While in Las Vegas, Nevada this weekend for Starrcast 2, Tom Magee spoke with 411 Mania for an interview.
Magee, who has been back in the headlines as of late after WWE released their Lost Tapes documentary on his rare match with Bret “The Hitman” Hart, spoke during the interview this weekend about keeping a positive attitude after his pro wrestling career ended, whether he preferred to work in WWE or in Japan and more.
Featured below are some of the highlights, as well as a complete video archive of the interview.
On keeping a positive attitude after his pro wrestling career was cut short: “I can enjoy the high heights, which as you know, having Vince McMahon see you do a wrestling match and be really impressed, that’s a very high life experience. But I also enjoy very simple things that everyone has access to. I like nature, if I eat a meal, I actually become present to eating the meal and enjoying the taste of the food. So I go from enjoying real high experiences that are very tenuous and difficult to sustain if you ever get them, but I also enjoy the very simple things everyone has available to them. So I always have an avenue to be happy.”
On whether he preferred to work for WWE or in Japan: “I actually really like the style in Japan, very physical. When Bret [Hart] and I had our second match, I had just been in Japan, and I did the match a little bit more towards that way. I did have a martial arts background, I liked to innovate a little bit and push the wrestling style a little bit in that direction.”
On enjoying his MMA style even if it wasn’t well-received: “It wasn’t particularly well received, but it was something that was organic to me, something I wanted to do, but it kind of failed, because it was never recognized for it being something good that was happening, but at least in that respect, I failed doing something that resonated with me and was honest to me.”
On the struggle to sustain a successful pro wrestling career: “When I hear Bret talk, and other people talk, to make it in pro-wrestling, and to sustain your success, like someone like Hulk Hogan did, very difficult. And also to do a good match, that really connects with the people, that also, there are so many elements to it. And then the circumstances of how things can fall for you or against you. I mean really, it narrows the gate. There are lots of ways to miss it.”
Check out the video of the complete Tom Magee interview from Starrcast 2 below.
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