Full Transcript for A Wrestler’s Struggle, Transformation, and Faith - Podcast interview with Ira Mark Smith

was fantastic. I was just waiting for Tony Schiavone to say something or 32 00:02:27,157 --> 00:02:29,617 Jim Ross to go, what a slobberknocker. 33 00:02:29,837 --> 00:02:31,717 So anyway, it was fantastic. 34 00:02:33,397 --> 00:02:40,717 So let's just dive in. Let's talk about the first thing we're going to talk 35 00:02:40,717 --> 00:02:42,257 about. Let's just talk about the funny story. 36 00:02:42,397 --> 00:02:45,257 How did you get Ira? Let's talk about how you got your name. 37 00:02:46,217 --> 00:02:53,917 Let's do that. Well, I mean, like most people, you're named after someone. 38 00:02:55,853 --> 00:03:00,053 And unfortunately, or fortunately, whichever way you want to say it, 39 00:03:00,133 --> 00:03:05,533 the man I was married to, I say married, my God, I've been married to him for 31 years. 40 00:03:05,893 --> 00:03:10,613 Boy, this is spontaneous. You can tell. C-T-E, I'm already claiming it. 41 00:03:10,993 --> 00:03:18,173 Anyway, so the doctor that delivered me, that said, hut one, hut two, hut, hut, hut. 42 00:03:18,313 --> 00:03:20,873 And then I came out, you know, like an athlete would. 43 00:03:21,933 --> 00:03:29,413 And so his name was Ira Slade. But he didn't like Ira. His nickname was Dutch. 44 00:03:30,313 --> 00:03:35,213 And he was a cool-looking guy, a great doctor, great heart. 45 00:03:35,793 --> 00:03:43,393 He became a minister later on. But I was named for a man that didn't even like the name himself. 46 00:03:45,153 --> 00:03:48,933 But I'll say it this way. My parents got divorced after 30 years. 47 00:03:49,433 --> 00:03:53,733 My mom was a great stabilizer. She gave me a normal childhood anyways. 48 00:03:53,733 --> 00:03:56,693 Ways my dad will get into it abusive 49 00:03:56,693 --> 00:03:59,613 all this kind of stuff they probably didn't 50 00:03:59,613 --> 00:04:02,713 talk much about the name they probably looked at 51 00:04:02,713 --> 00:04:08,253 dutch slade as i came out of the out of the womb and they probably said dutch 52 00:04:08,253 --> 00:04:12,233 what's a good name and as a joke he probably said you can call him ira they 53 00:04:12,233 --> 00:04:18,213 said okay done deal that's probably what happened so you've got a name named 54 00:04:18,213 --> 00:04:20,233 after the the doctor who delivered you. 55 00:04:20,773 --> 00:04:24,633 He wouldn't even use the name. That's right. 56 00:04:26,633 --> 00:04:31,113 But you go by Mark, Mark Smith. So where did the Mark part come from? 57 00:04:31,513 --> 00:04:37,693 I had an Uncle Mark. Right. I do not ever remember having a grandfather, 58 00:04:38,013 --> 00:04:40,233 okay? I was the youngest of five. 59 00:04:40,633 --> 00:04:47,353 I really don't remember many uncles, maybe one or two. 60 00:04:47,353 --> 00:04:51,293 I have a brief memory of 61 00:04:51,293 --> 00:04:54,253 sitting in uncle mark's lap one time and i 62 00:04:54,253 --> 00:04:57,253 was i had to be a little run at that point i mean 63 00:04:57,253 --> 00:05:00,013 little but i remember i do 64 00:05:00,013 --> 00:05:07,193 remember something about i know the fact he was good and so that's that's where 65 00:05:07,193 --> 00:05:13,433 mark came from cool let's dive into a little bit your life now obviously we've 66 00:05:13,433 --> 00:05:19,513 been you said your mum brought you up as best she can but you also said that you, well I mean, 67 00:05:20,013 --> 00:05:24,673 during the sort of, I mean in life the first you get up to your age you're five 68 00:05:24,673 --> 00:05:28,593 and you're roughly five, six you start going to school and you start the usual 69 00:05:28,593 --> 00:05:31,713 stuff, I mean what was life in general up until your sort of. 70 00:05:32,453 --> 00:05:36,813 Maybe early teens like education wise, I mean obviously with, 71 00:05:36,853 --> 00:05:39,953 how did all this sort of, was it alright right? 72 00:05:40,093 --> 00:05:43,953 And then the abuse you're telling about your dad was a bit abusive to you? 73 00:05:44,553 --> 00:05:54,913 Yeah, I really don't remember them not fighting as a kid. 74 00:05:57,149 --> 00:06:02,729 It was always, I used to have a little name for it, called the 11 o'clock, 75 00:06:02,949 --> 00:06:05,789 11 p.m. night at the fights. 76 00:06:06,609 --> 00:06:10,829 Because that's generally when it was really going strong, about 11. 77 00:06:11,749 --> 00:06:15,949 And as I said, my mom, she was really the provider. 78 00:06:16,769 --> 00:06:20,069 And she and I talk every day. My dad passed with cancer. 79 00:06:20,069 --> 00:06:27,489 Answer and i actually a brother one of my brothers and i actually buried him 80 00:06:27,489 --> 00:06:35,389 with a shovel now burying your own father there's a lot of things about my dad 81 00:06:35,389 --> 00:06:37,909 i didn't like it's until today, 82 00:06:38,649 --> 00:06:44,229 there's a lot of things about my dad i don't like he was a racist he had a lot 83 00:06:44,229 --> 00:06:46,609 a lot of prejudice toward people that were different. 84 00:06:47,589 --> 00:06:51,269 I used to hear him say things that I really have never said myself. 85 00:06:52,689 --> 00:06:59,469 But getting back real quick, I don't remember how many, but there were several 86 00:06:59,469 --> 00:07:03,509 pictures on the walls where if you lifted up the picture, 87 00:07:03,669 --> 00:07:09,689 there'd be a handprint of one of his hands going through the paneling. Go ahead. 88 00:07:10,709 --> 00:07:21,089 And so I do remember as I was getting older, I began sleeping with a baseball bat in my bed. 89 00:07:22,229 --> 00:07:23,789 It was a silver. 90 00:07:26,189 --> 00:07:30,689 Grayish softball bat. It was a Louisville Slug. 91 00:07:31,449 --> 00:07:34,629 It had a black handle. I still remember that bat. 92 00:07:36,869 --> 00:07:37,629 And And... 93 00:07:41,018 --> 00:07:44,898 I was actually talking to my mom about three, four nights ago, 94 00:07:45,018 --> 00:07:50,238 and she said, Mark, you did that bat well. I said, really? 95

00:07:50,678 --> 00:07:54,198 She said, yeah. She said, I'd forgotten all about it. 96 00:07:54,638 --> 00:07:58,778 She said, what would you have really done with that bat? I said, 97 00:07:58,798 --> 00:08:01,178 my mind had killed. I would have. 98 00:08:02,178 --> 00:08:05,238 Have and my dad 99 00:08:05,238 --> 00:08:08,338 one of the one of the few memories as a 100 00:08:08,338 --> 00:08:14,738 child with my dad is he gave me a cigarette no kidding and that kind of seems 101 00:08:14,738 --> 00:08:20,178 very strange in today's society but that's one of the things i remember but 102 00:08:20,178 --> 00:08:27,098 it's very it's a very uncertain life when you've got a parent coming home home, 103 00:08:27,118 --> 00:08:32,358 you don't know what's in store next, 104 00:08:32,618 --> 00:08:41,238 because anything that happened bad at the gas station is probably going to set him off at home. 105 00:08:42,558 --> 00:08:47,538 And he was, I found out later, he was beaten with chains as a child. 106 00:08:47,878 --> 00:08:49,678 Right. So it's a kind of common theme. 107 00:08:50,398 --> 00:08:56,258 Yes, yes. Yes, and I can say luckily, well, I won't say luckily. 108 00:08:56,318 --> 00:09:06,518 It's got to be more of God himself, but I'm just so glad that my kids have not had to live in it. 109 00:09:06,678 --> 00:09:09,018 They've not had to live in that kind of fear. 110 00:09:10,538 --> 00:09:14,338 So what were your folks generally arguing about? What kind of was the tipping 111 00:09:14,338 --> 00:09:16,978 point of what, when you're giving them that story? 112 00:09:17,498 --> 00:09:20,318 My dad was a womanizer. Right. 113 00:09:22,398 --> 00:09:27,118 He owned a business in the same respect with the customers. 114 00:09:27,138 --> 00:09:31,298 He would have a great heart, and he would just let them take advantage of it. 115 00:09:33,636 --> 00:09:38,216 Maybe that's why he was like a bully at home. 116 00:09:38,476 --> 00:09:43,576 He, in some way, had revenge, that feeling. I don't know. 117 00:09:45,496 --> 00:09:51,516 But we were definitely, we kids and my mom were definitely an outlet for his frustration. 118 00:09:54,136 --> 00:10:02,296 And but the womanizing and money and spending, things like that. 119 00:10:04,276 --> 00:10:08,816 And I know the womanizing is absolutely for real. 120 00:10:08,956 --> 00:10:16,356 He told me, and you know, he died and never knew. He told me he had had a hernia surgery. Right. 121 00:10:16,736 --> 00:10:22,216 And he had a pillow over his midsection, and he was high as a kite one day. 122 00:10:22,396 --> 00:10:26,976 I went by to see him. He was high as a kite, and we began just talking, 123 00:10:27,596 --> 00:10:32,876 and he started telling me where he would meet the women, And he was laughing 124 00:10:32,876 --> 00:10:34,176 and telling me everything. 125 00:10:34,676 --> 00:10:42,796 And it was very strange to me because I didn't know whether to rip his head 126 00:10:42,796 --> 00:10:45,776 off or just let him continue to incriminate himself. 127 00:10:46,256 --> 00:10:50,196 But I just sat there and let him incriminate himself. 128 00:10:50,996 --> 00:10:55,536 I never went and told people what he told that day. 129 00:10:55,536 --> 00:11:07,256 But it's very strange, Frazier, when your dad actually confesses his womanizing to you. Very strange. 130 00:11:08,376 --> 00:11:12,616 So when did he die? How old were you when he passed? 131 00:11:13,316 --> 00:11:22,056 Okay, when he passed away, we were living in Texas. there was somewhat of a uh. 132 00:11:26,443 --> 00:11:29,403 I guess, a coming, a ringing in between us. 133 00:11:30,363 --> 00:11:35,423 My dad, I don't know how else to say it, so if it's okay with you, he was a BS artist. 134 00:11:36,143 --> 00:11:44,483 He really was. He could trauma. He could sell ice to Eskimo, okay? He could. 135 00:11:46,283 --> 00:11:49,223 As his hand goes. He could. 136 00:11:50,543 --> 00:12:00,163 But I just got to the point where when I'd had kids and Brenda and I had been 137 00:12:00,163 --> 00:12:05,383 married a while, I got tired of him carrying on junk all the time on the phone, 138 00:12:05,583 --> 00:12:08,143 trying to be this charming guy. 139 00:12:08,863 --> 00:12:13,263 And if I finally told him, I said, look, when I ask you how you're doing, 140 00:12:13,383 --> 00:12:15,623 I mean it. I want to know how you're doing. it. 141 00:12:16,043 --> 00:12:19,983 If all you're going to do is joke instead of having a relationship, 142 00:12:21,203 --> 00:12:25,263 then I think it's best for my kids versus to stay away from it. 143 00:12:25,803 --> 00:12:30,223 Cool. So how old were you roughly when you passed? Let's see, I'm 50. 144 00:12:31,363 --> 00:12:35,623 I was born in 66. My birthday's December 4. 145 00:12:36,343 --> 00:12:41,963 So I'm either 56 or 357. My math's not competing right now. Anyway, I think I'm 56. 146 00:12:42,563 --> 00:12:46,223 But I would have been probably. 147 00:12:47,523 --> 00:12:58,403 I'm going to guess 40ish not too bad got you so during your teenage years what got you, 148 00:12:59,443 --> 00:13:05,483 I'm guessing school when did you start wrestling or what were your I don't know 149 00:13:05,483 --> 00:13:10,123 what were your teenage years like were you a good kid were you out causing trouble 150 00:13:10,123 --> 00:13:15,443 what kind of guy were you when you were maybe to be leading your teens leading 151 00:13:15,443 --> 00:13:17,143 up before you came to school. Yeah. 152 00:13:17,303 --> 00:13:23,763 My senior year in high school, I remember I was taking a typing class. 153 00:13:24,423 --> 00:13:28,883 I fell over on the keyboard because I was drunk in class. Yeah. 154 00:13:30,783 --> 00:13:34,423 And I spelled something like Rubishlubin or something like that, 155 00:13:34,543 --> 00:13:35,843 you know, something weird. 156 00:13:36,963 --> 00:13:43,703 And when the teacher asked me, she came and she actually grabbed me by

