The Rob the Bull McBride Interview

BS: First question, how did you get started in the business?

RM: There was a school in Greensboro when I was still in high school and some buddies of mine I went to school with told me about it. I had always wanted to do it but I was kinda chicken shit, and so to make a long story short, my buddies told me they was gonna beat my ass if I didn't go so I went to Fulk Center over on Merit Drive, and that's where I got started, working out on mats.

BS: What was the time frame of this? Your first year or so in the business.

RM: My first match was July 7th, 1985.

BS: From there, you've been around the indy circuits for years, just kinda work us up to the Rob the Bull McBride we all know today. Favorite memories, promoters worked for, etc.

RM: Boy that's a lot of talking. Do I have to go with my first gimmick?

BS: Sure.

RM: The Libyan Assassin. I am trying to find a gimmick, round here in Greensboro and such, because back then you didn't have the independents you have now. There might have been three people running. So, I was trying to find a gimmick and wanted to be a heel, cause, ya know, heels rock. So a buddy of mine named Psycho, real name is Gary Pascal, who couldn't work a lick, but a hell of a nice guy though. He told me since I wanted to be a heel, and this was at the time that Libya was a big threat to the United States, so he told me "Why don't you be the Libyan Assassin?" I used to do the Russian voice and everything and it went over, it was pretty cool. So I stayed as the Libyan Assassin until about '88 or '89 when I moved to Georgia. My ex-wife and I got up with the guys in Georgia and I wrestled under my real name for a while and also as Terry Roberts, my first name and my middle name reversed. I tell everybody I've worked for the NWA but it was like three matches, I got my ass kicked. I was a jobber, don't ask me who I worked because it's been so long ago I really cannot remember. Got hooked up with Georgia All-Star, Joe Pedicino, Bonny Blackstone, Sammy Kent, this was around '90 or '91. Working shows with people like Curtis Thompson, Mark Bagwell, Joel Deaton, The Nasty Critters, etc. I met up with a friend of mine who worked at a pizza place named Tim Dyer who came up with the Inmate gimmick. So we worked as The Inmates, a heel tag team, and then everybody in Georgia stole it. You remember when the WWF and WCW had the convict (referring to "Nailz" Kevin Walchoz, around late 1992-early 1993), well they stole that from us, believe it or not. So we quit doing the Inmate gimmick, and my partner got out of wrestling for a while, but then he got back in it and we started doing The Good Ole' Boys, basically a Dukes of Hazzard gimmick. I was wrestling for WCF back in '92 or '93 in Calhoun, GA, when Tim was out of it for a while and I had turned babyface, but I knew The Inmate would not be a cool babyface gimmick, so I decided to go by my real name. Todd Zane, Tony's brother, loved my Dusty Rhodes impression, so one night he told me to go as Rob the Bull…as in "Bull of the Woods". I've got the first match ever as Rob the Bull on tape, I dunno if I'd want it released cause it was like (gagging) bad. But, for the first few matches I was Robert the Bull McBride and that just wasn't cool, so we just went with Rob. Stayed babyface, turned heel, kinda like Flair, I'd go back and fourth. We did a spot where they brought the original Inmate back, Tim Dyer, and did an angle where he took me out. Gave me a piledriver on a chair, so that's when The Kissing Bandit debuted. God, I don't know if I want you to print that or not.

BS: Ah, you got to now.

RM: The Kissing Bandit was basically kinda like a Jimmy Valiant gimmick. My finisher was a kiss. Came out to "The Boy From New York City", had on some psychedelic pants with a "Fanny's World Famous Showbar" t-shirt and a red butcher. And it was over. I mean they loved it. And nobody knew that Rob the Bull and The Kissing Bandit were the same person. They always thought that Kenny Arden, who does another gimmick now, was The Kissing Bandit. So I did some spots with WCW, I think I did four shot with them, hell, they paid 300 bucks a night and were only twenty minutes from my house in Georgia…doop! My biggest memory of the days jobbing for WCW was that I was there the night Paul Orndorff whipped Vader's ass. It scared the shit out of me. I hid. We were in the dressing room, Orndorff was popping in and out and Vader was late. Orndorff tells Vader "Get your gear on, you've got an interview" and Vader's like "All right, whatever" and starts talking to someone else. Basically Orndorff comes back three more times and tells him "Vader, get your shit on, you've got an interview, come on, we've got to go" and Vader keeps going "All right, all right, all right, no problem". So after about the fifth time, Orndorff comes in and goes "This is the last time I'm telling you. Get your shit on, you got an interview to do, now" and Vader copped an attitude and told him "I'll get my shit on when I'm good and ready". Orndorff told him "No, you'll get it on now or you're fired" and Vader told him "I'd like to see you try" and they had a little confrontation, Vader went to throw a punch and Orndorff stomped his ass.

