PERSONAL INTERVIEW

Personal Interview with Arn Anderson

• Does being a celebrity ever interfere with your everyday life?
  

  Anderson
  "Being a celebrity changes many aspects of your life and with time I suppose you learn to adapt to them. It only interferes if you allow it to interfere and bother you."

• Do you dislike signing autographs all the time? Do people ever treat you like public property since you are a public figure?
  

  Anderson
  "No, I love signing autographs. If I had no fans, I don't believe I would be in the position I am today. The fans make you and I am in debt to them. There are however certain situations where common courtesy should be shown. I have been known to get irritated when I am trying to enjoy a dinner with my family and people think it is okay to interrupt me in the middle of eating. One person will come up to the table and ask for an autograph. If you make out the first one then you have to make out the fifteen after that. That's not as bad as the whispers and the cold stares people give because they believe they know you because they know things about you. It gets a little frusterating at times. The proper thing to do if you really wanted an autograph would be to wait until I am exiting the restaurant to ask."








Arn Anderson Biography



• Marty (Arn Anderson) was born September 20, 1958. He grew up in Rome, GA, where he wrestled for his high school. He and Randy Anderson, who wrestled at the rival high school, got into the wrestling business together. The Junkyard Dog is rumored to have given Arn his first break into the sport.



• Early Years in Florida
  
  Arn Anderson wrestled his first match in January of 1982, losing to "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. Soon after his debut, Anderson started teaming up with Matt Borne. They were managed by Paul Ellering until they were defeated by The Road Warriors in a tournament final. Ellering then left them for the LOD. Then Anderson and Borne alligned themselves with Ole Anderson & Tommy Rich during their feud with Ellering's Road Warriors.
  
  
In 1983, Arn Anderson moved to the northern Florida area and began wrestling under a mask as Super Olympia. He and Mr. Olympia won the tag team championship on three separate occasions in 1984. The 2 eventually broke up and began feuding.


• The Mid-Atlantic Years
  
  In 1985, Arn went back to the Mid-Atlantic area. Ole Anderson, then Georgia National Tag Team Champion with Thunderbolt Patterson, dumped his partner and alligned himself with Double A. He told Patterson he "would let him walk away this time, but to watch out next time they meet." Arn was having a match with Manny Fernandez, and when Fernandez took control of the match, Ole came in and started a double team. Thunderbolt came down to the ring, only to be attacked by Arn. Ole stood and watched, until Patterson mounted a comeback. Then he joined his cousin (really son-in-law) and the two double teamed Patterson. Ole and Arn Anderson, now calling themselves The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, beat Thunderbolt Patterson and Manny Fernandez to claim the Tag Team Championship as their own on April 28, 1985. Then on January 4, 1986, Anderson defeated Wahoo McDaniel in a tournament final to win the NWA World Television Title.



• The NWA and The 4-Horsemen
  
  About the same time The Minnesota Wrecking Crew came into existence, Ric Flair was having some trouble with Magnum, T.A. Magnum challenged Flair to a $1,000 challenge match. After the match began, the Andersons came out and joined the commentators. They said Flair was a cousin of the Andersons and wanted to be sure he got a fair shake. After the match the Andersons entered the ring and, along with Flair, triple teamed the helpless Magnum, T.A.
  
  After this Magnum signed a tag match against The Minnesota Wrecking Crew with his friend Dusty Rhodes. Before the match, Magnum was attacked backstage and the Andersons went on to the ring to double team Dusty Rhodes. Magnum was finally able to make it to the ring, but he was helpless against the Andersons. Dusty was assisted in getting to the back, but Magnum, T.A. was carried out and taken to the hospital.
  
  After several attacks on T.A. and Rhodes, Dusty's friend Sam Houston got involved. He was having a match against Tully Blanchard, when the Andersons arrived at ringside and attacked the young Texan. The three worked over Houston (who is now crippled) until help arrived from the back. Now led by Tully Blanchard's manager (James J. Dillon), Arn Anderson came up with the name, "The Four Horsemen".
  
  The Minnesota Wrecking Crew abandoned the Georgia National Tag Team Championship early in 1986. In September of that year, Arn lost the Television Title to Dusty Rhodes. Nearing the end of the year, Ole left the Horsemen causing a feud to start between him and Arn.
  
  Going almost a year without a title, Arn and Tully Blanchard won the NWA World Tag Team Championship from The Rock'N'Roll Express on September 29, 1987. They held onto the titles for about 6 months when they were defeated by Barry Windham and Lex Luger. Three short weeks later, they regained the titles from Luger and Windham. This time they kept the titles for nearly 5 months before losing to The Midnight Express. Shortly after this, Anderson and Blanchard left the NWA for the World Wrestling Federation.
  
