Steve Carrier on May 8, 2019
X-Pac opens today’s show by talking about the XFL’s television deal. He notes that it’s impressive that the XFL are associated with these massive networks such as FOX and ABC right out of the gate. It’s interesting that the networks will be paying the production fees for each game, which means McMahon won’t receive any of the television ad revenue.
X-Pac points out that this is McMahon’s second time around so he probably learned a few lessons the first time. He also took his time with this project and clearly planned ahead. X-Pac doesn’t think the XFL will change McMahon’s role in WWE at all, and he thinks it’ll be status quo in terms of McMahon’s position in WWE. He doesn’t know how McMahon keeps up with his huge workload but he finds a way.
X-Pac talks about Lio Rush ruffling some feathers backstage in WWE. He notes that Rush complaining about money is interesting, since recent reports suggest that the average lower-mid card wrestler in WWE averages around $100,000 per year. However, when you have to pay for all your rental cars and hotels that can add up quickly.
As for Rush’s suggestion that a black man such as himself shouldn’t be getting water and bags for veterans backstage, X-Pac notes that Rush isn’t the first black man to do that. Every young wrestler that comes into a new locker room follows those unwritten rules, and he can recall carrying Mr. Fuji’s bags everywhere for a while out of respect when he first arrived in WWE.
He says he like Rush a lot, and thinks he’s a great man and a great performer, but he notes that Rush might wake up in a few years and realize he made a mistake by going public with his complaints like this.
X-Pac says he can recall Mr. Perfect telling him early in his career that it doesn’t matter if he makes a cent in WWE because the publicity that you get from working in WWE is priceless.
There are rumours circulating that FOX is concerned with WWE’s shrinking ratings and wants to ensure WWE’s biggest stars will be appearing on Smackdown when the blue brand debuts on FOX in the fall. X-Pac can understand that because FOX paid a lot of money for Smackdown. He’s sure WWE will do whatever they can to make FOX happy.
Brock Lesnar recently retired from UFC and X-Pac notes that the reason for this was that Lesnar wanted guaranteed money from UFC for a fight, and when UFC declined Lesnar simply retired. X-Pac notes that Lesnar is his own man and does whatever he wants, and he wishes him the best in whatever he does next.
X-Pac welcomes MVP to the show.
MVP informs that he has a Ted Talk that focuses on his troubled past and how it still haunts him today. When he was 16 he was arrested for armed robbery and served 9 and a half years in prison. He served his time and went on to become a successful wrestler who’s known around the world, but when he tries to do something simple like renting a house his lease applications are denied because he’s a convicted felon.
He notes that it’s obvious that the solution to this was to stay out of jail in the first place, but he adds that sometimes the simplest mistake or error in judgement can land you in jail. Not everyone in jail is good, but everyone isn’t bad either. He thinks 99% of people in prison can turn their life around if given the opportunity.
He admits that he was a terrible teenager, and in his case he didn’t make a mistake. He knew exactly what he was doing when he committed the robbery and he deserved the jail time he got. He thinks prison was the place he needed to be at that time. He owns his past and uses it as a way to educate the youth of today.
With that being said, he notes that convicted felons are in a tough situation once they’re released and it can be a struggle to get back on your feet in that situation. Background checks are required for job applications or even when looking for housing, and that makes it difficult to land on your feet when you get out of jail. He thinks something needs to be done about that.
He has a 4 year old son now, and he hopes to engrain certain things in him throughout the next few years. By the time his son is 11 or 12 he hopes to be able to have educated discussions with him about his past experiences that should help guide his son away from travelling down a similar path.
MVP says he’s pretty much over wrestling. He’s 45 years old now and always thought he’d be retired by 45, but he knows he can still go and have a good 15-20 minute match. Nonetheless, he thinks he’ll be retiring by the time he’s 47. His passion and love for the business simply isn’t there all the time anymore.
He has no grand plans for his retirement or exit from the business, but he informs that he hopes to become a motivational speaker and open a bar when he retires.
MVP thinks Kofi Kingston and Daniel Bryan should have main-evented WrestleMania this year. He thought that match had the most emotional investment and the race angle was very important for him as well. He notes that it’s important for young black children to have someone like Kofi to look up to.
He adds that Kofi is a genuine human being who has always been a true professional and it was a beautiful thing for him to be rewarded with a Title win like that on the grandest stage of them all.
That sums up today’s episode of X-Pac 1, 2, 360. You can listen to the show yourself anytime here, and I’ll catch ya next week for another recap!
May 8, 2019 2:04 pm
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