BS: Are the rumors true that Paul Orndorff put the boots to him with flip-flops on?

RM: Pretty much, Todd and I were scared to death. But sure enough, that was the last time you saw Vader in WCW. Remember when they did the angle where the Horsemen gave Orndorff the piledriver on the floor, and then Orndorff did the interview about whooping a 350-pound man's ass? Well, that was a shoot, he was talking about Vader. Orndorff's the man, I would not want to make him mad. That's about the most memorable moment, uhh…ask me some questions.

BS: Favorite memories or favorite stories from the road over the years?

RM: Back in Georgia, we used to go to Shoney's, all of us. We'd have like 35 guys at Shoney's, and there was this guy called The Young Stallion, Jerry Coward and he was an idiot. I mean he'd just cut a fool and stuff like me. We were at Shoney's and there was like 20 people in the parking lot of Shoney's having some kind of prayer meeting thing and Jerry goes "Watch this" and wanders out into the middle of them acting like he was crippled. They all placed his hands on him and said "Young man, you'll be okay" and he jumped right up screaming "I'm healed! I'm healed!" and ran over to the window where my wife was at and screamed "Ma! I'm healed!" I thought she was gonna kill him. That's the most memorable moment, because we'd cut a fool, all of us. Kenny Arden, me, Big Bubba Humphries, Shoney's would be our spot, we dig some Shoney's. The night I wrestled Mick Foley, we all went to Shoney's, just acting stupid.

BS: We're gonna do a little word association, I'll say something and you go into as much or as little detail as you like in talking about that subject and give your shoot thoughts on them. First off, PCW Wrestling.

RM: I knew you were going there. As for the owner, uhh…Cat, Mr. Whitlow, Kurt, Bird-dog, whatever…personally I have no problem with Cat, I just can't work for him. There is too much b.s. going on, people running their mouth back and fourth to me and to him. Personally I have no problem with him, just professionally, I don't think it'd be wise to go back and work for them anymore.

BS: East Coast Pro Wrestling.

RM: I dig East Coast Pro Wrestling. One of the better promotions around, it draws good crowds and I am over as a babyface as hell. That was one of the first promotions I turned babyface in and now I am pretty much babyface everywhere except Mount Airy and Graham.

BS: New Empire Wrestling.

RM: Work or shoot?

BS: Shoot.

RM: He (Kurt Solo) has good ideas, the place he's running, the Klick, to me is in a bad neighborhood. He's got some good ideas, he's got some guys that have talent, he's got some guys who don't. His ideas and the stuff he does I dig it, it's cool.

BS: ACWA Wrestling.

RM: About the same as New Empire, he has good intentions, but he needs to advertise more. That boy has a heart of gold, but I just think it's a lack of experience.

BS: Ringside Championship Wrestling.

RM: That's my bird dogs baby! That's gonna be the next WWF!

Redd: Does that mean I get a paycheck like the WWF?

RM: How about NO, Redd. Uhh…Ringside Championship Wrestling, which is probably gonna change to Riders Championship Wresling or Riders Country Wrestling, I see a very big future in RCW but it all depends on rather or not this bill passes. If it passes, we're all out of business…I finally get to retire! Yes! No, wait, did I say that? But if the bill doesn't pass, we have a good future. There was a poll on the Independent Insider as to who has run the best shows this year and RCW won the poll, cause Fair Warning rocks!

BS: Thoughts on the proposed House Bill H-232?

RM: What a crock of shit. They're wanting a security bond and license and everything, but they don't understand that if this bill passes, everybody's out of business so they still ain't gonna make no money. So they might as well just drop it.