the hair. But it ain't easy. 157 00:13:44,063 --> 00:13:48,923 She didn't rip or nothing. But she grabbed me by the hair and lifted me up. 158 00:13:49,183 --> 00:13:51,443 And she said, Mark, what is this? 159 00:13:51,883 --> 00:13:53,783 I said, it's a foreign language. 160 00:13:54,823 --> 00:13:59,423 She said, son, just go back to sleep. And she laid my head back on the keyboard. 161 00:14:01,283 --> 00:14:06,463 I think by the time i was in high school everything at home all the stuff that 162 00:14:06,463 --> 00:14:14,423 had happened i was i was frustrated i really was i had to have an outlet i didn't handle things well, 163 00:14:15,343 --> 00:14:21,783 i was always if i ever fought anybody i was defending someone else i had no 164 00:14:21,783 --> 00:14:30,343 idea when i hit people and i hit a few but all i know was i would be mad i would 165 00:14:30,343 --> 00:14:33,003 hit them one time, and they'd go down on the ground. 166 00:14:33,263 --> 00:14:36,503 It was later that my friends would tell me when I would hit somebody. 167 00:14:39,123 --> 00:14:42,683 They would elevate off the ground a little bit. They would go back. 168 00:14:43,443 --> 00:14:47,263 And so I thought, huh, that's kind of a neat skill. 169 00:14:48,003 --> 00:14:57,303 I did some training after school or after work at a local boys club, 170 00:14:57,443 --> 00:14:59,443 boxing, scene, that kind of thing. 171 00:14:59,583 --> 00:15:01,943 I was able to develop some hand speed. 172 00:15:03,123 --> 00:15:09,343 And so in high school, if I saw someone making fun of someone else or trying 173 00:15:09,343 --> 00:15:13,743 to hurt someone else, I would step in, pop, pop, they'd go down. 174 00:15:14,723 --> 00:15:18,503 If I wanted to play with them a little bit, I would just jab them for five or ten minutes. 175 00:15:20,463 --> 00:15:24,183 One of the coaches pulled me off to the side. 176 00:15:24,223 --> 00:15:29,383 He said, Mark, number one, I'm glad. He took care of this guy. 177 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:36,720 But if you ever use those skills again here at school and beat somebody like 178 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:42,360 you beat him, because I probably hit him with about 15, 20 jabs before I just 179 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:43,980 right crossed him and knocked him out. 180 00:15:44,980 --> 00:15:51,720 He said, I'm going to have to pop you in front of everybody because I can't 181 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:53,500 make it look like that's acceptable. 182 00:15:54,340 --> 00:15:58,300 Go ahead. I said, yes, sir, coach. So I always respect that. that. 183 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:05,900 But I didn't handle my school well. I did enough to get by. 184 00:16:07,260 --> 00:16:11,660 A lot of drinking. Never really much drugs. 185 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,420 About the most drugs I did was actually in the wrestling business. 186 00:16:16,260 --> 00:16:23,200 I could see how coke would mess with people. 187 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:29,480 So I was more with with the weed, that kind of thing. 188 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:35,440 Weed and beer or weed and mixed drinks, that was kind of my go-to. 189 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:37,720 That's how I dealt with pain. 190 00:16:39,380 --> 00:16:44,760 It's kind of strange in wrestling. I did that to deal with physical pain. 191 00:16:45,020 --> 00:16:54,640 In high school, I did that to deal with emotion. right so i i've you know it 192 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:58,400 really you know i've never thought about that till right now you're a good therapist 193 00:16:58,400 --> 00:16:59,920 how much do you charge per hour. 194 00:17:02,780 --> 00:17:04,600 You're really good dude. 195 00:17:08,260 --> 00:17:09,300 Well yeah, 196 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,140 you're gonna have me crying by the time this is over thanks 197 00:17:16,140 --> 00:17:19,920 and i'm an ugly crier in fact 198 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:25,980 i'm ugly anyway but anyway that's why i don't have a ring light on me phrase 199 00:17:25,980 --> 00:17:34,840 you've got the look got the sleep i don't have a ring light because my wife 200 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,040 tells me i look better in the dark, 201 00:17:38,340 --> 00:17:40,720 You got a face for radio then. 202 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:49,560 Okay we're good So, 203 00:17:52,660 --> 00:17:54,480 This is brilliant This is it, 204 00:17:55,953 --> 00:17:59,533 Now, Frazier, I've got a question for you, okay? I've never asked you this, 205 00:17:59,593 --> 00:18:03,493 and I don't know if anybody ever has. This is a for real question. 206 00:18:03,853 --> 00:18:05,573 I think it's very neat. 207 00:18:06,173 --> 00:18:13,793 You know, me writing the book and being on your program, and we're having a 208 00:18:13,793 --> 00:18:15,233 great time together in all this. 209 00:18:16,693 --> 00:18:24,833 And I'm hoping that through what we're talking about, plus the book, someone can be helped. 210 00:18:25,953 --> 00:18:30,213 That's going through something really bad or whatever the case may be and it 211 00:18:30,213 --> 00:18:34,953 may be the exact same motive for you but I'm really curious you're really good 212 00:18:34,953 --> 00:18:38,313 at this what got you into wanting to podcast? 213 00:18:39,193 --> 00:18:42,573 Oh crikey right okay it's actually, 214 00:18:43,513 --> 00:18:46,673 well you're talking about the end of 2014 I was 215 00:18:46,673 --> 00:18:51,593 talking about actually it was at wrestling related because 216 00:18:51,593 --> 00:18:56,633 I kind of started listening to Chris Jericho's podcast cast talk is jericho 217 00:18:56,633 --> 00:19:06,113 okay so i kind of like it started getting wanted to find it a bit more then 218 00:19:06,113 --> 00:19:11,453 i got my friend hugh and we started the original but before so then we started doing, 219 00:19:11,993 --> 00:19:16,573 the podcast side so that's what we did that's how i got into it sorry because 220 00:19:16,573 --> 00:19:19,993 i started listening to that that was way back in 2014 so you're

literally 10 221 00:19:19,993 --> 00:19:24,033 years like it can be 10 years almost, it was nine years now, 222 00:19:25,013 --> 00:19:30,533 that's what got me into it so I just gave it a bash and see where it goes and 223 00:19:30,533 --> 00:19:33,093 then, yeah, nine years later, you know, 224 00:19:33,933 --> 00:19:41,553 Right, was it like when you did it it just really tickled that place or, 225 00:19:42,053 --> 00:19:48,593 No, I think it was I just sort of tried it to see where it goes and it started 226 00:19:48,593 --> 00:19:51,433 off with the both of us and it kind of just um. 227 00:19:53,739 --> 00:19:57,819 Yeah, it's more just like what Rod was talking about, kind of general politics and stuff like that. 228 00:19:57,939 --> 00:20:03,479 And it was a little bit un-PC, but it was a little bit kind of, yeah. 229 00:20:05,219 --> 00:20:09,139 So, but eventually just as time went by, you know, I started to end up, 230 00:20:09,139 --> 00:20:13,439 you see, I was married with kids and I was just interviewing a lot of people anyway. 231 00:20:13,599 --> 00:20:18,719 So eventually it was just time to go separate ways and I just kind of kept interviewing 232 00:20:18,719 --> 00:20:22,019 people and I rebranded it slightly and that was it, you know. 233 00:20:22,019 --> 00:20:29,659 So I just like having a good old chinwag and hearing good old inspirational stories, you know. 234 00:20:30,219 --> 00:20:32,879 Yeah, you're not getting in my business. You're going to make me cry. 235 00:20:33,079 --> 00:20:35,799 Okay, I got you. No, I'm kidding with you. 236 00:20:36,239 --> 00:20:39,959 You know, to give them, you know, for real, just to give the audience, 237 00:20:40,099 --> 00:20:44,019 I told the real deal on this, the real scoop. 238 00:20:44,019 --> 00:20:47,559 Scoop, when we were just, we talked for a few minutes before this, 239 00:20:48,299 --> 00:20:53,719 and I mentioned that there would probably be a question or two I'd want to ask 240 00:20:53,719 --> 00:20:55,959 you, and that was actually one of them. 241 00:20:56,139 --> 00:21:01,139 Okay. So people out in the podcast land, TV land, all kind of land, 242 00:21:02,319 --> 00:21:04,119 look, I wanted to find that out. 243 00:21:04,199 --> 00:21:06,799 I'm sorry. Okay, go ahead. I'm sorry for you. 244 00:21:09,479 --> 00:21:12,339 Let's go back to where we are. Darcy, obviously you're doing a bit of drugs 245 00:21:12,339 --> 00:21:14,539 and things in your early school days stroke. 246 00:21:14,799 --> 00:21:19,159 So let's say go expand on that a little bit. Okay. 247 00:21:20,499 --> 00:21:27,559 Well, I graduated school, high school, and I decide, okay, I'm going to go to college. 248 00:21:28,179 --> 00:21:33,319 Or I'm told, you know, my best impersonation of my mom. You're going to go to 249 00:21:33,319 --> 00:21:35,999 college, young man. Okay, I'm going to go to college. 250 00:21:36,419 --> 00:21:44,119 So I went to college. and I again I still was not over that phase. 251 00:21:46,835 --> 00:21:52,075 Let's see. What did I do? There you are. I'm sorry. I bumped my mouse by accident. 252 00:21:53,135 --> 00:21:58,335 I got confused on the courses. I thought biology was virology. 253 00:22:00,935 --> 00:22:07,635 Okay. And I thought John Adams was Jack Daniels. And so I got confused on this. 254 00:22:09,735 --> 00:22:16,195 So I was very impressive. They said nobody had hardly ever done it before. I did it. 255 00:22:16,835 --> 00:22:25,055 Graduate. Oh my gosh. I ended the year with a 1.11 grade point average. 256 00:22:25,355 --> 00:22:31,515 That means I was the lowest D you could get. A 1.0 was a D. 257 00:22:32,055 --> 00:22:37,795 I was only a couple percentage points from having an F after a whole year of college. 258 00:22:38,435 --> 00:22:41,155 So they called me into the dean's office and I 259 00:22:41,155 --> 00:22:44,275 also get a letter handed to me that says 260 00:22:44,275 --> 00:22:53,995 i'm on probation and i have to withdraw so i do and work at a gas station and 261 00:22:53,995 --> 00:23:00,455 a fellow i went to school with came in and his his daddy was back in the wwf 262 00:23:00,455 --> 00:23:03,175 with chief j strongbow his name, 263 00:23:04,641 --> 00:23:07,641 Keith J. Strongbow's real name was Joe Scarpa. 264 00:23:10,621 --> 00:23:14,601 His son's name was Mark. So it was Mark Scarpa, Mark Smith. 265 00:23:14,921 --> 00:23:20,221 Whenever they set us in class and we were alphabetized, we sat beside each other. 266 00:23:20,641 --> 00:23:26,221 Well, we got along really good. And he saw me pick up some metal and some different equipment. 267 00:23:27,681 --> 00:23:33,941 And he said, man, why don't you come out with me and let me show you what I'm doing? 268 00:23:33,941 --> 00:23:37,541 Doing i says what do you mean he said 269 00:23:37,541 --> 00:23:41,701 well he said i'm home now visiting daddy but i've 270 00:23:41,701 --> 00:23:47,041 been up in oregon working for don i think it was don owens and the last name 271 00:23:47,041 --> 00:23:55,241 was owens and he ran that whole that northwest wrestling promotion the northwest 272 00:23:55,241 --> 00:24:00,501 territory and he said come out i said I said, 273 00:24:01,521 --> 00:24:03,381 Mark, you're wrestling full-time? 274 00:24:03,681 --> 00:24:06,381 He said, yeah, I'm making pretty good money. 275 00:24:07,081 --> 00:24:11,941 He was making decent money up there. He was making around, I want to say, 276 00:24:11,981 --> 00:24:13,781 between $800 and $900 a week. 277 00:24:15,381 --> 00:24:19,641 Just driving a couple hours, he wasn't having to drive too far. 278 00:24:20,181 --> 00:24:22,861 He was able to make a little money being single. 279 00:24:23,721 --> 00:24:28,141 I go, okay, well, look, when I get off, you want to swing by and we go out to 280 00:24:28,141 --> 00:24:31,281 wherever you're talking about? about? I had no idea. 281 00:24:31,881 --> 00:24:36,121 Well, he had this wrestling ring, 18 by 18

wrestling ring sitting out in the 282 00:24:36,121 --> 00:24:37,981 woods in a little cleared area. 283 00:24:38,821 --> 00:24:42,861 So he said, okay. He said, do you know how to body slam somebody? 284 00:24:43,161 --> 00:24:44,581 I said, I've seen it on TV. 285 00:24:45,081 --> 00:24:48,441 I said, here and here? He said, yeah, body slam me. 286 00:24:49,500 --> 00:24:56,840 And he goes, Mark, you didn't even let me plant and go up with you. You just jerked me up. 287 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:03,240 And he said, and he used some good words, pretty fancy words, 288 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:04,940 a lot of them four letters. 289 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:09,700 But he was saying, you're strong. Oh, my gosh. 290 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:23,420 And I had a 38-inch waist and a 54-inch chest and a 21-inch neck. 291 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:33,720 So he said, can you flip? And I got in there and I did this stuff and all this. 292 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:38,080 He said, here, I want to work with you a little bit. So I worked with him a little bit. 293 00:25:39,700 --> 00:25:46,000 And then he and someone else I knew took me to a guy that owned a used car lot who was retired. 294 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:50,740 He used to be one of the managers of the Mass Medics. 295 00:25:52,360 --> 00:25:57,100 He called a guy named Art Britz. Art Britz meets me at a rec center. 296 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:05,100 A one-inch collegiate wrestling match. You know how hard those mats are on a basketball court. 297 00:26:05,820 --> 00:26:07,560 That's all I trained on. 298 00:26:12,459 --> 00:26:17,559 I mean, I had things shook loose in me. It was crazy. 299 00:26:18,019 --> 00:26:24,059 It was. If you'd have put me in the oven, I'd have been shaking bait. I'll tell you what. 300 00:26:24,299 --> 00:26:30,899 But anyhow, I go and I start working for a small show. 301 00:26:31,079 --> 00:26:33,579 One of the former mathematics comes out of retirement. 302 00:26:35,199 --> 00:26:43,319 And my first match was against a fella from Columbus, Georgia who's really a 303 00:26:43,319 --> 00:26:47,959 legend in the southeast United States his name's Teta, no Jerry Oates, 304 00:26:48,159 --> 00:26:54,899 Jerry Oates he has a brother wrestling that wrestles named Ted I wrestled Jerry 305 00:26:54,899 --> 00:27:04,159 I wrestled and then I got calls and worked Worked some house shows, 306 00:27:04,279 --> 00:27:09,719 some small shows for the AWA that were being run by Jerry the Crusher Blackwell. 307 00:27:11,159 --> 00:27:17,299 Then I was just off doing small shows, wearing my hood, my mask, we call them a hood. 308 00:27:18,059 --> 00:27:21,579 And sometimes I would work twice in a night, one with the hood, 309 00:27:21,659 --> 00:27:23,979 one without. I'd have two sets of gear. 310 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:35,859 Well How I ended up Getting in the NWA Was one of the original Assassins. 311 00:27:37,559 --> 00:27:43,259 Jody Hamilton I called Jody Hamilton And I said Mr. 312 00:27:43,439 -->

