The Steve Austin Show – Ricky Morton (SAS CLASSIC)
Original Air Date: December 2, 2025
Episode Overview
This "SAS Classic" episode of The Steve Austin Show finds legendary pro wrestler and tag team icon Ricky Morton joining Steve Austin for a candid, story-filled conversation. Calling in from Chucky, Tennessee, Morton discusses his fabled School of Morton, his training philosophies, legendary feuds, reflections on the wrestling business, and the secret to truly "getting over." Austin and Morton share wisdom on wrestling psychology, storytelling, selling, and what made their eras and matches so compelling.
The tone is friendly, full of camaraderie and mutual respect, with frequent asides, classic tales, and plenty of advice for aspiring wrestlers.
Key Topics & Discussion Points
1. Catching Up and Setting the Stage
- Steve Austin returns to podcasting from Los Angeles, recounts his recent misadventures with a car chase on TV and technical recording woes.
- He recalls a serendipitous call to Ricky Morton, which leads directly into the episode’s focus: advice, memories, and wisdom from a true wrestling veteran.
- Steve Austin [05:13]: “But man, if you’re looking for a school, School of Morton down there in Chucky, Tennessee is a good place to go if you want to learn from a guy who’s gonna shoot straight with you, tell you how it is and not blow a bunch of smoke up your ass. That’s a guy to go talk to.”
2. School of Morton: Philosophy, Training & Community
- Location: Chucky, Tennessee—chosen for affordable overhead; “build it and they will come.”
- School features multiple 16-foot rings, a “Stu Hart dungeon” space, and a family-friendly, hard-working culture.
- Focus on basic skills, discipline, and respect (“sir”, “ma’am”), plus special attention to kids or aspirants with illness or from challenging backgrounds.
Quotes & Notables:
- Ricky Morton [14:24]: “You build it and they come… To tell you the truth, Steve, I’m just not kidding with you. Chucky’s a little bitty town. There’s nothing there... and I went down there and I opened up a school there... I got more people and I made it, expanded it, made it bigger.”
- Training Fees: $20/session (Tuesday); $10/session (Sunday); $250 down—aimed at being accessible.
- Ricky Morton [19:17]: “But you got to understand, man, they got dreams too. And even if it don’t go no further in my school, that’s their dream, I might make it happen for them too.”
3. Wrestling Fundamentals & Modern Challenges
- Building Basics: Strong emphasis on core fundamentals – lock-ups, headlocks, hip toss, timing, learning to work both fast and slow, and not overfilling matches with high spots.
- Ricky Morton [22:25]: “They don’t know the basics… they do not know the basics of professional wrestling.”
- Selling & Psychology: The lost art and necessity of credibly selling in-ring action.
- Training at School of Morton: No face punches for beginners, focus on forearms and proper timing, heavy repetition until fundamentals are second nature.
Quotes & Notables:
- Steve Austin [24:11]: “Hey, talk to me about the arm drag, Ricky... the arm drag is almost a lost art.”
- Ricky Morton [25:02]: “When you start off, Steve, you have to do it that way… But that’s when you get later on and when you learn how to work.”
4. Tag Team Glory Days: Feuds, Chemistry, and Drawing Money
- Extended reminiscing over legendary feuds with Midnight Express, Ole & Arn Anderson, and the chemistry differences between teams.
- Selling was Morton's specialty (“never died,” always fought back), and knowing when to adjust his style for different opponents.
Quotes & Notables:
- Ricky Morton [32:00]: “What makes a good babyface is that you can work with anybody… you gotta change your thing.”
- On the differences between tag teams:
- The Midnight Express and Jim Cornette: Out-smarted the faces, always got foiled, Cornette's interference crucial to the story.
- Ole & Arn Anderson: Tough, imposing heels that required Morton to sell relentless body part work and create hope spots.
5. Working with Legends: Ric Flair, Selling, and "Getting Over"
- Morton shares stories of wrestling Ric Flair, including how little planning went into many hour-long matches (“the only time I ever saw him was in the ring”), and the artistry Flair had for working crowds.
- Ric Flair’s authentic promos and living his gimmick.
- The importance of emotion, authenticity, and fire in both promos and ring work.
Quotes & Notables:
- Ricky Morton [45:34]: “Before I even wrestled Ric Flair, he’d done watched my matches and knew every move I done.”