BS: Back to the word association, Corey Edsel.

RM: Shoot?

BS: Shoot.

RM: That's my future son-in-law, peoples.

BS: That pretty much is a shoot, people.

Redd: Pretty much.

RM: But I've told Corey, if she gets outta line, two words. Two words: gizet fizucked.

BS: Joe Storm.

RM: STIFF! No, just kidding. He's a good worker. Sometimes me and him don't look at the business the same way and clang heads, but sometimes we do look at it the same way. All-in-all, he's a bird dog.

BS: Your other son-in-law Redd.

RM: (leans over and burps loudly into the microphone)

BS: That's all that needs to be said.

RM: Nah, he's good. Up-and-coming, has good potential. And I'm not just saying that because he's sitting like, right across from me right now and he's like my grandbaby's daddy.

BS: Brian Hall.

RM: Phenomenal singer. Great charisma. The man has been in the ring three times and he has the potential to be a great wrestler. If he ever decided to quit singing, he could make it as a professional wrestler with no problem. Just a super nice guy. Love him to death.

BS: L.A. Wild One.

RM: Honestly, I have no problems with L.A. I dig L.A., he tried to tell me about the PCW deal and as much as I hate to say it, and I am gonna tell him this the next time I see him, he was right. But that is neither here nor there. We were a good tag team together and we're good when we're against each other. BS: SCW promoter Greg Mosorjak.

RM: Honestly, while I was there, he treated me all right. There is some stuff he does that I don't agree with, but there is probably some stuff I do that he doesn't agree with.

BS: Cinnamon.

RM: Fag!! And he is NOT my son! I don't care what anyone says, my son is Mini Bull.

BS: Any thoughts on training workers and on training people who we are starting to see turn up on shows now like Redd, Rob Jr., etc.

RM: If they were trained by me then they are doing super, if they were trained by anyone else, they suck! No, not really. There are some people out there training people that really don't need to be training people, I'm not gonna mention no names, but there are some people out there who really don't need to be training people because they're not trained themselves.

BS: Thoughts on possibilities that could come out of the working relationship between ECPW and CWF, which carries ties that stretch overseas.

RM: They have talked to me about that, and I am gonna get my ass whopped from my wife when I say this, because she really wants to go, but I have no interest in going overseas. My travelling days are through, I'd rather stay in North Carolina. I think it's good for the younger guys who are single, but I have no interest in going overseas.

BS: On the whole, have you been pleased with the RCW shows thus far?

RM: The February show was beautiful. It went great. The Easter show where Brian and I won the tag belts was a good show. The last show, July 22nd, one year since Ricky Morton shaved my beard off in Mt. Airy by the way, was the drizzling shits. Everyone else said they liked it, but I thought it sucked.

BS: Throughout your career, favorite opponent.

RM: That is tough, you might have to pause the tape recorder on that one. It would have to be Mick Foley. It was his last match before he went to the WWF. It was on a Saturday night in White, GA and then that Monday night he debuted on Raw. So I can honestly say Mick Foley's last match before he went to the WWF was with me. And I have videotapes from three different angles to prove it. Yep, I marked out.

BS: Other favorite opponents?

RM: I would have to say Corey Edsel. In all seriousness, the boy as big as he is, can out-bump me. The last three times I have wrestled him, I have been in there and seen him do stuff that just blew my mind. The other one would have to be Bam Bam. I am the one who brought Bam into the business, I didn't train him…I kinda started, but he got hooked up with some other people, but when me and Bam Bam are in there, we have a total blast.

BS: In your opinion, the potential for Corey Edsel's future in this business?

RM: I told him last week, if he keeps it up like he's doing, if he keeps it up like he's doing, working out and losing weight, I see no problem in a year to two years with him being in the WWF. He'll be making the big bucks. And I dig it because he's doing it right, he's going to school, going to be a lawyer I think. So he's got something to fall back on.

BS: When he is making the big bucks working for Vince, he's gonna be the one putting you up after you retire right?

RM: Oh hell yeah.

BS: Anyone else in general who you really enjoyed working with?

RM: Boogie, Ricky and Robert, Wahoo even though he would not bump…wanna hear a story about Wahoo?

BS: Sure.