  
• The World Wrestling Federation and The Brain Busters
  
  Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard entered the WWF as "The Brain Busters", managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. They made their debut at the 1988 Survivor Series in a 10-tag team elimination match. Their next big match came on April of the next year when they defeated former Tag Team Champions, Strike Force, at Wrestlemania. On July 18 of that same year they were awarded a title shot against Demolition, in which they won the WWF World Tag Team Championship. They defeated several top contenders, such as The Rockers and The Hart Foundation, before Demolition regained the titles from them on October 2nd. Soon after this Tully Blanchard was released from his contract due to a drug related problem, and Arn soon returned to the NWA. Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard were the first tag team in history to capture both the NWA and WWF World Tag Team Championships.



• Arn returns to WCW and The Horsemen
  
  Arn Anderson returned to WCW to join a new combination of The Four Horsemen, inluding himself, Ric Flair, Ole Anderson, and Sting. On January 2, 1990, Double A won the World Television Title from the Great Muta. This title reign lasted a record breaking 11 months (336 days), before Arn lost it to Tom Zenk on December 4th. Just over a month later, on January 7th, Arn recaptured the TV Title from Zenk. The Horsemen, then consisted of Arn, Flair, Barry Windham, and Sid Vicious, soon broke up as Flair departed for the WWF.
  
  
• The End of the Horsemen?
  
  Arn and Windham became regular tag team partners for the early part of that year. On May 19, at the first Superbrawl, Anderson lost the TV Title to Bobby Eaton. He then started teaming up with Larry Zybyszko, collectively known as "The Enforcers". On September 5th of that year, The Enforcers won the WCW World Tag Team Championship in a tournament final over Rick Steiner and Bill Kazmaier. Just over two months later, the new combination of Ricky Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes won the Tag Titles on November 19th.
  
  This loss didn't keep Anderson down for long. Anderson and Bobby Eaton, members of The Dangerous Alliance along with Steve Austin and Rick Rude, made a run for the tag titles and defeated Steamboat and Rhodes in January of 1992. After several defenses against The Steiners, Rick and Scott were finally able to pull of a victory against The Dangerous Alliance members on May 3, 1992. Near the end of that year, Anderson went on an unsuccessful World Title run against former partner, Barry Windham.



• Flair returns and so do the Horsemen
  
  At Slamborree 1993 Arn, Ole, Ric Flair, and Paul Roma became the newest version of the Four Horsemen. Anderson started teaming up with Roma and they made a run at the champions, The Hollywood Blondes. When Brian Pillman broke his ankle, Steve Regal teamed with Steve Austin to defend the titles against Anderson and Roma. The Horsemen took advantage of Pillman's absence and won the championship on August 18, 1993. They held onto the titles just over a month when they lost them to The Nasty Boys on September 19th.
  
  While on tour in England the next month, Sid Vicious attacked Anderson in a hotel room. During this brawl, scissors were used and both athletes sustained serious injuries. Sid was pulled from his World Title match and eventually released. Anderson was out of action for several months.



• The Studd Stable
  
  Arn Anderson returned as a face, or "good guy". He agreed to team with Dustin Rhodes against Bunkhouse Buck and Terry Funk. During that match at Bash at the Beach '94, Double A turned on Rhodes and joined the Studd Stable. They continued in a feud with the Rhodes and Nasty Boys on into the year. Many thought Arn's career was coming to an end as he lost a TV Title match to Johnny B. Badd at Starrcade.
  
  Everyone was wrong. On January 9, 1995, Anderson received a rematch against Johnny B. Badd in which he won the Television Title for a fourth time. He defended the title against several of the young stars in WCW until The Renegade gained an upset victory over him on June 18th.



• The New 4-Horsemen
  
  Over the next few months we were brought to believe that Flair and Anderson's longtime friendship had come to an abrupt end. This all started when Anderson and Flair faced Vader in a handicap match in which Vader was victorious. Over the next few weeks Flair blamed Arn for the loss and the two had several off-camera confrontations. At Fall Brawl '95, we saw the first match between "The Nature Boy" and "The Enforcer". This classic match was a see-saw battle. When it appeared that Flair was about to apply the figure-four. Brian Pillman came to the ringside area and jumped on the apron. Flair went over and punched Pillman, but Brian retaliated by kicking Flair in the head with his cowboy boot, setting up Flair for the DDT. Over the next month, Flair begged Sting to be his partner against Anderson and Pillman. After fighting them alone, Sting saw that Flair was a man of his word. The match was signed for Halloween Havoc.
  
  Early that evening, Flair was supposedly attacked by Arn and Brian. When it came time for the match, Sting came to the ring alone. Sting controlled the beginning of the match but, as time went on, Anderson and Pillman took control. Then the crowd erupted as "The Nature Boy" came running down the aisle in his street clothes, with his head bandaged. When Sting was able to get to his corner and make the tag, Flair entered the ring, ran off of the ropes and nailed his partner. They triple-teamed Sting and left him lying in the ring. On their way back to the locker rooms they did an interview with Mean Gene, stating that the Horsemen were back!
  