- Ricky Morton [49:38]: “Ric Flair was the real world heavyweight champion of our business... he lived his gimmick.”
- Steve Austin [50:50]: “What I liked about your promo, Ricky, was because every time you said something, you meant it... you had emotion.”
6. Wrestling Ethos: Old School vs. New School
- Morton teaches a blend of styles—"the right way"—dictated by the crowd, the booking, and the flow of the night.
- Warns against rushing and losing the crowd’s attention (“if you went too fast, the people didn't see half of it”).
- Modern wrestlers are more athletic but sometimes sacrifice connection for speed and risk-taking.
Quotes & Notables:
- Ricky Morton [40:07]: “Sometimes you’re gonna have to work fast. There are sometimes you’re gonna work slow... If you went so fast, the people didn’t see half of it because... all they remember is the finish, right?”
7. Magnum TA, Missed Opportunities & The "What Ifs" of Wrestling
- Morton reflects on Magnum TA’s accident; how the business was preparing to “groom him for the title,” and how fate changed wrestling history.
Quotes & Notables:
- Ricky Morton [56:36]: “It’s one of those things that you say, what if… If it didn’t happen, Steve, he’d have been one of the biggest stars this business… They were grooming him…”
8. The Secret to Getting Over
- Morton credits the ability to sell—making the audience believe, showing fire, never dying in a match—as the true route to wrestling stardom.
- Selling is connected to making people feel what the wrestler feels.
Quotes & Notables:
- Ricky Morton [58:31]: “The first and only thing that gets over… that’s knowing how to sell. Okay? Knowing how to sell in the business, that’s what keeps the people’s interest.”
- Ricky Morton [58:50]: “When I sold something, I sold it for what you did to me… if you punch me in the mouth…I’m gonna sell that punch.”
9. A Plea for Recognition
- Morton humbly asks Austin to plug for Rock n’ Roll Express action figures and Hall of Fame consideration.
Quotes & Notables:
- Ricky Morton [61:32]: “We never got an action figure. Not even one… If you ever talk to people like that, give us a plug sometimes, would you?”
Notable Quotes
- Steve Austin: “If you’re looking for a school…you can’t do no better than Ricky Morton.” [63:15]
- Ricky Morton: “Ric Flair…he lived his gimmick. He was the nature boy, Ric Flair... as a babyface can change his way to work with a heel, that’s Ric Flair.” [49:38]
- Ricky Morton: “I wasn’t like a fish out of water, just flopping around. When I sold something, I sold it for what you did to me.” [58:50]
- Steve Austin: “Watch the salesmanship, watch the fire, watch the teamwork…That action is hard to beat…That’s what I recommend you watch.” [63:00]
Key Timestamps (MM:SS)
- [14:22] School of Morton story & philosophy
- [16:54] Investing in equipment and the school’s growth
- [22:25] Morton: The lost art of basics in wrestling
- [24:11] Arm drag technique as a lost art
- [28:34] Story: Winning over Ole Anderson & respect in the ring
- [32:00] Breaking down the magic of great tag feuds
- [45:34] What it’s like to work with Ric Flair
- [54:56] The loss and “what ifs” of Magnum TA
- [58:31] Morton on “getting over”: The importance of selling
Memorable Moments
- Morton defusing Ole Anderson’s refusal to take a bump by taking one himself, earning respect the hard way. [28:34]
- Morton describing School of Morton as accessible, community-driven, and a home for dreamers—even those facing life’s toughest circumstances. [19:17]
- Deep discussion on what makes promos work (“You gotta make those people feel what you’re feeling... You were able to get emotions out of people through the fire you had…” – Austin [50:50])
- Morton’s humble, heartfelt request for more recognition for his legendary tag team.
Final Thoughts
This episode is a must-listen for aspiring wrestlers, old-school fans, and anyone curious about the inner workings of pro wrestling. Morton and Austin exude warmth, humor, respect, and candor, offering a treasure trove of stories and hard-earned insight.
From tales of mid-80s tag team glory to the fine details of ring psychology, the through line is clear: Wrestling is about heart, selling, making people care, and never, ever forgetting the basics.
For more info on School of Morton, visit Ricky Morton’s Facebook page or look up "School of Morton, Chucky, Tennessee."