Adam Carolla (12:28)

Hey, this is Adam Carolla from the Adam Carolla Show. Betonline continues to be your number one source for all your football betting action. Betonline has more ways to get get in and stay in on action with the latest odds, news and scores. Even live in game betting. From every NFL and college game to mlb, UFC and NHL futures as well, Betonline remains your choice. For sports wagering info, head to the website today and take advantage of their industry leading VIP program with level up bonuses and weekly cash boost. In between games head over to Betonline's casino with all the top Vegas style games including poker and live casino. Betonline. The game starts here.

Ricky Morton (13:23)

The Steve Austin Show. Steve Austin Show.

Steve Austin (13:26)

Rigor Morton. What's happening? Let's talk about the scotch.

Ricky Morton (13:29)

That's why I sent that picture of you with my shirt on, man. That was made right there. It ended School of Morton.

Steve Austin (13:37)

Yeah, you send this picture, you get the beautiful Bobby Eaton shirt in there. Tell me where I can order one on shirt because I'm gonna buy one. I'm such a big Bobby Eaton fan. It's unbelievable.

Ricky Morton (13:46)

You know, you know what, if you, if you go on my School of Morton Facebook, I have it advertised down in one of the columns there. Steve. I don't know, I got, I seen Bobby out in Oklahoma a couple weeks ago and I got, I picked it up from him out there. But if you do that for me, just get anybody out there, you or anybody, just throw down my School of Morton. And you see the advertisement for the Bobby Eaton T shirt. Matter of fact, it's where I got a picture of the bobby shirt on the comments the guy posted before you could order one at it. But, man, you asked me about the School of Morton. I'm located down in Chucky, Tennessee, right outside of Greenville, Tennessee.

Steve Austin (14:22)

How did you end up in Chucky, man?

Ricky Morton (14:24)

You know what? You see the movie the Field of Dreams?

Steve Austin (14:28)

Yep.

Ricky Morton (14:29)

You build it and they come and it was like that. What? To tell you the truth, Steve, I'm just not kidding with you. I'm just going to tell you the truth. Chucky's a little bitty town. There's nothing there. You know, big cities, man, you know, you overhead. I couldn't afford it. And I went down there and I opened up a school there. And it's a little bitty. As it went on, I got more people and more people and I made it, expanded it, made it bigger. And I know if you notice in the picture I sent you, you see two of my rings in the background of that picture at my school. Then I have another one in the back. And I have a dungeon that's dedicated to Stu Hart. I don't ever go down there, though. Just kidding. But I'll leave that for other people. But, man, it's. It's there, Steve, you know, and I ain't trying to, because you got a lot of the guys out there have wrestling schools and they're all good. But, you know, in that area, in that certain part of the country where I'm at in East Tennessee, you know, it's what we got and we learn hard. I encourage a lot of the guys, especially, you know, because, you know, in our younger days when we, man, we wrestled every night. Nowadays, these guys are lucky to wrestle once a week or every two weeks. And it's just like. Even though we're in the entertainment business, man, we gotta. We're professional athletes. You gotta train like they are. That's at the school, you know, I'd rather much rather get in the ring with a guy that is not a. You know, it's got a little experience by just going to wrestling schools, but not at all. So that's where I'm at down there in Chucky, Tennessee. Great location, man. It's just, you know, it's not hard to find. It's not. But two buildings in Chucky, Tennessee, and one of them is the School of Morton.

Steve Austin (16:02)

Well, talk to me about them rings you got because, you know, I've heard So many of my guys that come on my show, they started backyard wrestling. They'd build our own rings. Are those 16 or 18 footers?

Ricky Morton (16:12)

Mine are 16 foot. I'm going to go ahead and give everybody a plug. A guy named, you might know him, Mike Samples up in Kentucky. Do you remember Mike?

Steve Austin (16:20)

Yeah, I remember the name.

Ricky Morton (16:22)

Yeah. See, but Mike, he makes all the, you know, the cages and stuff for ufc, and he makes rings too. And. And Mike, you know, was a buddy of mine, and I was needing a ring. You know, my ring I had was. Was homemade. I'm just telling you the truth. It was 14 by 14. You know, the ropes wasn't like, you know, and I needed a good ring, and I got a hold of Mike. Manny helped me out, you know, got. But since then, my school's grown and I've, you know, and every damn I make at my school, I put back into my school, too. I really do. It's not. Not that I make a killing off of it. I don't.

Steve Austin (16:54)

What is a risk these days, Ricky, man?

Ricky Morton (16:57)

A good would cost you $4,500, Steve. You know, that's a. And to somebody like me, that's a lot of money. So. But what I do is I get that. I got. I got two of them now, and I, you know, Mike let me pay for them little at a time, and I paid for them and he did. I got him all. I got everything paid off and did that. Now, you know, we're just working on, you know, then we start putting our money back into cameras, you know, for kitchen guys. You know, I wasn't one of the best talkers in the world, but I got my point of calls. But. And a lot of my boys, you know, I teach them, you know, instead of going into the ring, looking at the arm pad, you know, high spot number one or high spot number two, I try to teach them about how to start a match off, how to talk, how to bullshit, but how to do a lot of things different, you know, My first one is learning how to talk, man. How do you know, Try to teach them that magic when you walk at that door, how you capture everybody in that building. And I do good, Steve, ever, every month. Matter of fact, this coming Sunday, which I'm in Charlotte Friday, Saturday for the fan fest, but this, I do a roast on Ole Anderson that Sunday morning to jump in my car and come back. Because once a month, at the first of the month, I run a little show at my school for my. For my boys to have. You know, actually we do we do pretty good? We pack a little place in there with, you know, with their family, the mothers and the brothers and cousins and their friends. We have a good time, Steve. And they learn and they listen from me.

Steve Austin (18:27)

Well, talk to me about how many students you got in the school right now? And dude, just straight up, what does it cost to get into the school of Morton? How do you go about that? Is that a six month course? Is it a month by month? How do you break it down?

