How "GaryVee" is Heavily Inspired by 'Macho Man Randy Savage'

Summary

Podcast Summary: The GaryVee Audio Experience

Episode: How "GaryVee" is Heavily Inspired by 'Macho Man Randy Savage'
Date: July 17, 2026
Host: Gary Vaynerchuk
Guest Host: Wrestling Classic Host

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Episode Overview

In this special crossover, Gary Vaynerchuk ("GaryVee") sits down with the Wrestling Classic Host to delve deep into his lifelong passion for professional wrestling, its impact on his identity and career, and the storytelling power that wrestling and business share. The conversation blends nostalgia, personal anecdotes, and reflections on influence—especially that of "Macho Man" Randy Savage—on Gary's communication style and entrepreneurial energy.

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Main Discussion Highlights

1. GaryVee’s Early Wrestling Fandom

• Background: Gary recounts his journey as a young immigrant (born in the Soviet Union, arrived in the US at age 3) and how wrestling became a key part of his Americanization.
• First Encounters:
  • Exposure began in the mid-1980s post-Hulkamania boom, around the "Rock ‘n’ Wrestling" era (Cyndi Lauper, WrestleMania I).
  • “Call it 84. I got into it right then. Immediately. There was a guy at the playground.... He educated me on like Pedro... no Internet. It's a different era.” (Gary, 02:17)
• Collecting and Immersing:
  • Gary was into WWF, NWA, AWA, and collected magazines and action figures.
  • Created custom toys as a kid, a precursor to his "VeeFriends" art today.
• Key Memory:
  • “My first sleepover party... was SummerSlam. The first SummerSlam. It was a huge part of my childhood... a top five thing in my life.” (Gary, 04:53)

2. Wrestling & Entrepreneurship

• Garage Sale Hustle & Collectibles:
  • Gary describes flipping wrestling figures for profit in his youth, connecting early business instincts to his fandom.
  • “I made a lot of money on LJNs and Hasbro Action figures.” (Gary, 05:53)
• Knowledgeable Collector:
  • Deep familiarity demonstrated—knows which figures are rare, actively tracks listings on eBay.
  • “Look at the last thing I searched on my eBay account, LGNWF.” (Gary, 07:36)

3. Wrestling's Role in GaryVee’s Persona

• Promo Cutting as Inspiration:
  • Gary acknowledges wrestling promos as a core influence in his public speaking and social presence.
  • “Gary V the Communicator is a mix between Randy the Macho Man Savage promo and Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy.” (Gary, 10:02)
  • Recounts unconsciously channeling the tone and energy of wrestling interviews in business contexts.
  • “My rants... are like flat out WrestleMania promo videos.” (Gary, 11:36)
• Favorite Promo Memories:
  • Macho Man’s poolside promo with Mean Gene and Elizabeth is a standout:
    • “Mean Gene, there's a plane going by and I'm not on it.” (Gary, 12:03)

4. The Appeal and Depth of Pro Wrestling

• Storytelling Above All:
  • Gary and the host agree that the emotional power and continued appeal of wrestling are about stories, not just athleticism.
  • “I think wrestling is male soap operas.” (Gary, 14:26)
  • Sees wrestling akin to creative entrepreneurship: “There might not be anything I’m more interested in than wrestling.” (Gary, 14:36)
• Anticipation for Future Stars:
  • Reminisces about the talent-building of WWF/E—building anticipation for characters like Mr. Perfect and Razor Ramon before they ever wrestled a match.
  • “You were just salivating to watch one of these guys...” (Gary, 12:33)
• Current State & Fandom Habits:
  • Follows wrestling on social, but business demands have limited deep engagement in recent years.
  • Appreciates AEW and the need for a breakout new star akin to Hogan, Stone Cold, or The Rock.

