Hornswoggle aka Dylan Postl - SAS CLASSIC

Summary

The Steve Austin Show – SAS CLASSIC

Guest: Hornswoggle aka Dylan Postl

Date: February 19, 2026 | Duration: ~86 minutes

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Steve Austin is joined by Dylan Postl, best known to wrestling fans as Hornswoggle. The discussion is frank, irreverent, and full of insight, as they delve into Dylan’s recent WWE release, his decade-long run, life’s hurdles, the craft of wrestling, and his future ambitions post-WWE. The pair swap stories about wrestling, road life, family struggles, personal growth, and the business behind the business—all in Steve’s signature unfiltered style.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Receiving the WWE Release & Immediate Aftermath

[12:03 - 13:01]

• Dylan learned he’d been released from WWE (alongside Sandow, Barrett, Santino, others) via a morning call. The news felt like “a bag of bricks.”
• His immediate worry was supporting his son, especially after being off the road for most of the last year.
• No anger towards WWE: “They let a guy that shouldn’t have made it be a WWE Superstar for… ten years now.” – Dylan Postl [12:20]

2. Overcoming Adversity (Childhood & Health Issues)

[13:02 - 14:43]

• Discusses early-life struggles: major back surgery at age six, post-surgery paralysis, and family turmoil after a house fire.
• Dylan’s mom left the family due to alcoholism; credits his stepmom for stepping in during tough times.

Quote:

“I couldn’t… I had no feeling from about the armpits down.” — Dylan Postl on surgery complications [13:34]

3. Family, Step-Families, and Support System

[14:43 - 17:03]

• Praise for his stepmom and dad; close relationship with brothers, even if they fought growing up.
• Felt acceptance as a little person within his family and community.

4. Entry Into Wrestling: Indie Beginnings

[17:17 - 21:22]

• Participation in backyard wrestling; building rickety rings.
• Trained by Ken Anderson (“the Ken Anderson”) at age 17; treated just like any other trainee with no shortcut for his size.

Memorable quote:

“I’ve never wanted to be a midget wrestler. I was a small cruiserweight; everyone wanted me to do the midget shit. I just wanted to wrestle.” — Dylan Postl [20:07]

5. WWE Call-up & Early Experiences

[22:00 - 24:16]

• After ~1.5 years on local indies, Dylan lands a WWE tryout via Ken Anderson and Tommy Dreamer.
• At age ~19, thrown immediately "on the road," traveling with the likes of Daivari, Great Khali, and Mark Henry—a “traveling circus.”

Fun moment:

“Kali would say, ‘This my son…’ and pick me up at the bar. He was awesome… a good pal.” — Dylan Postl [24:42]

6. Learning from Pros: The Influence of Fit Finlay

[27:02 - 29:58]

• Deep gratitude and admiration for Fit Finlay, who saw value in Dylan when others may not have.
• “Absolute smartest man in wrestling—top to bottom… If he can’t come up with something, he’ll have it in five minutes.” — Dylan Postl [27:19]

Steve Austin reflects:

“If you spend two or three years with Fit Finlay, you’re gonna be world champion.” — Steve Austin [28:29]

7. Wrestling as a Business, Money, and Maturity

[31:11 - 34:41]

• Admits money mindset was “nonexistent” at age 20.
• Spent first WWE earnings frivolously; reality hit when his son was born, leading to more financial responsibility, urged by his penny-pinching father.

8. Road Life, Vices, & The Dad Shift

[34:41 - 36:12]

• “Never excessively” partied but enjoyed the nightlife, especially before becoming a dad; likes vodka water now (“I feel better about myself at the end of the day!” [35:45]).
• Parenting calmed his lifestyle considerably.

9. Fatherhood & Family Life Post-Wrestling

[36:16 - 40:28]

• Cherishes time as a single dad after slowing down; deeply values being present for his son now that he’s off the road.

Touching moment:

“Single dad life is the best thing ever—I absolutely love it… I didn’t miss his first day of school, and that means a lot to me.” — Dylan Postl [39:11]

10. Life, Relationships, and Wrestling Friendships

[40:28 - 44:05]

• Remains close with Kofi Kingston, John Cena (“called me at 3:30 in the morning when my son was born”), and a tight-knit group.
• Wrestling friendships endure beyond the locker room: “The thing you take most from this business… is the friendships that you make.” — Dylan Postl [43:11]

11. Life After WWE: Adjusting and Looking Ahead

[44:05 - 47:17]

• Discusses the uncertain transition and “security blanket” lost when leaving WWE.
• WWE pays released talents for 90 days; can’t appear on TV or iPPV but can work local indies.

Austin’s perspective:

“There is life after wrestling.” — Steve Austin, echoing Paul Orndorff’s advice, [45:00]

12. Career Highlights & Memorable WWE Moments

[47:57 - 61:14]

• Favorite moments: being made an honorary DX member, working with Triple H and Shawn Michaels, winning the Cruiserweight Title (“They say I killed the Cruiserweight division—I’m fine by that!” [56:59]), and the Mr. McMahon’s “illegitimate son” storyline.
• Praises both Hunter and Shawn for welcoming him and providing learning opportunities.
• Avid Ultimate Warrior fan: “He was my hero growing up… There’s no better entrance than Ultimate Warrior.” — Dylan Postl [52:48]

13. Getting Over, Crowd Connection, and “Midget” Comedy

[61:14 - 66:47]

• Steve asks about getting over: both agree the secret is genuine connection with the audience, especially kids in Hornswoggle’s case.
• Dylan struggled at first, wanting to be “one of the boys” rather than a comedy act, but learned to embrace what fans wanted.

“You hit it on the head with that one word: connection.” — Steve Austin [62:49]

• Career highlight matches: WeLC match with El Torito, blending comedy and real action, especially performing for tough crowds in Jersey and Chicago.

14. Controversies: Wellness Policy Suspension

[67:10 - 70:09]

• Discusses public WWE suspension: insists never a drug user, only failed because he couldn’t provide a sample due to “shy bladder.”
• Wishes the company had clarified he didn’t fail a drug test; “That was my thing… why not say it that way?” [68:35]

15. Branching Out: Movie & TV Ambitions

[70:18 - 74:38]

• Loved working on WWE film Leprechaun: Origins and Muppets Most Wanted.
• Considering branching out into acting, inspired by the likes of Peter Dinklage: “People literally view him as a six-foot actor. He isn’t seen as a midget actor—it’s awesome. I couldn’t be happier for him.” — Dylan Postl [77:02]

16. Physical Toll, Recovery, and Gym Routine

[71:36 - 74:38]

• Admits body feels “29 going on 50” from years of bumps; multiple surgeries but generally healthy.
• Now a regular at the gym, following a regimen set by John Cena’s trainer.

17. Moving Forward: Positivity, Indy Wrestling and Outlook

[74:38 - 80:25]

• Leans on his own indie promotion (ACW Wisconsin), conventions, and his local wrestling school for focus and income.
• Looking to expand Pro Wrestling Tees and maintain a strong social presence (pending WWE approval to keep his handle).

Closing wisdom:

"Life's short, but so am I—which means there's always another step." — Dylan Postl [80:25]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I always said, it could all end tomorrow… and you can go back to being a normal kid from Oshkosh, Wisconsin.” — Dylan Postl [33:04]
• “Fit Finlay… the absolute smartest man in wrestling, top to bottom.” — Dylan Postl [27:19]
• “You hit it on the head with that one word: connection.” — Steve Austin [62:49]
• “They let a guy that shouldn’t have made it be a WWE Superstar for… ten years now.” — Dylan Postl [12:20]
• “There is life after wrestling.” — Steve Austin, quoting Paul Orndorff [45:00]
• “Life’s short, but so am I—which means there’s always another step.” — Dylan Postl [80:25]

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Podcast proper begins / Steve Austin welcomes Dylan Postl: [11:25]
• The WWE release, taking the news: [12:03]
• Overcoming paralysis after childhood surgery: [13:02]
• Discussing family structure and support: [14:10]
• Backyard wrestling & Ken Anderson training: [17:17]
• First WWE road trips: [22:00]
• On working with Fit Finlay: [27:02]
• Money, maturing, and supporting his son: [33:49]
• Impact of fatherhood: [36:12]
• Relationship with Kofi Kingston & John Cena: [40:28]
• Transitioning after WWE: [44:05]
• 90-day no-compete clause explained: [45:54]
• Favorite WWE moments (DX, Cruiserweight, Vince): [47:57]
• Getting over and crowd connection: [61:14]
• WeLC match stories: [65:02]
• Wellness policy suspension explained: [67:10]
• Movie roles & acting ambitions: [70:18]
• Physical health and gym routine: [73:39]
• Post-WWE plans & positive mindset: [74:38]
• Final advice—"there is life after wrestling": [80:10]

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Tone and Language

The episode is warm, direct, and laced with Steve Austin’s signature humor and profanity. Both men are candid—sometimes vulnerable, often self-deprecating, and always deeply appreciative of the professional wrestling community.

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Takeaways

• Resilience: Postl refuses to let life’s setbacks define him, whether it’s childhood paralysis, a turbulent family life, or a sudden WWE release.
• Connection: Getting over with the audience is essential—it's about real connection, not just physical prowess or comedy spots.
• Adaptability: Postl is pragmatic and positive about his uncertain future, focusing on his son, indie wrestling, and the potential for acting gigs.

For anyone navigating big life or career changes, Postl’s journey is a reminder:
Stay grateful, hustle hard, look for opportunities, lean on your friends—and never lose your sense of humor.

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Find Dylan Postl:

• Twitter: @WWEHornswoggle (subject to change)
• Local indie promotion: ACW Wisconsin

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“Life’s short, but so am I—which means there’s always another step.”
— Dylan Postl, [80:25]

Transcript

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

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[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

The following program is a podcast ONE.com production he started in a small town in Texas, worked his ass off to become one of the most famous wrestling wrestlers of all time.

[Steve Austin]

We're gonna take care of business tonight. And that's the bottom line.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

And now he's dominating the world of on demand audio and he's doing it for the working man.

[Steve Austin]

This is a damn good outlet for me to spew the off my brain.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

This is the Steve Austin show unleashed.

