The most recent episode of The Kevin Gill Show was released this past Monday and features former WWE Superstar Santino Marella. A new episode will be released this coming Monday morning.
You can find some of Santino’s comments transcribed below.
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On his time in OVW:
By the time I go to OVW, I’ve had less than 20 matches and I’m the beginners class, taught by Mike Mondo, for a month. And then I graduated to Rip Rogers class, which probably made the greatest impression on me in terms of the performer I am today. I busted my ass for 2 years and time was ticking, because I showed up there when I was 31 years old and green as s**t. I didn’t know anything. But I knew I had a knack for it and I knew I stood out everywhere I went.
On Paul Heyman:
I love Paul. He would have the pre-show and post-show meetings and just rally the troops, and make you want to leave the building running, putting up flyers and promoting. I say to my students a lot of the things Paul said to us during that time.
On Bullies:
I never got bullied. If the bully was picking on one of the kids he collected some air miles. I threw him on his head a couple of times. And my friends would know it too. If they saw a bully coming I’d put myself in the line where the bully would be coming and I’d be like “come on man, flip my hat off”.
Getting into amateur wrestling:
I adapted my judo to do amateur wrestling and I was known in the amateur wrestling circuit as the Judo guy. When you get to a certain high level you have to be a good wrestler, but considering all I did was adapt my judo to wrestling, I got fifth one time in the nation and was rookie of the year for University, and I won the regional championships back to back.
Teaching the wrestling program in teacher school:
I was teaching physical education and I taught the wrestling program, as they had to sub contract it out. We were playing king of the hill, and there was this one kid who was a bad ass kid, he smoked cigarettes and stuff. He was in the middle and he was beating everybody, and then he got tired. Then came this one kid at the end who was a wrestling fan. He stepped into the middle and gave the guy a hard sidewalk slam from hell, and I was like “Stop, stop, stop”.
On being complimented by Jake Roberts:
This last WrestleMania, I had one of the best compliments of my career. Jake the Snake was in the lobby of the hotel. I show up and he goes “Hey, the snake guys are here”. And I’m like “No, you’re the real snake guy. I’m a snake puppet guy”.
Getting to Battle Arts in Japan:
One of coaches’ original students had an MMA fight in Japan, and when he lost the fight they saw a lot of potential in him. So they suggested he go to Battle Arts. So I said “okay, can I go there?” That was the plan. And then I over stayed a tourist visa by about a week, and I was banned for a year. So I had to come home and reformulate the game plan.
His neck injury:
I knew the clock was ticking with my neck. Sometimes I couldn’t move it for a few days. Then it’d be ok for two months. Then all of a sudden it was getting to be every five weeks, four weeks, so I knew it was coming to an end. I didn’t want to be the guy to start with zero momentum from the day his career ended. So I wanted Battle Arts to be my buffer, my transition to my next career.
His Battle Arts Academy:
I was having lunch in Japan. I met with Mr. Ishikawa, who was the owner of the original Battle Arts, and I said “hey, if I ever open a facility…”, and he just said “one hundred per cent, I’m there”.
His goal for his Battle Arts Academy:
I’m working on getting Battle Arts to be the Canadian developmental territory for the WWE. That’s my ultimate goal. I’m sure they probably heard about it. I don’t know if they want to do it but I’m ready for it and we’re ready to go. We have national TV, we have local live TV, we got live events. We got a roster of 20 guys who can make a sick TV show all across Ontario. We’re ready for it man.
On comedy wrestling:
It’s like someone saying I hate romantic comedies. Ok, well they’re very popular for other people and they exist. I hate horror movies. I don’t watch horror movies. There’s a different genre for everybody and unfortunately it’s all being served in one show. All genres have to be taken care of.
Riding with Randy Orton:
I rode with Randy my first three years, and you become desensitized. He became desensitized. I’d tell him “bro, you’re a f **king mega star. A huge, huge star”. And he’s like “shut up man, no I’m not”.
PMA’s part in his journey:
I already had my heart broken in life once when I was being groomed from a young man for the 2000 Olympics, for Judo. And then I had my daughter during university, and we got derailed and I had to realize there’s life after Judo. So there’s life after wrestling, there’s life after Battle Arts, and there’s going to be life after I’m a Mayor or whatever it’s going to be.
His goal for his Battle Arts Academy:
I’m working on getting Battle Arts to be the Canadian developmental territory for the WWE. That’s my ultimate goal. I’m sure they probably heard about it. I don’t know if they want to do it but I’m ready for it and we’re ready to go. We have national TV, we have local live TV, we got live events. We got a roster of 20 guys who can make a sick TV show all across Ontario. We’re ready for it man.
The pain of wrestling:
I’ve been a black belt (in Judo) for twenty seven years. I sparred with some serious international camps and I never got hurt like I got hurt in pro wrestling. The injuries from pro wrestling, for me, are ones that never came back. Like my ankle’s gone for life. I have to tape it up if I’m going to do any grappling. I’ve separated both my shoulders and they don’t go back. I had double fusion (surgery) in my neck, and my lower back’s a mess. I’ve done some damage pro wrestling. Imagine you got into a car accident and your back’s messed up, and you had to do that for five days and then take two days off, and do it again next week. I look back now and I think “what was I thinking? I was insane”.
Being Canadian, Not Italian:
Yeah I’m Canadian. I did study Italian after I got the (Santino) character to the point where I was able to do an interview live on the radio, and once live on the TV in Italian.
His WWE Debut:
The first time is the most amazing; you can’t believe it’s happening. You’re terrified not to make a mistake and you know this is your shot, right.
This week’s PMA Power Hour aldo features #ASKKG questions about:
- Jim Cornette being a “work”
- Favorite music releases KG’s worked on
- ICP in the WWE Hall Of Fame
- More…
You can listen to the full archives from The Kevin Gill Show in the embedded audio player below:
