How Glacier Kept His Opponents Safe While Delivering High-Impact Moves

Since Paul Heyman’s induction into the Hall of Fame Class of 2024, the names ECW and WCW have resurfaced in discussions among wrestling fans. While ECW has been a major attraction lately, WCW’s influence remains undeniable. Recently, WCW legend Glacier sat down with Ringside News’ Steve Fall to discuss his career and experiences in the company.

Glacier, known for his impressive size and martial arts-inspired persona, revealed that his physique made him appear more ferocious and dangerous in the ring. Despite this, he was committed to performing at the highest level while prioritizing safety.

During the interview, Glacier revealed that Eric Bischoff valued his physique and the opportunities it afforded. He elaborated on the challenges of maintaining authenticity in wrestling without causing harm.

“It’s the hardest thing to teach people in professional wrestling: how to throw a good punch and make it look good. I always say, ‘You know, your goal is you’re hitting a small bony object with a much smaller bony object, and try not to hurt each other, make it look great but still not kill each other.’ I mean, it’s very, very hard to do. Now, you take a big leg and try to get it up to someone’s face, and you know, that’s why I actually switched to more of a shin pad type. A lot of guys wear shin pads now, and some of them use them, some of them don’t, and I get that. Some, it just works for their outfit. But I switched to actually amateur wrestling shoes for the first few years of Glacier.”

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Glacier emphasized the importance of protecting his opponents, highlighting the potential dangers of wrestling boots. He chose to wear amateur wrestling shoes and shin pads to minimize the risk of injury.

“Because I wanted to do everything I could to minimize and protect the other person. The crepe soles on pro wrestling boots can cut you wide open if you get kicked with them in the face and stuff, so I wanted to do everything I could to protect because that’s the number one rule in wrestling: safety. Be safe in the ring. But still, especially with all the pressure I had on me with that entrance and everything, and the buildup of all, like, I had to make sure my stuff looked good. So, you know, Eric was always just like, ‘Just go out there and kick full speed.’ You know, I’d rather it look good. And I was like, ‘Well, yeah, but you don’t have to walk back to that locker room. I do, man. Kicking Mortis in the face, he’s not gonna be like, ‘Thanks for that.”’

While Bischoff encouraged Glacier to be aggressive in the ring, Glacier’s commitment to safety ensured that his matches were both exciting and respectful of his opponents’ well-being.

What are your thoughts on Glacier’s reflections and Eric Bischoff’s influence on his career? Share your opinions in the comments section below!