[Steve Austin]

All right, everybody, welcome to Steve Austin Show.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

I'm coming to you from the mean streets of Los Angeles, Californ. I'm sitting in my office at 316 Gimmick Street. I got my laptop computer open, I got my iPhone on the table. Everything is on silence. And I got a 22 ounce Yeti tumbler full of broken skull Ranch margarita with about five shots of patron silver in that motherfucker. So I'm ready to go. Rocking and rolling. Took a couple alpha brain on top of that and it ain't nothing but podcasts go from here on out. What a day it was here at the studio. I got a lot of motivation from a guest I interviewed today who's going to be coming up on the next Tuesday episode of the Steve Austin Show, Family friendly edition. Now, we're going to have to tone it down a little bit because there was a little salt and pepper in the language. But Mike Titan O'Hearn came by the office today, my house. And I've known Mike for a long ass time. If you know bodybuilding, if you know powerlifting, if you know physiques, if you know YouTube, you know who Mike O'Hearn is? One of the strongest cats walking planet Earth. One of the best bodies walking planet Earth. We sit down, we shoot the shit, we talk about the old times, some of the shit that he went through coming up as a kid, getting his chops up, being on over 500 magazine covers, romance novels, and getting in the trenches and grinding it out and building a great body. So I think you'll dig this conversation. If you need any kind of motivation, which a lot of people ask me for or what I do in the gym, man, I tell you what, when Mike walks into a room, the positivity just explodes. I don't know that the guy's sure he's had his bad days, but he just has such a positive outlook on everything. He works so hard at everything he does. It leaves an imprint. And so for me, sitting here with my damn wing and a goddamn sling, ain't been to the gym yet and my doctor's already cleared me and I need to get my ass back in the gym to train my left wing. Motivation was certainly dispersed here in great amounts by Mike o'. Hearn. I think you're going to dig my conversation with him. And he's coming up next Tuesday on the family Friendly show. And heads up to Stacy. You're going to have to lay out on some of the bombs we drop, but we try to keep it on the most part family friendly. But this family friendly show might have a little bit of salt and pepper on it, Stacy. So be ready. And for your listeners, be ready. It's family friendly for the most part, but things got going and it was what it was. It was a great conversation. But let's talk about as this motherfucking airplane flies by. I don't listen to my show.

[Steve Austin]

I don't know if you guys can.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Hear this goddamn airplane flying by or not, but the sun bitch is bothering the fuck out of me. Would you get the fuck out of here? That God damn airplane. I don't know why they don't make those little Cessna motherfucking airplanes use a muffler. It's like a hot rod that's running open headers. And I've never flown in one of those kind of planes. All my shit has been in jets. I would love to fly in one.

[Steve Austin]

Of those things just so I could.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Appreciate how loud or just come to an understandable knowledge of how loud those cocksuckers have to be when you're flying the motherfucker. Because I hope that the experience inside the cockpit is not as miserable as the experience I'm feeling when I have to listen that motherfucker at about 4,000ft above planet Earth. It fucking champs my ass. And I got so many of them flying by here, the studio, when I got my windows open, trying to enjoy a nice Southern California breeze. How in the fucking hell do you expect me to win an award on this podcast with all the kind of distractions I got to deal with? I don't know that I can. I can't filter them all out. Whether it's the lawn guys blowing the mowers, all the bullshit, the kind of city Slicker shit I put up with on this motherfucker. I don't know that I will win an award. But you know what? I'm not in it to win an award. I'm in it to entertain you and to get some shit off my brain and have a conversation with another human being that I happen to be curious of or dig or be friends with. Which is why I think you're going to enjoy today's podcast. Because today's podcast I got Hornswoggle from the WWE Dylan Postle.

[Steve Austin]

I hope I'm saying his name right.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Dylan Postel. I always call him Hornswoggle. Anyway, Hornswoggle got released with a couple.

[Steve Austin]

Other WWE Superstars who we will address.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

On the podcast that you're about to listen to in detail and just got released. I've been trying to hook up with Hornswoggle for Jesus Christ about a year, year and a half and we just never have connected. So anyway, he reached out and we got connected and you're about to hear our conversation. Hornswoggle had a wonderful 10 year run, damn near almost 10 year run in the WWE. And I told him I don't know if we recorded this or whether it was on the phone after we did the podcast. Hell, his run lasted longer than mine did and he had a damn good run. He got over. We're going to talk about how and why he got over and we're going to talk about his journey through wwe, his journey through life, and what he's going to do on the backside of his wrestling career now that he's been released from wwe. So I had a great time talking to him. He's a great dude. He's man, dude's funny. I think you're gonna enjoy the conversation and I'm just gonna keep this open and short. I'm looking forward to you give me some feedback on the show. I appreciate your feedback from. I asked you guys what TV shows that you'd watch on television or Netflix or whatever and you guys responded by sending all your answers to [e-mail] I've also been getting a lot of emails from you guys wanting me to interview different people. So hey man, keep the emails coming. Whether you've got questions, suggestions, comments or whatever. I read them all. I dig them all. I can't respond to them all, but I check them all out and send them to questionsteveaustinshow.com hey man, let me take a little pause here. I'm going to drink a little bit of Broker Skull Ranch margarita.

[Steve Austin]

God damn. Now that is a tasty beverage. Let me see if you can hear these rocks rattling around in this aluminum cup.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Y' all hear that?

[Steve Austin]

One more swig.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Ah, shit. Well, I'll tell you one thing, that's.

[Steve Austin]

A damn good margarita.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Broken Skull ranch margarita mix.

[Steve Austin]

I think that's next on my schedule.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Hey, fuck it. Let's take care of some business. Let's get into the conversation with Hornswoggle. Business is I've been Talking about the 54 Club on this podcast for a few weeks, and that's because I hate to go shopping for clothes. And that's a shoot. And if you're like me, then the 54 Club is your solution. Sign up for the 54 Club and have your clothes delivered right to your front door. Yeah, that's right. I said right to your front door. You can look good without stepping foot into a mall. You pick your sizes. You personalize your style and color choices. You tell the folks at Five Four Club if you're looking for work clothes, hanging around the house clothes or hitting the town clothes, you know what I'm talking about. You choose your style profile, classic, casual, forward or mix. And then you wait for the clothes to show up. And swigga brokers go ranch margarita, because 5:4 Club won't break your bank. Where else can you get all that for just 60 bucks a month? And I'll do you one better. If you go to 54 Club and use the promo code Austin at sign up, you'll get 50%. 50% off your first package. If you want to change up your style choices of your colors, you can do that for your next delivery. And the best part, 54 Club also gives you style tips to show you how to wear everything. You hear what I'm saying? Style tips to help a brother out. They have made your wardrobe idiot proof. So go to 54 Club and use the promo code Austin A U S t I n at sign up and get 50% off your first package. That's 54 Club and use the promo code Austin at signup to get 50% off your first package. Hello?

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[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with a name your price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try [e-mail], progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match, limited by state law, not available in all states. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try it at progressive.com, progressive Casualty Insurance company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Steve Austin unleashed. Unleashed.

[Steve Austin]

All right, here we go. Steve Austin here in Marina Del Rey. I'm talking to Dylan Postel over in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. You might know him as Hornswoggle.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Dude just got released from the WWE along with Damien Sandow, King Barrett, Santino.

[Steve Austin]

Morella Cameron, Alex Riley, El Torino, Zeb Coulter.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

God dang. This came to me as a big ass shock.

[Steve Austin]

Anyway, Dylan, welcome to the show.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

How are you?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Thank you. I'm doing great. I'm doing great. All is well in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

[Steve Austin]

Hey man, let's go. Let's piss on Icebreaker. Let's just get into conversation. I got released a long time ago from a company called WCW via FedEx and a phone call.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

So how did you get the news.

[Steve Austin]

And how did you take it? Because I was going back, looking at some of your YouTube highlights. You were in the WWE for what, give or take about 10 years?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

It would be 10 years here on the 26th. Three days before my birthday.

[Steve Austin]

Dude, I thought you had a hell of a run. Tell me about receiving the news. How you, how, where's your head at right now?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

That's okay. Right now it goes, you know, it could always be worse. It could always be worse. That day I got the call at about, probably about 9:30 in the morning. And it hit me. It hit me like a, like a ton of, like a bag of bricks. And you know, the first thing that goes through my mind is, all right, how am I going to support my son now? Now, you know, I've been, I haven't been on the road for about, you know, the better part of a year, but the, the checks keep coming in, so the bill keeps getting paid and, and it's all right. Now. How Am I going to do this? How am I going to work this all out? I can't be angry. I can't be angry at the company they gave me. They let a guy that shouldn't have made it be the WWE Superstar for much better. 10 years now.

[Steve Austin]

Why you say you shouldn't have made it?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Can't be mad. Well, with my, obviously with my stature and being a midget and all that, I'm not the typical WWE Superstar. And then when I was younger, I had major back surgery. All 90% of midgets have little people, dwarves, whatever. I prefer the term midget. Have scoliosis real bad. So they have to have major back surgery. First one. First back surgery I had. They never done surgery on a guy my stature before. Paralyzed me for about six months.

[Steve Austin]

Your legs or your arms as well?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Everything. I couldn't. I had no feeling from. About the armpits or the armpits down.

[Steve Austin]

Well, dude, what they tell you? Is this going to be. Did they say, hey, this is going to be temporary? Or did they say, hey, you're screwed?

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Temporary.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

It's going to be temporary. They. They then helicoptered me to Minneapolis to have surgery to, you know, hopefully fix the back for good. Then they put. They cut out a rib, chopped that up, put a metal rod in my back along with the, the rib, fused it in my back and said, all right, he'll be good to go, but no contact sports and no trampolines.

[Steve Austin]

Dude, how old were you when that went down?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Six. Six years old.

[Steve Austin]

Holy smokes. Now, what kind of family structure did you have? Did you have two supportive parents?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

My parents were very supportive at that time. I had the back surgery. Two months later, we had a major house fire. Lost everything. It's the craziest thing ever. Two, three months after we moved back into our house. Then my mom, she kind of just left town. Haven't talked to her now in 22 years, but my dad and I are closer than ever.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

No.

[Steve Austin]

So what was the deal with your mom bailing out? I mean, she just couldn't handle it. And you haven't talked to her in 22 years?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yeah, the bottle got the best of her.

[Steve Austin]

Gotcha. Gotcha.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

But my stepmom, I call her my mom. Right. She raised me through the hard times, through, you know, teenage. Teenage life and the, the hardest times about being a. Being a kid, you know, as obviously, kids know everything, teenagers especially. So I gave them quite the hard time throughout school and. But she always dealt with it, and she always treated me like one of her Own sons.

[Steve Austin]

Well, how was that for her coming into a relationship with you being a midget, as you say? Because I always give my stepdad a lot of credit because when he married my mother she had three hell raising kids and he took us all in. So how was it for your stepmother who you now consider your mother just like I consider him my dad to deal with raising a little person or as you prefer, a midget. How tolling was that on her? How did she adopt a adapt and adjust?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I'll say. She had two boys of her own. One's a year older and one's a year younger. And I don't know how our fit horror folks stayed together. We fought so much and we gave that. We drove them. I don't know how we didn't drive them apart, to be honest with you.

[Steve Austin]

You and your brothers.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Oh yeah, me and my brothers, we were so. We fought tooth and nail.

[Steve Austin]

Why was it, was it just brothers fighting? Because you guys are stepbrothers and you're a midget. So it was. How was that relationship? Are you tight with them?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I will say this, I'm now I'm tighter than ever. I have a niece and a nephew and my son on my own were. We're like three were closer than three brothers. Could be the midget thing, never I will say, you know what? Throughout school, it never was. I was viewed as just a short person. Never, never really got brought up as, you know, a problem or something that people held against me. Nothing like that. I've always been very open and very. I laugh at myself and I'll be the first one to make fun of myself as the locker room will tell you. But it's. That was never a problem. The health stuff for the most part was alright. She, she. We fought, we fought like three brothers would do. But it was, you know, it was a lot of. At times it would get, the fighting would get real, real petty and oh, you don't deserve to be here. We do. You know, that kind of thing right. So like I said, nowadays we are closer than ever and it's. We. I just went out to eat with them for Mother's day. We all went out. It was great.

[Steve Austin]

So the doctors tell you, hey, no, no physical activities, no trampolines. So when did you start pushing envelope? Obviously you're fighting with your brothers, but when did you start, were you ever able to participate in sports? What was your childhood like?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I did basketball and softball. Obviously I wasn't the greatest, wasn't the fastest, wasn't the most Athletic so that it wasn't for me all the time. Really enjoyed it. I also. Then I started the backyard wrestling thing, which, as you know, when Attitude era was hot, when you and. You and Rocky were on top, that's all we wanted to do is become professional wrestlers. Well, not. We were 13 years old and couldn't get. Couldn't do that at that age. So we. We built the ring and we just started throwing, putting together shows and throwing and putting and doing shows in the backyard.

[Steve Austin]

I heard a lot of guys. I heard a lot of guys tell me about building backyard rings. What did y' all build your ring out of?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

It was railroad. Like the big. The railroad ties, the huge. For the corner posts that. And then I don't know how the hell we put this thing together. Who got plans? But one of my buddy's dads got the plans for. Was this rickety old ring that if. If you hit the ropes, two of the posts would come, start coming out of the ground. It was. It was a piece of shit. Pardon my French, but God darn it, it was. I don't. I don't. It was the dumbest thing we could have done, looking back. And it was on sleeping bags. Pretty much. You take a bump on the grass on sleeping bags. Yeah, I'll take any ring over that. Over that again. It was so stupid. But we were. We were living our dream at that age. So in our. In our minds, we were stars because we were having 20 or 30 or sometimes our big shows, a hundred neighbors come around and watch our stupidity.

[Steve Austin]

Well, here's the thing that's very amazing to me because you're 29 years old, right?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, so now all of a sudden, you've been with The WWE almost 10 years, and now when a lot of guys be coming into their prime, you're out of the business. So you started so soon. When did you actually get any formal training? And it says here that you were trained by Ken Anderson. Is that the Ken Anderson?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

The Ken Anderson.

[Steve Austin]

So how'd this come about?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I owe. I owe 90% of my career to him. So I was. We were doing a backyard show and a local independent promoter came out because he heard about the buzz about this backyard company, quote, unquote, company drawn a decent amount of people. And he came and invited me and a couple of my good friends to start training. So we started. We showed up before a show one day, and Ken was there and he started training us. And I was 17 years old. It was in August of 2003.

[Steve Austin]

So how did he go about training you? I mean, was he training you regular, you know, like chain wrestling, just, you know, headlocks and reversals? How do you go about training a regular guy? Ken's about 6 foot and you're 4.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

4.

[Steve Austin]

So what's the training process for a cat like you?

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

He.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

He made me as well as anyone, like the other, the other local guys that would do, you know, that would do training before the shows. He made me bump around and take the same bumps and, and do the same stuff as everybody else. And that's, that's why I think I've. I've never wanted to be a midget wrestler. Like, right. I hated when I was on the Indies before I got hired by wwe. I hated doing midget matches. I absolutely hated. I just, to me, I was a small cruiserweight and everyone just, you know, kind of gave me the. Ah, come on, man. Like, do. Do the midget shit and get yourself.

[Steve Austin]

So, so you're basically saying. But, but so basically you're saying, like, the midget would be kind of more. More along the comedy line of work, and you wanted to work regular style, pro style.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Exactly, exactly. I wanted to work regular matches and regular spots and do all that stuff. And everyone kind of shook their head at me like, you're an idiot. Like, you could be making. You could be doing a lot better and making, you know, a much bigger name for yourself if you'd stuck to your. The midget style and got booked for that. And I didn't care. I was a. I was a wrestling fan, a professional wrestling fan at that age. And I was like, I said I was 17, 18 years old, so I was still a kid. I just wanted to. I wanted to wrestle.

[Steve Austin]

So tell me about the. The world's sexiest midget short stack.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Oh, man, I was. I was about £120 and I just had that moniker, man. And it was, it was a name given to me by just a small promoter. I was like, you know what? I'm gonna run with that short stack. I don't know how that even got came up, got brought up. But the man, the myth, the midget, was always saying on my, on my indie wrestling T shirts. So I think I'll have to bring that back at Pro Wrestling Tease now.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Dude, how long did you do this.

[Steve Austin]

Before you got the call to WWF or wwe, whatever the hell you want to call it?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I was only about. I was only working for about a year and a half. So it's. It's pretty crazy, like, thinking about it now, like, now that I'm going, like, I'm back on the independent circuit. It's. It's. I never really had the hustle. I never really had to do that or didn't. I never really did it. I just worked the same, you know, local promotions just to have fun on the weekends. I worked at Target, and I worked the Independence on the weekends. Just had fun with it. Then I get. Then Ken calls me, leaves me a voicemail saying, hey, they. They want to, you know, they want to try you out. Who's looking for a midget? Sorry, wwe. Yeah, WWE was looking for a midget for. To work with Finley. Well, call back. I call Ken back. He goes, here's Tommy Dreamer is gonna be calling you. Awesome. Tommy Dreamer calls me, sets up a tryout in Green Bay. When they're there for a smackdown taping, I bomb it because they. They wanted me to do an Irish accent, which to this day, I still cannot do.

[Steve Austin]

Me neither.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Why? They didn't have. That's why they really didn't have me talk for a good five, six years. But then two weeks later, Tommy Dreamer calls me or calls me at about 8am I ignore three or four of his calls. Now I think it's a rib. Just one of my buddies calling me and saying they want to offer me a contract. Don't call him back. Don't call him back. Finally, I get another call. He goes, hey, I've been trying to get a hold of you, Dylan. So, hey, is this. Yes, this. And you know how Tommy talks all monotone and Dylan.

[Steve Austin]

Straight shooter. Tom is a straight shooter. Yeah.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yes, yes. He goes, so if you don't respond to this one, we'll just hire the other midget. I said, oh, no, no, no, no, no. I'll take it. I'll take that contract. Awesome. And so it was off to the races. Well, then I started. I started on the road. Right away. I knew Sean Davari. He was in WWE for. For a good amount of time, too, with Muhammad Hassan. And then he. Hassan left me. Was there, but I knew him from the dependents. He was a great Kali at the time. He was managing him. So I get Dreamer, then says, well, you're gonna be riding with Davari. Awesome. First week on the road, going to TVs. It's me, Davari, Kali, and Mark Henry in the car.

[Steve Austin]

Jesus Christ. What a. What a crew.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

If there was. If there was a goddamn traveling circus, it's that. And it lasted.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

That.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

That car lasted for a good six months. Then we did house Shows and stuff with that same car.

[Steve Austin]

Dude, what did people think? Would y' all roll into a Denny's or a Waffle House to get something to eat? You got Kylie, who seven two. You got you four.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Four.

[Steve Austin]

And other guys, did people just do a double take and say, what WTF is this?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

We always laughed, Steve. We always laugh because Jabari always said we have a Taliban, a midget, a world's strongest man and a giant. It's a traveling God darn circus. We would go into these Denny's and I would hold Kali's pinky and Kali, this my. This, this my son. Brother, this my son. And then he would go to Mark Henry, that's my son too. And it was. We would go to the bars at night. Sometimes we would go to the bars and he would lift me up under the armpits and set me on the bar stool or set me on top of the bar. We would just mess with each other. Kali, I don't have one bad thing to say about that guy. Just a nice guy. He knew his strengths and he knew what to do to make everything work. He was awesome and still always a good buddy of mine.

[Steve Austin]

I got a chance, very good hearted. I got a chance to know Kylie a little bit when we filmed the Longest Yard way back in the day. Longest Yard Adam Sandler movie. And we were at the gym one time at a hardcore gym there. And Kylie walks in the women's locker room and I hear a bunch of women starting out of the locker rooms. Kylie walking down with this sheepish grin on his face. And I tapped him on the shoulder, I said, hey, big man, next time take me with you. And the thing a lot of people didn't know about Khali was because a lot of times he'd have that interpreter guy travel with him. But Khali spoke a lot better English than he let on. So I could actually have a pretty decent conversation with him. So he played that card pretty well.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Let me tell you when he. We would laugh because as I always say about, you know, Tajiri and Funaki, Kidman would always say, if you're putting stuff together with them, you're putting a match and you're putting their stuff over. They can speak perfect English the minute you want to get something on them. Excuse me, I don't. Akali was the same way. Finley and I would work with him. We would be talking out stuff. He would be bumping Fit around, knew everything where to be, what to say, everything to do. Minute Fit wanted to hit him with Something. Maybe not that boss. Maybe not. Maybe. Maybe instead. Maybe I just chop you. And I would look at him like, you speak perfect darn English. I know this. I rode with you. And he just. He looks at. He would look at me and just smile and shake his head. Nope, not doing. Nope, nope. It was the greatest. He was. He was a good. He was a good pal of mine.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, before I go back to the road life and some of. Some of the shenanigans you guys did in the bars, tell me a little bit about FIT Fast, because you got a chance to work with this guy, and this is a guy holding very high regard. I think he's one of the best workers I've ever seen. What were you able to take away or learn from fit?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

He fit. I owe Ken and FIT my career to fully. To be honest, FIT went to bat for me a lot of times, saying about how they use me or don't use me, about how special and meaningful I was, the company, you know, he saw. He saw a lot in me that even I didn't see. He saw how the kids just loved me, absolutely loved me. I was such a kid, friendly character, and they just loved me that they. He always went to bed for me and I appreciate that. Smartest man in wrestling. I agree fully. Go on record and say, the absolute smartest man on wrestling, top to bottom. When it comes between finishes and anything, he just has that brain that if you can't come up with something, or if he can't even come up with something, he'll say, give me a, you know, give me five minutes. And he's got it. He's absolutely got it. And I was like, I was with him, him and I, for six years straight, and it was absolutely amazing. I have. No one ever will have that stuff, that, that opportunity that I had working so close with them. And that means a lot to me.

[Steve Austin]

But I always told Vince, I told Vince a long time ago, I said, hey, man, your next world champion is going to be a guy that's about six, two, six, three, and he needs to spend about two, three years with FIT Finley. And I said, and if he's able to spend two or three years with FIT and get inside his head. And FIT can just. To me, fit's demeanor, his ring generalship, his body language, everything that he did meant something. He had a mean streak in him. He was all business and had a ton of fire. I mean, his stuff was real. I mean, it wasn't manufactured. I mean, he was a shoe. You know, he comes I think he's second, third generation wrestler, and that's what his family did. So, I mean, you know, we all take the business serious. It's a work. But I mean, he took it more than serious and it came through in his work. And he's one of the guys that, you know, I know. Jesus, what was his. A leg injury or whatever that kind of stove him up. But I really believe that, you know, and I mean this in a positive way, because I think so much of him. Had he been six, two and a little bit heavier, I don't know how many times he would have been a world champion. Because the guy could flat out absolutely work his ass off.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

You always think about him as that rugged, tough heel and how good he was.

[Steve Austin]

You damn right.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

And mean and how, like you said, how rugged. But then working with me, it showed a completely different side of him as a babyface. And it was funny to me because he. When he started, first started Babyface, he absolutely. I could see he hated it just because he finally was almost like uncomfortable with something in his life.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Yes.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

He was so good at being that heel and that wrestler. Then you have him, you know, as this, as his happy go, lucky baby face. And you would just see it in the beginning, he just was. It kind of shook him. But he loved it. He loved it. After a while, the smiles that we put on the kids faces and he's now, now we. His son is working over in New Japan at the dojo over there, and he's doing great over there and just.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, man. How's he.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Man, I want to say 19.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, man, I'm looking for big things.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Oh, no, no. He must be a little older by now. A little older by now? Maybe maybe early 20s, maybe. But you see the guys, when Lashley was first coming up, they put him with fit. When Batista was really starting to hit it on his own, put him with fit. All these guys to really work with them. We worked with so many up and comers on these, on the house shows that would get him ready, get him ready, get them ready. That's what Fitz role was, it seemed, because they knew he could do it. Like you said, you put him with fit for two or three years, he's gonna. He's gonna be world champion. He's gonna know how to work. And that's the thing when they, when they work with a guy like fit, they realize how to work and what works and what doesn't and for what reasons.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Hey, man.

[Steve Austin]

So you come into WWE and all of a Sudden you hadn't been in the business very long, you're doing the backyard thing. All of a sudden you're with a major company, you're with the company. So what was the transition for you to just learn how the politics rolled and to fit in and learn about pay scale, pay grade and just the whole business aspect of it. Did it overwhelm you? Did it take you by surprise? Or you just, hey, whatever you decide to pay me, I'm cool. Tell me about your business mind, how you acute, how you acquired your business acumen within the company.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

A 1920 year just turned 20 year old kid didn't have a mindset for money whatsoever at that point, probably a few years. Pluto TV has thousands of free movies and TV shows. If I'm lying, I'm dying. This is the mindset. Free. This is the mantra.

[Adam Carolla]

Free.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

The. This is with movies like Interstellar Dream Girls and Gladiator. Are you not entertained? And TV shows like Survivor, SpongeBob SquarePants, the fairly odd Parents and Ghosts. Pluto TV is always free. Pluto TV stream now pay never.

[Steve Austin]

And a lot of us sign that first contract where it's like, hey man, just give me a contract, I'll sign it so I can get wrestling, so I can wrestle and get paid. And so there you go. And then you got to negotiate from there.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yep. You see this money coming in, coming, you know, work, going from working at Target in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, you know, and making barely minimum wage. And then you see what you're making, you know, even, even a starting contractor. Wwe. It's crazy. It blows your mind. Absolutely blows your mind. And so you see that money, you think it's coming forever. And so you're a little, you know, frivolous with your for the first couple of years. And then it hits you like, oh God, this might, you know, you got, you got to be, you got to watch your, you want to watch your bank a little bit.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Right.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

But Steve, it's, it's. I always thought I could go back to working at Target and, and it would be completely different. So I never worried. I was never one about, oh man, they, they should be paying me this, that or the other thing. Because I was, I had an opportunity that I should never, I still say that I should never have had ever. And, and that's something that I always said to myself, like, it could all end tomorrow. And it now did, but it could all end tomorrow and you can go back to being a normal kid from Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

[Steve Austin]

But were you able?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I never Let the money.

[Steve Austin]

Were you able to save some money, though, once you go through those first two years, hey, this ain't gonna end. And all of a sudden you think, hey, man, I'm lucky I'm in this spot. I need to pay Uncle Sam, I need to stay off drugs, and I need to put some money in the bank.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yeah, I'll tell you this. I'll tell you the thing that. The thing that kind of punched me in the face was when I found out I was having a son, my dad sat me down. He goes, all right. Because my dad is very frugal. They call him. They call him the most unjew Jew in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, because he. Penny pinches. He'll cut. He'll cut stamps, unmarked stamps off envelopes to use them again. He is a penny pincher. And we all laugh at him. But he sat me down and said, dylan, the stupid purchases. And now. Because now you have a son coming on the way, right? You have a son coming on the way. It has to end. You got to really take all this into consideration. And that's when it really hit me. All the. All the BS had to stop because now I have someone else I needed to support.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, so tell me about a bit of this bs. Did you get involved in the party lifestyle? I mean, you buying Mercedes Benz's? What are you spending this on?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Useless wrestling? Because I was growing up, I was a huge wrestling figure collector, so I would ebay wrestling figures, old wrestling figures, current ones, just wrestling memorabilia, stuff like that. While I was working for WWE and that, and I was back home partying, you know, buying the bar, buying rounds upon rounds upon rounds of bottles and stuff for the ball, you know, my buddies at bars and randoms. I was never. I never bought new cars or anything. I never liked that. But just a lot of little things here and there add up. I realized at that point, dude, were.

[Steve Austin]

You much of a drinker on the road? What'd you get into?

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Oh.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Oh, man, yeah, to say the least. I never, never excessively never, never got in trouble over it. But I. Back in the day, especially before. Before Landon was born, I loved. I loved the. To have fun at the bars.

[Steve Austin]

So what was your beer guy? You whiskey guy?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Oh, anything. Steve. This body. This body isn't made off of beer. Come on.

[Steve Austin]

I'm sorry, brother. I'm sorry.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Back in the day, captain and captain of diets and currently vodka waters. Yeah. Because I say to myself, tito's in water. There's somehow no carbs and no calories but there probably still is, but I feel better about myself at the end of the day.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

So it's, It's. I enjoy. I enjoy a vodka water or a glass of red wine here and there. Sometimes a little more than here and there, but it's. I. It's a lot less than. It's a lot more scaled back.

[Steve Austin]

Everything in moderation now. Correct?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yes, of course.

[Steve Austin]

All right. So tell me about your son. Your son's six years old.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yep. Six years old, going on 17, it seems some days looking me in the eye already all he wants to do is wrestle. He loves it. He loves this business, loves everything about it.

[Steve Austin]

Well, this question begs to be. This question has got to be asked. I mean, when I seen. I was watching some of your stuff back on YouTube and of course we've talked whenever I show up at the buildings. And you're just a very charismatic, very talkative, very outgoing person. So then all of a sudden, when it comes to the dating scene, being a midget, how tough is that?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Well, when I was, when I was on TV every week, it actually wasn't as tough as it, you know, might be now. But because that, but then they also, you. They. They realized that it might. I realized it might be for the pocketbook more than for the relationship, obviously.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, but before you got into the business, growing up as a kid, I mean, how were you with the ladies?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Never. I was, I was. I was the ultimate friend zone relationship.

[Steve Austin]

Gotcha. Gotcha.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

It was. It was never. It was. I wasn't ever really. And it didn't matter to me because I knew it. I guess I knew it. So I never really got it. To me, you got. Let it get to me that much. I cared about wrestling and I cared about my buddies and having a good time. That's all I cared about. And truly, truthfully, like, that's. That's all I cared about was wrestling. And that's. That's still my son. And then wrestling are my 1 and 2 still to this day. So it blows my mind at times.