Ricky Morton (18:39)

Well, you know, we train on Tuesdays and Sundays and that's if you come On Sunday, it's 20 bucks. If you come on Tuesday, if you go, if you, it's 20 bucks. But if you come on Sunday, it only costs $10. You see, it's two times, it's 250 down. You know, you know, I don't, you know, we're over here in Tennessee, we don't have the big companies that people work. But, but they come though. I have guys that come from up in Kentucky, Virginia, some of you know, I had a couple of them that moved over to Chucky, Tennessee to go to my school. It's reasonable. Steve. I don't, I try to feel, you know, and not only that I have kids at my school. I have one kid at my school, man, it's been a St. Jude's Hospital for eight years. And then I had another one there that's got Ms. But you got to understand, man, they got dreams too. And even if it don't go no further in my school, bandits, their dream, I might make it happen for them too. Only thing you got to deal with, with kids like that and people out there, and I'm not holding down from you when you, when you got kids like that, they come in there and they've been petted all their life, you understand me? Their grandmothers and granddaddies and their uncle give them everything they want. Then they bring them in there to me. And buddy, you know, some of them kids just meter nail, they get everything, they get everything they want. But, but you know, then I make them realize, dude, you know, that's what I was telling you earlier about my son. I teach you how to say yes or no, sir, yes ma' am and no ma', am, and make them understand a yes sir and a no ma', am, and a yes ma' am will get you real far in life. It will, you know, it's yes, a little bit of manners and stuff. We teach that down there. I don't have the answers to everything, Steve.

Steve Austin (20:27)

But, but how do you start these guys off? Or, man, are you starting off? I mean, I'm going back to my days in Chris Adams school after they.

Ricky Morton (20:34)

Come back there to back in little ring. First of all, I teach them, you know, you always have your one that comes into the gym that she's real tough and real bad. But I'm going off, but I'm coming back to what you're saying to, you know, they come in the door, hey, I mean, I want to be one of you wrestlers. I said, really? I said, roll in that ring right there and hit them ropes 20 times, 10 times each side. You know what I'm talking about, Steve? Yeah, look here, look here. They roll out of the ring, they start making that excuse, hey, my wife, she's calling me and I' look at they limping towards that door. But, you know, it's an insane every that rings dangerous. How I start them off is, you know, first I got to get them in shape. I don't go out there and blow you up. But you. If you don't get them in shape, they're gonna get hurt. You know, you got to be in shape to take a back bump. You got to be in shape to hit a turnbuckle real hard, and you really got to be in shape to hit them ropes hard. And that's what I teach them off. I start them off slow, but bomb us, get, get their callus and it's going because and help them out and then we move on from there. And every time, even the guys that's been there, I had a couple of guys, Chase Owens and, you know, he's real big in Japan in the Bullet Club and stuff. He's one of my boys, Kid Cash. A lot of guys I trained in the ring, you know, like back then, because we wrestled every night, you know, they bring a guy in, they want him over, and me and Robert will work with them. That was whatever territory went to. But you got to get them in shape.

Steve Austin (22:01)

But when you're starting, it's not like you're just trying to get them basically in shape to be able to have a match, to be able to go through the moves and stuff like that. Because back in the old days, I mean, you'd get guys, you know, those hardcore guys from the old school, they just grind the hell out of you just to get you to quit, just to see if you could weather the storm. But these days, I think it changes a little bit because, I mean, if you go run everybody off, you ain't going to have no Customers.

Ricky Morton (22:25)

Okay, now that's, that's my whole thing right here, you know, and I just tell them all when you come in there, you know, I have some guys that come in off independent circuit wanting to learn a little bit more, you know, and you know, when you come in, don't impress me. You know, I done seen everything. You know, if you only impress me, you know, I bullshit a fruit salad, that would impress me. The rest of it I done seen. But see what the guys don't know, Steve, and this is the greatest thing in the world. They don't know the basics. And I'm telling you, they do not know the basics of professional wrestling.

Steve Austin (22:53)

Okay, so what would you call the basics?

Ricky Morton (22:56)

Well, you know, just lock up, grab a headlock, shoot you off, tackle, drop down, get it again, reverse hip toss. I mean, they, I mean, I don't know. And plus it usually they got another language too right into that. And. But they don't. A lot of guys, they do not know. Next time you work with the guy, get in a ring with him, tell him, one, two. Yeah, you don't talk. Yeah, you know what the hell you're talking about? You know what I'm saying? But it's the basics and just know how to work around. You don't get.

Steve Austin (23:23)

But, but before you get to work in a crowd, are you doing like tumbling drills? Learn how to take a flat back bu. Yes.

Ricky Morton (23:28)

You know, I have, I have warm ups, Steve. You know, it's the warm up drills. You know, you start off with the, with the left arm forward row and the left. People don't understand the left arm forward row. You learn how to do that. Learn how to take an arm drag. You understand what I'm saying? You lead off with your left arm. Lead off with your left arm. Then I do that. Then you do the back, the forward rows, the back rows up onto your feet, take a back bump, get up, hit the rope. You know, you have another guy in there. You drop down, come back, come off reverse. You know, just get your timing because the match is based off timing and get your timing together. I do all that. No, I don't bring them in there and make them do 700 free squats before they get in the ring. I don't do none of that bull crap.

Steve Austin (24:11)

Hey, talk to me about the arm drag, Ricky. Because the arm drag. And out of all the things that you might be rolling your eyes over there, but the arm drag is almost a lost art because you know, you don't just go out there and just throw Your arm out. Just because, hey, I want you to arm drag me and go back to watch Adrian Adonis. He was a lefty anyway, so it was like he was throwing a punch or going for an offensive move to feed into that arm drag. Or if a guy is naturally hitting the ropes and he's in motion, well, then because he's running towards you, it facilitates an arm drag. But, you know, some days, I mean, when you're talking about teaching the basics, sometimes I'll watch some of these guys just go in there and take, okay, one tackle, two drop downs. You know, a couple of arm drags is like, Jesus Christ, I can see this coming from a mile away. You're not. You're not.

Ricky Morton (25:02)

Yeah, I got you on that right there. But, you know, but see, when you start off, Steve, you have to do it that way. Now, if you get to a match, you know, normal, like I do, you know, you do things for things like you were saying, you know, you just don't shoot a guy off and give him, you know, he comes off the rope or. I never did that anyway. Matter of fact, I, you know, I gave three different kind of arm drags. You understand what I'm saying? It's. A lot of guys can do that, you know, I can. You know, I usually start off with the left, and then I do the right arm arm drag. I come out of the hip, toss into an arm drag, all kinds of stuff, you know. But that's when you get later on and when you learn how to work.