5. Personal Favorites and Hypothetical “Gary Vee/ V Friends Survivor Series Team”

• Dream Team Selection:
  • Macho Man Randy Savage (“disproportionately my favorite wrestler of all time”—21:28)
  • Chris Jericho
  • The British Bulldogs
  • Nikita Koloff

6. Deeper Resonance of Macho Man

• Underdog Appeal:
  • Gary relates to Macho Man’s outsider status.
  • “I feel like I’m an underdog. I love underdogs... Everybody loved Hogan. I didn’t want to be like that.” (Gary, 22:32)
• Impact of Storylines and Characters:
  • The Ms. Elizabeth manager reveal deeply affected young Gary.
  • “...I’m not sure, but I think that might have been the moment I became a man.” (Gary, 23:29)
• Iconic Matches:
  • Cites Savage vs. Steamboat as the greatest, with added weight due to storytelling and emotional buildup.

7. Wrestling’s Broader Importance

• Gary’s Core Take:
  • Places Vince McMahon next to Walt Disney as a cultural storyteller.
  • “Outside of Walt Disney, I think Vince McMahon has been one of the most significant storytellers of characters in our society.” (Gary, 24:44)
  • Connects wrestling’s human-based, larger-than-life storytelling to his own VeeFriends project.
• The Art of Promotion:
  • Draws parallels to UFC and Dana White, noting how real sports use wrestling-inspired storytelling to build stars and attract fans.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• 02:17: “I got into it right then. Immediately. There was a guy at the playground... He educated me... because I knew who Don the Rock Morocco was, but young Don the Rock, you know.” (Gary)
• 04:53: “It was a top five thing in my life.” (Gary, on wrestling’s significance as a kid)
• 10:02: “Gary V the Communicator is a mix between Randy the Macho Man Savage promo and Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy.” (Gary)
• 11:36: “My rants... are like flat out wrestlemania promo videos.” (Gary)
• 12:03: “Mean Gene, there’s a plane going by and I’m not on it.” (Gary, channeling Macho Man)
• 14:26: “I think wrestling is male soap operas.” (Gary)
• 14:36: “There might not be anything I’m more interested in than wrestling.” (Gary)
• 21:28: “Macho Man, Randy Savage, who’s disproportionately my favorite wrestler of all time.” (Gary)
• 22:32: “I feel like I’m an underdog. I love underdogs... Everybody loved Hogan.” (Gary)
• 23:29: “I’m not sure, but I think that might have been the moment I became a man.” (Gary, joking about Elizabeth’s introduction)
• 24:44: “Outside of Walt Disney, I think Vince McMahon has been one of the most significant storytellers of characters in our society.” (Gary)

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Key Timestamps

• 01:12 – Gary's earliest memories and entry to wrestling fandom
• 03:11 – The importance of Saturday morning shows and wrestling magazines
• 05:20 – Flipping wrestling figures and Garage Sale stories
• 10:02 – Gary on wrestling influencing his public persona and style
• 12:03 – Favorite Macho Man promo moment
• 14:26 – Wrestling as "male soap operas" and storytelling
• 15:17 – On the need for a new breakout wrestling star
• 19:28 – Gary’s hypothetical Survivor Series team
• 22:22 – Why Macho Man was his favorite (love of underdogs and the Elizabeth storyline)
• 24:44 – Wrestling’s significance in Gary’s worldview and creativity

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Conclusion: Wrestling’s Lasting Impact on GaryVee

This episode richly explores wrestling’s enduring impact on Gary’s life—fueling his creativity, shaping his worldview on storytelling and promotion, and directly influencing his approach to business and public speaking. The Macho Man’s charisma is ingrained in the GaryVee persona, blending the energy of classic wrestling promos with entrepreneurial hustle and motivational comedy. The discussion also serves as a love letter to wrestling’s role as a unique cultural storytelling platform, inspiring both nostalgia and new creative ventures.

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Transcript

[Podcast Host]

This is the Gary Vee Audio experience.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

And we are back for another casual conversation with the classic. And here today with me is none other than entrepreneur, e commerce legend, five time New York Times best selling author, CEO, keynote speaker, mastermind with social media. And I'm saying that from someone who's read your books and used your techniques myself, and for a lot of you that might not know and what this is all about is a lifelong fan of professional wrestling. It's true. How are you doing today, Gary V, AKA Gary Vee.

[Gary Vee]

I'm doing very well. Thanks for having me on the show, brother.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Thank you for coming on. I. I really want to do this. I always was fascinated with the fact that you were a wrestling fan. I know there's a lot of people out there that do know. They might have seen your interviews with the Undertaker or Stephan McMahon or they watch your podcast and they see the figures in the background and stuff. So I always was like, man, I would love to talk to him about professional wrestling. And I would love for my audience to know that you are a big professional wrestling fan. You're also part of this extended family that we have of professional wrestling fans. So I want to start off with asking, like, what were your earliest and first memories of professional wrestling? What made you a fan?

[Gary Vee]

God, this is so fun to think about, because I really haven't thought about it. You know, call it 84. 4 I'm trying to think about. I don't think I knew about wrestling. You know, don't forget I was born in the Soviet Union.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

So I come to the States, I'm 3 years old in 78 by 82 is kind of like when I really start saying, I became Americanized because Those first fucking four years we were poor. Like, we barely had a TV. Like there was, you know, so now I'm 7. 82. Somewhere around 8 or 9. 83. 84. I think Hogan was already champ, so I don't think I knew he beat the Iron Sheik in the Garden, but I definitely knew about wrestling prior to WrestleMania 1. So much like most people in their 40s, if they didn't have parents or older siblings that were into wrestling, they got hooked up in that incredible era of where Cyndi Lauper is involved. WrestleMania 1. It all popped off in 84, 85.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Rock and wrestling era.

[Gary Vee]

That's right. I. So, you know, there's people my age that had the luxury. It was funny, there was an older guy in my neighborhood who used to tell me a lot of stories. This is all coming back to me now. So I got into it right then. Immediately. There was a guy at the playground. I'm guessing the guy was 30, lived in the, in the townhouse era. And he would tell me about

[Wrestling Classic Host]

the

[Gary Vee]

key, you know, Cola Ivan Koloff beating Bruno Sammartino with the knee off the top rope in the garden. He educated me on like Pedro, don't forget no Internet.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

It's a different era. Pedro Morales, early dot, you know, because I knew who Don the Rock Morocco was, but young Don the Rock, you know. And so not only did I get into what was 84, 85, 86 Wrestling. Right. WrestleMania 1. The action figures that I have on my shelf, buying those with, watching every Saturday morning watching TNT when McMahon would interview.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

People love that show.

[Gary Vee]

But I also, but I also would listen to stories on the bench parks of the 70s, a lot of 70s stuff. So I, and, and then I started buying wrestling magazines at Krausers, which is like a 7 11. So now I'm like learning like the Missing Link and like, you know, like the Blade Runners and like all these other like, what's UWF and who are the Von Erichs? And then in 86, 87, 88, that stuff started showing up. ESPN the Dingo Warrior.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

You know, so I was not only wwe, but I was like nwa. I was, you know, awa. I was really a wrestling head and would like get super pumped when like Bad News Brown would come to the wbf. I'm like, wait a minute, that's bad news, Alan. Like, you know, like I was really into it and it was a core part of my entertainment. I mean, my first sleepover party as an, you know, because if you're from an immigrant family, you don't have sleepovers that often. My first sleepover party was SummerSlam. The first SummerSlam. It was a huge part of my childhood. We wrestled outside. I made wrestling figures by drawing and cutting my V friends today. And a lot of my drawing came from drawing wrestling figures, cutting them out on paper and then putting them on cardboard and gluing them so I could actually wrestle with them. Like it was a very. From 85 to 90. It was 84 to 90, that five, six year period outside of jets, football, Yankees, baseball and video games and just being a kid and doing. And then my entrepreneurial stuff, shoveling snow, selling lemonade. It was a top five thing in my life.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

100. Yeah, a lot of that's really relatable. I can relate to a lot of that in a sense. And it's crazy how it's still with you till today. Like, I saw that video on YouTube recently. I know it's been out for a while, but that one where you're unboxing all your LGN figures and you're asking your assistants and stuff, like, do you know who the son? They didn't really know what her. And you were like a little bit devastated. And so, like, how do you not know this person? How do you not know that person? How does it feel for you when you got those figures? Was it sort of more of like. Like, when it comes to collectibles, like, how do you.