00:27:50,059 Joe He said And he had this deep voice Yeah Mark what do you need I said Mr. 313 00:27:50,899 --> 00:27:57,499 Joe I'm going broke Doing this wrestling thing and I said, you know that ring I bought? 314 00:27:57,639 --> 00:28:01,139 And I spent $1,000 and bought a 16 by 16 ring. 315 00:28:03,444 --> 00:28:05,664 When I say 16, 16 foot by 16 foot. 316 00:28:08,244 --> 00:28:11,204 And he said, I know the ring you're talking about. 317 00:28:12,284 --> 00:28:16,644 He said, I've wrestled Andre the Giant in that ring. I said, cool. 318 00:28:17,104 --> 00:28:22,044 I said, well, Mr. Jody, I just want to sell it. I'm broke. I'm desperate. 319 00:28:24,044 --> 00:28:29,964 He said, Mark, I'll make a deal with you. You bring that ring or I'll come down 320 00:28:29,964 --> 00:28:32,984 and we'll get the ring together. Bring it up here and set it up. 321 00:28:33,444 --> 00:28:36,884 I'll take care of all the maintenance. It's something big is about to happen. 322 00:28:37,324 --> 00:28:43,064 And since I've known you and seen how you work, you're going to be a part of it. 323 00:28:44,124 --> 00:28:50,404 And, I mean, Fraser, I'm so broke. I mean, that sounds good. 324 00:28:50,824 --> 00:28:54,484 But to me, it was just so disappointing. 325 00:28:55,184 --> 00:28:56,364 I needed cash. 326 00:28:58,344 --> 00:29:04,224 He calls me about three weeks later. later he says uh mark can you be in cleveland 327 00:29:04,224 --> 00:29:09,524 tonight i said well yes sir cleveland cleveland georgia and i knew he had run 328 00:29:09,524 --> 00:29:14,544 shows in cleveland georgia i go yes sir mr joe i can be up there, 329 00:29:15,084 --> 00:29:19,804 i'll leave here about three be there by about five is that okay what time's the bell, 330 00:29:21,044 --> 00:29:25,804 he said mark i'm not talking about cleveland georgia i said what you're talking 331 00:29:25,804 --> 00:29:30,304 about mr joe He said I need you to come by CN Center and sign your contract 332 00:29:30,664 --> 00:29:33,504 You're going to be in Cleveland Ohio tonight. 333 00:29:38,292 --> 00:29:42,212 And, you know, I'm very composed. I think I'd do something like this. 334 00:29:42,312 --> 00:29:44,632 You know, I'm holding my phone. 335 00:29:45,372 --> 00:29:49,972 Back then, it was a regular phone, right? There were no cell phones. 336 00:29:50,672 --> 00:29:56,772 And I try to keep my composure. So naturally, he tells me that, and I go, ah! 337 00:29:57,732 --> 00:29:59,052 And I'm freaking out. 338 00:30:00,592 --> 00:30:05,512 So I pack up all my gear, run up to the airport or CNN, go to the airport, 339 00:30:05,712 --> 00:30:07,252 fly out, get there, walk in. 340 00:30:08,292 --> 00:30:13,392 Sid Vicious over here. Over there, Ron Simmons. 341 00:30:14,912 --> 00:30:16,132 Hacksaw Butchery. 342 00:30:18,732 --> 00:30:23,892 The Freebirds over here. The Midnight Express over here. 343 00:30:27,172 --> 00:30:28,172 I mean, 344 00:30:30,332 --> 00:30:35,792 I thought before I

walked and got started getting dressed, I was going to need 345 00:30:35,792 --> 00:30:39,552 to put me a pants on. because I was scared to death. 346 00:30:40,052 --> 00:30:45,872 So I guess you're hanging with the legends of wrestling nowadays. Names are kind of... 347 00:30:46,412 --> 00:30:49,452 Some of the names you're saying I don't know, but I know some of them I have, yeah. 348 00:30:49,772 --> 00:30:54,052 Well, Mike Rotunda, Bray Watts' dad was in there. Mike Rotunda, yeah. Mike Rotunda, Dr. 349 00:30:54,292 --> 00:31:00,352 Steve Williams, manager of Playboy Gary Hart, the great Muta was in there. 350 00:31:01,712 --> 00:31:07,312 Sting, Luger. Sting, wow, Sting. Yeah. Lex Luger, Flair was there. 351 00:31:12,872 --> 00:31:18,512 And so we get dressed, we look at the match sheet, see what's going to happen. 352 00:31:19,032 --> 00:31:22,292 And so naturally what we do is we start running through the building, 353 00:31:22,352 --> 00:31:26,272 just opening every door we could find just to see what's in there. 354 00:31:26,872 --> 00:31:32,972 And we actually open a door. and this building evidently has a real big wall 355 00:31:32,972 --> 00:31:39,352 and we go through the door and through this wall and we're on a stage and Alice 356 00:31:39,352 --> 00:31:43,012 Cooper's free was setting because Alice Cooper was having a concert the following 357 00:31:43,012 --> 00:31:45,672 night and I'm thinking I have just, 358 00:31:46,292 --> 00:31:51,112 you know I feel like I'm in the Wizard of Oz or something right, 359 00:31:52,732 --> 00:31:55,992 I mean I'm just freaking out 360 00:31:55,992 --> 00:31:58,992 out and that's actually how 361 00:31:58,992 --> 00:32:01,932 i got into the wrestling business i had 362 00:32:01,932 --> 00:32:05,492 bought a ring doing small shows and then 363 00:32:05,492 --> 00:32:08,572 jody hamilton he calls me says i want 364 00:32:08,572 --> 00:32:16,252 you in cleveland from there it was just building relationships you know i it 365 00:32:16,252 --> 00:32:21,792 seemed like every night i was working on the road terry funk would walk in hey 366 00:32:21,792 --> 00:32:25,992 brother and just start dressing right beside me in the tier next Next time. 367 00:32:28,572 --> 00:32:29,332 Terry Fox. 368 00:32:32,567 --> 00:32:35,907 They can't go off. I haven't fell off. 369 00:32:36,707 --> 00:32:42,787 The Road Warriors. The Road Warriors, wow. Oh, they love hot dogs. Come to find out. 370 00:32:44,207 --> 00:32:47,707 Hawk would always want hot dogs before they wrestle. 371 00:32:48,427 --> 00:32:53,367 So we would be standing and watching out of a black dirt, just watching probably 372 00:32:53,367 --> 00:32:59,067 no more than through a little peephole like that, make the dirt and see what's 373 00:32:59,067 --> 00:33:00,827 happening in that match. 374 00:33:02,747 --> 00:33:09,787 And hawk would go hey you want a dog well if red warrior hawk tells ask you 375 00:33:09,787 --> 00:33:14,747 if you want a dog you don't tell him no you say yes sir mr hawk yes. 376 00:33:18,267 --> 00:33:23,427 I mean i'd have went and killed the dog and made him a hot dog if we needed one, 377 00:33:25,227 --> 00:33:29,167 so what was your what was your kind of characters in the right way obviously 378 00:33:29,167 --> 00:33:34,027 you've just signed and what was your kind of character obviously wrestling is a bit of a character, 379 00:33:34,527 --> 00:33:39,387 so what was your sort of persona for wrestling when you're doing it and were 380 00:33:39,387 --> 00:33:42,907 you a sort of heel face, obviously heel is a bad guy but also the wrestling 381 00:33:42,907 --> 00:33:46,667 face is a good guy so what was your kind of, 382 00:33:47,807 --> 00:33:51,847 looking back at some of your early matches they brought me in as a clean cut 383 00:33:51,847 --> 00:34:02,067 guy clean cut, ok and so I was running as a face quite a bit And I would be going against Rotunda, 384 00:34:02,647 --> 00:34:05,967 well, the Varsity Club, the Steiners, all them Varsity Club, 385 00:34:07,307 --> 00:34:10,307 Road Warriors, because even though people would cheer for them, 386 00:34:10,347 --> 00:34:11,707 they were considered still heels. 387 00:34:12,087 --> 00:34:14,367 The Dill of the Butcher, the Iron Sheik. 388 00:34:18,027 --> 00:34:19,007 Let's see who else. 389 00:34:23,047 --> 00:34:23,687 Let's see. 390 00:34:25,847 --> 00:34:33,767 Oh. Oh, Hot Stuff. I forgot. I worked at Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert. 391 00:34:34,167 --> 00:34:39,107 I always forget about him. I only worked him one time. Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert. 392 00:34:39,987 --> 00:34:46,287 He was married to, I think, either married or boyfriend-girlfriend with Missy Hyatt at that time. 393 00:34:50,407 --> 00:34:54,027 And the Russian assassins. one of 394 00:34:54,027 --> 00:34:59,067 them was a fellow blonde hair his name was Jack Victory he did a lot out for 395 00:34:59,067 --> 00:35:06,467 the Von Erichs and then of course I ran like that a few months and then they 396 00:35:06,467 --> 00:35:12,427 would turn me into a heel and that's when I would wrestle like flying Brian Brian Hillman, 397 00:35:17,227 --> 00:35:17,867 let's see, 398 00:35:21,846 --> 00:35:24,846 Uh, gosh. I'm just kidding. 399 00:35:25,246 --> 00:35:30,506 I'm just kidding. Let's say as a babyface, I used to work at Sid Vicious a lot. 400 00:35:31,906 --> 00:35:34,246 Sid Vicious and Danny Spivey. 401 00:35:36,426 --> 00:35:44,886 As a heel, I worked against Ron Simmons because he and Butch Reed were doomed or something like that. 402 00:35:46,026 --> 00:35:49,446 Teddy Long was their manager. And then they separated. 403 00:35:50,626 --> 00:35:58,326 And And, gosh, I worked against Nick Busek when it went to WWF. 404 00:35:59,166 --> 00:36:05,906 Oh, as a heel, I worked Ricky Steamboat. Oh, yeah. And so that was a lot of fun. 405 00:36:06,706 --> 00:36:11,866 Scott Hall was a lot of fun. Cool. Tommy Rich was a lot of fun. 406 00:36:13,966 -->

00:36:21,846 So. so during so during that time obviously with your early struggles with some 407 00:36:21,846 --> 00:36:27,246 dabbling in the hatch and weed and all that or weed and drink how did you did 408 00:36:27,246 --> 00:36:31,126 that sort of fade out and you got the concentrated orders that kind of obviously 409 00:36:31,126 --> 00:36:33,366 seeing in the industry back then i'm guessing, 410 00:36:33,906 --> 00:36:37,746 and probably there's a lot of alcohol or drugs or especially steroids going 411 00:36:37,746 --> 00:36:42,226 around i mean how did it affect you and how did you like i mean that's probably 412 00:36:42,226 --> 00:36:43,806 just a touch of the surface you You know? 413 00:36:43,906 --> 00:36:46,786 Yeah. Well, when I finally walked away from the wrestling business, 414 00:36:47,146 --> 00:36:53,326 uh, I, I could have been facing 20 years in prison. 415 00:36:53,726 --> 00:36:56,286 Right. I don't tell everybody that. Yeah. 416 00:36:57,446 --> 00:37:04,606 Uh, Richard Cantrell, Sheriff Richard Cantrell, he's passed away now of Spalding County, Georgia. 417 00:37:05,426 --> 00:37:08,106 The Georgia Bureau of Investigation had me on tape. 418 00:37:10,426 --> 00:37:11,506 Buying steroids. 419 00:37:15,644 --> 00:37:20,524 When I walked away from the wrestling business, I knew I'd be away forever. That killed me. 420 00:37:21,304 --> 00:37:24,224 I thought it was just killed. 421 00:37:28,804 --> 00:37:33,484 You're asking, how did it affect me? Obviously, you're around it every day, 422 00:37:33,564 --> 00:37:38,084 because back in the day, you used a lot more steroids than you'd probably sports. 423 00:37:38,464 --> 00:37:42,164 Yeah, there were no wellness programs. Let's say that. 424 00:37:42,484 --> 00:37:47,384 Exactly. It wasn't like, yeah, you're a broccoli and cucumber. 425 00:37:47,544 --> 00:37:51,764 Yeah. And you knew. I mean, you knew in the dressing room who was doing it, 426 00:37:51,824 --> 00:37:55,064 who wasn't. You also knew who you could buy it from. 427 00:37:55,684 --> 00:37:59,464 You knew who were the most expensive ones to buy it from, who were the cheapest, 428 00:37:59,644 --> 00:38:01,064 who had the better quality. 429 00:38:01,504 --> 00:38:09,024 I mean, for me, there was some Deca and some D-Ball testosterone tests. test. 430 00:38:10,764 --> 00:38:16,804 And I almost started dabbling into horse hormones because some of the wrestlers 431 00:38:16,804 --> 00:38:19,564 were working on horse hormones. Horse hormones? 432 00:38:21,484 --> 00:38:28,184 Yeah. No joke. I'm trying to get my head right now about horse hormones. 433 00:38:30,504 --> 00:38:36,244 I'll tell you what, I'll make a joke. But I want you to take me serious. 434 00:38:36,244 --> 00:38:39,484 I'm trying to be serious. I get horse hormones. 435 00:38:39,784 --> 00:38:45,024 That's the most random. The only part. Hey, what does horse hormones do to you? 436 00:38:45,104 --> 00:38:47,984 Normal heart health. I'm going to ask.

