Piper lives wrestling but was actually an AMAZING actor. He killed it in “They Live” and thought we would see him in a bunch of things. He was built to act.
As a kid I got to “help the Piper up” as my dad would constantly tell me. Despite his all time GOAT heel status at the time, he instantly became my favorite wrestler. Dad always got us ringside seats whenever wrestling came to El Paso despite how lower middle class we were. Thanks for the memories dad and Hotrod. RIP dad and Roddy
@@KD400_ Tickets were cheap where we lived. I grew up in El Paso, TX. I was just fortunate to grow up where I did when I did. My dad literally saved pocket change for Christmas presents and rare treats like that. I remember rolling pocket change with my parents and even enjoying that. I had to leave this comment bc it made me think how hard he worked to have next to nothing for himself so that we could live the childhood he never did. My grandfather was an abusive monster. I’m blessed that my dad stopped that cycle. He taught me how to be a dad 💯 “Any jerk can father a child, but it takes a man to be a dad.” - Author Unknown
Rowdy Roddy Piper lived wrestling: as a spectator, as a professional wrestler, as a commentator. He lived it, and lived for it. Nothing but love and respect for the man.
I actually met this guy YEARS ago when I was an assistant manager of a restaurant in a suburb of Buffalo - in the late eighties. It was late on a Sunday night (we were open until eleven back in those days) and it was very typical for a Sunday at that time, which wasn't too busy. We had a take out window and probably around ten or ten fifteen, there was someone at the window who was taking up the whole area (it was a very old restaurant and our TO window wasn't very big, basically the width of an average sized 36' window) and someone said Roddy Piper is at the take out window! LOL. It seems that he was coming from Niagara Falls where they had wrestled that night, and was on his way up to Canada but he was taking the Peace Bridge which is in Buffalo rather than the Rainbow Bridge which is in NF, for some reason, which is what took him by our place which was located on Niagara Falls Boulevard, but nowhere near the actual city of NF. Anyhow, he wanted to buy two beers to go, and unfortunately, NYS doesn't allow that, but he couldn't have been nicer. He was incredibly friendly and greeted everyone who came to say hello and see him like old friends, and took the time to shake hands and chat. THAT really impressed me most of all, how OVERLY kind and friendly he was - oh, that and I was very impressed with how BIG he was in person. I was saddened to hear of his passing.
I stole a pair of glasses from this guy one time... I put them on and the girl I was dating looked like some weird creature. I threw them it the trash. Wish I kept them. This guy is a legend.
@@JohnEastmanExAttyAtLawRoddy Piper was a household name back then too. His territory was in Oregon but he made the rounds. By the time he got to the WWF his name was as widely known as Dusty Rhodes. And everybody knew who Dusty was. Pro wrestling existed long before WrestleMania was ever a fever dream in McMahon’s head.
dude....ask anyone under 45 years old who in the hell is damn Roddy Piper and not one person would know. You can go ask any 10 year old kid who Mr. T is and they will know and he has not been active in almost 20 years. dont be a Cletus.@@dr.floridamanphd
@Blue sky Mars, Piper was 1 of the best, remember along with Piper back then in the business, there was Rick Rude, Ole Anderson, Harley Race & Nick Bockwinkel who working in the same time period that Piper was
he waSNt really a villain most of his career..... in the nwa he would shift between heel and babyface. there's only a limited number of guys who can easily most those shifts and piper is one of them. a villain to me is someone like tully blanchard.. someone who just exudes Heel
@@jimmyolsen5897 Really?None of the legends I mentioned "come close to hot rod"?Nick & Harley were 2 of the best world champs the business ever had, & they were both a part of Legendary tag teams before they became world champs. Ole & Tully were both BELIEVABLE as heels & both had runs as a tag champ as well as had U.S. title runs. How does Roddy top a world champ?I mean the dude was NEVER even considered by any promoter he worked for, for a world title run.