Steve Austin (25:45)

How do you work in punch, Ricky? Because you always had a damn good punch. It just felt good. Look good.

Ricky Morton (25:54)

Well, when you get bigger, I make them understand. Because nowadays, these guys in this slapping syndrome, you know, chopping and shit, I hate that. Yeah, yeah. It's the only time they get a pop. But throwing a punch, you know what? Especially at my school, I don't. I don't even allow them throw a punch. Not to the face anyway, because. Because I'm from those two. I mean, if you. If you notice, you know, Steve, and in my days, and I teach these guys nowadays, the guys go to the ring, they got their fists balled up, and I'm telling them, I said, what do you got your fist balled up for? The guy for you're in a wrestling match, I mean, what do you want to hit him in the mouth for? You know, and they do that. You know, not long ago, I worked with D. Lo Brown a couple years ago in the match, Steve, and same thing. And I'm not Getting off what you asked me, but, you know, I'm in a ring with him and I finally, I asked him, I said, d lo, what do you want me to sell, the first punch or the 47th one? I mean, I don't know which one to sell.

Steve Austin (26:52)

Yeah.

Ricky Morton (26:53)

You know, you don't hit me 47 times, but, you know, I'm telling them, Jesus, cry. But at my school, I don't even let him throw punches. You know, that's. It's. Until you get into the angle. And I shoot little angles in there, but I teach the forearms. I teach, you know, the forearms cross the back across the chest, and then we finally work it in. You know, it's, you know, learn how to throw a punch is something you got to do on your own. You know, it's something that you gotta master in your own way. Because I hate, you know, tell guys, if you can't throw a good punch, don't even throw one at all. And that's what I meant by that. I don't let them. But. But after you've been in the ring for a while, working with the guys, you know, I get up there and teach them, you know, how to throw that punch. And another thing, too, it's the guy settling it. You know, if a guy knows how to sling his head back, it looks like, man, your punches look so great, you know, that was good. You know, me, I used to have my head down, had that long hair, and boy, they hit me with a punch and I sling that head back. My hair go way up, you know, it looked cool. It takes two to throw a punch.

Steve Austin (27:58)

One of the things that I always liked about your work, I mean, your whole body of work, just in general, but, man, when you talk about the good sellers in the business, your name automatically comes up. Steamboat's name automatically comes up, and then you go down the line. So obviously you place a very high importance on the art of selling because you've got to tell this story. I guess it was one of the countless times you was working with Arn and Ole, and I guess you and Oli were punching each other. I don't know if we talked about this on the last podcast, but what happened? Do you remember that story where you just took a bump?

Ricky Morton (28:34)

Yeah, well, yeah, I remember that story. It was, you know, only. Never liked small guys and. And Steve in my day, you know, I was a small wrestler at the time. I weighed about 175 pounds of that, but I had that fire. I mean, and we. We shot the, you know, we Done had our run with the Midnight Express and everything. And then we shot that angle with the full Horsemen, you know, and they just brought Oli in. And only the whole time, you don't know. And only, you know, that's what I respect about Oli. He tells you how he feels. He don't owe no punches. You know, I'm saying, you know this. And he don't like nobody. You know, he don't even like ice cream. You know, this gun. So he, you know, and we shoot this angle. But then we go into Hampton, Virginia, and. And you know, in our day, Steve, we had to sell the buildings out every week or every two weeks. That's what we did. You know, if you didn't. And God, we got these people going. This place, Hampton's packed, and boy, them people are bummed. And they just did a thing where they rubbed my face on the mat, you know, on the concrete. And I got the. You know, the new skin and all that stuff on there. And before I hit the ring and I go with Olie and Oli, you know, he's trying to blow me up. What are you trying to do? You know, he was trying to blowing me up. But I. You know, it's not my first rodeo. So I got him in the corner and I done hit him 700 times. He had took a bump yet. So I just stopped and I looked at him. I walked right to the ring and I took a big old bump. I just took a bump. And he looked at me now. And if you can, I mean, I'm just gonna tell you exactly what Holy told me. So if you have to beat this out, beat it out. I mean, he look, he asked me, what the are you doing? I said, well, hell, you. You didn't take a bump. I thought I would. I mean. And then he looked at me real funny because he called on. He says, man, I don't know where to whoop your ass and shake your hands, and you got more balls than a Bravo bull. But you know what, Steve? After that dude, I hit him with one punch, hit fly because understanding come back. He couldn't. Then finally he come and told me, said that gun breaking. We shot this angle with you. Says, I just never believed in little guys. He said, but heck, I made more money on this run with you. And I'm serious. He said, I've made more money on this run with you and I ever made in my life. That's. That's a great compliment. So.

Steve Austin (31:01)

Yeah, that's awesome.

Ricky Morton (31:02)

Yeah, I did that.

Steve Austin (31:03)

Let me ask you a question? Because, I mean, when I go back, people always ask, you know, if I'm talking wrestling, you know, my favorite era was that mid-80s stuff. I love the stuff that Bill Watson, them guys are doing Mid south and Power Pro nwa, man. And you guys run and you and Robert. And y' all either feud with the Horsemen or was it the Midnights? So as a white meat babyface, you.

Ricky Morton (31:30)

And Robert, I've seen that somewhere before.

Steve Austin (31:33)

Yeah. Was there. I mean, who did y'. All? I mean, I know you love to work with both teams, but, man, I'm such a fan of Ole and Arn. And then Arn and Tully, I like them, too, but I liked Ole and Arn combination. And of course, I loved, you know, beautiful Bobby and Stan.

Ricky Morton (31:51)

Yeah.

Steve Austin (31:51)

But lover boy, Dennis Condrey. So what was your favorite mix to work with out of both those tag teams? And what did you think was different about each one of them?