[Gary Vee]

I mean, you know so much of what I do now. If you're listening right now, go to YouTube and type in trash talk. Garyvee. There's a show I put out. You know, I talk a lot about, like, ways to advance your career. And I started noticing a lot of people talking about, well, Gary, I don't have any money. Like, cool that you invested $25,000 into Tumblr and it turned into a million. I don't have 25,000. And I was like, fair point. I was in a different point in my life. When I was in my teenage and twenties, I would garage sale a lot. I made a lot of money on LJNs and Hasbro Action figures.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

You know, I would buy 50 Hasbro's at a garage sale for 10 bucks and then go list Dusty Rhodes or Andre for 50 to 100 bucks by himself. Right. So.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

And I literally, I literally just wrote an article for 1:37pm about the 15 rarest in US figures for you guys. I love it.

[Gary Vee]

I gotta read it.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

So if you check. I just wrote that for you. Yeah. Yeah. So when you just brought that up, you brought up, you brought up two of them that were on that list, and that was the Andre and the, the Dusty Worlds. Hasbro. Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

And I bring it off, off the top of my head because, like, actually trying to see if I can find the article I'm talking to, you know, it's, it's, it's what I, you know, there it is. Love it. I'm going to share it right now. My Twitter give you a little love.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Thank you.

[Gary Vee]

Thank you. You're welcome. You know, I, it was just such a. I say that off the top of my head because I really know, right? Like, I know what black card LJNs are. Like, I know my shit. Like, I'm really in this. Like, I watched most of the Saturday nights main events. I watched the, you know, the first 10 WrestleManias like, this is a culture I really know and love. And so, you know, for me, the LGN thing was really fun. As a matter of fact, this is not a joke. Literally. Watch this. If you're listening on podcasts, you won't be able to see this, but I'm going to show you something that's going to blow your mind of how big of a part of my life this is. So this is my ebay, I'm just showing you. And then obviously it's my ebay account. The last thing I looked up, I guess was psa, but watch this. I hope it's there. I don't know how they do it.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah, if you're on YouTube, guys, you can check this out right now. And yeah, go check out that article, guys. I wrote a handful of articles for 1:37pm and that was the most recent one I just did. And I was about the most rare expensive figures as of today.

[Gary Vee]

Yeah, look at this, look at this.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

It's always changing.

[Gary Vee]

Look at the last thing I searched on my eBay account, LGNWF.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

There you go. LJN, WWF. The last thing, you just search.

[Gary Vee]

So it's like just in me, like it's a very big part of my culture. 80s and 90s wrestling was humongous for me and I actually have 11 year younger brother AJ. So what's funny about that is his age lands, so his golden year. So I got him into wrestling. Yeah, but his golden era was in between Hogan and the Attitude era. Okay, so AJ fucks with Tatanka and Duke the Dunkster, Drozee and like, yeah, that Yokozuna Bret Hart era before we went into Stone Cold and the Rock. Right? Yeah, so I was, you know, Ludwig Borga and Luger and like that kind of that era. And so like, it's just always. Because once I got out of it very quickly behind me my brother is now like, I'm like, this is Steamboat and this is, you know, this is Tugboat. Excuse me. And this is Earthquake. And like that video game came out and so like, it's kind of just been a constant heartbeat for me.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

And I can relate to that too. My older brother's 10 years older than me and I don't think I'd have been a wrestling fan. He was born in 1981, so he lived through Hulkamania. That was his thing. I was born in 91, so I lived through that same Brad Hart, Yoko attitude period. So I can totally relate to that as well. I being a fan of yours, obviously I've Watched your videos. I follow you on Instagram for years and stuff.