[Steve Austin]

So we were talking on the phone before we started this guy, and you said, I asked you, I said, well, does that mean your son will be a midget too? And you answered, how?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

No. So when. When his mom was pregnant, we. About six months in, we got her. We found out they can do a test where they can see if he's going to be a midget or not. And I. Sounds terrible, but I didn't want it. All the health stuff I went through and the Possible bullying that I never went through the bullying and that stuff that you know that to a crazy degree. Right. But just the health stuff alone, I didn't, I didn't want that for my son. I didn't want him to go through the possible stuff like that. So we found out that he wasn't. And it was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders and I was, I was very happy. I would have been happy either way, obviously, but for him to not have to go through the health stuff I did made me feel real good as a dad. And he's been in 98 percentile for heightened weight his whole life. And a. He was like two years old. I said, man, you might have a six footer on your hands. And I literally, I said, I was cussing. I said whatever I did to my dad growing up and the hell I put him and my mom through, I deserve this. Yep, this is what I deserve because I'm going to be grounding him about two years and he's gonna say, F you, dad. You go to your room and it's not gonna work. So then, then he'll get sent right to his puppets again. He'll get sent to grandpa's house and he can discipline him.

[Steve Austin]

So how's your relationship with your kids? Has your relationship with your son changed more now that you just now came off the road? You said you hadn't been on the road, you know, extensively in the past six months or so. So how was that relationship with your son?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I'll say, the past year I haven't been on the road and it's been probably the best year as a dad I've ever had. I've been able to take him to karate every two days a week, swimming once a week, just go on the weekends and be home with him for kindergarten, which I missed his first step, I missed his first word, I missed all of that stuff. But I didn't miss his first day of school. And that's, that's what means a lot to me. I wake up in the morning, every morning I put him on, I set him on the bus, send him on the bus to school and he comes home to me. And it's great. I. Single dad life, I call it, is the best thing ever. I absolutely love it. And Kofi and I, Kofi Kingston, we call ourselves Team dad because we'll go back and forth about dad stories. And he has now his another, another new son. Congratulations to him. But he. So he has two boys and it's just, it's, it's fun to go back and forth about. He'd be FaceTiming because him and I rode together for years, three or four years, he would be FaceTiming his son and I'd be FaceTiming mine. And then we'd show him to each other and they're, they are best friends that I've never met. It's like having a pen pal but over FaceTime nowadays. So it's the coolest thing ever for technology. A technology can bring two kids together like that that have never even met.

[Steve Austin]

So you keep up with Kofi? Do you keep up with any of the other guys on a roster? Because as I've been away from the business so long, you know, I'll call someone or someone will call me out of the blue. But for, you know, for the most part, just guys kind of going in different directions. And if you see someone, you know, at an event or something, like a WrestleMania, you know, seeing Sean or seeing Mick, I mean some of the, you know, my best friends in the business are Kevin Nash. Then everything's, you know, it's just like it was. But do you keep up with some of the guys still in the business on the roster?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yeah, there's a, there's a, there's a group of us that chat, have a, have a group and it's a lot of them. I still, you know, you have a lot of acquaintances, very little friends and even closer, even letter less best friends. I have a good, probably six to 10 best friends that are like, that are literally family to me and that have always been there for me even. And I hate to be that guy, but got John Cena, he called me at 3:30 in the morning when Landon was born. It was the craziest thing ever. He called me just to touch base and see that everything was healthy.

[Steve Austin]

That's awesome.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yeah, he's been there a lot of rough times with me when I have rough times on the road and stuff like that. He's always been there and always whatever I needed. He, I wrote. He was there for me for.

[Steve Austin]

So what kind of rough times on the road?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Just stupid relationships back home and, and road life just getting the best of me and getting into my head when, and thinking that is this what I want to do for a while or for, you know, just truly what I want to do when I have this pot, this relationship dwindling back home. Is it worth it? And she was always there and always said, you know, that's, that's that, that's that, that relationship back home. You need to you do, balance it out and see is that more worth it than your dream. And I realized that it obviously wasn't and that my dream is to be a WWE Superstar. And so I kept that and didn't let anything else bug me.

[Steve Austin]

Hey man, one question before we go to a break and then we're going to come back. I want to talk to you about life after wrestling. Now, you're going to hit the Indy scene, but let's talk about the adaptation process, because I call it in my case, many years ago, going back to civilian life. But we'll catch you out on the break. When the bomb got dropped and all these names and yours is one of them gets released by the wwe, did you have an outpouring of guys from the company saying, hey man, I just heard the news. I can't believe it. I'm sorry to hear the news. I mean, did anybody call you? Was there any support from your acquaintances or your friends?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

So between probably about 10 o' clock and 3 o', clock, I bet you I had 50 or 60 different guys text me, is there anything I can do? It was awesome working with you. You were always ray of sunshine in the locker room. Just, it made me really realize the impact that I had not only on the business, but on other people. It's not that I don't care about what I did in the business because it means more to me than anything. I had a lot of memories on tv, a lot of awesome matches, a lot of awesome things that I've done. But the thing you take most from this business, and I honest to God mean it, is the friendships that you make. And that's so cheesy. And so maybe, you know, dumb and overly said, but these are guys that now that I'm not with the company anymore, I will still talk to on it. Maybe not a daily basis, maybe the weekly, but I'll still contact with a lot. And that's the thing. It's like that's what I take away from the business and that that affected me more and that brought, that really made me stay positive is all these guys texting me and saying that they felt, that they felt bad and if there's anything they can do to let them know.

[Steve Austin]

But I'll tell you what, man, just, you know, the call alone. And you know, when I got dropped from wcw, the phone rang pretty quickly. But you know, when I rode off in the sunset in 03, you know, thinking, hey man, I got to get out because of my health. And that was a shoot. But you know, there was one time, I think I called. I was talking to Vince. I was kind of looking to get out of the business because my knees were bothering me. And he talked me into staying. It didn't take him much to talk me into staying. And it wasn't a money thing at all. It was just straight up. Hey, I was kind of getting tired. But, you know, when I got out of the business, it took me about three years to get over that. It was a crushing blow. And Paul Orndorff gave me some of the best advice I'd ever been given, just because I needed to hear the words. And he says, hey, Steve, there is life after wrestling. And I said, there is. And he says, you're damn right there is. And so that's kind of where I pick my ass up. But it's something. It's a hard pill to swallow.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

It's hard to read, to think about it as, all right, you've been. Whether you've been on the road or not, and I wasn't, but you've been secure. That security blanket of, okay, the check is in the mail.

[Steve Austin]

Yes.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

No matter what, that check will be in them, in the mailbox every week. So you're okay. And now, whether you're going to be okay or not, you know, working independence or just. Or whatever the next step is, that's the scary part still, because, you know, you don't know. Now the question is, okay, is the. Is the check going to be there? Is it going to, you know, how long is it going to last? How long can I keep this up?

[Steve Austin]

Well, here's a question, but when you get terminated like that, or released, whatever that you want to call it, you're no longer with the company. Is there a severance package or were you an independent contractor? It just stops. The royalties continue, because you left in good standing. And so you'll get at least a quarterly 90 days.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Okay, we get paid for 90 days after. After we're released from WWE. During that time, we can't do any TV or I pay per view.

[Steve Austin]

Are you kidding me? They released you and then you can't do nothing for 90 days?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

We're still technically under contract and getting paid by them.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, but they're firing you and you're going to get paid for 90 days. But it's not like they just got designs on bringing you back. It's not like you're going to jump on a. Which is going to be in direct competition for them. So I don't think that's a great thing on their part to not allow you to work, pursue work, even though they're paying you a 90 day severance package because they've terminated you. Because on a competition level, what are you going to do that's going to be negative to anything that they could do, compete with the Monday Night Raw or anything like that.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

When you've got to look past the.

[Steve Austin]

90 days, get rooted in now and get some income generated. I disagree with that.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I can, I can see that and I can, I can see it. My, my, my only view on that is they're still paying me for that 90 days. They're letting me get, you know, get on my feet, keep up on my feet and make a plan for what to do after the 90 days. And so it's not like they're saying, hey, we're, we're done with you, we're done paying you, kind of go swimming, you know, in the middle of the ocean. So that's why I don't, I don't mind it. I can, I can still do all the independent dates I want, as long as it's not TV or, or I pay per view or that kind of thing. That's why I don't mind it that much.

[Steve Austin]

And it's, I think that's a positive, I think that's a positive way to look at it. Yeah, I've been gone a long time, so. But then again, I mean there, there's no heat there. You never say never in the wrestling business and leaving on good terms and staying on good terms and with the positive outlook that you, you take, I mean, who knows? You could be back. Is it likely? We don't know, but it could be. You've got a good head on your shoulders, you got a good attitude.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yeah. And that's, that's what I've always, I've nothing, I have nothing bad to say about Balcot. My time in wwe, it's been, it was a lot, a lot of fun. And it, I was told when I first got hired, okay, this is supposed to, this is going to be a six month run here and, and it lasted just under 10 years. So I can't be mad about that.

[Steve Austin]

All right, I'm coming right back. Here we go. Hornswoggle. Dylan Postal just got let go by wwe. One of the things we were talking about earlier was your impact on kids. Kids absolutely loved you. And well, everybody did for that matter, because a lot of the stuff you did, like you said, you didn't like to do midget stuff, but there was some of that involved, obviously, but you. You impacted a lot of people because anytime or most of the times as a babyface people, everybody in that arena was smiling and the kids were having a great time. What are some of your favorite moments that you did you hold in high regard from your run in wwe? Because I really thought you had so many hotspots. I don't know which one I'd pick it.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I appreciate that. I realized when I got hired, I was getting hired for my stature. So all of my thoughts about hating to do midget spots and hating to do HAHA and all that kind of had to go out the window. But then when I was working with fit, he didn't want me to do that stuff. He wanted me to be a small, almost like a smaller version of him, just rugged and mean and nasty. So I got. That was fine with me because I didn't have to do, you know, do the haha. But then we got. We realized how much the kids loved me and I was doing the comedy and that stuff, which was still fine because I. I enjoyed every bit of it. First thing that probably sticks out is, is working with Hunter and Sean. Like I said, I avid wrestling fan since I was 4 years old. And obviously the attitude era DX was on top of that with. Along with you and Rock. Hunter comes up to me one day and says, hey, we're. We've noticed the kids really like you. And I go, yeah. He goes, yeah. I told Sean the kids really love him. And I. And Sean goes, yeah, yeah, yeah, because what if we make him a part of dx? Sean goes, oh, that'd be great. Yeah, the kids really do like him. And he came up to me and. And I said, you're gonna be part of DX now. And I just about crapped my pants because it was. Now I get to work with two guys I've watched for years, and for about, you know, the better part of six to nine months, I was part of dx and it was awesome. It was so much fun every night being a part of that and just. And being able to be around them and pick their brains about, you know, random stuff.