Ricky Morton (32:00)

Well, you know, Steve, and it's a question that asked to me, and I don't really know how to answer this question because you got into me. And I tell guys, what makes a good baby face is that you can work with anybody. Now, what makes a good baby face? See, the heel never changes. His. His gimmick, you know, he only works at. A lot of guys only work their style if you can adjust to their style. Now with the Midnight Express, it was the deal with Jimmy Cornett. They wasn't the big, tough, badass team. They were the ones that. That when you did the baby face and he'll gimmick that. That they. They can never get nothing right. You know, he always outsmarted them. Then it had Jimmy Cornett to come in and screw us in the match. And, you know, and that's what, you know, boom. But then when you got in there with Ole Norton, you know, here's Ole Anderson, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew, the big, baddest son of a gun in the world, you know, Leroy Brown, you know, he's. What I'm trying to say, real bad. And Arn Anderson, they're real tough guys. And you got to understand, you got to change your thing. And you see them. What got me over Steve is like you saying earlier, was selling. You know, when you start to sell, man, and in the whole match, I mean, look at some of these matches where Oli and Arn would take that one body part and just work on it and pound me and pound me and pound me. But I never died. And I kept coming up and I make those little surges but see, that was the difference in between all them, you know, to me. And I can't pick one. I loved them all. Yeah, every one of them, you know, especially when I was younger working with Dennis Conrad, because Dennis taught me a lot in the ring. But then when Dennis left and Stanley Lane come in was Stan filled those shoes just like that because he was a good looking, great body heel that fit right in the mode with Bobby Eaton and Jimmy Cornette, you know, Sweet Stan Lane, you know, and beautiful Bobby Eaton. Just that nail that. The expressive express. But a lot of them worked out like that right there. It was my now thinking, I'm not trying to pat myself on the back or saying I had, but it was me adjusting myself to these guys. Cause every one of them were great workers. All of them were. And I couldn't put none of them because we drew money with all of them.

Steve Austin (34:21)

I know, but when, when you said lover boy Dennis Condrey taught you stuff. Now when you started working with them and you were, you're already a veteran, I'm assuming. So what?

Ricky Morton (34:31)

Well, he teach you well, see, he taught me that. You see, I was not really, you know, I first got my first break for Bill Watts, you know, that's when I really got my first break and they put me into the rocker, you know, the rock and roll express of Get. You know, that's what Dennis and Bobby, he taught me the things about, about selling, you know, it's hard, you know. What I'm trying to say is, you know, he in the ring, you know, Ricky sell it this way or Ricky do this right here when I throw you to the floor this time, you know, about Jimmy, how important not touching the manager was, you know. You know, he said, if you touch Jimmy Cornette, you'll take heat off of us, right? And he was right. Everything he told me was right. And it was little things like that, you know, no matter who you are, when you get a seasoned veteran like Dennis, you know, he teach you all the things in the ring that just little things that mean more than any big thing ever could. And then, you know, but when Dennis left and Stan stepped in there, see, Stan was, was there. And see, I took the selling that I had from, you know, learned it from Dennis to put it in a match with Sweet Stan and it all came together. Steve.

Steve Austin (35:43)

Okay, I got two questions for you. Number one, have you seen the Resurrection of Jake the Snake documentary yet? And number two, have you started the DDP yoga program? Well, if the answer to both those is no, then Let me tell you about a great deal that my buddy Diamond Dallas Page is offering just to you. 20% off anything you purchase@ddpyoga.com Austin 20% off the DDP Yoga program. 20% off the Collector's Edition DVD and Blu Ray of the resurrection of Jake the Snake documentary. DDP yoga literally saved Jake's life. And you can see that incredible story when you check out the resurrection of Jake the Snake documentary that Diamond Dallas Page and his crew put together. What was your worst injury in the ring, Ricky? Because, I mean, you had a long career, you're still in the ring, you're 60 years old, you're wrestling a couple nights a week. And earlier when we just talking on the phone, I called you out of the blue just to say hello, and I said, hey, I'm calling this guy, talking about, talk to him about his wrestling school. What was the worst injury you ever got in the ring? Because, man, when I look at your style and I just preach this to a lot of these young kids that are trying to get into business these days, everybody kind of wants to work out suicide style, that cruiserweight style. And with all due respect to cruiserweights, Ricky, you weren't the biggest guy in the world who said you were a buck 75, but you always worked pro style, working a body part, your basic high spots. Same thing I did in a more violent fashion. And I was, you know, kind of a different kind of baby face than you were after becoming. You know, I went through my heel phase. But what was your worst injury?

Ricky Morton (37:22)

Because, well, you know what, and listen to what I'm saying, because I'm driving around, I'll get my wife. Pull over. I'm gonna run out here, knock on this wooden wall over here right quick. But now I know. Hope you got that. But now I'm saying, Steve, really, I never had the really, really major injuries. I had the ones that were just like all the other boys have, you know, the twisted ankles. You know, I broke my arm before, but it was nothing really. I never had no major surgery. I never had that. You asked me earlier, but about how's my body feel. But you see, I'm still. I guess it makes me still young, doing at my school and still working. But imagine, Steve, if I quit, I don't know. I don't know. I have it. I don't know if I could walk after I quit and settle down for a while. But I've never really had no major injuries like that. But you did another thing. You were saying that maybe catch Your eye. See our business, you got to change with our business too. And me and I watch some of the stuff, see our days. We always took care of each other in the ring because we depended on each other. We didn't have contracts. But see, nowadays the people pay to see their money to watch you get hurt. And the guys work like that too. I mean, I don't know if you noticed that or not. They, you know, they're high risk. To me it seems like they are, you know, because you read a lot of them, they're injured. So I mean, they take a lot more, I guess a lot more risk doing things. And the guys, you know, we was talking earlier with Olie and Art and they knew how to take care of you. Bobby Eaton was one of the greatest, you know, at catching you and doing things that when you landed, you didn't get hurt. So I don't know, I mean, I never, to answer your question, you know, I'm like everybody else. I got the chips and the elbows. I have the, you know, the sore back and sore knees, sometimes bad ankles. But other than that, Steve, that's about it.