RM: Well, I was wrestling him, and he gave me a chop and I said "Damn, Wahoo, you gettin' kinda old, kinda chopping like a pussy." and he shot me in the ropes and gave me another one and I was like (gasping for breath) "Wahoo, I'm sorry dude". So don't ever do that, that is a big no-no. Other guys I loved working with…Ivan Koloff, he is a cool guy. Manny Fernandez, who everybody told me was going to shoot on me, but he never did. Demolition Ax is cool, he's not stiff, but he's not light, just a little snug. All the Armstrongs: Scott, Brad, Steve, Bob, and Brian. All of those boys are hellacious workers who I love to death. Nice guys too. Curtis Hughes, I had a hellacious match with him in Wilson. I'm sure there's more, but I can't remember.

BS: Favorite match?

RM: Favorite match I would have to say is a tie. Both times I wrestled Boogie in Mt. Airy, the first time I wrestled him by myself and then the second one I had Mini Bull with me, and both times we had a blast. Then, the one with Mick Foley, because we just got stupid. Not many people can say they hit Mick Foley in the head with a trash can. I can. I did it. Got it on videotape.

BS: Biggest asshole you've ever met in the wrestling business?

RM: Paul Jones.

Redd: You mean there is a bigger asshole in the wrestling business than me!?

RM: and Redd. Nah, Paul Jones is the biggest dick in the world. Thinks his shit don't stink.

BS: Thoughts on backyard wrestling?

RM: Idiots. These dumb…don't even get me started on that dude. I heard there is one in Burlington, NC somewhere who does that, and I would love to show up there one time, because if I did they'd never do it again. I'd whoop everybody's asses. Seriously, it's people like that who give professional wrestling a bad name, jumping off their houses and stuff. I mean, I might be opening up a can of worms here, but they saw Mick Foley go off the cage and think they can do it. Mick Foley is a trained professional who gets paid, there is a difference. I know how much he got paid to do that and by the way, the second fall through the cage was not planned. It really broke. Uhh…let's play some more word association, I like that.

BS: Uhh…Persuasion.

RM: (growls) That's my baby bird dog.

BS: Jimmy Valiant.

RM: My hero. Boogie back in the 80's could not work his way out of a wet paper bag, but he had the show going on. I was a Boogie mark and even to this day I am still a Boogie mark even though he weighs a buck o' five. I dig Boogie. When I am in the ring wrestling him, it's like "Damn, here is a man I watched on TV when I was a little kid" and most of my babyface material comes from the old Handsome Jimmy Valiant tapes…I gotta quit watching them tapes man.

BS: Ricky Morton.

RM: I am upset that he no-showed last Sunday (the July 22nd RCW show where he had been advertised to work Corey Edsel), I mean, he could have made a lot of money selling gimmicks and stuff. Personally, I have wrestled the man several times and love him to death. I really don't know what his excuse was for not showing up, but it didn't hurt the crowd, people didn't care. So I don't have a problem with Ricky.

BS: Mick Foley.

RM: The man! Hell of a worker. Light worker, actually, very light. Very smart man, the exact opposite of his character. That boy is a genius. Mentally, he makes me look like Scooby Doo.

BS: Vince McMahon.

RM: Very smart businessman but crooked as hell. I'd like to meet him one day though just so I could look at him and go (growling, gravelly voice) 'You'rrre firrrrred.'

BS: Eric Bischoff.

RM: Dumb ass.

BS: Jim Herd.

RM: Who!?

BS: Ric Flair.

RM: THE MAN! The Nature Boy is the man and the next governor of North Carolina, thank you very much.

BS: David Flair as an in-ring talent.

RM: All I got to say is David Flair makes Chris Starr look like Ric Flair.

BS: Dusty Rhodes.

RM: Dick! I can't stand that asshole, he is an arrogant bastard.

BS: Hawk and Animal.

RM: Actually, never met 'em.

BS: Cham Pain.

RM: Met him for the first time tonight and he seems pretty cool. Dig the hair.

BS: Shane Helms.

RM: That's my bird dog. I have known Shane since he was knee-high to a grasshopper and I tickled to death that he has made it.

BS: C.W. Anderson.