[Steve Austin]

DX was super hot and those guys had a great act and then great chemistry off each other. Did you get a chance to get inside Triple H's head or Sean's head and learn anything from those guys that you would be able to apply or just the way they handled the business.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

As a professional that, you know, I was always, always very, very. I don't know the word, but I Would always go to Sean more than Hunter. Random questions. Because I never maybe bit intimidated because of where. Where Hunter was at in the company, obviously. But I would be asking him things, you know, random things, like about stuff he did in the company and all the years of wrestling that he would kind of tell me about and talk to me about. And I learned a lot from just working with them about where stuff goes and why it goes there and how it all makes sense. And if there's two to learn from under fit, it's Hunter and Sean as well.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, Sean had kind of a different. A similar mindset to fit. Extremely athletic man. Fit is one of a kind. But Shawn Michaels, I think, is probably the greatest in ring performer, best of all time. Someone who's able to do everything. I put him really number one on my list, just as in ring performance. Now, Flair's my favorite pro wrestler, but as far as someone that can do everything and never blow anything and always remember everything at the highest level or house show level, Shawn Michaels is the.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Number one guy that always blew my mind, even on house shows, how much energy he always had in those matches. It was, you know, we'd be day 10 in one of these overseas tours and it'd be just like day one where he'd. And he was hurting, you know, we all, you know, obviously he was hurting from the years on the road, but he just had the energy all night. He killed it every match.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, we all had a favorite wrestler again. Mine was Ric Flair. Dusty Rhodes is in that mix. So I've got my guys, Steamboat. In your list, who was the guy that you really liked? Who's your favorite wrestler?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

The one that. The one that got me into the business was the greatest wrestling technician of all time, the Ultimate Warrior.

[Steve Austin]

Was that who got you in the business?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Ultimate Warrior? He was. He was my. He was my hero growing up. I absolutely loved him.

[Steve Austin]

What did you like about him? Because I'm good friends with Zach Wilde, Black Label Society, and he's the biggest Ultimate Warrior fan, just like you. And, you know, just because of the energy and everything that he brought. Is that the same thing that captivated you?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

That was it. The energy. There was no better entrance in history than the Ultimate Warrior.

[Steve Austin]

I agree.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I'll go. It was the greatest. Between the music and that guitar riff and that face paint, the tassels and the gear, it was the greatest. I hated Hogan. I hated Hogan growing up, really. And my. Oh, yeah, because he was just. He was just too white meat for me. He was just a guy in A ripped shirt, a bandana, and a silly mustache in my mind. But my guy, Ultimate Warrior, had face paint. Your guy didn't wear face paint or tassels? My guy did. And it was. Looking back on it, it's silly to think about, but, man, I was the fanatic. So at WrestleMania 30, when Funny was going to hall of Fame, I. Man, I finally got to meet him, and it was. It was a dream come true. I got to talk to him and his wife about what the impact he had on me growing up and all that stuff. And I got my picture taken with him and the artist, Rob Schamberger. He does a lot of WWE stuff now, a lot of the paintings. He surprised me a couple weeks later with a painting of the picture of me and Warrior that I have in my living room. So it's pretty cool that he did that for me. I didn't know anything about it. So when he passed away, that. That one hit me pretty hard. It's like your. Your hero growing up, passing away.

[Steve Austin]

Man, that's amazing. Schamberger painted that picture for you. I was so mad at New Orleans at WrestleMania 30. I saw Warrior there, and over the course of a year, I'd talked to him. I reached out to him about two or three times on the phone, and it was interesting because his name used to be Jim Helwig, and he changed it to Warrior so I'd be a Warrior. I was calling him Warrior. It felt kind of funny. I was waiting for him to say, just, hey, Steve, you can just call me Jim. But he never did.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Never happened.

[Steve Austin]

So my thing that I was mad about at 30 in New Orleans, I was busy doing my thing, and because they were filming a documentary of him, he's going into the hall of Fame. They had patched up the relationship. He was so busy and had so many cameras around him, I didn't get a chance to go up and shake his hand and say, hey, man, it's good to see you, and you're glad you're doing good, or we would find out he's not. But back on terms with wwe, he's.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Going into the hall of Fame.

[Steve Austin]

It's just such a great moment. His wife introduced me. His wife introduced herself to him in the hallway. I got to meet his two daughters, and she was so super, super nice. And I was just mad at myself that I didn't say hi to Warrior because he was so damn busy. And then just literally two or three weeks later, the heart attack in the parking lot. And that one crushed me, too, because you know, you're probably. He was your guy. But that one caught me out of the blue and I just didn't see that one coming. I wish I would have reached out and said hello to the guy.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

The craziest thing was, so I meet him at the. The Pontiac Silver Dome, as Hogan called it, that I meet him there and then he does his Raw appearance the next night where he kind of makes that. That final speech would be his final speech. Yeah. And then he passes away that evening and that or that morning. And it was, it couldn't have been a better unintentional, you know, speech. It really couldn't have because it was, it was amazing. And it just, it. I didn't have, I didn't. I wasn't a superhero guy. I wasn't a comic book guy. I was an Ultimate Warrior fan throughout my life. And so especially growing up. So when he passed away, that one, that one hit me pretty hard, man.

[Steve Austin]

Let's shift gears to another good time. You winning the WWE Cruiserweight Championship after penning Jamie Noble and a Cruiserweight open at 3American bash. How was that?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yeah, I had nothing to do at the pay per view that day going into it. And I get approached saying, hey, you're, you're. There's a, There's a multiple person match, there's a multi man match tonight, the cruiserweight title, and you're winning it. I go, okay. I said, I'm in the match, you know, and they explain how it's all gonna go. And I said, I'm winning the cruiserweight title. Yeah, here we go. It was, it was awesome. Again, I should have never been a WWE Superstar and now I'm cruiserweight champion and I become, I'm. It goes down as the last cruiserweight champion. You ask people online, Twitter goes crazy that I killed the cruiserweight, the cruiserweight division.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, Jesus Christ.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yeah, fine by me. Because I'm still the last cruiserweight champion. That's fine. No one can take that from me. So I have, I have a replica hanging in my, hanging in my office.

[Steve Austin]

And I.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

That's, that's, that's. It means a lot to me. Between that and then going right to, you know, later during that same time, the revealing as me, me as Mr. McMahon's son, as Vince's son. That was, that was crazy.

[Steve Austin]

I was going to ask you about that because here's the thing I'll never forget. You know, when I first came into the company and I didn't know Vince from Adam, I just knew he was the boss that was it. So anyway, finally I started getting hot and then we start doing some stuff together or we're just working together. He's not, not even on screen yet as Mr. McMahon and I'm getting a chance to know the guy a little bit and there's not much of a relationship there. And he's a hard guy to get to know if you're not in the right spot to get to know him. Well, throughout the course of my career, obviously I got to know the man very well and learned a lot from him and we became very good friends. We had our problems, but we've always remained friends. So my question to you is, you get a chance. You're his illegitimate son. Did you get a chance to pick his brain? What did you learn from Vince? Or just what did you take away from him? Because I always tell people this. I think Vince McMahon is probably the most unique human being I've ever met and spent time around. I mean, because he is, he's fascinating, he's a friggin genius, He's a third generation promoter, he wears a lot of hats, he's some of the, you've heard some of the stories from the road. So I mean the guy's kind of, well, he is a living legend. But that some of the things that he's done is just, just off the charts. What was your takeaway from spending any kind of time with Vince as a man, as a promoter, just someone as a mentor?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I'll say this, I was still so intimidated by him. I really almost feel, feel like mad at myself about that because I didn't ever really ask him stuff about, about the business and about his, you know, how he viewed things and that kind of stuff. And what happened because I viewed him so much like, oh my God, he's my boss. I can't say the wrong thing, I can't ask him this stuff. But I think, and I could be completely 100% wrong, but Vince always wants you like, always wants to be viewed as almost like a, like a co worker instead of a boss. He doesn't want to, he wants you to be able to approach him with things and, and he likes being approached with, with ideas and things like that because, well, let's be honest, he can't think for every member of the WWE roster. He can't. And so he likes to be approached by that. And whenever, you know, whenever you call him then I always heard whenever people call him Mr. McMahon. No, my name is Vince. That's, that's who I play on TV. As Mr. McMahon. And that always kind of stood out to me. Like, okay, he really sees himself at. At the same level as everyone. That. That was. If you viewed him as a. As. As a boss, you know, with the respect part, you were. You were golden, right? I came. I came out. Think, you know what that as. So. But it was a good. It was. It was awesome. It was so much fun seeing him mess with, you know, the. The Bubba camera guys and Bruce Prichards and all that and Coachman and seeing him mess with those guys so much and give them so much hell at times, you know, when the camera was between takes. And he is a consummate perfectionist where even if it's the slightest thing. All right, let's shoot that again. And it has to be perfect in his mind. So I always respected that.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, what was your take on Getting Over? And let me preface this with the story that I've told a million times, my listeners bear with me once again. There was a guy that went to the ring in Madison Square Garden. He got a pretty damn good pop. You know, the Garden's at short entrance, right? So, you know, all the boys would watch the masses from right behind that blue curtain. Well, Vince and I were watching this guy. He went out there, got a pretty good pop. And we kind of looked at each other and our eyes opened up like, that's a pretty good pop. And he looked at me and he says, yeah, I really hope he can get over. And it was at that moment that I realized, like, yeah, Vince McMahon doesn't just wave a magic wand around your head and get you over. You've got to get yourself over. Now, that being said, they got to help out with some booking and put the rocket pack on you, but once they do, it's up to you.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

You got over.

