10 Things We Learned From Ron Simmons On Stone Cold’s Broken Skull Podcast
WWE Hall Of Famers reminisce about WCW, insane road trips and...real bar fights!
Yes, he said that catchphrase.
Ron Simmons can be heard belting out a crowd-pleasing "DAMN!" during his WWE Hall Of Fame acceptance speech during the latest episode of Steve Austin's 'Broken Skull Sessions'. It's easy for younger fans to think such comedy timing was all the former Faarooq had to offer, but that's not the case.
A renowned tough guy who nonetheless nurtured more than he hurt, Ron opened the interview by telling 'Stone Cold' just how much respect he has for him. There was no mincing words here - Simmons is a straight-to-the-point kind of dude, and he's rightly proud of everything he has accomplished in sports and pro wrestling despite a troubled upbringing.
Together, these two mates talked early days in WCW, success in WWE and what Ron is seriously proud of. That last one is multi-faceted. He's proud of becoming the first major black World Champion, sure, but it says everything about Simmons that he covets the achievements of others just as much as his own.
As always, Austin hit a home run here. He really is one of the best interviewers in the biz.
10. How Gruelling His Training Was
Apologies for being so curt, but f*ck Ron's training.
Lex Luger was the one who introduced Simmons to Japanese great Hiro Matsuda. They played on the same football team, and Lex knew that his friend would dig Hiro's notoriously-rugged style of putting aspiring wrestlers through their paces. He was right, but still...it sounds horrible.
Ron spent three months doing conditioning training before he was even allowed to step foot inside the ring. "Guys were dropping like flies", he told Austin. Then, Steve wanted to know how long it took between in-ring drills and having his first match. The answer? A long-assed time. Simmons spend a month just running ropes.
Matsuda would also blast his trainees with wooden boards across the back, chest and ribs. He wanted to toughen them up, but was determined to make sure that they understood pain so that they'd take care of peers during matches.
In short, he wanted them to be reliable (and hate 2x4s forever).