Grow like crazy. 437 00:38:51,635 --> 00:38:56,575 I know what you're thinking. Don't go there. I'm going to have to be brief. 438 00:38:58,355 --> 00:39:04,895 The only thing bad about the horse hormone is after about the third cycle of 439 00:39:04,895 --> 00:39:09,135 it that you've done, every time you see some hay, you want to go get you a bite of it. 440 00:39:11,135 --> 00:39:16,055 And you want grain and wheat, not barley and all that. 441 00:39:17,835 --> 00:39:24,515 I have to say that is the most random crikey well the horse hormones because 442 00:39:24,515 --> 00:39:27,095 they make you bulk up more than normally right exactly, 443 00:39:27,835 --> 00:39:34,575 and I can't be but the thing the thing too Fraser though I mean you say on this 444 00:39:34,575 --> 00:39:36,055 session we're about to run out of time, 445 00:39:37,275 --> 00:39:41,275 there's no time I'm just kind of I'm enjoying this okay this is there's no rush 446 00:39:41,275 --> 00:39:47,715 okay well yeah the thing is is really Really, when you think of all these things, 447 00:39:47,875 --> 00:39:49,895 you go, no sane person would do it. 448 00:39:50,635 --> 00:39:53,695 That's what you would normally think. A normal person on the street, 449 00:39:53,835 --> 00:39:56,355 I guess, would think. What do you think? 450 00:39:57,155 --> 00:40:04,795 Yeah, true. Yeah, nobody would. But see, that's how much it means to succeed. 451 00:40:05,835 --> 00:40:09,275 Do you sell your soul to the devil? No. 452 00:40:11,075 --> 00:40:14,355 You know, I can't say I sold my soul to the devil. 453 00:40:14,355 --> 00:40:18,175 I can say that i compromised 454 00:40:18,175 --> 00:40:24,855 myself i compromised a lot of people that i love and i was married then and 455 00:40:24,855 --> 00:40:30,475 not to brenda but to another young lady and she at times was my was my valet 456 00:40:30,475 --> 00:40:34,415 and smaller shows she would go out with and. 457 00:40:37,335 --> 00:40:41,855 Oh i got i got to where i was treating her like her i wasn't beating her and 458 00:40:41,855 --> 00:40:43,635 that kind of stuff Nothing like that. 459 00:40:43,955 --> 00:40:49,795 But just not treating with the respect that you should. 460 00:40:50,515 --> 00:40:56,615 The wrestling business is a very cutthroat business. 461 00:40:59,235 --> 00:41:06,455 And normally to get on top, that means you've got to knock somebody down. Yeah. 462 00:41:08,355 --> 00:41:13,655 And you know, when it comes When it comes to home versus wrestling, 463 00:41:13,915 --> 00:41:22,815 it's almost the same way because there are times where you have to knock those down at home. 464 00:41:23,195 --> 00:41:29,895 And I mean that figuratively, but not people knock down the home so that the 465 00:41:29,895 --> 00:41:32,035 wrestling space is the most important thing. 466 00:41:32,275 --> 00:41:36,475 Go ahead. I was very pro-abortion. 467 00:41:36,955 --> 00:41:45,815 I was pro-anything as long as it kept me my career and

that it would not get 468 00:41:45,815 --> 00:41:49,435 in the way of me getting on that airplane and going to the next town. 469 00:41:52,788 --> 00:41:56,748 And so I was willing to sacrifice everything. I mean, think of, 470 00:41:56,928 --> 00:42:02,228 and God bless him, but, you know, and he jokes about it, so I think I can say it. 471 00:42:02,668 --> 00:42:08,708 You know, Flair's marriages, you know, and he's been able to, 472 00:42:08,808 --> 00:42:13,708 and then the price of fame, the one on DiBiase, 473 00:42:14,008 --> 00:42:21,928 and his regaining relationships with family. 474 00:42:23,608 --> 00:42:29,008 We don't realize wrestling takes the toll on us that it does while we're doing it. 475 00:42:29,188 --> 00:42:33,528 Then it seems like, like when we step back and we look around us, 476 00:42:33,608 --> 00:42:38,208 we realize the world is a lot different than it was when we started it. 477 00:42:38,928 --> 00:42:42,668 And the problem is what we did. 478 00:42:44,908 --> 00:42:52,148 The people out there still love this, our family. We're the one that betrayed them so many ways. 479 00:42:54,248 --> 00:43:08,168 And so in my book I mean really if you want to say who is the villain in my book it's me. 480 00:43:11,908 --> 00:43:23,888 Before we go let's say how many years were you wrestling for I wrestled four, 481 00:43:24,688 --> 00:43:30,688 four and a half something like that and then uh. 482 00:43:33,433 --> 00:43:38,953 Years later, I stepped back in in small stuff to help train. 483 00:43:39,413 --> 00:43:41,453 We had a few matches that way. 484 00:43:42,093 --> 00:43:45,593 Now, since then, I've had both hips replaced, knee replaced, 485 00:43:46,253 --> 00:43:51,333 and I think I'm going to get back in for a farewell for one or two days. 486 00:43:53,113 --> 00:43:58,273 I've already taken some bumps in the ring, and I know all my artificial joints can take it. 487 00:43:58,733 --> 00:44:01,693 That's all right. you told me a 488 00:44:01,693 --> 00:44:05,333 story a while ago when you were when we were 489 00:44:05,333 --> 00:44:08,253 having a call once and you talked about 490 00:44:08,253 --> 00:44:11,933 you were wrestling Sid Vicious and you 491 00:44:11,933 --> 00:44:16,853 talked about that he had been in the gym and he'd taken some bad steroids or 492 00:44:16,853 --> 00:44:20,013 something you know they all got 493 00:44:20,013 --> 00:44:29,753 bad juice at one time and but I've always said this is that we We said, 494 00:44:29,973 --> 00:44:33,313 we say it said, number one, I love Sid's dad. 495 00:44:34,353 --> 00:44:39,973 So I'm not meaning this derogatory. There was no health wellness program. 496 00:44:40,633 --> 00:44:45,213 I mean, the business, so cutthroat, so political. 497 00:44:45,713 --> 00:44:49,013 Sid did what he had to do, just like every other big wrestler. 498 00:44:49,073 --> 00:44:52,813 And I'm going to tell you, if I had Sid's height, I would have done the exact 499 00:44:52,813 -->

00:44:55,273 same thing. Oh, yeah. Okay. Okay? 500 00:44:55,653 --> 00:45:03,893 Just below six foot, I'm like even with Flair when Flair was wrestling in the 80s. Okay? 501 00:45:04,373 --> 00:45:07,473 Flair's not a tall guy. Neither is Steamboat. 502 00:45:08,613 --> 00:45:16,133 But Sid's a monster. And I don't know why, but it almost seemed like people, 503 00:45:16,353 --> 00:45:22,713 when they worked Sid, little guys, they would try to get stuff over on him or whatever. 504 00:45:22,933 --> 00:45:27,813 And I'm going to tell you, he He, no kidding, I think one night I was like in 505 00:45:27,813 --> 00:45:30,413 West Virginia and Huntington and Charleston. 506 00:45:30,693 --> 00:45:35,893 And what they should have done was taken one of those numbers like they have 507 00:45:35,893 --> 00:45:40,213 on the back of airplanes, you know, the plane number or whatever. 508 00:45:40,693 --> 00:45:45,373 They should have painted it on my rear end because I think he threw me from 509 00:45:45,373 --> 00:45:47,473 Charleston and I landed in Huntington. 510 00:45:47,473 --> 00:45:55,813 I mean, that man that man could launch me like I mean, I'm telling you, 511 00:45:56,353 --> 00:46:01,613 so, that man could throw me so far, I'd have to wear a seatbelt just so I'd 512 00:46:01,613 --> 00:46:04,233 feel safe that's how far he could throw me, 513 00:46:06,633 --> 00:46:10,273 are you able to tell the story a bit, because you're arresting him the end of 514 00:46:10,273 --> 00:46:11,093 the house, did you certainly? 515 00:46:11,313 --> 00:46:15,433 He was hurt bad, bless his heart and so we. 516 00:46:17,949 --> 00:46:23,709 And he was coming up for the belt. You don't. If you want to be a good company 517 00:46:23,709 --> 00:46:29,129 man, you don't try to take advantage and hurt nobody. 518 00:46:30,109 --> 00:46:33,569 And I mean hurt them. Of course, Sid could have killed. 519 00:46:34,049 --> 00:46:42,749 But I mean, as far as, you know, emotionally or job wise, you don't want to hurt nobody. 520 00:46:43,049 --> 00:46:46,869 I did. Now, there's a lot of people out there that would. I would. 521 00:46:48,009 --> 00:46:52,169 And Sid, we had a great match. 522 00:46:53,389 --> 00:46:55,189 He did the things he wanted to do. 523 00:46:58,789 --> 00:47:04,429 Sid's one of those guys, he's so big, it's best to work with him than try to work against him. 524 00:47:05,189 --> 00:47:11,789 I mean, it's just, you know, a guy's almost seven foot tall and built like, 525 00:47:11,989 --> 00:47:14,869 I mean, the Incredible Hulk. 526 00:47:16,949 --> 00:47:25,489 Huge yeah what are you going to do so I mean I wanted to work with him and I got to tell you, 527 00:47:27,869 --> 00:47:34,169 this is when I found out that Sid was such a good guy was if I was going to 528 00:47:34,169 --> 00:47:40,689 wrestle against somebody in for the first time and normally a big guy, 529 00:47:43,589 --> 00:47:50,389 if Sid saw it he would look at the guy he would walk right up to us and go you take care of him, 530 00:47:51,729 --> 00:47:56,909 yeah I'm going to get hurt some sure but you don't have to try to break my arm 531 00:47:56,909 --> 00:48:02,129 or break my leg or break my neck and that's really what he was telling the guy, 532 00:48:04,029 --> 00:48:09,429 or he would tell the guys and I thanked him so much and if I saw him him today, 533 00:48:09,589 --> 00:48:10,549 I'd want to tell him thanks. 534 00:48:17,249 --> 00:48:22,409 He's a funny guy and from what I've heard, a tremendous softball player. 535 00:48:23,449 --> 00:48:25,569 But he's just... 536 00:48:27,389 --> 00:48:35,209 I think the world will see it. I really do. Sid Udy, you know, real name. 537 00:48:38,789 --> 00:48:46,669 But I I can't say nothing bad about him look when a man like that takes care 538 00:48:46,669 --> 00:48:51,569 of you so that you know you can work and make money the next night, 539 00:48:53,058 --> 00:48:57,858 How do you fall for a guy like that? No, it's a tough one. I suppose I definitely 540 00:48:57,858 --> 00:48:58,398 don't know the industry. 541 00:48:58,518 --> 00:49:01,878 The time of year, the time that he'd up was obviously, yeah, 542 00:49:02,358 --> 00:49:05,658 you had to keep going, you know? Oh, yeah. Yeah. 543 00:49:07,518 --> 00:49:14,038 Nobody wanted their invitation or to start jobbing for other guys, 544 00:49:15,778 --> 00:49:17,798 because they wanted to be able 545 00:49:17,798 --> 00:49:25,458 to compare pair and have a choice between Atlanta or Turner and Vince. 546 00:49:26,618 --> 00:49:33,238 And so if you were working for one of those promotions and you were a big star 547 00:49:33,238 --> 00:49:37,758 and then you just start losing all the time, look, the other company can't take you. 548 00:49:37,858 --> 00:49:43,018 And all of a sudden you're at the top of the heap because people are going to 549 00:49:43,018 --> 00:49:44,958 look at it and go, the guy lost over there. 550 00:49:45,318 --> 00:49:47,278 He's winning all the time over here. 551 00:49:47,898 --> 00:49:52,118 So we've got one weak organization and one strong organization. 552 00:49:52,618 --> 00:49:55,958 I'm not going to watch the weak organization. Exactly. 553 00:49:57,878 --> 00:50:00,998 Let's go back into you, but when did you. 554 00:50:03,158 --> 00:50:08,678 Really find you had a faith? Well, when did you start just trying to discover your faith? 555 00:50:09,638 --> 00:50:12,818 Especially, this is where... This is hard. 556 00:50:13,418 --> 00:50:19,418 When did you start your faith? First off, I got to use a caveat with this, 557 00:50:19,478 --> 00:50:23,418 and that is I'm not trying to insinuate anything. 558 00:50:24,258 --> 00:50:31,918 I'm just stating the fact, and it is in no means, no way meant to hurt anybody. 559 00:50:32,558 --> 00:50:35,398 Okay? So I want to say that. 560 00:50:35,558 --> 00:50:41,298 Like I said, I was married. I'm not mentioning names because I'm very careful 561