[Steve Austin]

What do you think was your biggest attribute to you? Getting Over? Because to help you out, I would say just for me, I just started pushing the envelope. I laid all my stuff in, I started talking trash, and people started to gel. Get into my character. So I'll leave it there to me for you. What was your key to getting over? Because you did. And I can't say that about all the people that got released or all the people on the roster. Now you got over what you think was your success.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I appreciate that coming from you, that that means quite a bit here's. Nowadays, you know, it is a little harder to push that envelope because, you know, you have the PG stuff and the. Everything is very, very written at times. So you have to, you have to go with what you're given a lot of the time. And you know, you have to take risks. Yes. But also you have, you still, at times you have that fear of taking the risk because, okay, what if I put. What if I go too far with the risk?

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Right.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

With the risk I take, then, then you could be fired for, for taking that risk. Very simply, I think my, my connection with the kids, you know, that, that really helped. You can't put a midget as a heel, you know, just on his own. I realized, and as much as I wanted that at times, as much as I pitch, you know, different ideas as me being a heel, it wouldn't. Maybe it would have worked and I really do think that it would have worked at times. But I think how I. The reason I got quote unquote over is because of my connection with the kids and they love me and I appreciate that so much.

[Steve Austin]

But you hit it right on the head with that one word is connection. Because you can go out there and you can do something, but if you don't connect and I don't give give a damn whether you're you at four four or Kylie at seven two or me at six one, what you've got to do is connect. And what I saw just in speaking of connecting, it was nice to watch this last Roadblock, whatever the speed bump, whatever the damn pay per view was, where A.J. styles payback took on Roman Reigns. And all of a sudden AJ Styles, I've been hearing all this great stuff about him. I've seen great stuff about him. All of a sudden he goes out there and shines like a million dollars and he puts it all online and he connected. I was looking for why he was phenomenal and he showed it on that on that night on a big stage and had a great match. But it's connecting with people and it's establishing a relationship. So yeah, that's why you got over, because you were able to connect and identify and form a relationship. Because whether you're working as a heel or baby, whether that connection is someone hates you or as a baby face, someone likes or loves you. That's what the connection is all about.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yep. When I realized that and when I realized they would have me do the BSNR campaign, you know, the anti bullying rallies and that, how much of the kids actually relate to me now, I don't know if it was because they thought I was their age and just had a fake beard or if or what it was, but they really related to me and they they almost had those, especially those BSR rallies. They listened to me quite a bit, almost more than the other talents because I don't know, I had a similar stories about, you know, the bullying at times and all that stuff and they could connect with that. So I always loved doing those rallies and they were always a good time. And you look at that and then you, when you, when you realize, okay, they do want to see you do the comedy, they don't want to see you be a wrestler, right Then it's, it makes sense to you and you stop taking yourself so damn seriously and you give them what they want because that's what's making you get over and that's what the people want to see.

[Steve Austin]

Dude, you hit it on the head again. Giving the people what they want. I mean, don't give them what you think they want. Give them what they want to give.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Them what they want. I kind of, you know, me and myself and El Torito had that we all see match and Finley was one of our agents for that match and he said, well, we need to do some HAHA in it. And I said, I don't want to, I don't, I don't want to do it. I don't want to do haha. I want to make it just a match. He goes, dylan, they want to see you work. Yes, but they all want, they also want to see two. They don't want to see two midgets kill each other.

[Steve Austin]

Correct.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I said, I get that. And so it finally hit me. We did a little bit, we did about two or three spots in that wheelchair match, but then it was in front of the Jersey crowd and we should have got booed out of the building, but we. It was, and I say it a lot that night, it was the best match of the show. Not only on the pre show but on the main show. And there was a lot of good ones on that main show. We absolutely killed it that night and it's, it's my most proud moment ever in the company was that VLC match. And then. But also we got to work. We actually got to work and then we had another matchup, the Payback. After that, we got to work real and actually perform while doing a little bit of HAHA here and there. So I appeased the, the people that wanted that. But it was really, really, I was really proud of those two.

[Steve Austin]

Dude, it's satisfying, very satisfying when you go in front of a tough crowd. Some of those Jersey crowds can be tough and you love to work in front of Them, but man, when you got them, it's a lot better than not having them. Sometimes you can go to Nassau Coliseum and Mr. Coming back as a baby face, that was the kiss of death. You never wanted to make a comeback from an injury in Nassau Coliseum. And I'm not crapping on the people over there. You love them because when you get over in front of them, you can go over front of Nassau New Jersey crowd, which that Meadowlands or Garden, you can get over anywhere. But boy, I tell you what, they can be tough. So if you could rock a Jersey crowd, yeah, you did have a damn good match.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

So it was, it was, it was Jersey. And then we had the next pay per view that we, Torito and I did was just a straight up match in Chicago, which is the number one heel crowd in the country. We know. So it was. I thought, oh, man, we didn't get, we got lucky. We didn't get booed out of that Jersey one. But we're done in Chicago and they love that one too. So we got very, very lucky. And I think it's because we gave them something that they weren't expecting.

[Steve Austin]

Dude, Chicago is my favorite house to work in. And don't get the Garden because of how special the garden is. But when you look at acoustics and that, that pay per view was just in Chicago, man, those people rocked it. But the acoustics of that ceiling, the people are so damn rowdy. They love their wrestling. So the Chicago, and that was like a stronghold for me. So I always loved. And that's when I really got a sense. And it wasn't even the pay per view, it was a house show. And that's when I got a sense that I was starting to catch traction with the people. But let's go back to you. I want to ask you, man. September 28, 2015, you got suspended for 30 days for violating the company's wellness policy. What in the wide, wide world of sports was that all about?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I'm. Oh, man. So remember I said I was never angry about anything in the company. That's the only thing I am.

[Steve Austin]

What angers you about it?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I did violate the wellness policy. I 100% violated the wellness policy. I could not provide a sample for the test, which in a nutshell, I couldn't pee. I've never been a drug user ever in my career, ever. But I understand why they had to do what they did. I fully understand that they had to suspend me. They had to comply with the wellness policy. That's the one thing I'm kind of upset about. Because I have a son. And it was. Because it were. How it was worded was same as the word for everyone.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Right.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Is that I violated the wellness policy and I failed, you know, I failed to comply with the wellness policy or that kind of thing, which I didn't. I failed to provide a sample. And I. That was. That was my thing that I always said, like, why not say it that way? Well, we can't, because that's not how we announce these things. I said, but I'm not a drug user. And this is making you look like a drug user. And I'm not. I said, I have a kid at home. I have a future. I cannot. I can't be viewed this way. And it was still posed that way. And, you know, it is what it is. I know in my heart of hearts, I'm not a drug user. I never have been. And so it's one of those things that it really, really. That's the only thing in 10 years that rubbed me the wrong way. I can honestly say that. So.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

But it's.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

It's. I understand where they're coming from, but it just sucks how it all went down.

[Steve Austin]

But for the record, you were never using drugs. It was indeed never failure to be able to provide a sample, which happens all the time, by the way.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Yeah, shy bladder. That's what. That's. That's what the tester is called. You have. You have a certain amount of time. You have to be able to pee. I couldn't pee. It's the greatest test testing policy and wellness policy in all of sports and entertainment. I'll go on a record and saying that, you know, we. They crack down on everything. Absolutely everything. It's all viewed testing and just couldn't do it. So that's my fault. You know, it's partially my fault, but is what it is. I know. I know for a fact in my heart of hearts that I'm not a drug user. And that's what I take from it.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, well, we'll leave it at that is what it is. And before we go, I want to ask you about leprechaun's origins. Tell me about being a movie star.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Origins? Yeah. Double movie star, Steve. Sorry, buddy. Two movie stars, leprechaun Origins headliner. And then also in Muppets Most Wanted.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

How was that?

[Steve Austin]

Did you enjoy?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Was awesome. So I've been a Muppet fanatic all my life to doing Muppets Most Wanted with Tina Fey and Ray Liotta and Danny Trejo and all the other ones. And then just working with the Muppets was absolutely a dream come true. It's. I always say the day my son was born has to take precedent over that. Only because I have to say it that way. Otherwise. Otherwise, I'm an idiot. But it was, it was awesome. And then they. We did Leprechaun Origins, which is so much fun to do as well. And it's, you know, to see my name build on a movie poster. It was awesome. It was really, really cool and a lot of fun to do. Something I really hope to get into in the future. Now I really would love to get into acting and get into that realm. As we both know, you never know how long your body is going to hold up in this business. So I would love to get into acting more. I had so much fun doing it with Muppets and Leprechaun. It's something I really enjoy after about.

[Steve Austin]

10 years in the business. 10 and a half, almost 10 with WWE. How's your body feel? Because, dude, you were doing a lot of stuff off that top turnbuckle, splashing, guys, Very physical style. And I tell people, man, you're landing on some bodies out there. They're supposed to cushion the blow. And that mat, sometimes it's forgiving, but many times it's not, depending on how you land. So, man, gravity and physics are like interest. They just keep adding up every single day. How's your body feeling right now? I mean, because you're still a youngster, but how's your feeling?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I feel about. I say I'm 29 going on 50 at some mornings. So you feel it, obviously? Oh, yeah, I feel it. But I'm good, I'm, I'm good. Obviously. I could, I could, I could do, do it. Losing a few lbs here and there around the, around the belly area. Get rid of this melted vanilla Sunday buddy that I have going. But I, I just, I, I, I'm feeling good. I had my shoulder, shoulder done. I had my shoulder surgery a couple years ago on my knee surgery. So those feel great, what I did and all that. I had some kind of small tear and I had a bucket tear in one of them and something in the other. I don't know. I don't. I've had so many surgeries in my life, they all kind of mix together. Except the back one. It's just, it's. But the other, everything else feels good. Knock on wood. I've never had back issues, which my dad says to me, would say to me every day. He goes I hate. There's days. I hate when you do this, but I know. Happy it makes you. But just because he's so worried about, you know, one. Literally, a bad bump could paralyze me. If it was. If it was a bad bump, knock something. If it knocks something out of my lower spine, it could be. It could be done, so. Or pretty bad anyways, so. But I feel good. I feel great.

[Steve Austin]

Throughout your career on the road, you're always traveling with guys on the road, and, you know, man, the guys in the wwe, the gals either are not strangers to the gym. Were you a gym rat or did you. Do you train?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Not in the beginning. Not in the beginning. I didn't, that's for sure.