Steve Austin (39:17)

But what are you teaching? Are you teaching the style that you worked as an in ring performer? Are you teaching today's style that you would find on maybe a wwe because, and I'm not going to. This is not a knock. I'm just saying guys are working so hard and so fast. In your opinion, what do you think draws money? Is it harder, faster action or more compelling storylines or a baby fancy love and a heel that you hate? Because some things are done so fast these days, it's like, man, if nothing's hurting, I really can't, you know, and I'm one of the boys. But so yeah, I got, I give the guys credit for being better athletes than we were back in the day. But at some point, man, you can only go so fast. And I think there's diminishing returns by going too fast.

Ricky Morton (40:07)

Well, I, you know, I tried and I see and understand me stay. Being in this business, you gotta, you gotta go with the flow. You gotta know what's happening in every direction. This is what I try to teach them here. There's, it's about learning our business because there's sometimes that you're gonna have to work fast. There's sometimes you're gonna work slow. Now independent circuit that I, my her own, I try to tell the guys a lot. I said, man, listen, you had a great match, but the people didn't see half of it because you Went so fast. And really, Steve, if you stop and think, and I get these guys to do this all the time, I said, after your match, I want you to go out there and find somebody that you don't know. And you asked them, did you watch my match? And then they're going to tell you they did. And I'm. Then I want to. And you come back and tell me what they said. And the answer to that question is, Steve, all they remember is the finish, right? And you have to watch the mat. And I told the guys to watch the match too, because everybody other night, I was gonna, you know, believe it or not, I was gonna do a dive that was the top rope. And I went out, I was watching a couple of matches. Well, hell, they did a dive 14 times in that one match. I said, well, I can't do that tonight. But if he just slowed down, I said, by the time the guy turns around, asks the guy beside you, what'd he do? You done did two more spots. So just slow down. The people were watching you, man. And that's what I try to make them understand. It's like you're on stage. I mean, you gotta let. You gotta. When you talk, the people's gotta understand what you're saying. And when you in the simpler to me that, you know, the whole thing, you know, you have the time when you want to get the heat. If you're coming back in two weeks at the show. Some of these independent shows run every week. I go in and do a little deal with a heel, you know, gives me the gimmick, and I come up, cut the interview and come back check weeks. All of it works. It's according on the situation that you're in, Steve, because there's still the old school wrestling out here. There's you school wrestling out here. I don't say it's, you know, I just call it the right way. That's the only way I put it, and try to teach it. I teach all of it, though, because I have kids that, that, you know, go to Japan and from my school they come back, you know, you know how it is when you come out from Japan, you're wide open, full of piss and vinegar and bam. You know, you don't sell nothing, you hurt nothing until you get back into the groove of being back here in the States.

Steve Austin (42:35)

So what are you telling these kids when you train them in your school these days? I mean, because back in the day, in the phone call that we were having before we started recording, we were talking about the good old days. And working in Nashville at the fairgrounds where Frank Morrell, you know, hell, I'd be over there in the babyface corner. I was working with, maybe Superstar was running heel that day, I don't know. And give me the finish, give Bill the finish. And we'd just. Well, I'd go out there and listen and we'd have the match. And a lot of times you were saying you'd be going to the ring and boy referees of all time, Tommy Young would be giving you the finish. And so you didn't find the finish out, you might even be in the ring getting the finish.

Ricky Morton (43:12)

Well, you see, Steve, when you started there in Nashville, but see, like for Bill Watts, and it was very seldom that you ever shared a dressing room with Hills. It was never always. You're always on the other side of the building. And then, you know, I remember first when the, like TBS started coming, then the Internet started coming in, the kayfabe sheets coming in, whether, you know, everybody tried to K fave, you know, it was trying to be Dave Meltzer stuff, you understand what I'm saying? So still, anybody knowing what your finish was, they didn't tell you till you went to the ring. But that was great. That was different. You know, it was a difference in time. I mean, I, I did several hour Broadway to Ric Flair and I didn't even see him till he got in the ring. Matter of fact, every night that I done it, I only time I ever saw him was in the room. People thought that I, you know, nowadays, which we are, me and Bobby, you know, like me, Bobby, Tommy Rich and guys like this. So we all grew up together in this business. And they used to tie me up hanging around. I said, yeah, but I had to wait the Bobby turned baby Face before I hung out with him. I mean, you never seen us together in a bar, you never seen us together at the house. You know, especially be a watch man if you didn't kay fade dude, you couldn't even call him on the phone. He'd find your butt for that. So. Well, you know, it's just a difference in times, Steve. All of them are great. I have great memories, you know. You know, you had long territories at the time you drove them. But, you know, I wouldn't change it for nothing. No, man, I love this business.

Steve Austin (44:44)

Hey, you talking about working with Ric Flair and you know, Flair was as a singles guy, he's probably my favorite world champion of all. And it was a huge influence on my career. It wasn't until I got dropped on my head. I kind of had to modify my style. So it's probably. And I hate to say this, but it was probably a good thing. I got dropped on my head to change my style because no one can be Ric Flair. Ric Flair was Ric Flair, and I changed into that brawling pro style that I adopted, but in his prime. And I worked with him a few times, once or twice in wwe, but that was in a different era. How was he in the ring? Just coming in and all you guys know is a finish. And you're listening because, you know he's.

Ricky Morton (45:27)

Well, you see, because, you know, Ric Flair wasn't a world champion for nothing.

Steve Austin (45:32)

Ric Flair, right?