[Gary Vee]

Thank you.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Read your books. Crushing it. Someone that I was referring to earlier because doing what I did with the wrestling classic was a lot of reading that book on a plane, going to WrestleMania 32 and being like, oh, just slide in the DMS. Don't worry about it. And I'm like, okay, I got this. And I started implementing that in my own stuff that I started doing. Once I realized that this whole wrestling classic thing could be something. I didn't know it at first. I was just doing it for fun. And then I went to Dallas and people were wearing my shirts that I printed for fun, for uber money. And I was like, oh, people actually are about this. And your book helped me a lot with that. But that being said, hey, everybody, hope

[Gary Vee]

you're enjoying the podcast right now. Make sure you follow the podcast. That's why I'm interrupting. Let's keep going on this show, but follow the podcast. It'll make my mom super happy.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

I love your reels. I love your tiktoks, love your quick motivational videos and stuff. And I always wondered, does any of your, like, speaking ability come from your love from wrestling and cutting promos back in the day? So what's you ever like and get in touch with your wrestling side? Like, I'm going to cut a promo. Is that, like, part of it?

[Gary Vee]

Not only is it a part of it. Yeah, I actually think it's the. I think basically Gary V the Communicator is a mix between Randy the Macho Man Savage promo and Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy. And I mean, the amount of Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, I listened to.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

In combination to wrestling promo. Yeah. I mean, like, sometimes it's actually too ridiculous. Like, I cut a video six or seven years ago for a conference I was keynoting and they're like, like, my team came in, they're like, gary, you know, would you. You know, they're just. The ticket sales aren't going that strong. Would you do a quick video to tell everybody about this social media conference? And literally, this is what came out of my mouth. I'm like, hey, guys, it's Gary Vee Civic Center, March 19th night. Like, I was like. And then I stop. Like, oh, my God. This is literally a fucking.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

I've heard something that I'm like. I'm like, this sounds like a wrestling promo to me.

[Gary Vee]

It's funny. A couple of wrestlers.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

Hit me up on dm who are fans, and they're like, dude, you cut promos. And I'm like, I'm like, I do. I know. It took me. I didn't know it for five or six years of the Gary Vee shit, but then when somebody pointed it out and I really started getting into my feelings on it, I'm like, yeah, I think, I think quite a bit. I think a lot of my content now is clips from my day to day life. So it's a little bit less. But. But my rants, which were a big part of my 2014-16 content, and I just did one the other day. I feel that they're like flat out wrestlemania promo videos.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah. Because that's what I felt like too. I'd watch him. Like, I know he, he's meaning what he says, but I know this is influence from wrestling.

[Gary Vee]

I can tell 100% it's subconscious, right? Yeah.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Like he has that promo skill. Do you have a favorite promo? Like, I know Macho Man's one of your favorites of all time to be cup of coffee in the big time or something.

[Gary Vee]

But yeah, I mean, I think my favorite is when he's outside by the pool.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Oh, Mean Gene and Elizabeth.

[Gary Vee]

That's right. And he goes, mean Gene, there's a plane going by and I'm not on it. Like. And I'm like, I don't know what the cup. I just said top is all time, but for some reason there's a plane going by and I'm not on it. I don't know what it was that. But I'll tell you what my favorite was.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Okay.

[Gary Vee]

My favorite was the macro concept of getting us into a frenzy before somebody was actually in the. In the Federation.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

By the time Mr. Perfect and Razor Ramon were actually in the ring, I was completely out of control into both of them.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah, those videos, perfect.

[Gary Vee]

And I think that was the brilliance of Vince McMahon and the WWF slash E. Like, to me, they, they just did such a great job in storytelling that the. You were just salivating to watch one of these guys beat the. Out of Iron Mike Sharp or K9 or Barry Horowitz. You know, back then, wrestlers beat up nobodies on Saturday morning. It wasn't all these big matches.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah. To build a star.

[Gary Vee]

Correct. Yeah. They did the boxing thing, right. They took a bunch of easy fights and, and I mean, I mean, that's Corporal Kirchner. Like, even guys that most people don't know as well, like, the hype was just so fun. But what really stood out was Razor and Perfect because they really had those guys In a frenzy. Before they even came in Saturday morning and beat somebody up.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

They were so creative and so good. Like the one where Razor pushes the guy into the fountain. He's like, don't have luck like him.