[Steve Austin]

So what do you do now?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I. I do now. I work Cena, actually, John Cena's trainer, Rob, put me on a, you know, study workout thing a few years ago. Stuff to do in the gym that's good for a guy, a guy of my stature. Easy to do, not as impactful. So it's. It's. I hit it as much as I can. I hit it about five days a week, every weekday, and on the weekends, I take off. But it's. It's every morning when Landon goes to school, I hit the gym. So I enjoy it. And it's. Whether I. Whether I see weight loss or not, it's. At least I have the peace of mind that I'm trying. So, yeah, it's. It's. But I feel great. I really do feel good. I can still throw a ball and wrestle with my kid every day, and that's what matters to me. Because the minute I can't do that is the minute I need to step back and say, okay, we need to stop something and fix it.

[Steve Austin]

So we're about to hang up the phone here in a minute. When we hang up the phone, where will your head be? Because you just got released, it's going to be a while before you can do anything on the independent circuit. So what are you doing to bide your time? What are you doing to maintain your sanity?

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

Because.

[Steve Austin]

Because again, you know, when I was let go, I mean, you know, when I left the business, it preyed constantly upon my mind.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Well, not to. Not to toot your own horn too much, but the minute I get off the phone, I'm going to take a deep breath and think, I just got interviewed by Stone Cold Steve Austin. That was pretty damn awesome. But the minute I got the call, I reached out to my best friend in the business, Curt Hawkins, Brian Myers, yeah, he was with Edge for a while. He, he has, he's always been a best friend of mine and he got me within about three hours. He got me probably about 15 to 18 dates for independent shows and conventions and signings and stuff like that. So I have him to thank for a lot. And it's, I also run my own independent company back home, ACW Wisconsin and that's that throughout the last year of not being on the road. We've done it for about two, two and a half, three years now. It's kind of been my sanity where as much as, as frustrated my frustrations with not being used and all that I would, I would turn it over and, and focus a lot on our, on our local company in our local trading school. So that's, that's what I do with my time off that and obviously hang out my son and then just raise him the best I can and to the best abilities of my abilities. So it's. I have a very awesome life. As odd as it might say. Even I got, I got to be positive with it and know that I'll always, I. Not always, but I. As long as I keep hitting the pavement and hustle, making the hustle now that I haven't had to do in the last 10 years, as long as I do that and I do what's right for, for myself and for my son, that it's all going to be good in life and hopefully get some representation or set up some meetings out in la, start, maybe start some acting. I would love to do that. Like I said, I would love to, I would love to get into that, that realm. I really, really enjoyed the time. And there's always, always roles for midgets nowadays and, and that Peter Dinklage is killing it on Game of Thrones. You ain't just doing a phenomenal job. He is, I mean people, people literally view him as a six foot actor.

[Steve Austin]

Absolutely. He's crushing it.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

He isn't. He is. He isn't viewed as a midget actor and it's awesome. I couldn't be happier for him. So I would really like to get in that realm and I always have. But doing those two movies really, really set it off for me.

[Steve Austin]

If you get out here to LA and start digging around, look me up and we can shoot the breeze in person or have a cocktail or two.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Couple Vico Waters and Broken Skull IPAs, right?

[Steve Austin]

You damn right. Hey, let's talk about your Twitter handle is what yeah.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

WWE hornswoggle still.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, here's a Question. You're not with WWE anymore. Are they gonna allow you to keep the handle?

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I don't know. They have for a few guys, I would hope. Because my goal with this whole thing is to show what WWE has done for me. They have given me my dream for past. For the past 10 years, they've allowed me to live my dream, something again that shouldn't have happened, but they allowed me to do that. And so I have not one bad thing to say about him. What the company, about my time with the company, about the people there. I have. Everything was positive. Everything. And if they. If they allow me to keep it, awesome keep and. But if they don't, that's understandable as well. I changed my name on there to Straight Dylan Postal. My my the name on Twitter. But again, if they. If they decide to take it away, it's understandable.

[Steve Austin]

One of the decide to take it away. Give me a shot and I'll plug it on the podcast so we can keep your following of what it is.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Well, I appreciate that. Thank you very much.

[Steve Austin]

Hey, is there any. You got a website, Facebook, Anything else you want to plug on the show? Anything? I'm parents. Are we waiting 90 days, Ryan?

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

We're not.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

We're not going to wait 90 days yet. I'm do some independent shows coming up here. You could check out our company, our local company at ACW Wisconsin, on Twitter, on Facebook, all that. It's a company out of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. We're doing some. Some local. Just local smaller shows around the area. Having a lot of fun doing it for the past. The past two and a half years. In December we had Tommy Dreamer and Curt Hawkins come in and we. They tore the house down and we were having a lot of fun doing it. Hopefully in the next couple days set up a with Ryan Barkin at Pro Wrestling Tees. Hopefully open a Pro wrestling tees store. Give you some competition which will never happen, but it. Between you and the young Bucks, man, there's no competition for you guys. I'm gonna be. I'm gonna be pinching pennies on there. Just have to underprice you like by about half. Hopefully do some business. But no. So it's. It's. Everything's good. Everything's gonna be good. It's gonna be all right. Gonna stay positive and see what the next step takes me.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

All right.

[Steve Austin]

We'll see what the next step takes you. God dang. It was good talking to you. I'm sorry to hear you got released. 29 years of age, still a young cat. I'm gonna give you something. Here you go. Paul Orndorff told me this a long time ago. I know you're gonna hit the indie scene here quickly and capitalize on all the exposure that you've had over the past decade with WWE and go down that road. But whenever it does end, Dylan, I will say this. There is life after wrestling.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

I appreciate that. Coming from a guy like you. That means a lot. A guy I've looked up to pretty much all my life, so that means a lot. I said it. Life's short, but so am I. Which means there's always another step.

[Steve Austin]

Well, dude, good luck with everything. It's good talking to you.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Thank you. You too.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Are you looking to buy a used car? Then you should check out truecar.com in the TrueCar app because I bet you didn't know that you can use TrueCar to help you buy a used car too. It ain't just for new car purchases. There are over 500,000 pre owned vehicles available from TrueCar certified dealers nationwide and there are over 11,000 TrueCar certified dealers. And TrueCar lets you get upfront pricing information on new and used vehicles and lets you see what other people pay for the car you want so that you feel confident you're getting a fair price. You got to feel confident folks with TrueCar via their TrueCar pricing curve. You see what other people paid for the car and you lock in your guaranteed savings. Then you can connect with a local certified dealer of your choosing, take them your TrueCar guaranteed savings certificate and make your car buying experience quick and easy. Over 2 million cars have been sold to TrueCar users by the TrueCar Certified Dealer Network and TrueCar users saved an average of over $3,000 off MSRP. So when you're ready to buy a new or a used car, visit truecar.com or download the TrueCar app to enjoy a better car buying experience. Some features not available in all states.

[Steve Austin]

Alright everybody, gimme to go home.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Q It's time to wrap up this podcast and ride off in the sunset. But before I do that, let me give you guys something to watch. I just got finished talking to Hornswoggle Dylan Postel and I want to give you the movie that he starred in with the WWE and it's called Leprechaun Origins. Check that out. I'm going to check it out myself and file a report with you. And with that being said, to get on to some Steve Austin news, Redneck island has ridden off into the sunset and will not return I want to thank everybody for supporting the show and I appreciate it very much. I had much fun in Mexico and in Lake Hartwell, Georgia drinking beer and tequila and hanging out with some very fun kids. Thank you very much for the support. Hey folks, I got some badass T shirts and they're available at Brokenskullranch.com and prowrestlingtease.com Steveauffson I got Broken Skull IPA from El Segundo Brewing Company and you can find a link to that on Brokenskolranch.com in California we're in Whole Foods and Total Wines. If you are outside of California, if you go to broken skull ranch.com there is a link inside the cellar.com to order the beer. This is the absolute best IPA in the United States of America and I firmly believe that. And you can get it by going tobroken skull ranch.com and if you want a badass pocket knife, which I highly suggest everybody should have, including women, that's why I've got one in pink, then check out the Steve Austin Broken Skull knife from Cold Steel Knives at broken skull ranch.com Hey I appreciate you guys support and sponsor the Steve Austin podcast because they're the ones who let me do this for you for free twice a week. Big thanks. Real quick before my wife walks into the door. She just got back from Zumba ddpyoga.com Austin and DDP Yoga now app to 54clothing.com use the promo code Austin to sign up to get 50% off your first box to TrueCar, to Uber and of course to Amazon. They've been supporting this podcast since day one.

[Steve Austin]

Just use my Amazon links whenever you're doing any online shopping and Amazon will.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Kick back a few bucks to the podcast. Ain't gonna cost you nothing extra. Ain't no hidden fees or charges. You can buy whatever you was planning on buying to help with the podcast and the process. And you can find my Amazon links by going to podcast1.com clicking on the killer Deals button in the top right corner of the page and then hitting the Steve Austin show button. I bet you didn't know I could talk that fast. Mama just walked in the door she gonna make tacos tonight. I got a Broken Skull IPA in the top left hand portion of my refrigerator right by the freezer button side face. Didn't drink a damn beer anyway. Amazon links for Amazon USA, UK and Canada. Just go to podcastwan.com, click the killer Deals button top right corner, then click on the Steve Austin Show. I appreciate your support and if you bookmark that motherfucker you find it easy in one click aint costing you nothing extra. We aint asking for no handout but it helps us pay our production costs. And hey Stacia got to buy a new pair of shoes folks. Keep listening. The 62nd AP news headlines are coming up next. And before I shut this motherfucker down I want to give a shout out to my man Vince Russo and the brand on podcast1.com Vince Russo bringing his badass podcast to the airwaves five days a week. You can listen to his hard working son of a bitch break down the business of pro wrestling, pop culture, whatever the fuck he wants to talk about. But anyway, I enjoy having Vince on my show. Every time I have him on the show I'm gonna be on his show here very quickly. Check out Vince Russo the brand on podcast one and that's the bottom line.

[Steve Austin]

Because I said so.

[Steve Austin (continued, more informal monologue)]

Until then, shit. My name is Steve Motherfucking Austin and I will catch your ass down the road.

[Dylan Postel (Hornswoggle)]

Download new episodes of Steve Steve Austin Unleashed every [e-mail] that's podcastone.com.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try it at progressive.com, progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates pricing coverage match limited by state law not available in all states.