Wrasslin Pals recently interviewed former WWE and UFC star Dan “The Beast” Severn. You can check out the full interview here, below are some highlights:
Teaching and training in the business of pro wrestling:
“I started teaching the sport of amateur wrestling in 1971, and it came to me like a gift. Everyone has a gift whether it is singing or dancing; mine happened to be teaching physical mechanics and that stems from my amateur wrestling background. From there, my first professional training was in the world of professional “wrasslin” and when I first got involved in that world there was no rhyme or reason, there were no DVDs, no VHS tapes there wasn’t anything about proper instruction on professional wrestling. It was all something that was handed down. It was really a tough network to infiltrate but after I ended up getting into it, there was so much discrepancy about how you should do a technique like this or like that to where I was the first person that I am aware of who put out instructional VHS tapes on professional wrestling.”
The WWF dropping the ball on a marquee feud with Ken Shamrock:
“Shamrock basically went to work about one year before I did. They were talking to us both at the same time. Ken pretty much said for X amount of dollars, I’m yours and the reality is that anyone under contract to the WWE, they are selling their soul. At that time, I was and still am as far as I know the only athlete that didn’t have any boundaries about me. I could work for anybody because at the time I was the NWA champion and in the NWA alone I was working for about 30 different promoters under the NWA banner and the nwa wanted to make me exclusive to them and I said well what is that worth to you guys because if you want me to be exclusive to you, there has to be an annual salary with that cause if I’m just doing a couple of shots for the NWA…what does that do for me? Nothing. Basically, the WWF had a chance with a Ken Shamrock vs Dan Severn (feud) because we each had a match a piece against one another so to do a tiebreaker, it is a no brainer. It could have easily been done. I really do believe that because the “Fed” knew that they really had no control over me that they couldn’t tell me what to do.”
Being an independent contractor:
“In 1998, the WWF wanted me to sign an exclusive contract, and that is why we were in negotiations for almost a year and I did not want to cease all my endeavors I was doing at the time and put all my eggs into one basket because I have already seen the professional wrestling world for what it was and it’s all politically motivated and I’m not a politically correct individual. I’m the type of guy that everyone respects me because whatever comes out of my mouth is the truth. You may not like what I say but you will not question whether or not it is the truth.”
UFC management not wanting him to wear the NWA belt into the cage:
“The UFC was beside themselves when I wanted to wear the nwa belt out at one of the UFC events. They did not want the association. I told them that you are not being associated with professional wrestling; you are being associated with Dan Severn. You have Dan Severn, who is a professional wrestler, but you do not know the history of the nwa belt. The great people that carried that belt, not all, but there has been some really great individuals. A champion used to have real capabilities they didn’t just throw the strap on anyone where in the last 20 years they do just throw the strap on guys they think can draw a crowd with whether or not they have true abilities.”
CM Punk signing with the UFC:
“I do not know what CM punk’s actual abilities are. I have seen some of the different little blurbs that have come about and a lot of people like to be the old Internet quarterback and unless you know what you are really talking about then anyone can be an armchair quarterback. I’ve learned that I don’t try to argue with anyone over the Internet and it’s a no win situation.”
Current relationship with the UFC:
“I have a good relationship with them, I’ve been with three different owners. The current owners brought me back for the 20th anniversary show, and I’ve had two other meetings since that time. And I think that something will materialize and I will probably do something with or on behalf of the current ownership.”