Ricky Morton (45:34)

Yeah, he wasn't that. He just. Somebody just did that to him, buddy. He was Ric Flair. And before I even wrestled, Ric Flair, he done watched my matches and knew every move that I done. And when I went to the ring with our Broadway, I didn't know we went to the ring. And he knew everything that I done, Steve. And he put it all during a match. You know, it's time. You know things. You know, it's. You can't teach this to kids either, right? They have. There's some things you got to learn on your own about when this happens. And Rick could do that. You know, I used to do a spot where, you know, that he. He'll give me a tackle, I'd go down, I leapfrog him, you know, then hip toss. And didn't say. I called it a front head since a hurricane Corona, you know, off the. Off the shoulders. I mean, he knew all that. He run like that in the ring with him. He knew all that. And another thing that Rick did, Rick was over, especially like in Philadelphia. And I remember Rick and I were supposed to go an hour Broadway, Philadelphia, boy, what a hill town it is. But they. And we got out there and probably. I mean, the first 10 minutes that match, they were tearing my ass up. But Rick, about 20 minutes in the match, dude, I mean, this is a work of art to watch this. This is how you learn, and this is what people don't understand. But you got to be there to see this. This. You got to be there to learn this chemistry, dude. He took Philadelphia and 20 minutes, he turned them people together. Look here. They pushed the guardrails all the way to the ring. Arne Anderson come down because they was trying to come in the ring. Then here come Robert down there. Now, next thing you know, they're coming up on the rail, and Rick just grabbed me. He said, but he threw me off the top rope. He said, man, we gotta go home. They gotta kill me. You see, now that's a good buddy. Can you imagine that? Nowadays it seems like everybody, instead of being a business, they trying to, trying to get over better than the other person. That's just my own personal opinion, Steve. You know, you're trying to draw money, but the heel don't want to look. He wants to look better than the baby face. And sometimes I see this and it really does happen. But when you get a guy like Ric Flair that knows the chemistry of our business, he knows and knows this magic, he knows how to tell that story and start painting that picture. Buddy, you know the limits. You know, there's no limit to what he could do in ring in his prime. And buddy, I was there now. You know, I experienced, I wrestled him. You know, if you ever talked to Rick, me, him did 17 hours straight in a row every night. That's Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. And then when that was over, we went six hour and a half matches. And that's, I mean, but if you don't learn how to work, then you need to quit the business.

Steve Austin (48:29)

There was a couple of high profile guys that he worked with that, man, I was thinking, man, these guys are working years straight with Ric Flair and they didn't really pick it up. And you're learning from one of the best. And the thing I liked about Rick was he always knew when to take a powder, when to hit the gas pedal. That dude was so in with the crowd. He was just two big ears out there listening to the, the crowd. And he worked them, I mean, he worked them to death. And like you said, if you can change Philly, and if they're giving you a hard time and 20 minutes in, they want to kill him. You know, he just had a way to read a crowd. And he knew when hit the gas pedal in the match, come back, get some heat, start that preliminary heat, little, little comeback and then grind you down to go for that, that patented legwork and to try to set up for the figure 4. You know, a lot of people say, yeah, have you seen one Ric Flair match? You've seen them all B.S.

Ricky Morton (49:24)

That'S bull crap. Yeah, that's bull crap.

Steve Austin (49:28)

And every single match is a different match. But the guy was just a master to me of timing and psychology and listening to a crowd.

Ricky Morton (49:38)

Yes. And besides, and put them all together and I'm sorry, this is the way I feel. Ric Flair was the real world heavyweight champion of our business. He did it that way. And plus his interviews and all the fans out there are listening. When he told you he wore $3,000 suit, he had a $3,000 suit on. When he told you he had $800 pair of shoes on, he had $800 pair of shoes on. You know, limousine flying, I mean, limousine fly was me. The jet flying, limousine riding. All that was true. And Rick, you know, he lived his gimmick. He was the nature boy, Ric Flair. And to me, I mean, I've seen a lot of guys that try to go out there and work, but see, they tried to. That's what makes me. I was talking to you about earlier, Steve, and I don't have the answers. Everything but as a babyface can change his way to work with a heel, that's Ric Flair, you got to work. Ric Flair don't have one certain style, but if you try to buck him in the ring, your match is going to suck. You know what I'm saying? He's going to make you suck, for one thing. You know what I'm saying? He's going to make it suck. But I had a great run, Ricky.

Steve Austin (50:50)

One of the things I loved about Flair was going to his promos, just throwing everything in your face that the shoes he's wearing probably cost more than your house. I mean, all that just, you know, it was damn near a shoot to him. It was a shoot to him. He was in 24 7. But, but you said earlier, I'll take you back. You said maybe you didn't think your promos were the greatest. I, I, What I liked about your promo, Ricky, was because every time you said something, you meant it. And a lot of times this is coming on the heels of maybe taking an ass whooping as those heels were getting some heat on you and Robert. Yeah, but you and Hoot. But I mean, so you, you, you had emotion. And it was like you weren't out there trying to say, E equals MC squared. Like a scientist. It was about, hey, you're gonna, you did this once, you got away, but it ain't gonna happen again. Or there was revenge, there was vengeance, there was meaning behind what you were saying. So you can go out there and anybody can talk for five minutes, but if there's not any anger, emotion, or salt and pepper in your language or in your cadence or how you deliver it, hey, man, to me, the promo is either effective or ineffective. You got to make those people feel what you're feeling. It's like that old song, mister, can you make folks cry? When you play and sing. Because if you beat Starbucks, it's a long, hard ride. But to me, you were able to get emotions out of people through the fire you had through the selling you did. And you knew that, God dang it, you guys were in pain or you're trying to get the belts back. And that's why I just gravitated to you on every level, because I believed in the work, I believed in the man. I believed when you opened your mouth, you was gonna do what you said you was gonna do.

Ricky Morton (52:41)

Well, cool. See, that's a great compliment coming from you. And see, that's another thing when we go back to selling, you know, I could cry, you hear me? And boy, I get to crying and I'd watch, you know, we was in the era with the young girls, man, they'd be crying and you know, if I'd shoot, I ain't gonna get hurt. Like my arm, I have my arm wrapped up. I look out there at all the fans, I have their arm wrapped up, you know, because they, it was a different era and they believe. But see, one thing I never did on my interviews is I never got went out there, it's being a baby face, and told the hill that I'm gonna jerk your head off and doo doo down your neck. I never told them that I was gonna do this to you. I always told them that I'm gonna come out and do give you the best that I got, right, because it's a different time, you know. But I was a small baby face. I couldn't go out there and promise the people that I was gonna beat Ric Flair for the World heavyweight title and it wasn't gonna happen. See, that's another way that you. The business changed and that's the things not gonna say that. I learned that from Dusty, you know, then the match that you knew, but see, you didn't know same because you didn't know your finishes back then. You know, it's like Flair and I, you know, I didn't know we're going know some nights, you know, we went like there was 17 hour Broadway matches, but you had to wait to that night before he went to the ring to get that finish. It's the same thing. So you didn't own your interviews were based off of. You really didn't know what was happening. So I couldn't promise to people something that I couldn't fulfill myself doing. That's the way I felt about it.