  Through the end of 1995, The Four Horsemen contined their feud with Hogan, Beefcake, and Savage and an off-and-on feud with Kevin Sullivan's Dungeon of Doom. To start 1996, Anderson was the only man to beat Hulk Hogan by pinfall twice in a week's time.



• 1996 to Present
  
  In the beginning of the year, The Horsemen continued their battles with Hogan and the DOD. As the year went on...on Monday Nitro, Ric Flair taunted and flirted with Deborah McMichael (wife of former Chicago Bear Steve McMichael) for weeks. After this, and verbally attacking McMichael himself on several occasions, McMichael recruited Kevin Greene of the Carolina Panthers to help him battle the 4-Horsemen. The match was set - Flair & Anderson vs. McMichael & Greene.
  
  McMichael & Greene were accompanied to the ring by Randy Savage and their wives. Flair & Anderson were accompanied by Benoit, Elizabeth & Woman (Pillman left WCW after a dispute with top booker Kevin Sullivan). About halfway through the match, Liz and Woman chased Deborah & Greene's wife back to the locker rooms. As Kevin Greene was in the ring getting pummeled by the Horsemen, Liz and Woman came back to the ring along with Deborah McMichael. Deborah was carrying a briefcase which she handed to her husband on the outside of the ring. Steve opened it to find a 4-Horseman T-shirt and it was full of money. About that time Greene was crawling to the corner to get the tag. McMichael looked at his friend, looked at the money, then nailed Greene with the briefcase. Flair got the pin, then the 4-Horsemen pounded on Greene and Savage, and left them lying helpless in the ring.
  
  After the beginning of the New World Order, there was an attack backstage at a Monday Nitro. Arn Anderson, along with several others was attacked brutally with baseball bats. He returned to team with Flair, Sting, and Lex Luger to face the nWo in the WARGAMES at Fall Brawl. They were defeated by the nWo when Sting left the ring and the nWo gained a 4 to 3 advantage for the remainder of the match.



• Arn Anderson retires
  
  Arn Anderson competed until he no longer could. He wrestled his last match with Steve McMichael against The Amazing French Canadians. He won his last match. On April 8, 1997, Arn Anderson has surgery to repair his damaged neck and vertebrae. Arn wasn't seen or heard from on camera, until August 25, 1997. That night Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen asked Curt Henning for an answer...would he become the newest member of the group? When Henning said he didn't know yet, Flair introduced "The Enforcer". He walked the aisle to thunderous applause and gave arguably the best interview in the history of wrestling:
  
  Well Gene, all I can tell ya. To get a response like this makes what I got to say tonight mean that much more. Ya see. I'm a realist. As everybody knows, I've got average size and speed and average ability. But I've parlayed that into what I would call a very successful career, and I did that on sheer will alone. But another reality is, four months ago they took four vertebrae out of my neck. Consequently, I'm left with a hand - my left hand - too weak to hold a glass, too weak to button a button. But I thought in my mind, I knew in my mind I could overcome that too through sheer will. And I was doing just like that. I think I've come back a long way, but the other day I had something happen in the gym that was like a cold slap in the face of reality. A guy about your size Gene, came up and he slapped me on the back and he said, "Double A, where ya been? We haven't seen you on TV." And just that slap sent a jolt through me and I dropped the water I was drinking and just for a second my system shut down. And it became crystal clear as I watched the few little drops of water draining out of that bottle the symbolism that was involved. It was like someone had turned an hourglass over and the sand was runnin' out on the career of Arn Anderson. Now the fact of the matter is, not only do I put myself in a suicide situation by trying to wrestle again, I endanger these two men's career's and I respect them too much for that. And rather than being anything other than "The Enforcer" in my best friend's eyes, I'd rather walk away. And for all of you people out there that have ever bought a ticket to see Arn Anderson wrestle, whether ya love me or you hated me, you know that when that bell rang you got all I had that night. Whether I won. Whether I lost. I gave you everything I had, and you knew that. And when you did this to me (held up the four fingers), that was your acknowledgement. Well, the fact is, I got nothing left to give. And I want you to remember me as I was, not as I am. But being the man that I am, my last act formally as a Horseman, I got one last challenge. And that is to you, Curt Henning. And don't misunderstand me, it's not for a fight. You got something special. I've seen you in the ring. Your skills, your maturity, your commitment to excellence make you something special. And what my challenge is to you, Curt. Is stand beside my best friend, Ric Flair, and lead these two men back to the prominence that The Four Horsemen once had. And I'm going to tell you what your prize is. It's not a spot in The Horsemen. This is worth a lot more than that to me. I'm going to give you the only thing I got left. Not a spot. I'll give you my spot.
  
  Curt Henning responded that it would be an honor to be the fourth member of The Horsemen. All the men in the ring exchanged handshakes and left as they went to a commercial. This was the last time Arn Anderson has been seen on TV to my knowledge.