RF VIDEO had the privilege to sit down with a second generation superstar, Pat Tanaka. Pat was one half of the Bad Company tag team that ran rampant in the AWA and Memphis territories and later went to the WWE with long time tag team partner Paul Diamond. Pat also was in ECW and WCW as well and we touch on that too. During this tell all interview Pat talks about everything from growing up in the business, breaking into the business at a young age, road stories with some of the most notorious ribbers like Curt Henning, drug use and of course making it into the big time with the WWE. Pat holds nothing back for this one on one exclusive tell all interview.
Pat talks all about coming up in the Florida territory and being around legends like Hiro Matsuda and Eddie Graham. You will hear how Dusty Rhodes played a huge role into getting him his first break in the Crockett territory. What was it like to work TV during that time period and work with the greats like Abby, Tully Blanchard, Ric Flair.
How did Pat wind up working for Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett. What was the memphis territory like during its heyday. How did he meet Paul Diamond for the very first time. Who were the guys in the locker room that he got along with. Want stories on Buddy Landel, Rocky Johnson and Bill Dundee?
Pat later left the Memphis territory and we find out why. How did he end up working for Verne Gagne? What was a young Curt Henning like out of the ring. How crazy did the ribs get in the AWA, including a never told before Henning story. How about being around the legends like Greg Gagne, Nick Bockwinkel and other top acts from MN. Pat saw a lot of big names pass thru the AWA locker rooms and he has stories on all of them. Wait until you hear his Kerry Von Erich story from SuperClash.
Pat made it to the big time when the WWE brought him into the company and find out why Paul Diamond did not come in with him at first. Pat talks about his legendary manager Mr. Fuji. What were his impressions of Hulk Hogan? Pat’s career crossed paths with The Rockers all of the map and how did he rate his matches with the Rockers, especially their classic at Wrestlemania 6. He has stories on all the vets from the WWE including Piper, Bret Hart, and so many more.
How did Pat end up working for Paul Heyman in ECW. Did he get along with Paul behind the scenes. For the first time ever Pat talks about the horrible exploding ring match that took place at the ECW arena and what went wrong. Was it true that Pat would go to the ring with Cocaine taped inside his trunks?
You will hear about his Japan tours with Sabu and how he worked for FMW and New Japan. What happened when he booked the late Chris Candido for his New Japan debut? How he ended up in WCW and what the politics were like during the Eric Bischoff reign.
This interview is just a very fun filled interview with a guy who has nothing to loose and Pat opens up about his long career in the world of pro wrestling. If you loved Bad Company and want to learn and hear tons of amazing stories about the biggest names in the business this is one interview you can’t miss.
To fans who don’t know, who is your father
Memories growing up in a wrestling family
Did you travel with your dad to shows
Favorite memories and matches
Any wrestlers nicer to you guys than others
Memories of wrestlers at the house
How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a wrestler
Did you dad discourage it
Favorite match of your dads
Memories of Hiro Matsuda
Memories of Eddie Graham
How old were you when your dad told you that the business was a work
Memories of training
How did you get into Crockett promotions
Road stories
Memories of Dusty Rhodes
Who taught you the most
Was it frustrating being stuck as a preliminary guy
Memories wrestling Abdullah the Butcher
Memories of Ric Flair
Were any of the vets ever concerned you would show them up
Memories of Jim Crockett
Memories of Tully Blanchard
Memories of your first wrestling groupie
How did you wind up in Memphis
First memories of Jerry Lawler
Memories of Jerry Jarrett
Memories of Jeff and tag matches
Was it more pressure to work with the booker’s son
Favorite matches
Road stories
Memphis ring rat scene
How did you and Paul Diamond first get together
What did you like about teaming with him
Did you get along
Who came up with the name Badd Company
Memories of matches with the Sheepherders
Memories of Rocky Johnson
Memories of Bill Dundee
Memories of Buddy Landel
Memories of matches with the Nasty Boys
Memories of the Rockers from this time period
Any good party stories
Did you ever see the longterm potential in Shawn
How did you wind up in the AWA
Initial impressions of Verne Gagne
Memories of Curt Hennig
Memories of Greg Gagne
Memories of Nick Bockwinkel
Any Hennig rib memories
Initial impressions of Dallas Page
Did you guys like him as your manager
Memories of matches with the Rockers in the AWA
How did Verne like your matches since they were more aerial than what he was probably used to
Were you surprised when the Rockers came back
Memories of matches with the Top Guns
Did you ever try getting back into Crockett/WCW during this time
Memories of Wendi Richter and Super Clash
Memories of Kerry Von Erich at Super Clash
Were you on the show when Kerry’s boot came off
Memories of Madusa
Memories of matches with Ken Patera
How did you get into the WWE
Initial impressions of Vince McMahon
How did the locker room accept you guys
Were any of the vets upset about how athletic you guys were and maybe showing them up
Impressions of Hulk Hogan
Memories of Randy Savage
Memories of the Ultimate Warrior
Did you like the Orient Express gimmick
Were you and Paul disappointed not to team
Any good Mr. Fuji rib memories
Memories of your WrestleMania 6 match against the Rockers
Were Shawn and Marty any different there
Any good Marty stories
What happened with Curt and Marty’s car
Were you on the tour in which Marty supposedly stole a bus
Memories of matches with Nikolai and Duggan
Memories of matches with the Road Warriors
Did they give you a hard time about selling
Were you there when Vince took everyone’s finishes
Why did Sato wind up leaving
Did you feel your matches were better with Paul
Memories of your Royal Rumble match against The Rockers which people still talk about
How did Vince like your matches against the Rockers
Memories of matches against Owen and Koko
Memories of Bret Hart
Memories of Roddy Piper
Memories of Kerry Von Erich in the WWE
Memories of when Ric Flair came in
Sato came back briefly, do you think that stopped you guys from progressing
You left for a little while, what happened
When you came back you never seemed to get any kind of push, was it frustrating
Were things different without Hulk around
Was your pay down with Bret on top as opposed to the Hogan days
What happened with Paul on the Europe tour and someone’s wife
How did you wind up leaving the WWE
You and Paul went to ECW, did you think ECW would take off as it did
Thoughts on Paul Heyman as booker
Memories of matches with Public Enemy
Memories of the “explosion” match
Memories of matches with the Rottens
Memories of Sabu
Memories of teaming with The Sheik
How did you wind up in WCW
Thoughts on Eric Bischoff
Did you expect a big push
You and Paul wrestled a few matches together but there was no long push, how come
You stuck around and popped up from time to time in WCW, were you under contract the whole time
Memories of working in FMW
Memories working in New Japan
Memories of Antonio Inoki
Memories of Shinya Hashimoto
You were one of the most talented guys of your era, are you surprised bigger things never happened for you
You have talked before about your struggles with drugs, can you talk about them here
Is it possible for you to wrestle full time and stay sober
Thoughts on Chris Candido
Thoughts on Scott Hall and his struggles
There was a lot of partying in your era of pro wrestling, are you surprised at the WWE’s wellness policy, etc
Thoughts about steroids in wrestling
Best shoot you ever saw in or out of the ringWho do you think is the most overrated worker you ever worked with
Can territories work today
Do you have any plans to write a book
How close do you still follow the business
At what point in your career did you have to get another job besides wrestling and what do you currently do
Do you have any advice for guys breaking in today
Any matches you regret
Favorite ribs
Favorite road stories
Favorite groupie stories
Favorite party stories
Are you surprised TNA hasn’t booked you with your connections to Jeff
If you were coming up today would you lean more into getting into MMA than wrestling
Thoughts on WWE dropping all references to wrestling