Interview with Billy Gunn
by Matt Duda
(12/16/02 from WWE.com)
ORLANDO – Dec. 16, 2002 – Billy Gunn drove down to the TD Waterhouse Arena Monday to catch up with the RAW Superstars. Gunn, who's been out of action since suffering a major injury to his left shoulder during a non-televised event in Canada in October, brought WWE.com up to speed on his rehab and what he's been doing with his time away from the ring.
WWE.com: So what brings you out here today?
Billy: This is my hometown. I thought I'd come see the RAW guys because I know everybody misses me. I've been gone for about a month and a half now and when I'm gone that long everybody has a tendency to miss me (laughs).
WWE.com: How's your rehab going?
Billy: It's going good actually. The nerves will probably take a while, but the shoulder's good. Hopefully that will come back with the rehab and stuff so I won't have to have anything done to it.
WWE.com: Are you in a lot of pain still?
Billy: Um, no. There's a little clicking and clacking going on in my shoulder. That's from a couple torn ligaments that need to be fixed. But it's just mostly nerve damage. My shoulder went out again and it just killed all the nerves in my arm.
WWE.com: Now, what actually happened?
Billy: Me and Chuck (Palumbo) were wrestling Eddie and Chavo (Guerrero). I went to give Chavo the One-And-Only. I picked him up, and I turned to go get Eddie. He grabbed onto my arm and my shoulder came out and kind of stared me in the face. It twisted all the pins and wires that I already have in there. They didn't stick it back in for like an hour. That's what killed all the nerves. It stretched them out.
WWE.com: Does it concern you that this is the second major injury to that shoulder?
Billy: No, brother. I came back from the worst shoulder injury you could ever have. So this is just like a little setback for me right now. It concerned me when the nerves went, but once I had my test and it came back that none of my nerves were damaged, that was the best thing. The test, mind you, was brutal. They stuck like a three-inch needle in like every inch of my arm all the way up into my neck and stuff, hooked it up to a computer and just shocked the living s--- out of me. But I didn't feel a lot of it. Just the needle sinking through was enough for me (laughs).
WWE.com: Any indication when you might be back?
Billy: No. The thing about nerves is they could all come back in a month. I could have my shoulder looked at and come back in another month. It just depends on the nerves and the nerves are like the most unpredictable thing you have in your body. There's nothing I can do about them. I can't do anything to help them along. It's just got to come back by itself.
WWE.com: Talk about the timing of the injury. Do you think it made you and Chuck go your separate ways too soon?
Billy: Oh no. Chuck is fine without me out in the ring. You know, personally he's lost because I'm his sidekick. It was more of a setback for me because we had pretty much done our split. I was fixing to go onward and do whatever I needed to do. Of course, the swift kick in the ol' nuts put the brakes on that (laughs). But I'll be fine. When I come back, I'll come back just larger than life like I usually am and just entertain the people like I do so well!
WWE.com: Other than rehab, what are you going to do with your free time?
Billy: Well I've been building my new truck outside: F-350, V10, supercharger that I can jump cars, crush cars and go through mud with. We just finished that. I couldn't do much with it, but a good friend of mine builds trucks and stuff so I just sat around and did a little bit. I'm limited to what I can do with one hand, but it was pretty good. It was cool.
WWE.com: Do you do any competitions?
Billy: I was in a truck show the day after we finished it. Then it got dumped in the muck. It's just a little hobby. My kids love it.
WWE.com: How's it feel to be back here today?
Billy: Love it. WWE's my home because that's all I've known for
the past 10 and a half years. To me, this is what I do. This is what I'm
good at, whether I'm in the back helping the young guys catch on a little
faster. Just being one of the people that they can ask advice because I'm
one of the people that's been here the longest. If it's happened, it's
all happened to me. And I don't treat people any higher than me, any lower
than me. We're all doing the same thing. We're all out there to entertain
the people. Some people have a knack for it and some people need to be
kicked up a little bit for it. I feel that's what they look for me to do,
to kind of help them catch their niche and not try to copy something. Try
to help them develop their own character. That's the best part of it. I
mean, I love getting out in front of the people, and I love helping the
guys back here too.