Steve Austin (54:20)

Hey man, let me shift gears for a minute. I was talking to someone the other day and Magnum Ta's name came up. And of course I remember when Magnum first came out. And man, good looking guy, pretty good worker. He just had that good fire, he had that grit and good looking guy. And I just figured he was going to be one of the next big singles wrestlers that there was really giving him push. Some of the classic matches that he would have. And then he had that wreck. Were you in that territory at the time or were you down in Oklahoma?

Ricky Morton (54:56)

No, buddy, I was there. We had a great thing doing it. We had a great crew inside there. Matter of fact, I was with Magnum right before he had his wreck. We was all at Bennigan's. He was in his Porsche. He left to go home. He had a wreck on the way home and broke his neck. Magnum, yeah, was a big guy. I mean, good looking kid, you know, and with the body and his gimmick, you know, the biker, sort of clean cut, bad biker. To me, his gimmick was, you know, and he, you know, he was gonna have a. That great run, you know.

Steve Austin (55:35)

Yeah. Because he was like a guy that, of course, he's so good looking. All the chicks loved him, but he was rugged. All the guys wanted to be like him or have a beer with him. So I mean, you know.

Ricky Morton (55:47)

Oh, yeah.

Steve Austin (55:47)

Sometimes you'll get the reverse of that. Sometimes, you know, the chicks, the guys just won't like a guy because he's too good looking. All the chicks love him. But Magnum had that universal appeal. Everybody loved him because he was basically real. So what was your thoughts when he had that damn wreck? Because, man, it tore me apart because I just figured he's going to be the next big superstar out of the business. And, you know, he had to, you know. Luckily he came out as good as he did and was able to still live a quality life.

Ricky Morton (56:20)

Well, he was, you know, they were grooming him for that, you see. And I. That's the reason I went into an angle with Flair. Because I think that was going to be Magnum. You hear me?

Steve Austin (56:35)

Yeah.

Ricky Morton (56:36)

They were grooming, if that. Yeah. And he got ready for that. You know, man, it's sad. I'm not, and I'm not saying this in a bad way and I'm not. And I hope that everybody listen this, they understand what I'm saying. But, you know, it's one of those things that you say, what if Steve and I, you know, what if is a big, big word right now. Yeah, that what I'm talking about. And what if Magnum's listening to this I don't mean this bad. I love you. You're my buddy, you're my friend, you're one of the boys. But if it didn't happen, Steve, he'd have been one of the biggest stars this business I think would ever know to me, you know, because Buddy, he was there, he was that rough and tough guy you was talking about, you know, and that good looking guy and he could hold his own, you understand me? They were grooming him to. I think they were grooming him to hold that title for a while, to work, to have that good long run like Steamboat and Flair did for the NWA title. You know, Steamboat and Flair had that run over there in the Carolinas for years. You know, same thing like we did in tag teams and other things. But Magnum, you know that they were. I can't tell you the limit that he would have went to. I really couldn't because I'm going back to the same vein, what if, right? And everything. But that's cool. Steve, before you go. Yes. Yeah.

Steve Austin (58:07)

Just one last question. I was, I was talking with someone earlier about getting over. What in your opinion is the hell. I think it was you and me talking about getting over. What is your key or what was your secret to getting over? Is it a fluke? Is it a chance? Is it luck? What's your take on getting over?

Ricky Morton (58:31)

I take on getting over. Well, the first thing is, and this is not even about being at the right place at the right time, but the first only thing that gets over, and you look at everybody in this business that got over, even you done it, Steve, and that's knowing how to sell, okay? Knowing how to sell in the business, that's what keeps the people's interest. And all your great stars, you look at them, each and every one of them knew how to sell. And if you can make, like you said from David Allen Co while ago, if you want to make, you know, you big star bound, if you make people feel what you feel inside and that's what you really got to do. I just learned that magic of the business, the people out there that's watching you in that match. But to me, the greatest thing that ever got me over it. And when I got especially back then, the guys want to come out with any kind of hot spots you want to us. I don't do hot spots, I say, and I don't die. And I keep fighting you and fighting you and fighting you too. You have to cheat to beat me because I never give up. I never, you know, I wasn't like a fish out of water, just flopping around. When I sewed something, I sold it for what you did to me. You know, if you gave me a gut shot, I didn't do a forward flip. You ever noticed that happen a lot of time. Okay, you, when you gave me something, I sold it. Like you really gave it to me. You know, if you punch me in the mouth, you know I'm gonna sell that punch in the mouth. I never forget the first time I wrestled Brian Armstrong on Memphis tv. You know, he was coming in and road dog, and I. And I locked that with him. He come around, give me a punch, and he gave me a punch, but I sewed it like he really gave me. Well, he really thought he hit me. We're on TV and he's standing there going, I don't want to do to hurt. You know, I'm almost started laughing, you hear me? But that's just the way it was then. To me, I think the key is this is selling Steve. Making. Making the people believe what you believe inside. That's what really. If you believe in yourself, you get yourself over, you know, that's the one thing you got to do. It's just enough and it's great. Stone cold Steve Austin. Hey, you my man, buddy. I ain't kidding. Hey, Steve, and I told you earlier, and I meant that from my heart, you're the. And really in our business, you're one of the last ones to ever really get over. To me, you're one of the greatest credits this business ever had. And that's compliment. And take that for a compliment. And that's from my heart. Yeah, you know, you know, Steve, and when you were hot, I could go anywhere in the world, and this is. No, I'd go anywhere in the world, and I see somebody with a stone cold Steve Austin shirt.

Steve Austin (61:18)

You know what it was? It was a deal where, you know, I was at the right, right place at the right time. And then there's some lucky bricks that figured in. But I did believe in myself, to your point, But I wasn't.

Ricky Morton (61:32)

Hey, can I. I'm gonna ask you something here. And I know we're live on the, on the podcast here, and I'm one of the old boys from school, and I'm not. I don't want a handout, but if you ever talk to any people, you know, things that Robert and I never got. We never got an action figure. Not even one we know. If you ever talk to people like that, give us a plug sometimes, would you?