[Gary Vee]

And perfect. Just doing the bowling and the golf.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

And it's crazy because obviously, as you get older, you realize it being, like, that whole football thing, throwing it across the field and him running and catching. You know, it's cut in certain things. As a kid, you're like, whoa, he actually did that? That's crazy.

[Gary Vee]

Oh, as a kid, you're like, king Kong Bundy broke Hogan's ribs. And you're, like, so upset and, like, yeah, as a kid. It's just.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

I think that's the biggest thing about professional wrestling, though, right? It captures you as a kid because you have that imagination, and. And you only grow to love it as you get older because you. Do you ever get that question, how do you still like this? Like, this ufc? How do you still like this? I'm always like. Because now I understand it as a form of, like, art. Like, it's like.

[Gary Vee]

Well, I. I like it in the way that I like watching Queen's Gambit.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

That I watch, you know, a show. To me, it's storyline. I mean, I think wrestling is male soap operas.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

It really is, you know, like, more character, storyline that really fascinates me.

[Gary Vee]

Now, as a creative entrepreneur and a marketer and a storyteller, there might not be anything. I'm more interested in wrestling. As a matter of fact, literally yesterday, I said to somebody, I can't wait to see who triggers the next Monster Wrestling era. Literally yesterday, I said, hogan, Stone Cold and Rock, somebody. It feels like wrestling's been doing its thing, but it's very much now, like. Like, you know, Brock, Undertaker, the Rock doing WrestleMania. We don't have. Must see people. Like, I don't feel like I need to watch raw.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah, no. 100%.

[Gary Vee]

But I feel like what I love about wrestling is at any moment, there's some kid right now who's coming up the ranks, who's gonna be the human being that completely captures the national attention. And for another 24 to 39 months, everybody's gonna know XYZ the name, and it's gonna make everybody watch Raw every Monday night.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

And that's. And I think. I think. And to your point, like, they just kind of brought back John Cena for that reason, because they haven't really built any stars right now that has catapulted the wrestling back in that thing.

[Gary Vee]

But I. Yeah, it's funny, me and my friends, when I'm like going or like, kind of paying a little more attention, I take. I like guessing. I like saying, I see they're trying to push this guy. I don't think he's got it right. And I like to test my ability of, like, having a sense of like, charisma and the consumer. And Yeah, I don't feel like they've pushed the right people recently.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Have you given AEW a chance at all?

[Gary Vee]

A little. Very little bit. Like my wrestling right now in the last three years, I'm just so underwater and definitely with. When Covid hit in the last, you know, 15, 16 months, I just had so many responsibilities to make sure I was on the offense business wise, that. But. But it keeps going down to the same thing, which is like, you know, I follow it on social.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

But I haven't been able to like, really, really allocate, like, the way I like to do it when I'm like, oh, let's do this. Like, I need four weeks of like, following the storylines to really get captivated by the charisma of the characters. And I haven't been able to give anybody that right now.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

I. Not to be another cheap plug, but if you ever need a catalog, I did also write an article on the 20 top matches

[Gary Vee]

that. That's such a good point. Like, what? I'm not as good of a reader. What I'll probably do is go watch the YouTube versions of that.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

Because that's what I need to get, like, interested.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

No, for sure. And I just think it's a good catalog.

[Gary Vee]

What's the best. What did you decide was the best one?

[Wrestling Classic Host]

For me, I think it was between Cody and Dustin. But that's also because once again, I'm also a character storyline guy and there's a really good story there between the two brothers and whatnot. And it was. If you watch that magic, you feel like you're being told a story rather than just watching a match with a bunch of acrobatics and you don't know what's happening. So definitely check that out.

[Gary Vee]

Yeah, I'm way more like way more story than I am performance.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

100%.