00:50:41,298 --> 00:50:42,838 about using people's names. 562 00:50:43,178 --> 00:50:47,598 Okay? Okay. But I'd been married for three years. 563 00:50:48,618 --> 00:50:53,518 I walked in coming off a trip, I believe. And. 564 00:50:55,570 --> 00:51:01,370 I heard this very strange noise, a really strange laugh. 565 00:51:02,050 --> 00:51:08,450 And so I went down to, I think we had a condo or an apartment or something. 566 00:51:08,930 --> 00:51:13,630 Anyway, went in the bedroom. She's laying on her stomach. 567 00:51:13,850 --> 00:51:20,910 And there's this noise, whatever this noise is, it's kind of like her laugh, but it's different. 568 00:51:21,270 --> 00:51:26,690 And I kept asking, baby, are you okay? Are you okay? And like I said, I have been named to her. 569 00:51:28,090 --> 00:51:32,790 She doesn't deserve anybody to look at her in a negative way. 570 00:51:34,510 --> 00:51:37,450 I'm the villain. Turned her over. 571 00:51:37,630 --> 00:51:40,870 And Frazier, I don't know what happened. Something surprised me. 572 00:51:40,910 --> 00:51:48,330 Something hit me so hard that I was pushed back and I landed on my back on the floor. 573 00:51:49,150 --> 00:51:53,790 I went, got in the car. I was scared. Scared. Just, I'm scared to death. 574 00:51:54,430 --> 00:51:57,110 Drove around the area for a few minutes. 575 00:51:58,090 --> 00:52:02,310 Came back home. She's so composed. Everything seems fine. 576 00:52:02,770 --> 00:52:06,970 And she just looks at me with a straight face and says, I'm going. I'm leaving. 577 00:52:07,710 --> 00:52:09,430 Now, I couldn't blame her for that. 578 00:52:10,790 --> 00:52:15,490 Because of the scumbag I had been. Or scumbag, whatever you want to say. 579 00:52:17,370 --> 00:52:22,730 The next day, she had already left. And I was going to just Turn back, 580 00:52:22,830 --> 00:52:24,710 turn over the apartment to the management. 581 00:52:25,490 --> 00:52:29,870 And I found a pregnancy test in the trash can, a stick. 582 00:52:30,610 --> 00:52:34,810 I took it to my sister and my sister said, it's positive. 583 00:52:37,656 --> 00:52:46,336 Well, I tried over and over to call to see what the situation was. 584 00:52:46,596 --> 00:52:51,616 Finally, after months, her aunt picked up the phone and said, 585 00:52:51,776 --> 00:52:54,276 everything's been taken care of. 586 00:52:54,576 --> 00:52:57,656 And that's the way she said it. That was it. 587 00:52:58,476 --> 00:53:02,176 Well, you know, your mind can go all different directions. 588 00:53:02,916 --> 00:53:05,916 But I feel like there was a child. 589 00:53:05,916 --> 00:53:13,436 I feel like i killed that child go ahead and so i went to someone's house. 590 00:53:14,576 --> 00:53:18,956 And i just sat on the bed in a spare bedroom didn't feel like talking to anybody, 591 00:53:19,636 --> 00:53:25,656 you're sitting there and it's quiet and i look and i don't know why but i reached 592 00:53:25,656 --> 00:53:30,136 up and grabbed the book and i flipped it open it was the bible of all things 593 00:53:30,136 --> 00:53:33,096 i didn't and it went to the book book of Proverbs. 594 00:53:33,376 --> 00:53:38,756 And Proverbs is the kind of book that says, if you do this, then this will happen. 595 00:53:38,856 --> 00:53:40,756 If you do this, this will happen. 596 00:53:41,736 --> 00:53:47,296 Proverbs, I read the whole book that night, and it kicked my butt for several hours. 597 00:53:48,116 --> 00:53:53,436 People have asked me, what is the roughest battle I've ever been in? 598 00:53:53,896 --> 00:53:59,396 And I tell them, it wasn't Sid Vicious. It wasn't this person or that person. 599 00:53:59,396 --> 00:54:07,316 The toughest battle was the way the book of Proverbs just tore me out of the frame. 600 00:54:10,379 --> 00:54:19,699 And Sunday came, I got in the car and just drove up the road. And I saw this church. 601 00:54:20,579 --> 00:54:25,679 Drove past it, drove past it two or three times, just turned around, drove and passed it. 602 00:54:26,039 --> 00:54:29,539 Finally, I stopped, went inside, sat down. 603 00:54:30,139 --> 00:54:35,819 I got so sick at my stomach sitting there, I had to run outside and throw up on the front lawn. 604 00:54:35,819 --> 00:54:38,439 Came back in had to go 605 00:54:38,439 --> 00:54:42,259 back out throw out throw up on the front lawn again third time 606 00:54:42,259 --> 00:54:50,319 i walked in i was watching my clock my watch and about 30 seconds or so before 607 00:54:50,319 --> 00:54:58,119 service started i walked in there i clamped my uh hand against the side of the 608 00:54:58,119 --> 00:55:01,119 pew they started singing a song, 609 00:55:02,159 --> 00:55:07,039 The name of the song was called Lift Jesus Higher. It was a chorus. I remember that. 610 00:55:07,599 --> 00:55:12,939 I don't remember them finishing the song because they said I had got up, 611 00:55:12,979 --> 00:55:16,319 almost ran to the altar. I just went down to my knees. 612 00:55:16,879 --> 00:55:24,059 It literally felt like somebody took a water hose and my navel, 613 00:55:24,099 --> 00:55:29,179 my belly button, connected it, and everything got flushed out. 614 00:55:31,719 --> 00:55:34,639 That was at 1030, 1040 in the morning. 615 00:55:36,499 --> 00:55:42,319 Somebody taps me on the shoulder. I looked up and as a real young kid, 616 00:55:42,439 --> 00:55:43,959 it was my next door neighbor. 617 00:55:44,179 --> 00:55:46,259 He was a pastor. That was his church. 618 00:55:46,519 --> 00:55:48,899 I didn't know that was his church. Oh, yeah. 619 00:55:52,069 --> 00:56:02,289 So I said, Mr. Lewis, he said, hey, Mark, he said, I was surprised to see you coming down the altar. 620 00:56:02,969 --> 00:56:07,289 I said, where's everybody? He says, oh, they've been gone a while. 621 00:56:07,569 --> 00:56:10,969 What time is it, Pastor Lewis? 622 00:56:11,629 --> 00:56:15,249 It's 1.30 in the afternoon. Let me go buy you lunch. 623 00:56:16,429 --> 00:56:20,029 And then

I started walking into the church door. 624 00:56:20,029 --> 00:56:30,889 Then Brenda I meet this late girl Brenda she and I are sitting in a service out in a tent, 625 00:56:31,909 --> 00:56:38,469 and it's about six months seven months later and I say God you know, 626 00:56:39,189 --> 00:56:44,929 I'm wondering you know if I'm going to get married again but if I don't need 627 00:56:44,929 --> 00:56:52,049 to that's alright if you would tell me something let me know something well this woman, 628 00:56:52,749 --> 00:56:54,469 that was behind this, 629 00:56:55,369 --> 00:57:02,169 crazy I ain't lying you know you've seen people women their hair is white and 630 00:57:02,169 --> 00:57:13,149 it gets that little bluish tint to it this woman was so old her hair looked like a smurf I swear, 631 00:57:13,969 --> 00:57:20,029 she went to the prom with Abraham Lincoln in the 1840s in the 1830s. 632 00:57:20,029 --> 00:57:21,989 Yeah, the Blue Roons. Yeah. 633 00:57:23,789 --> 00:57:27,829 She might have been drafted into the War of 1812. I'm not sure. 634 00:57:31,449 --> 00:57:36,409 She said, I have a word for you. I said, yes, ma'am. 635 00:57:37,169 --> 00:57:43,209 She said, what you prayed for, the answer is right beside you. And that was Brenda. 636 00:57:44,749 --> 00:57:52,689 And we've been married 31 years. 31 years wow and for my dad to be a racist 637 00:57:52,689 --> 00:58:01,249 the way he was and to use all the names he used to use for people of different color, 638 00:58:02,529 --> 00:58:07,329 like I said earlier he did things that really bothered me that was one of the 639 00:58:07,329 --> 00:58:15,489 one thing I never thought Fraser was today I would have 8 kids there 3 4 Four 640 00:58:15,489 --> 00:58:17,489 that are Caucasian white. 641 00:58:18,269 --> 00:58:20,249 There's two that are Hispanic. 642 00:58:22,029 --> 00:58:29,669 There's one that's Native American Indian. And then there's one that's African American dark skin. 643 00:58:31,549 --> 00:58:34,409 So not only did God. 644 00:58:38,485 --> 00:58:42,405 Me not only not only was 645 00:58:42,405 --> 00:58:46,465 uh brought to a better place spiritually but 646 00:58:46,465 --> 00:58:53,405 the thing is is he changed my heart and the fact that all the division that 647 00:58:53,405 --> 00:59:00,805 my dad would talk about and use slang names bad names for different for people 648 00:59:00,805 --> 00:59:06,245 just because they were different all that was taken away from me all All that prejudice, 649 00:59:06,605 --> 00:59:11,245 all that stuff that I didn't even know if I had it or not. 650 00:59:11,485 --> 00:59:16,805 But, you know, it's got to be hard not to be prejudiced when you're around such 651 00:59:16,805 --> 00:59:19,545 racism and things like that all the time growing up. 652 00:59:21,765 --> 00:59:28,945 But it's good not to have that. I mean, talk about free. I've been freed from a lot of stuff. 653 00:59:30,685 --> 00:59:37,445 And that is something that your viewership, those that are watching, 654 00:59:37,605 --> 00:59:44,465 when I left the wrestling business and then I'm divorced, I felt like junk. 655 00:59:45,105 --> 00:59:52,585 I felt like the statue of an old Mark Smith that was sitting in a junkyard. Not worth anything. 656 00:59:53,725 --> 01:00:00,565 Couldn't do anything. thing. Have you got the half the dog fart with the back 657 01:00:00,565 --> 01:00:02,645 barking away by any chance? 658 01:00:02,845 --> 01:00:07,245 My kids got home from school so the dogs were barking at the bus. 659 01:00:08,605 --> 01:00:12,525 All I can hear is the sound effects and thinking, where's that noise coming from? 660 01:00:12,585 --> 01:00:17,165 Is that my side or is that I can hear it from you? Right. That's the dogs. 661 01:00:17,485 --> 01:00:19,445 They'll stop in just a second. I promise. 662 01:00:20,705 --> 01:00:25,005 I kind of think sound effects. I was thinking, is that a barking can come from. 663 01:00:26,905 --> 01:00:27,425 But yeah. 664 01:00:29,726 --> 01:00:33,926 Me seeing all that or feeling all that. Dogs are on heat. 665 01:00:35,926 --> 01:00:39,846 I actually have a dog that's blind, believe it or not. Okay. 666 01:00:42,346 --> 01:00:46,926 I put a I should, well, yeah, I'm going to say it. It's just a joke. 667 01:00:47,026 --> 01:00:49,226 Please. Nobody get mad at me. 668 01:00:49,726 --> 01:00:53,626 I put sunglasses on them and let them play for the sunshine of my life like 669 01:00:53,626 --> 01:00:55,826 Steve Warner. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. 670 01:00:56,286 --> 01:00:58,126 Okay. Just kidding. 671 01:01:01,386 --> 01:01:10,626 But god the thing is god does not make jump and everybody out there was made just like we're made, 672 01:01:11,726 --> 01:01:14,566 and there is we are not 673 01:01:14,566 --> 01:01:20,786 we are not junk and those of your viewership they be may be wondering is my 674 01:01:20,786 --> 01:01:28,126 life over no it's not well just uh before it goes more depth of a you're finding 675 01:01:28,126 --> 01:01:32,666 your faith because you're talking you've got while when you became a believer, 676 01:01:33,406 --> 01:01:36,426 you're talking about i know your book is fighting your 677 01:01:36,426 --> 01:01:40,026 demons so what kind of demons during the process and 678 01:01:40,026 --> 01:01:43,866 in that mix sure let's talk about the demons in the faith and what when do you 679 01:01:43,866 --> 01:01:48,986 remember this fight really right that's obviously the nifty gritty well i think 680 01:01:48,986 --> 01:01:55,166 i think a lot of my date but a lot of my inner demons were were the way i was 681 01:01:55,166 --> 01:01:57,046 brought up talking Talking about my dad. 682 01:01:58,706 --> 01:02:01,506 I didn't think I was worth anything. Right. 683 01:02:03,169 --> 01:02:09,549 I had that little, I remember growing up, and I don't know. Did you ever see the Flintstones? 684 01:02:10,009 --> 01:02:14,589 Yes. When you were, okay.

Well, you remember how the little devils would show 685 01:02:14,589 --> 01:02:19,209 up on Fred Flintstone's shoulder, and one would say, can't do this, Fred. 686 01:02:19,289 --> 01:02:22,889 The other one would say, Fred, you should do this. 687 01:02:23,189 --> 01:02:26,149 And it was his conscience, basically. 688 01:02:27,709 --> 01:02:34,869 That's not what the demons were like. The inner demons for me were those gut-wrenching, 689 01:02:34,869 --> 01:02:40,109 traumatized feelings that when I looked at them, I was like, 690 01:02:40,189 --> 01:02:41,729 I don't know how I get past them. 691 01:02:42,229 --> 01:02:46,269 But it was, one was fear. 692 01:02:47,169 --> 01:02:55,429 Fear of my future. Fear of, am I just going to end up in a small town with no 693 01:02:55,429 --> 01:03:00,549 ambition? Am I going to be that guy that people look at and go, yeah, that's the guy. 694 01:03:00,989 --> 01:03:05,429 He had that mean dad that he didn't end up being anything. 695 01:03:05,909 --> 01:03:08,709 He wasn't worth anything. 696 01:03:09,809 --> 01:03:13,809 He was the one treated like trash or felt like trash. 697 01:03:14,289 --> 01:03:18,989 But the fear, the self-esteem, the anger. 698 01:03:19,849 --> 01:03:25,389 Oh, my God. Think about it, Fraser. How many of us have those inner demons where 699 01:03:25,389 --> 01:03:27,889 we're just angry and we're carrying around that anger? 700 01:03:28,489 --> 01:03:34,389 Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. And so you think about the anger. 701 01:03:34,909 --> 01:03:37,649 Then you think about the inability to forgive. 702 01:03:39,629 --> 01:03:44,789 So it's harboring. You just think when you're carrying around so much stuff 703 01:03:44,789 --> 01:03:46,189 and you can't forgive it, 704 01:03:46,189 --> 01:03:51,869 But you're harboring so many feelings that you cannot really experience true 705 01:03:51,869 --> 01:03:57,149 happiness because it's always everything you see is going to be shaded. Mm hmm. 706 01:04:02,328 --> 01:04:11,868 And so you're and then you know the question is am I lovable that was another 707 01:04:11,868 --> 01:04:15,948 demon inner demon am I lovable am I able to love, 708 01:04:16,988 --> 01:04:22,268 can I really have these people that have it together that I see that seem to 709 01:04:22,268 --> 01:04:25,708 really have it together can I have anything like they have. 710 01:04:28,208 --> 01:04:33,748 Did you Did you find that people you found, did you find that, 711 01:04:33,748 --> 01:04:39,248 did you struggle, did you, what was the word I'm trying to say? 712 01:04:39,308 --> 01:04:44,808 Did you struggle to feel, did you not feel that you were loved as much at all yourself? 713 01:04:45,368 --> 01:04:49,568 No, I. Or did you feel you were loved? With my dad, I felt more like a possession. 714 01:04:50,208 --> 01:04:57,308 I knew my mom loved me. My mom allowed me to play ball. She allowed me to be in sports. words. 715 01:04:58,048 --> 01:05:02,668 There were times