@@TheSportsfan35 he was a legend in Portland Georgia Florida The Carolinas piper’s pit headlined the 1st Wrestlemania I could go on and on and on Mingle with some of the biggest celebrities on the planet Cindy Lauper Mr. T and he smash Jimmy’s not go with the coconut Your boys would just be in the territories that’s it
Pipers answers aren't all over the place, you just have to follow the story. He's a story teller, he's never going to give you a straight answer, you have to know back story and all events that lead up to his answer. I enjoy listening to people who answer questions like this, you learn so much.
@@utbllc4057 this interview is not back then, its now. What he is saying now is absolute jibberish. if i didn't know the story of him and MR T before hand I would assume it was jibberish of a lunatic ranting about a tv star.
@@biggumstevens1784 don't know the backstory but i like roddy piper cause of they live.. i didn't really get much out of this except what luvballad61 said, " he wasn’t taking a dive and he didn’t like Mr. T"
@@LuvBallad61 Okay, he didn't like Mr. T why? Because Mr. T poured some orange juice and alcohol in a cup? Because there were pictures of Mr. T somewhere (something Mr. T more than likely had nothing to do with and was done by the WWF). Piper is just ranting on and on and gave no real reason as to why he did not like Mr. T or why they did not get along. Look, I'm a fan of the guy, but these interviews he does, makes absolutely no sense and people like you giving him a pass by calling him a storyteller doesn't help.
Orndorf was The Man. No bullshit stud horse, sold the part in multiple ways. I saw him come down the aisle just past me in '79 in pre-robe days: not someone you'd want to mess with. Stossel better be glad he crossed Schultz and not Mr. Wonderful! Orndorf might've forgotten to open his hand before belting the SCHIIT out of him.
Great Interview 👍 Roddy Piper is a legend who never won the World Title. It goes to show that the titles don't make the legend, the wrestler makes the legend.
Some performers don't need a belt and are considered legends. The wrestling business is odd because Jake didn't win a lot of matches and never won a belt but yet, he's one of the biggest stars of the late 80s.
@@Chuc_9600 Superfly didn't need a belt to create his legendary career. Unfortunately, Jimmy ruined his legacy by....welll....I think everyone has seen Dark Side of the Ring series.
The best and truest line Hot Rod ever said was in WCW when he told Hogan. You only got to be the most famous wrestler in the world, because I carried you to the top.
He has a judo back ground and was trained by Gene Labelle who was a jUdo black belt who also trained Ronda Roussey which is why Both have honoured Labelle by doning the Rody moniker which is what Gene Labelle had as a wrestling name.
Catch Wrestling is the arch enemy of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Japanese Catch Wrestler Kazushi Sakuraba defeated 4 members of the famous Gracie Family. Sakuraba defeated Royler Gracie, Royce Gracie, Renzo Gracie and Ryan Gracie. American Catch Wrestler Josh Barnett defeated Ryron Gracie.
Is it just me or does anyone know what the hell Piper is trying to say. He is going in all sorts of directions and just rambling on. He's a bit incomprehensible. The poor guy! He appears to have some kind of brain damage. And I say that not to be disrespectful, but it's my honest opinion. Pro wrestling ruined his life. At least the second half of his wrestling career. I remember him in the 80's. Back then he was a completely different person. He was the most unique wrestler at that time. That's why Hollywood pick him up for acting. But unfortunately Hollywood used him the wrong way and he didn't make it. When he return to wrestling it was the beginning of the end. He just wasn't the same. And over time it got worse for him. But it was like he didn't have any other options.
Understood everything he said Maybe it's You with The Problem .. He was Talking about Wrestlemania and His Problem with Mr. T And How they Wanted Him To Take a Dive For Mr. T and He Refused . I mean what Part Of That Did You or anyone Here have a Problem Understanding . I mean if he was all over The Place it's Because The Guy interviewing him was asking him Different Questions
Last main event I ever saw was a cage match main event between heel Ernie Ladd and then face Orndorff in the Superdome, around New Year's '79. Orndorff such a beast back then. Looked like you'd cut your hand off if you punched his jaw. Really physical match.