Steve Austin (61:53)

I'LL do that.

Ricky Morton (61:54)

It would, hey, it would change our life. And. And I like to go help train some of the boys, you know? You know, if I ever needed help doing that. Because now, you see, they're bringing tag team wrestling back, and I know a little bit about that. Okay, But I. But I'm just saying that I'm not asking for a handout.

Steve Austin (62:14)

No, no, I got you. But if I love my business, if I don't see you guys with the Midnight Express in the hall of Fame on these days real shortly, I'm gonna riot. But.

Ricky Morton (62:25)

Hey, man, thank you. That's a great compliment, buddy. You know, that's a great.

Steve Austin (62:31)

Those battles that you all have at the midnights and with the rocket. I mean, with. With only an Arn and. Or Arn and Tully. Yeah, buddy, but that's the stuff that.

Ricky Morton (62:40)

I just like, hey, all them are, but we're not.

Steve Austin (62:43)

That's the dudelity. But it's like we were saying earlier on the phone, that's when wrestling was real. And dude, I bought in hook, line, and sinker. I knew something was up. But no, dude, I was hook, line, and sinker. So I appreciate all the memories. I know you gotta go take your kid to acting school. It's the school of Morton. He's down there in Chucky, Tennessee. And you get on his Facebook page if you're down there. If you're looking for a school. Ricky said earlier there's a lot of good schools out there, but they're not all good schools out there, so you got to be picky. I know. Lance Storm runs a tight ship. I know.

Ricky Morton (63:12)

Oh, yes, he does. Great school.

Steve Austin (63:15)

What Kishi does in the history of the business. So if you're down there in that area, you can't do no. You can't do no better than Ricky Morton.

Ricky Morton (63:22)

Yeah, Steve. Thank you very much, buddy.

Steve Austin (63:24)

All right, everybody, give me the Go home Q. It's time to wrap up his podcast and ride off into the sunset. But before I do, I'll give you guys something to watch. But I'll tell you what, man, last time I talked to Ricky Morton, I probably told you guys the same thing. Just go on YouTube, man, and type in Rock and Roll Express versus the Midnight Express or Rock and Roll Express versus Olin Arn Anderson. Either combination. You want to watch tag team wrestling at its finest. Those are some of the best teams that ever graced the insides of a square circle. Watch the salesmanship, watch the fire, watch the. The teamwork. Just the whole presentation, man. I love watching great Tag teams wrestle. And the ones I just mentioned with the rock and rolls is the baby faces. Holy smokes, that action is hard to beat. And listen to those hot ass crowds that are watching that stuff, man. It's the boys in the ring working the people out there in the stands, not the other way around. Yeah, back in the old days. Some good stuff. Real good stuff from some badass tag teams. That's what I recommend you watch. Hey man, let me throw down a couple of plugs at you guys. All my T shirt designs over there at broken skull ranch.com all the stuff that I wore on Broken Skull challenge, I've got some new stuff being worked on right now and you can catch all that stuff there. Got some badass stuff. Broken Skull IPA from El Segundo Brewing here in Cali. You can find it at Whole Foods and Total Wine. You can find a link to click on it and have it delivered to your house at broken skull ranch.com and hell, we can't forget about the cold steel Broken Skull Steve Austin pocket knife. You can get a link to that@brokenskullranch.com hey man, I appreciate all the word of mouth advertising y' all are doing on behalf of this podcast. I don't have an advertising budget. I appreciate y' all supporting the sponsors of the Steve Austin podcast because if it wasn't for those cats, I wouldn't be able to do this for you for free twice a week. So once again I'm going to give a big shout out to audible, start a 30 day trial and download your first audiobook for free at audible.com SteveAustin Big thanks to my buddy Dallas at ddpyoga.com Austin Get 20% off anything you buy for a limited time only, including the Collector's edition DVD and Blu ray of the Resurrection of Jake the Snake documentary. Big ups to Buffalo Wild Wings. They're new to the podcast. Hey, Wings, beer, sports. I dig it. And of course a big thank you to Amazon who've been supporting this podcast since day one. Folks, if you use my Amazon links whenever you're doing any online shopping, Amazon will kick back a couple of bucks to the podcast and it doesn't cost you anything extra. There's no hidden fees or charges. You can buy whatever you plan on buying and help out 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 got Amazon links for USA UK and Canada. So once again, just go to podcastone.com click the killer deals button in the top right corner, then click on the Steve Austin Show. All my great sponsors are there. My Amazon links are there. I ain't asking for no handout. That's the best way you can help contribute to the show, help us pay our production costs. And this show will always be free. I thank you very much for that. If you bookmark it, you can find it in just one click. Coming up on the Thursday Unleashed show, the one and only Superman from Compton, C T Fletcher. I went down to his place, his gym, Iron Addicts in Long Beach, California, the lbc. And we talked about all kinds of stuff. Movies about the film of Bill Goldberg, his ten commandments of muscle growth, some classic cars, great promos. And there may have been a challenge thrown down here there. But it's always fun to talk to my buddy C T Fletcher. He's badass. Listen on Thursday and you'll get what I mean. Hey, the 62nd AP news headlines are coming up next. Until then, my name is Steve Austin and I will catch your ass down the road.

Ricky Morton (67:38)

Download new episodes of the Steve Austin show every Tuesday@podcast1.com that's podcastone.com. With all the best.

Steve Austin (68:02)

But now the days are Pluto.

Ricky Morton (68:04)

So if you're feeling Frugal, stream Pluto TV. Stream Pluto TV. Stream Pluto TV for free. Stream blockbuster hits like 21 Jump Street, Ted, the Expendables, and so much more on Pluto TV stream. Now pay never.

VRBO Announcer (68:22)

VRBO last minute deals make chasing fresh mountain powder incredibly easy. With thousands of homes close to the slopes, you can easily get epic Pow freshies, first tracks and more. No need for months of planning. In fact, you can't even plan. Pow Pow is on its own schedule. Thankfully, somewhere in the world, it's always snowing. All you have to do is use the last minute filter on the app to book a last minute deal on a slope side private rental home. Book now@vervo.com.