to his recent return to ROH, saying that eventually you realize life’s too short to hold grudges. Spud plugged his social media and TNA on Pop before concluding the interview.
1:05:21 – Colt wraps up the show – Colt said he is often asked by people if they can be a wrestler, even if they are small or older. Colt encouraged listeners who may want to be wrestlers by saying that the odds of success may be against them, but people break into wrestling who start late or aren’t really big, so it’s possible if you work hard. Colt plugged his website, social media, and upcoming events, then thanked Konnan, his tech help, and sponsors. Colt talked about Vine for a few moments before signing off.
OVERALL SCORE
Score: 7.0 – Rockstar Spud made for an interesting guest this week on The Art of Wresting. Colt Cabana’s winning personality and good nature tend to mean he’s friends with everyone, so it was somewhat different to have a guest on with whom there was even a small amount of tension with, even if it was in the past. Spud was also very entertaining to listen to, which comes as no surprise as he has always been fun to watch in the ring. The last few week’s episodes have had the odd audio issue here and there, but this episode didn’t have any spots that were difficult to hear. Spud went into his current run in TNA and seemed genuinely excited to having the opportunities he is getting. Colt Cabana and Rockstar Spud delivered another solid episode of The Art of Wrestling.
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