that my mom actually cracked my dad over the head with a chair, 716 01:05:03,248 --> 01:05:05,748 because he would be going after one of the kids. 717 01:05:07,608 --> 01:05:12,368 I want to say, as you grew up, were you a lovable kind of guy, 718 01:05:12,388 --> 01:05:16,388 or did people love you, or were you kind of guy who got picked on a bit quite 719 01:05:16,388 --> 01:05:18,108 a lot, or were you kind of the butt of jokes? 720 01:05:19,268 --> 01:05:24,028 Well, the youngest of five kids, a lot of being the butt of the joke. 721 01:05:25,068 --> 01:05:29,168 And I enjoyed being in the butt of the joke now. I enjoy it. 722 01:05:29,188 --> 01:05:31,308 And it's because I'm happy with who I am. 723 01:05:31,868 --> 01:05:35,448 That when you're a kid, and if you're always the butt of the joke, 724 01:05:35,868 --> 01:05:41,608 you kind of wonder, well, you kind of, and sometimes you kind of believe what they say. 725 01:05:43,508 --> 01:05:48,728 But I do, I really do appreciate my mom so much. And. 726 01:05:51,368 --> 01:06:02,048 What I didn't know was I was wondering when I was young like that and all the 727 01:06:02,048 --> 01:06:10,748 fighting going on in the household and all that going on I was wondering, 728 01:06:11,508 --> 01:06:14,588 is that what a house is supposed to be like? 729 01:06:16,008 --> 01:06:19,968 I mean you know as a kid you have these questions, 730 01:06:20,928 --> 01:06:29,188 and yeah post PTSD PTSD, when you're a kid and there's a lot of fighting, 731 01:06:29,368 --> 01:06:32,428 I think as a kid you can really develop PTSD, 732 01:06:33,368 --> 01:06:38,428 because any time you hear somebody scream, you cower. You cower down. 733 01:06:41,907 --> 01:06:51,107 I'll tell you this, how I fought the inner demons was, number one, just like an alcoholic. 734 01:06:52,487 --> 01:06:58,447 You know, they say the hardest thing for an alcoholic is to admit that they're an alcoholic. Yeah. 735 01:07:00,667 --> 01:07:03,787 Don't look. This is what I would beg people. 736 01:07:03,907 --> 01:07:11,207 Don't look at the inner demons as something that's unbeatable. 737 01:07:11,907 --> 01:07:19,547 That it's your destiny to be cursed by those kind of feelings and that trauma. 738 01:07:20,907 --> 01:07:22,307 But number one, admit they're there. 739 01:07:24,267 --> 01:07:29,967 When I was wrestling somebody, how foolish would I have looked if I'd have gotten 740 01:07:29,967 --> 01:07:34,167 the ring and never acknowledged the other guy there? Yeah, exactly. 741 01:07:34,987 --> 01:07:38,647 I wouldn't have known where to throw my punches. I wouldn't have known how to 742 01:07:38,647 --> 01:07:41,627 fight, where to guard myself, how to protect myself. 743 01:07:41,907 --> 01:07:45,147 If I did not see my enemy? 744 01:07:46,327 --> 01:07:53,707 Well, the thing is, is God tells us he's more powerful that we are going to win. 745 01:07:54,227 --> 01:07:57,507 What we got to do is, number one, we got to believe we're

going to win. 746 01:07:57,687 --> 01:08:02,947 And number two, we've got to acknowledge that they're there. 747 01:08:03,287 --> 01:08:07,907 And just like wrestling, say, okay, God, I'm going to tag your hand. 748 01:08:08,127 --> 01:08:13,827 I need you to come in here and do it. I need you to put the finish on them. I need them to be gone. 749 01:08:14,127 --> 01:08:16,467 I need you to send them back to the dressing room. 750 01:08:18,147 --> 01:08:27,267 They'll tear me down. But you are the part of this team that nobody can beat, God. 751 01:08:27,487 --> 01:08:29,487 God, I need you as my partner. 752 01:08:30,307 --> 01:08:36,107 You do that and treasure that, that's when the miracles happen. 753 01:08:37,887 --> 01:08:43,887 What would you say in your life apart from your early stages, 754 01:08:44,627 --> 01:08:49,647 what's the really most challenging thing that's happened in your life that's really, 755 01:08:50,387 --> 01:08:54,507 kind of knocked you sideways completely that's really made really just like 756 01:08:54,507 --> 01:09:02,907 crikey I mean even in your life currently now or even the early stage of Christianity 757 01:09:02,907 --> 01:09:06,867 or whatever what is something that's really really knocked you, 758 01:09:07,007 --> 01:09:11,367 really been a, really like a noose, I would say, 759 01:09:12,027 --> 01:09:15,787 like a weight around the neck and you're being thrown in the river kind of thing. 760 01:09:15,927 --> 01:09:20,507 Well, almost died four weeks ago, Fraser. I didn't tell you, 761 01:09:20,527 --> 01:09:22,207 almost died four weeks ago. You're crazy. 762 01:09:23,007 --> 01:09:26,167 Crikey. Wow. I think I've known you for a bit longer than that. 763 01:09:26,207 --> 01:09:27,187 You almost died four weeks ago. 764 01:09:27,747 --> 01:09:31,807 What happened? Yeah. What happened was I developed the bacteria. 765 01:09:32,847 --> 01:09:33,967 It was my. 766 01:09:36,920 --> 01:09:41,600 In fact, it was on my right side. 767 01:09:42,600 --> 01:09:46,460 It was breaking the bones. It 768 01:09:46,460 --> 01:09:52,620 was swelling so bad that it was breaking the bones in my jaw, in my feet. 769 01:09:53,080 --> 01:09:57,660 And it was pulling my nose to my right ear. 770 01:09:59,080 --> 01:10:04,640 They still don't know what happened to it or why it started. 771 01:10:04,640 --> 01:10:10,920 Started but i was they put me in the hospital thought i was going to be in there 772 01:10:10,920 --> 01:10:19,980 for two or three days no for a day actually and i was in there for five and 773 01:10:19,980 --> 01:10:22,100 a half days good grief now, 774 01:10:23,040 --> 01:10:26,960 my goodness you can see the difference well obviously people who are watching 775 01:10:26,960 --> 01:10:30,800 or listening to us on the podcast you can go to the youtube video unless you're 776 01:10:30,800 --> 01:10:33,300 listening in the audio version and you can see a difference as well. 777 01:10:33,820 --> 01:10:35,000 You can see that difference? 778 01:10:35,600 --> 01:10:37,700 Yeah, totally. It's a wow. 779 01:10:39,200 --> 01:10:39,900 So, yeah. 780 01:10:43,320 --> 01:10:49,000 But when my son, Austin, this is when we were living in Texas. 781 01:10:50,280 --> 01:10:54,600 My son, Austin, started turning purple one day. 782 01:10:55,800 --> 01:11:02,740 And we didn't know why. I had just been told my dad had stage 4 cancer. We were talking. 783 01:11:03,580 --> 01:11:08,200 I was in Dallas, Texas on business. I was driving out of Dallas to go home. 784 01:11:08,600 --> 01:11:14,500 My wife calls me, says I'm in back of an ambulance, get back to Dallas in a hurry. 785 01:11:16,560 --> 01:11:21,380 The same hospital that John F. Kennedy died in, the former U.S. 786 01:11:21,380 --> 01:11:26,980 President, my son was taken to that hospital. they tested his blood and he he 787 01:11:26,980 --> 01:11:32,420 had zero platelets in his blood he was bleeding to death on the inside, 788 01:11:33,520 --> 01:11:43,400 for several months yeah i was mad i hit a tree and uh i'd go out take an ax i'd hit a tree, 789 01:11:44,400 --> 01:11:50,840 and probably yell damn it 20 30 times why are you doing this why are you taking my son. 790 01:11:55,060 --> 01:11:58,340 Not till maybe four or five months later. 791 01:11:58,880 --> 01:12:03,840 They had already told us that if he scratches his knee, he may bleed out before 792 01:12:03,840 --> 01:12:06,000 you get to the hospital. Right. 793 01:12:07,280 --> 01:12:12,980 Now you tell me how you're going to keep a two, three-year-old kid scratching his knee. Certainly. 794 01:12:15,720 --> 01:12:20,360 We one day had a, 795 01:12:21,580 --> 01:12:29,380 message on our phone The doctors at the Parkland Hospital Children's Medical 796 01:12:29,380 --> 01:12:33,280 Center there in Dallas said, Mr. 797 01:12:33,520 --> 01:12:37,900 And Ms. Smith, we're calling. We have new test results on Austin. 798 01:12:38,560 --> 01:12:43,820 I said, we do not know how to explain it. 799 01:12:46,320 --> 01:12:51,920 But we took his blood this morning and his platelet count was absolutely normal. 800 01:12:51,920 --> 01:12:55,560 The only thing we could say was it's in America. Wow. 801 01:13:00,100 --> 01:13:06,760 You know, Fraser, I've been told three times, I had to tell, 802 01:13:06,880 --> 01:13:12,560 three times that I was going to be hospital bound for the rest of my life. 803 01:13:13,420 --> 01:13:18,720 I was in second grade, believe it or not. And they told me I had to have special 804 01:13:18,720 --> 01:13:23,220 braces made. I just think I ended up being a pro athlete, but I had to have 805 01:13:23,220 --> 01:13:25,600 braces made. My mom would pay for those braces. 806 01:13:27,540 --> 01:13:32,620 They told me I would be in a wheelchair by the time I was 12, 13 years old. 807 01:13:36,380 --> 01:13:41,360 12, 13 years old, I began wearing some different braces. 808 01:13:41,700 --> 01:13:46,760 Playing ball, playing baseball, I

was a pitcher. I had a 94-mile-an-hour fastball. 809 01:13:46,760 --> 01:13:55,240 I was attacked by a man and when I hit him, put him down on the ground, 810 01:13:56,260 --> 01:14:02,040 my itching hand was destroyed so so. 811 01:14:08,160 --> 01:14:15,660 But I was told at that point that by the time I was 21, 22 years old, I'd be in a wheelchair. 812 01:14:17,400 --> 01:14:25,160 Then living in Texas, they tell me that I was actually born with degenerative joint disease. 813 01:14:26,000 --> 01:14:31,860 My entire body, my joints are getting weaker. They do not understand how I was able to play ball. 814 01:14:32,000 --> 01:14:34,680 They do not understand how I became a professional wrestler. 815 01:14:36,340 --> 01:14:40,540 And they told me I was months from being in a wheelchair. 816 01:14:42,380 --> 01:14:47,940 They told me that I was so, and that there was nothing they could do for the pain. 817 01:14:49,760 --> 01:14:53,600 And I'll tell you how close I was, how bad it was. 818 01:14:55,200 --> 01:14:57,900 Brenda went to work one day at church. 819 01:14:59,540 --> 01:15:07,100 And I was sitting on the bed. and I had my oxy and my hydrocodone all laid out 820 01:15:07,100 --> 01:15:12,720 on the bed in a straight line and she had to go. 821 01:15:13,260 --> 01:15:16,120 She said, don't do it. Don't do it, Mark. 822 01:15:16,940 --> 01:15:20,580 And I had my drink with me, whatever it was. 823 01:15:22,360 --> 01:15:27,880 And she will tell you, she did not know when she came in the door that I was 824 01:15:27,880 --> 01:15:32,220 going to be alive, but she thought more than likely I was going to be dead. 825 01:15:34,280 --> 01:15:37,180 So yeah. 826 01:15:40,120 --> 01:15:46,220 The inner demons I think I've had a few battles I mean I don't say that being 827 01:15:46,220 --> 01:15:51,980 a smart aleck as a joke or being funny I think I have, 828 01:15:52,780 --> 01:15:55,620 the thing is that's been a long long time ago. 829 01:15:59,797 --> 01:16:04,637 I hated reading and writing. Gosh, I hated it. 830 01:16:05,077 --> 01:16:09,137 Ended up going to college and going to grad school, graduate school, 831 01:16:11,977 --> 01:16:18,797 at a school called a paper mill because you had to write so much. Go ahead. 832 01:16:20,877 --> 01:16:26,477 Well, I wrote the book in two and a half weeks. 833 01:16:27,217 --> 01:16:29,597 Was my actual writing time on the book. 834 01:16:30,377 --> 01:16:34,317 It was not finished until we adopted Jefferson. 835 01:16:35,177 --> 01:16:37,237 That's when the voice in me said, it's done. 836 01:16:38,877 --> 01:16:46,817 And what I've been really surprised about is like 227 pages or something like that. 837 01:16:47,817 --> 01:16:51,097 And people are saying, yeah, I read it two nights. 838 01:16:51,157 --> 01:16:59,357 Yeah, I read it three nights. My one of my the one daughter that I adopted, Native American. 839 01:17:00,197 --> 01:17:03,997 When she was in the foster system, she was raped. 840