Man, he was already starting to fade in 2003. Still mostly there, but having trouble focusing. Watching him mentally fade away the last 10 years of his life was rough.
Hitting Jimmy Snuka with a coconut... Making fun of Uncle Elmer's wedding... Trashing the Flower Shop Singing "Dem Bones" with the Bushwhackers Man, the hits kept coming...
Piper was so cool that even as a kid you liked this heel. He and Orndoff were some of my favorite wrestlers growing up. Miss the old days of wrestling. Can't watch it anymore with today's crop. Piper would've made a great mob character in movies. RIP legend 🙏
I remember Piper talking about "The Wrestling Sickness". You live it so long - you walk it, you talk it, you drive it, you eat it, you sleep it, you live it - that it becomes a fundamental part of who you are and you can't drop it even if you want to. Even Jesse Ventura recalled Piper asking him how he'd managed to get away from the influence of wrestling and if he ever regretted doing so. Ventura laughed and gave an emphatic "no".
When Roddy was on World Championship Wrestling in the early 1980s, I hated his guts. However when he talked about dealing with the media on pro wrestling being fake, he was good at putting down his critics. I miss him dearly since and the late Ernie Ladd knew how to raise hell.
It's nice to see a coherent Piper here. Many of his interviews closer to the of his life, he could barely keep a cogent thought going. It was pretty sad.
I never thought Piper ever understood the vision that Vince had Mr.T was a huge star at that point just adding him to the match made everyone involved stars and helped turn Wrestlemania into a household word
I was about to say the same thing. Thanks for beating me to it. Glad to know that others felt the same way about the vision to increase the scale of visibility to the business.
@@shinigami146 Yeah, it was so great that now a rapper like Bad Bunny or as Jim Cornette calls him Bugs Bunny is now from some fan's perception is on the same level as The Miz & the rest of the talent. Brilliant move Vince, it's shit like that is the reason why the business now is a joke.
If Vince knew how to actually run a promotion he wouldn’t have had to cheapen the business by bringing in stars that didn’t have any business in the ring.
@@chuckfinley6747 Exactly right. I mean, I'm sure the NFL,NBA,NHL & MLB players would hate it & have a problem with anybody in the wrestling business stepping onto their field, rink, or court when they have no business in that arena, so why the fuck should it be accepted & tolerated that actors & musicians step into our arena & expect either current talent or legends like Piper to not take exception to T or as in today's case, Bad Bunny & Snoop Dog among other celebrities stepping in the ring & be booked by idiots like $ mark Khan & Vince to go over current stars?
@Lamont Norwood back when Vince was doing this garbage with Mr. T most wrestlers did know how to legitimately fight. Go read arrest reports and listen to the road stories of the old territory guys. It was nothing for them to get into a brawl and clean the place out. I would love for you to bring this attitude to Haku or Dan Spivey. And as far as the modern guys, just because the ending of the match is predetermined doesn’t take away from the work they’ve put in or the athleticism that is required to put on a match.
Yeah he was a joke but his name recognition being one of the biggest TV stars in the world at the time along with Cyndi Lauper helped put WWF on the map for Wrestlemania 1. He wouldn't have got half of the mainstream coverage they did without those two.
Piper is my favorite all time wrestler, ever. Even as I was a kid in the 80s and he was Hogans nemesis he was my favorite. Hated he never beat Hogan for that belt.
Mr. T was a legit fighter, and he was a bodyguard for celebrities (including boxers like Ali and Frazier) before he got into acting. He's genuinely tough. I love Piper but it's a good thing he didn't have to find out the hard way.
@@richle905The Golden Gloves thing was a work, Piper was a black belt in Judo though. Mr. T was bouncing/bodyguarding for boxers while Piper was doing worked wrestling matches, Mr. T also had an amateur wrestling background.
