Everyone remembers the original heyday of the World Wrestling Federation, a time when gimmicks reigned supreme. A period where a wrestler’s talent was always placed far behind the character he was given. Some careers, like Terry Taylor and Steve Keirn, ran into a brick wall when given the gimmicks of the Red Rooster and Skinner. Others, such as Mike Rotunda and Ted Dibiase, were given long runs with characters no one could ever forget in IRS and the Million Dollar Man. Chris Chavis’ Tatanka, an Indian warrior, was one character that stayed in fans’ minds for a long time, all the way to a recent appearance on Monday Night Raw!
Who could forget Tatanka’s fallaway slam finisher, bizarrely named “Papoose To Go” or his treacherous heel turn on Lex Luger to join the Million Dollar Corporation? Tatanka talks about his entire career, from the early indie days, to his World Wrestling Federation stay through today in another exclusive RF VIDEO shoot interview. We all remember Tatanka vows to be an inspiration to all Native Americans, and RF VIDEO vows to be an inspiration to all the lovers of in depth interviews! Tantaka talked about all the backstage happenings during one of wrestling’s most insane eras.
Talk about growing up as part of the Lumbee tribe
Culturally how was your life different growing up than someone who isnt native american
Did you play sports in high school
Did you like wrestling or football better
Do you have any good football recruiting stories
How did you get into bodybuilding
Was there pressure to use steroids and did you
Are your joints damaged today from your years as a heavy power lifter
Can you talk about your short NFL career
How did you get into the business
What are your thoughts on how things turned out with Bobby Rodgers
He had offered to cut his finger off on an ECW show, was that typical of him
Initial impressions of Buddy Rogers
Initial impressions of Larry Sharpe
Were you a big wrestling fan prior to this
Who did you train with in the school at that time
What was the Larry contract, was it fair
What do you remember about your first match against Joe Thunderfoot
What was the hardest thing about your training
Did you train with scott levy, and if so thoughts
How did you wind up working for George Scott
Thoughts on George
Memories of Ricky Steamboat
Memories of Wahoo McDaniel
Who took you under their wing
Did any vets try and take advantage of you
Memories of Ken Shamrock
Were you there the night of the fight with him and the Nasty Boys
How did you wind up in WWE
Initial impressions of Vince
How did you wind up with the name Tatanka
What was the locker room scene like
Initial impressions of Hogan
Thoughts/impressions of Warrior
What is your take on him? IS he as nuts as people have made him out to be.
Thoughts on Randy Savage
Who did you ride and room with
Was there any jealousy early on from vets
Did you feel the red stripe in ur hair was stereotypical
Memories of your first Wrestlemania
Memories of your series with Rick Martel
How much did it help you being paired with him right away
Did it bother you at Summerslam 92 you only had a dark match
Memories of your series with Shawn Michaels
Were you supposed to go over on him for the IC Title and whats the story behind it
What do you think of him today as a reborn christian
What is your take on the whole issue between him and Bret
Thoughts on Bret
When you didn’t go over for the IC title did Vince have a back up plan for you as far as a feud, program, etc
What were things like during Vince’s steroid trial
Memories of your series with Razor
Did he have any objections to putting you over twice on tv
Memories of your series with Bam Bam
You wrestled Luger at the King of the Ring. Did that match have anything to do with you guys being programmed together later.
Memories of teaming with the Smoking Gunns, thoughts on them
Thoughts/memories of Sunny
Memories of working the USWA shows against Lawler
Did you object to working down there at all
Thoughts on Lawler
Memories of your series with Ludwig Borga
Do you think your first loss should have been to him
Why were you replaced at the Survivor Series and taken out of your match with Yoko and replaced with Undertaker
Thoughts on your series with Yoko
Did Fuji ever rib you
Any good rib stories overall
Thoughts on your matches with Kevin Nash
Was he difficult to work with
Did you witness the Clique evolve into a power unit
Politically did they ever affect you
How did things change after Hogan left
Memories of your series with Mike Rotunda
Whos idea was it to turn you heel
Did you like being a heel or babyface better
Did your style and psychology have to change a lot
Memories of your series with Luger
Was he as hard to work with as some people say
Memories of teaming with Bam Bam
Thoughts on Bob Holly
Thoughts on teaming with Sid
Thoughts overall on Sid
Thoughts overall and memories of working with Jake Roberts
Is he as smart as people say
Why did you leave the WWE
Did you leave on good terms
Was there ever a chance of you going to WCW
Why didn’t you go
Do you regret it
Could you have taken the gimmick wherever you wanted
Was there ever any talks of you going into ECW
What did you do during the off time
Memories of working with Terry Funk in New Mexico
What happened with a proposed big investment about 3 years ago to start a wrestling company with an investor from Philadelphia
How did you wind up back on Raw
Did you like how it went
How were things different
Thoughts on Vince
Do you think you need to get in better shape for a full time return
There were reports you were offered a deal, is that true and what is the status
Do you think that the WWE today places too much of an emphasis on size and look rather than ability
Why do you think the business is in a decline?
What are you doing today?
Have you ever refused to do a job and why
Regrets
Favorite and least favorite opponents
In your opinion most overrated and underrated workers
Can you still be a main draw in 2005
Future plans
Advice for young guys
Can the business turn itself around
Best ribs you ever saw
Road stories from anytime
Are you surprised by guys like Terry Funk and Flair who have been around this long
Any talks with NWATNA
Thoughts on the lack of kayfabe today in wrestling
Are you surprised that Bret Hart came back to a DVD with the WWE
Is there anyone you didn’t get a chance to work with that you wished you would have
Did you ever feel pressured to take steroids
What is your favorite moment in your career
What do you think is wrong with the business today
Would you like to be in the WWE Hall of Fame
Any thoughts on writing a book