01:17:05,137 --> 01:17:07,777 And that had tormented her. 841 01:17:09,097 --> 01:17:17,517 And she took one of the books without me knowing and come to find out she read it two days. Mm hmm. 842 01:17:19,438 --> 01:17:27,418 And what surprised me was that she read it. 843 01:17:27,438 --> 01:17:32,178 She said, Dad, it helped. It helped, Dad. 844 01:17:33,198 --> 01:17:35,498 She said, I'm at terms with everything. 845 01:17:36,378 --> 01:17:43,558 And so it's been something that's actually helped my own family. 846 01:17:44,758 --> 01:17:48,598 And for a guy that hated to read and write, I can't believe I did it. 847 01:17:49,438 --> 01:17:52,058 I feel like I look at that, and I feel like it's a miracle. 848 01:17:54,958 --> 01:17:58,018 I'm sure there's a lot more we can actually talk about going forward. 849 01:17:58,238 --> 01:18:02,918 I know your book, so I was going to say, I'm sure you've got more stuff you 850 01:18:02,918 --> 01:18:04,498 could talk about maybe in another interview. 851 01:18:05,298 --> 01:18:08,398 I'm just more conscious. Your dog's been barking. 852 01:18:09,418 --> 01:18:11,558 I'm very excited. When you're trying to say a serious topic, 853 01:18:11,618 --> 01:18:14,438 and you hear his dog just starts yapping away in the background. 854 01:18:15,618 --> 01:18:20,778 Oh, see, I figured this. Yes, I'm taking them to the Chinese restaurant after eating lunch. 855 01:18:24,158 --> 01:18:27,158 They think the joke's on me. The joke's about to be on them. 856 01:18:27,938 --> 01:18:31,198 All I can hear is the dog barking. I hear the kids that they've been talking. 857 01:18:31,318 --> 01:18:37,498 I'm thinking, this is not... I can hear the same... You're talking the serious 858 01:18:37,498 --> 01:18:39,778 part. I'm thinking, oh, no, it's the dog again. 859 01:18:40,938 --> 01:18:51,158 That's the reason I pulled it up to me. and the thing is is I I really do hope, 860 01:18:51,858 --> 01:18:56,218 that I think we're going to do a part two because I think there's a lot more stuff, 861 01:18:56,798 --> 01:18:59,778 we're going to do in our section because there's a lot more stuff you could 862 01:18:59,778 --> 01:19:04,818 talk about I think and I believe yeah I think there's stuff you probably just 863 01:19:04,818 --> 01:19:11,978 touched the surface on by looking at it so by saying what you've said so far 864 01:19:11,978 --> 01:19:13,938 I don't know how open and who they want to be. 865 01:19:15,739 --> 01:19:19,739 I think I told you one time that I'm going to be an open book. 866 01:19:20,099 --> 01:19:27,439 Any question, right? And I hope I haven't dodged anything. No, it's all good. 867 01:19:28,079 --> 01:19:31,919 I'm enjoying it. There's a lot more wrestling stuff we could talk about as well. 868 01:19:33,959 --> 01:19:40,599 So when did you write your book and when was it published? 869 01:19:41,099 --> 01:19:48,439 Okay, it was published September 15th September 13th, I'm sorry. This year? 870 01:19:48,739 --> 01:19:50,879 Yes, yes. So it hasn't been long at all. 871 01:19:53,239 --> 01:20:00,579 And I was serious about the writing time. The thing is, I'd had it written. I knew it wasn't ready. 872 01:20:00,979 --> 01:20:05,659 But I didn't know exactly what the ending was supposed to be. 873 01:20:06,199 --> 01:20:18,519 Right. And then when we adopted Jefferson and Colton, it made me realize more about the inner demons. 874 01:20:18,879 --> 01:20:24,599 And I realized, okay, that's what I need to touch on. That's what I need to get into. 875 01:20:24,939 --> 01:20:31,619 And I sat down and just a few hours, I wrote quite a bit about inner demons, fighting demons. 876 01:20:31,979 --> 01:20:35,959 And the thing is, what was I doing? I couldn't defeat the demons. 877 01:20:35,959 --> 01:20:38,019 It was God that defeated the demons. 878 01:20:38,619 --> 01:20:41,499 But what I was doing was wrestling with them. 879 01:20:43,059 --> 01:20:48,039 So for me, that's why the topic is so pertinent, so important, 880 01:20:48,159 --> 01:20:57,079 is because I could wrestle, maybe hold my own, but I couldn't win the battle, not by myself. 881 01:20:59,390 --> 01:21:02,990 So let's just do what going forward now 882 01:21:02,990 --> 01:21:06,190 you've written you've written the book that's only been recently going 883 01:21:06,190 --> 01:21:09,230 forward they obviously were kind of coming we're getting 884 01:21:09,230 --> 01:21:12,510 close to the end of the year and you're going to be forecasting for the next 885 01:21:12,510 --> 01:21:17,130 again year what kind of stuff are you looking to achieve any more goals obviously 886 01:21:17,130 --> 01:21:21,930 before weeks you've just you could have died but you're still you obviously 887 01:21:21,930 --> 01:21:26,210 still got work God's got work for you to do and in finish so, 888 01:21:26,790 --> 01:21:29,510 that means it means getting getting back in the ring 889 01:21:29,510 --> 01:21:32,370 again one last time for a farewell thing you never know 890 01:21:32,370 --> 01:21:35,590 but what are your kind of general okay 891 01:21:35,590 --> 01:21:38,990 looking forward into the next year what kind of goals or things would you like 892 01:21:38,990 --> 01:21:44,010 to try and achieve that you've done this time but maybe what would you like 893 01:21:44,010 --> 01:21:49,410 to try and maybe achieve further in that ladder well what I would like to do 894 01:21:49,410 --> 01:21:53,290 and what I'm working on is I've already, 895 01:21:54,250 --> 01:22:00,210 got the title and the outline for the sequel. This book. 896 01:22:01,430 --> 01:22:05,330 It's going to be called The Rebuild. Brilliant. 897 01:22:05,910 --> 01:22:13,490 And because we talk about the demon defeating the demons, but when you get those inner demons, 898 01:22:14,110 --> 01:22:18,190 when you've won the battle, when God has helped you and the battle's been won, 899 01:22:18,510 --> 01:22:22,290 then how do you rebuild? How

do you go from there? 900 01:22:22,850 --> 01:22:26,270 So it's going to build on like that. we've already 901 01:22:26,270 --> 01:22:29,830 been contacted by some churches that will 902 01:22:29,830 --> 01:22:33,470 they want to use the book as a study guide into different 903 01:22:33,470 --> 01:22:37,590 lessons so i'm going to be writing a study guide more than likely to go along 904 01:22:37,590 --> 01:22:44,510 with it and if anybody wants it they can have it we are also starting the book 905 01:22:44,510 --> 01:22:50,310 i really enjoy speaking with people i enjoy the connecting just this like you 906 01:22:50,310 --> 01:22:53,210 fraser i man i have a ball with you i do. 907 01:22:55,550 --> 01:23:00,030 I mean it's fun and, 908 01:23:02,110 --> 01:23:10,130 hope to be able to go out more to groups, churches, different organizations, 909 01:23:10,430 --> 01:23:11,570 conferences, whatever, 910 01:23:13,110 --> 01:23:22,030 and be able to use whatever parts of our story will fit in, that will fit in 911 01:23:22,030 --> 01:23:23,930 with their message, their topic. 912 01:23:25,030 --> 01:23:28,410 And so we're hoping the public speaking is going to increase. 913 01:23:28,410 --> 01:23:32,510 Greece. We're looking at the study guide, writing that. 914 01:23:32,770 --> 01:23:38,830 I've already been getting thoughts together for the sequel. And, 915 01:23:41,710 --> 01:23:50,390 the Lord, yeah, I'm going to get back into the ring a couple times, maybe a time or two. 916 01:23:51,410 --> 01:24:00,310 And And got a couple of Comic-Con shows or whatever that I'm probably going 917 01:24:00,310 --> 01:24:02,110 to be hitting up and doing things with. 918 01:24:06,010 --> 01:24:09,570 And last night, someone made a joke. They were laughing with me, 919 01:24:09,610 --> 01:24:12,130 and they said, you ought to have a bobblehead doll. 920 01:24:12,470 --> 01:24:14,730 And I said, yeah, I'm a bobblehead doll all the time. 921 01:24:15,790 --> 01:24:20,070 They said, no, seriously. So I actually checked in a bobblehead, believe it or not. 922 01:24:20,070 --> 01:24:25,550 But I want my younger kids, 923 01:24:25,790 --> 01:24:29,930 I want to see a lot of this come to fruition because, 924 01:24:30,170 --> 01:24:40,990 number one, I want my kids to see that God's not finished with you. 925 01:24:41,910 --> 01:24:46,590 That you always have a purpose. Even when you don't realize what that purpose 926 01:24:46,590 --> 01:24:54,330 is, you just might be getting prepared for that purpose or for that task, whatever it may be. 927 01:24:54,890 --> 01:25:01,830 You know, you and I have talked, and you never know what our relationship may bring in the future. 928 01:25:02,110 --> 01:25:08,410 And so, you know, I'm excited. I've got things that I want to do. 929 01:25:08,770 --> 01:25:12,270 I've got some things started. started but we know 930 01:25:12,270 --> 01:25:16,050 that i've told someone the other day god's 931 01:25:16,050 --> 01:25:23,030 god has

really got a sense of humor take someone like me and you know have him 932 01:25:23,030 --> 01:25:28,870 write a book because you know i'm you can tell by talking to me i'm very highly 933 01:25:28,870 --> 01:25:33,250 intellectual i can't even say that without laughing i'm sorry. 934 01:25:37,290 --> 01:25:42,950 So what just two things what would you say for somebody who's just recently 935 01:25:42,950 --> 01:25:46,070 written a book what would you say to somebody who's maybe starting to look at 936 01:25:46,070 --> 01:25:51,170 writing a book or their story for the first time well what I would say is, 937 01:25:52,610 --> 01:25:53,450 number one, 938 01:25:57,267 --> 01:26:00,607 to be more than just writing facts 939 01:26:00,607 --> 01:26:03,507 don't be writing an 940 01:26:03,507 --> 01:26:07,347 obituary you get 941 01:26:07,347 --> 01:26:12,327 what i mean fact after fact after fact there's got to be a meaning behind it 942 01:26:12,327 --> 01:26:18,627 right i mean look at look at the lessons if you've learned lessons in your life 943 01:26:18,627 --> 01:26:26,687 okay can they help other people do you think other people have ran into those same walls. 944 01:26:28,707 --> 01:26:35,447 Because I'll tell you, if you can't relate to an audience, an audience is probably 945 01:26:35,447 --> 01:26:37,407 not going to respond well to the book. 946 01:26:38,227 --> 01:26:45,467 And so what I want to do was with love, with humor, laughing at myself, 947 01:26:45,707 --> 01:26:47,667 being the boat of the joke and all this, 948 01:26:48,487 --> 01:26:53,747 what I want to do is let people know, hey, you can have happiness in your life 949 01:26:53,747 --> 01:26:58,547 no matter what you've been through unless you're being put in the grave you've 950 01:26:58,547 --> 01:27:00,387 got another chapter in your life, 951 01:27:01,387 --> 01:27:08,267 so let the big tag team partner upstairs let him kind of lead you in that next 952 01:27:08,267 --> 01:27:12,687 match in your life and you're going to find out some great things happen and 953 01:27:12,687 --> 01:27:15,767 you're going to be shocked by what you do is that right. 954 01:27:17,607 --> 01:27:21,447 So we're about to rest a little bit you've obviously talked about the older 955 01:27:21,447 --> 01:27:26,287 wrestlers you've kind of worked with and been with, what about any of the modern 956 01:27:26,287 --> 01:27:29,427 day wrestlers and people have you been around, 957 01:27:30,047 --> 01:27:35,707 more of the modern like Sam Azain obviously you've been around, 958 01:27:36,847 --> 01:27:40,347 Bray White's dad Mark Rotunda you've 959 01:27:40,347 --> 01:27:43,127 been around who have you been around like the modern 960 01:27:43,127 --> 01:27:46,767 day wrestlers to this day from WWE and 961 01:27:46,767 --> 01:27:49,967 maybe AEW be as well for example and 962 01:27:49,967 --> 01:27:53,027 other like impact wrestling as well yeah sure well i 963 01:27:53,027 --> 01:27:56,647 mean i you