I still miss the Highlander. He was always my favorite WWE persona. He is one of the most unique performer as he was a villain but played the most memorable hero as John Nada. Loved his Mr. T bashes as he got the Little People Wrestler the Haiti Kid and gave him the Mohawk hair cut. Before Dwayne Johnson was the smart ass talker it was Piper!!! I cannot believe he is no longer with us in this world.
i have his matches on dvd. downsizing/moving - was about to put it up on ebay. watching it for skips/scratches...i cant part with it. i didnt know the anniversary of his death is in just a few days💔💔💔we miss you 👑
Piper was all talk! I ran into him at an Airport. The guy wouldn't stop yakkin. "I did this, I did that, Im the greatest" I had enough, one thing led to the other and he swung his carry on bag at me. I threw him against the Delta gate counter. I then tossed him through the glass and he landed on the tarmac. I jumped out the window superfly snooka style. He ended up pulling out a cocunut from his trunks and busted me upside the head. Then I woke up and realized it was all a dream.
Take all them hits to the head over the years and come see me. However what you stated is definitely a possibility. Some these kids playing college ball are graduating colleges with not only desplomas, but the TBI nobody wants to talk about.
Piper not being one of the biggest guy's in the business was surely one of the best minds when it came to mastering his character. Thank you Piper for the memories, and I pray you are with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
That was a match of thee ages. Can't forget cowboy Bob Orton another badass in that OG era of wrestling. I personally liked the body slam match between Andre the giant and big john studd and the junkyard dog vs Greg the hammer valentine. I had wrestlemania 1 on VHS. The 80's and 90's now those were the good ole days of professional wrestling.
@@edwardmarcell2494 THAT SHIT WAS FUNNY COWBOY BOB ORTON USED TO WEAR THAT FAKE CAST AND HIT OPPONENTS WITH IT THINK HE WAS A BIGGER HEEL THAN HIS SON !
@@ernestpassaro9663 yeah Bob Orton came from that smash mouth wrestling generation and his son was a whole different era that was more technical. I tend to go with thee old school wccw wcw wwf/wwe
Piper didn't like Mr.T for reasons other than.Wrestlemania was marketed to the casual and the curious wrestling viewer,that's the reason for all of the celebrities at that first event.Mr. T's name is what sold that event to those who didn't really follow wrestling.Piper and all of those who had a problem with that man being there knew why he was there,and why he so important to the event.
@@Friend2AllCats They knew he wasn't a wrestler,they knew it. That was one of the reasons Mr.T was on the card,he was over big time.He brought a lot of attention to WM 1.
This interview is confusing. It’s scripted wrestling. He takes dives all the time. Mr. T isn’t the character that he played in Rocky 3. It’s not like Mr.T came there for a real boxing or wrestling match.
Roddy Piper Shoot Interview (2003)
Stream Now 📺TitleMatchNetwork.com
First cm punk
Who?@@elonmartin3294
Piper lives wrestling but was actually an AMAZING actor. He killed it in “They Live” and thought we would see him in a bunch of things. He was built to act.
"Body Slam"!!!
He came out in an episode of Walker The Texas Ranger
It sucks that his acting career didn't take off! He aced They Live, which looked like a role written for Kurt Russel.
HELL COME TO FROGTOWN
Legendary fight scene
As a kid I got to “help the Piper up” as my dad would constantly tell me. Despite his all time GOAT heel status at the time, he instantly became my favorite wrestler. Dad always got us ringside seats whenever wrestling came to El Paso despite how lower middle class we were. Thanks for the memories dad and Hotrod. RIP dad and Roddy
Middle class? So rich kid then?