RM: We go way back. C.W., if you read this, I've got to say it, I have videotape that shows C.W. Anderson when he weighed a buck o' five and had a full head of hair. Corey has seen it.

BS: Michael P.S. Hayes.

RM: When I first met him, I thought he was gay. Then I saw him up at the Crystal Chandelier in Atlanta and he was drunk. He was pretty cool though.

BS: Terry Gordy.

RM: Never met him. The night he and Michael and Jimmy Garvin were in Mt. Airy, I was booked in Winston Salem and I begged them to let me be the opener, but I had to main event so I missed meeting them.

BS: Mr. Unique.

RM: Has the working ability of Cinnamon.

BS: Steve Corino.

RM: Steve's a pretty cool dude. I met him about 3 or 4 years ago.

BS: Kurt Solo.

RM: I dig Kurt. This is a shoot, I dig Kurt. He is a hell of a guy. He's not like the other promoters, he thinks about stuff about the same way I do. I love him to death.

BS: Paul E. Heyman.

RM: Nerd. Dumbass. Loudmouth. Fat bastard. Needs to just get out of the business and did I mention drunk?

BS: Jim Cornette.

RM: Hilarious. That's all I gotta say, hilarious.

BS: Jim Ross.

RM: Good announcer, I think he needs to give it up because of his health.

BS: Jerry Lawler.

RM: The man. The King is the man, they need to bring his ass back.

BS: Randolph Hedrick.

RM: He's a bird dog. The new announcer at the RCW Arena, by the way. I dig Randolph.

BS: The $outh$ide Playas.

RM: Hellacious workers, real nice guys. As you can tell by now, I get along with anybody. Never actually sat down and watched them work, but I hear they do a hell of a job.

BS: Rick Steamboat.

RM: You know, I have never met Rick Steamboat, talked to him on the phone, but I have never met him. He wanted too much money to do an autograph signing, I was like, "Love ya Ricky, but you can keep your ass at home."

BS: Rick Steiner.

RM: Very nice guy, down-to-earth, like me, just a big ole' redneck. Remember the dog that he and his brother had? I had a chance to own that dog, he was gonna give me that dog, and I didn't take it. Dog's probably dead now, but, I've been to his house, seen his kids and his wife, hell of a nice guy.

BS: Scott Steiner.

RM: Dick. Arrogant asshole, lives his gimmick.

BS: Missy Hyatt.

RM: Uhhh…she got purdy boobies.

BS: Rick Link.

RM: Everybody talks junk about Rick Link, everytime I've met him, he has been real nice to me. Never worked him, but I hear tell about him doing stuff in the lockerroom, I have never seen him do it. He's real cool.

BS: Chris Plano.

RM: Honestly, Chris has never disrespected me or been mean to me or done me wrong. I have never worked for him, but I will say this. I am real surprised someone hasn't killed him yet. As for me personally, he's never done anything bad to me.

BS: Elden Spears.

RM: Prison bitch!

BS: Speaking of which, Ranger Ross.

RM: He set the jail on fire Ackward, GA, I have proof, I used to live there.

BS: New Jack.

RM: Craz-eee nigger.

BS: Do you have anything to say to the Rob the Bull McBride fans or any fans of independent wrestling in general who might be reading this?

RM: Man, ain't nobody a fan of my work, nobody knows who The Bull is, he's turnip green eatin', grit-soppin', nothin' happenin' redneck hillbilly. Nice website by the way, I went to it and saw the picture of me all bloody, it was cool.

BS: It will probably accompany this interview when I put it up.

RM: Sweet. And if anybody asks whether or not it's real blood, hell yeah it was. And the picture of Corey with Tommy Rich is cool.

BS: Anything to say in closing?

RM: Yes, Hank (Henry, the King of Marks) is my bird dog. Just let it be known that Hank is my bird dog. People keep watching. Keep coming to the RCW shows. Fair Warning rocks. Try not to let this bill get passed. This waitress sucks. We're at IHOP in Burlington, NC and I want you to know a year and a half ago, last time I ate here, someone stole the bullhorns off my Cadillac. And if I ever find the person who stole my bullhorns, my bird dog Hank is going after them. Cinnamon is not my son! Oh, and 'DOOOOOOOOOOOOP!'