know i told you i had worked 964 01:27:56,647 --> 01:27:59,727 against brian hillman well brian hillman 965 01:27:59,727 --> 01:28:02,527 jr who was in dark side of 966 01:28:02,527 --> 01:28:05,327 the rain the the one the two-parter they 967 01:28:05,327 --> 01:28:08,127 had on brian senior well i got 968 01:28:08,127 --> 01:28:10,927 to know brian jr brian jr is 969 01:28:10,927 --> 01:28:15,487 a a great kid super kid and so 970 01:28:15,487 --> 01:28:18,567 talented and he has now signed 971 01:28:18,567 --> 01:28:26,207 a contract he's actually i think on nxt now he goes by alexis king or something 972 01:28:26,207 --> 01:28:34,307 like that i think is what it is and a super guy and he he was taught the right 973 01:28:34,307 --> 01:28:38,247 way he was trained by stew hart the hart family up in canada. 974 01:28:40,055 --> 01:28:46,455 I just think the world of him. I also think Cody Hall, Scott Hall's son. 975 01:28:47,335 --> 01:28:51,315 Fantastic work. Fantastic. And I gotta tell you, 976 01:28:52,075 --> 01:28:59,015 before I knew he was Scott's son, his build is so much like Scott, 977 01:28:59,215 --> 01:29:03,935 even the way he stands and the way he puts his hands on the hips, all this kind of stuff. 978 01:29:04,355 --> 01:29:11,475 I thought, God, he looks like Scott Hall. So I went up to him and I said, who trained you? 979 01:29:11,955 --> 01:29:16,515 He said, my dad. I said, well, okay. He said, Scott Hall. I said, 980 01:29:16,595 --> 01:29:19,315 D. Scott Hall? He kind of grinned. He said, no. 981 01:29:20,015 --> 01:29:24,575 And I'm thinking, you liar. You liar. You liar. You know you're lying. 982 01:29:24,975 --> 01:29:29,915 Anyway, I walked back. I walked about five foot away from him, turned around. 983 01:29:30,195 --> 01:29:33,135 I walked up to him and said, okay, now that we're going to have a fresh start, 984 01:29:33,335 --> 01:29:36,315 I want to tell you, son, I thoroughly enjoyed working with you. 985 01:29:37,835 --> 01:29:41,335 And he said, you did. I said, yeah, I did. 986 01:29:42,775 --> 01:29:48,915 And I said, for all things, the first time I met him, Terry Funk was working Ric Flair. 987 01:29:49,575 --> 01:29:57,255 And the match had gotten out of control. I and Scott Hall were supposed to go down and pull him apart. 988 01:29:59,595 --> 01:30:03,415 Well, I'm standing at the curtain in gorilla position with Scott. 989 01:30:04,555 --> 01:30:09,695 Hey, Scott? Yeah. Yeah. You know, that deep voice Scott Hall had. 990 01:30:10,055 --> 01:30:12,775 I go, exactly, what are we supposed to do? 991 01:30:14,635 --> 01:30:18,935 How are they expecting us to pull them apart or anything? He goes, I don't know. 992 01:30:19,395 --> 01:30:23,175 We're just going to go there and get the you-know-what beat out of us. 993 01:30:23,915 --> 01:30:28,855 Okay, that's cool. I don't know. I'm just here for the ride, man. Okay, Scott. 994 01:30:30,255 --> 01:30:33,775 And I was telling Cody that. He says, that sounds

just like him. 995 01:30:35,175 --> 01:30:41,135 And I told him a few things that Scott would do when we'd be at a lounge or 996 01:30:41,135 --> 01:30:46,155 whatever and he'd say boy that sounds like my daddy I said well it ought to, it was him. 997 01:30:48,235 --> 01:30:52,775 And Gilman he almost went to tears, 998 01:30:53,815 --> 01:30:59,735 or his eyes watered, let me say it that way we talked after he had wrestled, 999 01:31:00,435 --> 01:31:05,835 and I looked at him and I said you know, I was in the ring with you. 1000 01:31:05,855 --> 01:31:08,055 I'd feel like I was in the room with your daddy. And, 1001 01:31:09,384 --> 01:31:12,244 well you wrestle my dad i said oh yeah 1002 01:31:12,244 --> 01:31:16,064 when he first came up to wcw i worked 1003 01:31:16,064 --> 01:31:18,864 a lot he said you're kidding i said 1004 01:31:18,864 --> 01:31:21,684 no i said the way you jump up and down and get 1005 01:31:21,684 --> 01:31:24,924 warm in gorilla position the way 1006 01:31:24,924 --> 01:31:30,024 you think about the match the way you're using your arms and kind of through 1007 01:31:30,024 --> 01:31:36,044 your mind going through the motions he did the same thing and then brian started 1008 01:31:36,044 --> 01:31:39,744 to take bringing people calling people well hey come here he used to work with 1009 01:31:39,744 --> 01:31:43,524 my dad come here and we talked for maybe 45 minutes, 1010 01:31:44,084 --> 01:31:49,344 and we're still in contact with each other but it's just, 1011 01:31:50,164 --> 01:31:58,084 it's you know it's such a blessing it really is such a blessing I feel so bad 1012 01:31:58,084 --> 01:32:00,084 for my pretend that what they've had to go through. 1013 01:32:01,924 --> 01:32:07,104 What about so let's obviously there's going to be and we need to do another 1014 01:32:07,104 --> 01:32:12,724 interview because we have talked for about an hour and 40 minutes almost oh 1015 01:32:12,724 --> 01:32:19,484 my gosh okay time flies when you're having fun isn't it it's great yeah it is I've had a great time so, 1016 01:32:21,184 --> 01:32:28,104 it was great sound effects and dogs and kids coming home from school it's been great it's brilliant, 1017 01:32:29,944 --> 01:32:37,044 Chinese markets are waiting that's right they're going to have funny tasting egg rolls tomorrow. 1018 01:32:39,064 --> 01:32:43,044 The animals will be harmed during this broadcast, 1019 01:32:44,584 --> 01:32:56,204 but what would you on a message of hope to people what would you like to, 1020 01:32:56,984 --> 01:33:02,624 share a positive message to somebody what would you like to share share with 1021 01:33:02,624 --> 01:33:07,264 somebody how they've listened to this and you've watched or listened on podcast 1022 01:33:07,264 --> 01:33:10,384 or YouTube what would you like to share well, 1023 01:33:12,445 --> 01:33:19,465 If you're on a podcast, I would just say, look, be honest and you're going to 1024 01:33:19,465 --> 01:33:22,145 have a great time. Be honest. 1025 01:33:23,405 --> 01:33:28,485 Don't try to embellish. About everything I tell you, you can find on the Internet. 1026 01:33:28,785 --> 01:33:31,305 So find pieces of me in the ring with the guys. 1027 01:33:36,285 --> 01:33:39,785 And you're able to really tell the truth without 1028 01:33:39,785 --> 01:33:43,625 anger and that if the people 1029 01:33:43,625 --> 01:33:47,645 that have been in your lives if you understand they may not be people that you 1030 01:33:47,645 --> 01:33:55,225 care for but from everybody we come in contact with we do learn i mean we do 1031 01:33:55,225 --> 01:34:00,345 learn some from some people we learn very positive things. 1032 01:34:01,085 --> 01:34:05,345 From some people, we learn how not to be. 1033 01:34:06,225 --> 01:34:09,525 So take it for what it's worth. 1034 01:34:09,845 --> 01:34:15,985 And that is, understand everybody that you deal with in your life, there is a positive. 1035 01:34:16,645 --> 01:34:19,745 We either learn something good or we learn something bad. 1036 01:34:19,985 --> 01:34:23,845 And oftentimes, if it's someone one and we're learning bad from them, 1037 01:34:23,925 --> 01:34:32,045 we can see their life and see how those bad, whether they're actions or whatever they may be, 1038 01:34:32,325 --> 01:34:35,805 we can see how it affects that person. 1039 01:34:35,885 --> 01:34:40,965 You can almost see that's how my life's going to end up if I go down that road. 1040 01:34:41,605 --> 01:34:45,305 Take things as learning. if somebody if 1041 01:34:45,305 --> 01:34:49,165 somebody you know business-wise i 1042 01:34:49,165 --> 01:34:57,725 mean screws you remember this you're gonna be able still to look at yourself 1043 01:34:57,725 --> 01:35:06,285 in the mirror and be happy about who you are they can't and again you just learned how not to be. 1044 01:35:08,989 --> 01:35:12,509 Think it's positive when we understand that everything 1045 01:35:12,509 --> 01:35:15,689 can be used to make us into 1046 01:35:15,689 --> 01:35:21,949 better or loving understanding people when we understand when we when we understand 1047 01:35:21,949 --> 01:35:29,929 that i think that's a big positive we become a better success does that help 1048 01:35:29,929 --> 01:35:35,589 answer the question yep i'm just letting you talk what my son doing okay just your final word almost, 1049 01:35:37,569 --> 01:35:40,449 I'm just letting you see your obituary, that's what I'm doing I'm joking. 1050 01:35:44,949 --> 01:35:49,549 By the way, for the audience that doesn't know I'm the one with the Scottish 1051 01:35:49,549 --> 01:35:55,209 accent I don't know where that guy's from Let me get my finger I don't know where he's from, 1052 01:35:55,949 --> 01:36:05,149 I'm from Scotland Those who have been whoever's listening whether or watched 1053 01:36:05,149 --> 01:36:08,009 on YouTube or listened via Facebook link, 1054 01:36:08,049 --> 01:36:14,849 LinkedIn or listened via the audio of the

podcast version interviewing Ira Mark-Smith 1055 01:36:14,849 --> 01:36:17,509 it goes by Mark-Smith, a former wrestler, 1056 01:36:17,689 --> 01:36:22,629 looking to get back into the ring after a wee bit of a farewell shindig and 1057 01:36:22,629 --> 01:36:24,449 we're looking to just to kind of, 1058 01:36:25,389 --> 01:36:29,289 talk about his book obviously Wrestling With These Demons, talking about his 1059 01:36:29,289 --> 01:36:33,269 just life growing up but hey, this skill, and they'll just say... 1060 01:36:34,600 --> 01:36:43,380 Of what he's done. He's now pasting. We're going to ask him before I carry on. 1061 01:36:43,620 --> 01:36:49,780 Where can people connect with you? I don't believe in cheap plugs, but here. 1062 01:36:50,000 --> 01:36:52,240 If you're watching this, you're going to cheat plugs. 1063 01:36:53,360 --> 01:36:57,860 Instead of showing, for those who are listening, tell people where they can connect. 1064 01:36:59,400 --> 01:37:05,940 Our website is WrestlingWithDemons. okay .godaddycites.com. 1065 01:37:08,160 --> 01:37:11,640 Wrestlingwithdemons.godaddycites.com wrestlingwithdemons.godaddycites.com go to Amazon, 1066 01:37:12,400 --> 01:37:20,560 Wrestling with Demons by Mark Smith you will find our book it is red on top 1067 01:37:20,560 --> 01:37:27,340 and kind of silverish on the bottom and you see my family on the bottom I made 1068 01:37:27,340 --> 01:37:30,560 sure they were real small in case the FBI is looking for them. 1069 01:37:36,920 --> 01:37:44,580 And on the web on facebook it's wrestling with dame demons dot smith wrestling 1070 01:37:44,580 --> 01:37:50,060 with those links will be in the show notes to the uh the the podcast those who 1071 01:37:50,060 --> 01:37:56,320 are listening on the audio version but yeah mark is when thank you for being it is a very spontaneous, 1072 01:37:57,160 --> 01:38:01,580 call I used we happened to be free and we did a spontaneous podcast, 1073 01:38:02,200 --> 01:38:07,840 and we just did it and we've talked for the best part of nearly cover not just 1074 01:38:07,840 --> 01:38:12,740 shy of two hours which means you've obviously had a lot to talk about and you've 1075 01:38:12,740 --> 01:38:17,120 got a good in-depth story so to those of you who might be you've got time to, 1076 01:38:18,100 --> 01:38:23,240 do it in sections it's been great it's been great hearing your story the stories 1077 01:38:23,240 --> 01:38:28,460 from wrestlers and obviously just your life and how you've kind of put it all 1078 01:38:28,460 --> 01:38:34,080 back and be a support going forward in some way or form from across the pond, helping you, yeah, 1079 01:38:34,600 --> 01:38:38,120 in your next chapter, next book, etc., etc. 1080 01:38:39,795 --> 01:38:42,535 All right. Well, I appreciate it so much. For everybody out there, 1081 01:38:42,575 --> 01:38:45,875 I want you to know, Fraser is the real deal. 1082 01:38:46,375 --> 01:38:50,415 I mean, I have talked to him on and off. 1083 01:38:51,095 --> 01:38:57,215 You will not find a better guy. And that's really important because sometimes 1084 01:38:57,215 --> 01:39:00,935 people are really good showmen and you never see the real person. 1085 01:39:01,335 --> 01:39:05,735 With him, you are seeing the real person. So please support him. 1086 01:39:05,795 --> 01:39:08,915 Listen, because he is not at all, 1087 01:39:09,535 --> 01:39:13,015 trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes or 1088 01:39:13,015 --> 01:39:16,055 anything like that and he does this because he 1089 01:39:16,055 --> 01:39:19,495 really cares so please give him 1090 01:39:19,495 --> 01:39:24,135 a shout out and let you know you appreciate him he's a fantastic guy and he's 1091 01:39:24,135 --> 01:39:28,135 my brother and I love him to death thank you very much for those who are listening 1092 01:39:28,135 --> 01:39:32,735 thank you and if you want to connect with Mark and maybe have him on your show 1093 01:39:32,735 --> 01:39:37,995 and be interviewed and or if you want to get advice on his book or get his book. 1094 01:39:38,195 --> 01:39:42,915 Hey, listen, I'm happy to connect you guys up and you can have a good old natter 1095 01:39:42,915 --> 01:39:48,415 or chinwag on a call and hopefully you can get some more advice or be able to 1096 01:39:48,415 --> 01:39:50,615 collaborate in some way or form, basically. 1097 01:39:50,895 --> 01:39:54,755 I highly recommend getting him on your show and interviewing him again from 1098 01:39:54,755 --> 01:39:56,875 a different angle, different perspective. 1099 01:39:57,175 --> 01:40:01,335 I look forward to our second chat at some point, which will be good. 1100 01:40:01,615 --> 01:40:05,915 And a free dog to the first caller. Free hot dogs. 1101 01:40:07,695 --> 01:40:14,935 Get the dogs ready get the buns get the onions I'll even give you some kibble, 1102 01:40:15,935 --> 01:40:18,815 are you a mustard man or are you more of a ketchup. 1103 01:40:23,435 --> 01:40:28,475 Right on that note listen thanks again to everybody wherever you are in the 1104 01:40:28,475 --> 01:40:34,635 world whether it's morning, evening, afternoon and whatever it is have a great, 1105 01:40:35,635 --> 01:40:39,575 great time whatever you're doing each day keep reaching for the top and until 1106 01:40:39,575 --> 01:40:44,075 next time we'll catch you on the flip side on the next show and you take it 1107 01:40:44,075 --> 01:40:45,615 easy all the best bye for now.