@@brenb70 If you want to call my dad supporting a family of six on $45k per year then yeah - we were rolling in dough 🤡
@@KinnereyBthat's actually not bad however I can never understand ur situation. Was that the average at the time
@@KD400_ Tickets were cheap where we lived. I grew up in El Paso, TX. I was just fortunate to grow up where I did when I did. My dad literally saved pocket change for Christmas presents and rare treats like that. I remember rolling pocket change with my parents and even enjoying that. I had to leave this comment bc it made me think how hard he worked to have next to nothing for himself so that we could live the childhood he never did. My grandfather was an abusive monster. I’m blessed that my dad stopped that cycle. He taught me how to be a dad 💯 “Any jerk can father a child, but it takes a man to be a dad.” - Author Unknown
@@KinnereyB my father was like ur grandfather I don't have kids however I will also stop the cycle too
Rowdy Roddy Piper lived wrestling: as a spectator, as a professional wrestler, as a commentator. He lived it, and lived for it. Nothing but love and respect for the man.
Vastly superior actor and real life bad ass and former golden gloves boxer compared to the roids, I mean the rock
your comment would have been much better stand alone without the shot at another living legend the ROCK@@a_ya5555
I wish Roddy continued a career in movie acting. He was talented and fun to watch
They live is a classic
Good movies good actor
Check out Hell Comes to Frogtown. Lol
THEY LIVE WAS A PRETTY GOOD MOVIE
@@derekazyan9942 greatest film fight ever with Keith David
Man I miss Hot Rod RIP greatest heel promos of them all!!!
@lrm215, IYHO, that is.
Roddy had such a unique persona, I know it's said a lot but the "old timers" forgot more about the art than modern guys will ever know.
They need to do a biopic on Roddy, Flair, The Grappler, and a few other guys.
@@Its303AcidBass they did on A&E
That's because sports entertainment and wrestling are two different things.
Its best if you don't conflate them
PIPER WAS A ALL TIME HEEL !
But ENTERTAINING and funny as hell !
I actually met this guy YEARS ago when I was an assistant manager of a restaurant in a suburb of Buffalo - in the late eighties. It was late on a Sunday night (we were open until eleven back in those days) and it was very typical for a Sunday at that time, which wasn't too busy. We had a take out window and probably around ten or ten fifteen, there was someone at the window who was taking up the whole area (it was a very old restaurant and our TO window wasn't very big, basically the width of an average sized 36' window) and someone said Roddy Piper is at the take out window! LOL. It seems that he was coming from Niagara Falls where they had wrestled that night, and was on his way up to Canada but he was taking the Peace Bridge which is in Buffalo rather than the Rainbow Bridge which is in NF, for some reason, which is what took him by our place which was located on Niagara Falls Boulevard, but nowhere near the actual city of NF. Anyhow, he wanted to buy two beers to go, and unfortunately, NYS doesn't allow that, but he couldn't have been nicer. He was incredibly friendly and greeted everyone who came to say hello and see him like old friends, and took the time to shake hands and chat. THAT really impressed me most of all, how OVERLY kind and friendly he was - oh, that and I was very impressed with how BIG he was in person. I was saddened to hear of his passing.
Roddy Piper, Scott Hall and Mr. Perfect. All three should have been a heavyweight champion at either WWE or WCW.
RIP to all three.
Roddy Piper was the guy that made me want to watch professional wrestling back in the 80’s. Piper was the real deal.
He didn't want to do jobs and he is in wrestling?
@@usdjpy8929 what u mean?
@@byronherrera628 its not real hate to break it to you Byron
Piper was old school and he protected the business. He wasn't going to let some big shot celebrity come in and expose the business.
The story about Mr. T and the rubber chicken smacking him in the face...I'm dead.
so your typing beyond the grave?
I stole a pair of glasses from this guy one time... I put them on and the girl I was dating looked like some weird creature. I threw them it the trash. Wish I kept them. This guy is a legend.
That comment was legendary
Well played.
Did they come with bubblegum?
@@JacksonHerod hah! That's KICK ASS!
LOVED IT WHEN HE SMASHED JIMMY SUPERFLY SNUKA IN THE HEAD WITH A COCONUT THAT SHIT WAS FUNNY !
Even as a kid and I didn't know what wrestling was, I knew the name Rowdy Roddy Piper. A legend to some.
