Earlier this week, former WWE Intercontinental Champion Marc Mero spoke Wrestling Inc., during his discussion with the site, Mero spoke about his guaranteed WWE contract. Marc also spoke about the impact his contract had on others in WWE, and more. Take a look at the highlights.
On how his guaranteed contract in WWE impacted other WWE stars:
“Well, knowing that [WWE wrestlers] were getting paid per how much they drew at the house shows, and so on, I didn’t know anything different [from getting guaranteed contracts]. From the moment I signed with WCW my first contract was guaranteed. And then it doubled the next year, and then doubled again. So I was used to making fairly good money and I thought I was worth it. I knew Vince really wanted me, and look, it opened the doors to every single wrestler eventually getting a guaranteed contract, or mostly every wrestler after me was getting guaranteed contracts. Like, Mick Foley and Steve Austin went before me, and they never got a guaranteed deal after I got one. So as much as I think some guys were upset that I got it, if you really look back at it, it opened the doors for everyone to get it eventually. It was like breaking that glass ceiling.”
On how WWE helped him injuries during his time with the promotion:
“When I blew out my knee in the WWE, where I had to get total reconstructive surgery, I had my ACL, medial collateral meniscus, I had my whole knee redone. And [the WWE] sent me to the best doctor in the country, Dr. Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama. So, I was blessed to have one of the greatest physicians work on my knee. And if I didn’t have a scar on my knee, I wouldn’t know which knee it was, that’s how good it is. But first coming back it took a while to heal fully. So, I had to be careful on going right back to certain moves, certain moves I would be leery of doing. “I still did the ‘Wild Thing’ off the top rope a few times, but it wasn’t an every night thing. Because remember, people don’t realize that you’re doing that at a house show every night. You know, you’re wrestling 5 to 6 times every week. And when you’re landing on your knees off the top rope every night, it takes its toll on you and on your body. Because you’re taking most of the punishment, not the guy you’re landing on. Now that I think back on it, I think I’ve had 14 surgeries now. On my knees, elbows, shoulders, back, I’ve had a lot of stuff done. But I’m the healthiest I think I have ever been. I’m not having to take those falls anymore.”
On using DDP Yoga to help him with life after wrestling:
“I actually set up a room [for it] in my new home. I actually moved close to [DDP], we don’t live too far from each other. But instead of driving over to his house every day and doing the yoga, I do it on the app and I have my own yoga room now. But it is great for flexibility and stuff. That’s why it is so important, especially at old age, flexibility is so important and that’s what we lose. That’s why you see a lot of older people hunched over walking or walking gingerly. So, for me, it really helped me out a lot.”
(H/T and transcribed by 411Mania)