[Gary Vee]

I love performance. No, no, I mean fucking Rey Mysterio Jr. And Eddie. Like, some of this stuff is just outstanding.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Performance stands out more if you're intrigued by the characters in the story.

[Gary Vee]

Yeah. And I, if I'm intrigued by the story, can Overlook Poor Wrestling 100%. Right. Like Hogan. Hogan Warrior. WrestleMania is not iconic wrestling. But the story's and that build was the ultimate. Was insane.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Just to see those two eye to eye was like a moment. And that was.

[Gary Vee]

But, but on the flip side, performance, like when you watch Piper Bret Hart WrestleMania where Piper really puts Brett over like it's a very underrated moment in wrestling history because it's like a. In that pocket of like in between

[Wrestling Classic Host]

SummerSlam 90 I think one which was like a transitional time in a sense.

[Gary Vee]

I just think that when you see stuff like that because Piper was such a good wrestler too and Brett, you

[Wrestling Classic Host]

know, there's still a story there because Brett was the up and comer and Piper was the champion, the intercontinental champion. It was his time to get that singles. And so like the story always does kind of make things and elevate things more. And if the story is really good, you'll be invested in the match. And if they're just really good wrestlers and that match is even more memorable because.

[Gary Vee]

That's right.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

You know what I mean? I'm gonna ask you this a little bit more of a fun question. Since you're an old school fan and you grew up watching wrestling. Say you are a manager. So you were Bobby Heenan. Okay. You're gonna start your Gary Vee family v Friends, you can call it. Yeah. NFT stuff. Who would be on that Survivor Series team of five? Who would be your five guys?

[Gary Vee]

Macho Man, Randy Savage.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

Who's disproportionately my favorite wrestler of all time.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

That's something I agree with fully.

[Podcast Host]

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[Gary Vee]

Okay, let's really. I really want to give you a real answer. So I'm going to really think this through. Y2J.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

I love Chris Jericho. I always love Jericho. I would say I'm. I usually to give fast answers, but I really want to think this through

[Wrestling Classic Host]

because I don't want to.

[Gary Vee]

I would probably put the British Bulldogs on there.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Davey and Dynamite.

[Gary Vee]

Yes. Because I'm thinking about, like, who did I really love? Like, genuinely love. And I would say the British Bulldogs were the closest thing in my prime to Macho Man.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

And then I'm probably gonna go, well, if I can blend leagues, since the WWE now owns them all.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

My favorite.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

This is your dream team. This is your stable.

[Gary Vee]

I would go with Nikita Koloff, the Russian Sickle.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

The Russian Sickle is still one of my favorite finishing moves. He was just so badass. And I still always had an underlining feeling towards Russia since I was from there. And so I would say Macho Man. The British Bulldogs, Jericho and Nikita Cola.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

That's a stack team with different styles of wrestling right there. You got a powerhouse. You got some flamboyance. You got the tag team. That's good stuff right there. It's a solid team. No, for sure. Let's talk about the Macho man really quickly because he's my favorite of all time, too. Once again, that also goes back to. I think I like my imagination being captured. I was a little kid. This guy was on, like, WWF Mania and whatnot. Just all colorful in his cowboy hats and whatnot. What made you a Macho man fan? What made you, like. Because during the time of Hulkamania, almost everybody was a Hokan Maniac. I was always Hogan, Hogan. My brother was Hogan, Hogan, Hogan.

[Gary Vee]

I. I realized something happened later in my life when, like, I didn't like Tiger woods or Kobe Bryant. And then when they were older, I loved them.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

And when that happened in my 30s, I was like, oh, this is just a very recent realization. I feel like I'm an underdog. I love underdogs. To your point, everybody loved Hogan. I didn't want to be like that. And so I decided, you know, I really want to be different. The other thing that happened was, if you remember the storyline, everybody was vying for Macho Man. That whole manager thing with Ms. Elizabeth,

[Wrestling Classic Host]

I still think Hogan was the heel that he had lost in his eyes for Elizabeth. I'm just.

