Hacksaw Jim Duggan isn’t oblivious to the fact that the wrestling business has changed dramatically since he was coming up in it several decades ago.
WWE Hall of Famer Hacksaw Jim Duggan recently sat down with Will Rook of Betway Insider to discuss a variety of subjects. When asked if his Royal Rumble win was the greatest moment of his career, Duggan revealed that it was probably his number two moment behind his dad seeing him on the marquee of Madison Square Garden against Andre The Giant:
“Probably number two,” Jim Duggan revealed. “The Royal Rumble was obviously the biggest feather, but as a kid I grew up in upstate New York in a small town. I had a loving, supporting family and my dad would bring me to New York City, about 250 miles away, to see the circus at Madison Square Garden. As an adult, you can only imagine the thrill to bring my dad down to New York City, to Madison Square Garden and see Hacksaw Jim Duggan versus Andre the Giant on the marquee. My dad was my best man at my wedding, the best man I’ve ever met and that was a thrill that will stay with me to the day I die.”
When asked if he was friendly with his fellow wrestlers outside of the ring, Duggan revealed he had a few good friends and a couple of enemies:
“It’s not like it’s open hostility or I’m like, ‘You dirty son of a gun,’ but it’s big business,” Jim Duggan said. “I get along with Hulk Hogan, he’s not a bad guy. But that doesn’t mean I’m not envious of his spot, and I’m going to do everything I can to get his spot. Everybody behind me wants my spot, it’s a competitive business, but it’s not like you’re going to cut somebody’s tires or something like that. It’s like any profession, you have a few good friends, a lot of acquaintances and a couple of enemies.”
Later on, Duggan was asked how he felt the business had changed compared to when he was involved in it. Hacksaw believes things have changed a great deal:
“The whole business has changed. Back then, you didn’t have 200 channels to choose from, you almost had to watch wrestling,” Jim Duggan said. “It was wrestling, a game show or the news. I think the kids are much more professional nowadays. Nobody’s sleeping on the floor back there and nobody’s out partying all night. When I was with the WWE in Australia after my comeback, I was down in the hotel bar, there were young women down there and the booze was free. I was sitting around and none of the boys were down there. I heard a bunch of noise on our floor, open the door and they’re all in there playing a video game. What the hell? Different times.”
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What do you make of Hacksaw Jim Duggan’s comments? How much do you think the wrestling business has changed over the last few decades? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