[Gary Vee]

I'm gonna say so when. When. When he goes and I thought it was gonna be Slick, I remember I was like, yes. Like, I was like, slick's gonna get him.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Oh, when he. When he was buying for a new manager. Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

And when he said, my manager is Elizabeth and she comes down, you know, you gotta remember, I'm like 10, 11.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

And like I'm not sure, but I think that might have been the moment I became a man.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

So between, so between. Between Underdog and then he was such a great wrestler. Right. Like if, like if you watch, if you watch that Tito Santana match that he wins, I mean, and then obviously the Ricky the Steamboat match, I'm so pumped that that is like the greatest match of all time. It means so much to me. That storyline, that was tough for me

[Wrestling Classic Host]

a little bit because Steamboat fan.

[Gary Vee]

I wasn't. But I like them.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

But it was so nasty. Like the throat, it was like. It just seems. But I stuck with him through and through. I love Georgie Animal Steel because the jets were my favorite team and he had a green tongue and that was big for me. So yeah, I think it was a combination of Ms. Elizabeth at the age that I was being counter different and just the charisma and like who he was.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

You're just a complete package. I know we're wrap this up soon, so I want to ask you this really quickly as well. This is a big question. Take time to think about it. I feel like we've touched on it a bit here and there, but at the end of the day, like, why is wrestling important to you?

[Gary Vee]

It's because outside of Walt Disney, I think Vince McMahon has been one of the most significant storytellers of characters in our society.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

And I think Vee Friends being one of the most important things in my life for the next 50 years is going to make sense to why I always was associating to Transformers Wrestling, GI Joe, Disney. I'm a storytelling character based human being and I think wrestling's unique because unlike wrestling, everything else is fictional. This is like real humans that play these characters, but it's storytelling. And I think it's been the most significant storytelling machine in our society. And that I admire.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

I love that. I like to call it the greatest art and athleticism because it's the one that puts both of them together. And it's amazing.

[Gary Vee]

I think, I think Dana White has a lot of Don King meets Vince McMahon. Like, I think he's why UFC is so incredible is it's like slightly the reverse thing. Right. Which is it's real life. But they do such a great job getting you excited about the fighters and that matters. That's what great promoting.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

No matter how much people want to say UFC is real and it's not. They took a lot from professional wrestling to get you hyped and.

[Gary Vee]

And. And. And vice versa, right?

[Sponsor Announcer]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

Like, like wwf, wwe, excuse me, now, is very much affected by and. And obviously has done a lot with the Angles and. And Reznor and. And. And Shamrocks and, you know, like, and Bobby and, like, so, like, it's. It. They're good for each other, in my opinion.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Yeah, they do. They work well. Look, if Brock didn't go to UFC and come back being the Brock LESNAR he was 100, you wouldn't have that. BROCK Lesnar 100. No. You couldn't bring Rhonda in the way you brought Rhonda. And you were there at WrestleMania 35. I saw you. I was there as well. I was too nervous to say hi then, but I saw you.

[Gary Vee]

Well, next.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Next time, because I am a fan of yours and I've listened to your speeches and I read your books and I follow you on social media. You always say, take advantage of every opportunity. Again, I've had the opportunity to sit here with you, so I'm just gonna throw it. There's anything you ever want to do in the future that is wrestling related, I'm your guy.

[Gary Vee]

Send me an email. Literally, send me an email right now. I want to save that.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

Put in the folder for sure, because I. The last seven years I've been running this page, I've made a ton of relationships with wrestlers within the industry and people that work backstage, as well as a valued voice with the fans. I've been crapping on John Cena all week, but they still love me.

[Sponsor Announcer]

That's how.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

That's how close we are. You know what I mean? So I'm more than helpful.

[Gary Vee]

Send me that email right now. I'm open.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

I will for sure. I got my articles at 1:37pm to you, so cheers. Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it.

[Gary Vee]

Thank you, brother.

[Wrestling Classic Host]

You're doing the thing. Have a good one, everybody.

[Gary Vee]

If you enjoyed this podcast, please go back and look at the prior episodes. They're loaded. I appreciate your attention, and thanks for being part of this journey. See you later.