It’s actually nice to know that at wrestlemania 30 Piper and Mr T patched up their issues
@Ryan Keefe, actually if you watch the last interview that Piper did before he died, he still had heat with T & I can understand why.
McMahon not being upfront and honest with Roddy is what led to the conflict with Mr T.
Rest In Peace
🙏🤍🕊
this dude was not as famous as Mr. T. he has to be crazy. nobody even knew who he was but wrestling fans.
@@JohnEastmanExAttyAtLawRoddy Piper was a household name back then too. His territory was in Oregon but he made the rounds. By the time he got to the WWF his name was as widely known as Dusty Rhodes. And everybody knew who Dusty was.
Pro wrestling existed long before WrestleMania was ever a fever dream in McMahon’s head.
again...he was nowhere near as famous as Mr. T.@@dr.floridamanphd
@@JohnEastmanExAttyAtLaw keep telling yourself that, kid.
dude....ask anyone under 45 years old who in the hell is damn Roddy Piper and not one person would know. You can go ask any 10 year old kid who Mr. T is and they will know and he has not been active in almost 20 years. dont be a Cletus.@@dr.floridamanphd
I always looked forward to the Piper Pit segments watching wrestling as a kid. It was always hilarious! 🤣
I miss this guy, he was so freaking cool, and how he rocked the kilt !!! the hot rod !!! wrestling does not have these greatest characters anymore.
he put on a good show but I was never a fan of the skirt
Everyone wants to be a Roman Reigns. So boring.
@@rockk9753 the kilt you mean. Not a skirt. Tell a Scotsman that he’s wearing a skirt and you’ll see how quickly you can get your ass kicked.
@@alienlife7754 call it what you want its still a skirt, hahahaha get my ass kicked sure... Im not scared of any skirt wearing weirdos
@@alienlife7754 if its not a skirt then why get offended by it? Because they know damn well its a skirt
He was a devoted husband. Refused to remove his wedding ring, even in movies,
I came here to do two things ....... chew bubble gum and kickass and im all outta bubble gum lol
That line and Jesse's:"I aint got ⌚ time to bleed" 😂 Classic!
Roddy was the best villian in wrestling of all time.
@Blue sky Mars, Piper was 1 of the best, remember along with Piper back then in the business, there was Rick Rude, Ole Anderson, Harley Race & Nick Bockwinkel who working in the same time period that Piper was
he waSNt really a villain most of his career..... in the nwa he would shift between heel and babyface. there's only a limited number of guys who can easily most those shifts and piper is one of them.
a villain to me is someone like tully blanchard.. someone who just exudes Heel
@@TheSportsfan35 none of them come close to the hot rod
@@jimmyolsen5897 Really?None of the legends I mentioned "come close to hot rod"?Nick & Harley were 2 of the best world champs the business ever had, & they were both a part of Legendary tag teams before they became world champs. Ole & Tully were both BELIEVABLE as heels & both had runs as a tag champ as well as had U.S. title runs. How does Roddy top a world champ?I mean the dude was NEVER even considered by any promoter he worked for, for a world title run.
@@TheSportsfan35 he was a legend in Portland Georgia Florida The Carolinas piper’s pit headlined the 1st Wrestlemania I could go on and on and on Mingle with some of the biggest celebrities on the planet Cindy Lauper Mr. T and he smash Jimmy’s not go with the coconut Your boys would just be in the territories that’s it
Pipers answers aren't all over the place, you just have to follow the story. He's a story teller, he's never going to give you a straight answer, you have to know back story and all events that lead up to his answer. I enjoy listening to people who answer questions like this, you learn so much.
Wasn’t hard to follow- he wasn’t taking a dive and he didn’t like Mr. T...
@Robert A. Lofgren Jr. You must not know much about wrestling. Piper was easily the best interview ever. No One even today has pipers Mic skills.
@@utbllc4057 this interview is not back then, its now. What he is saying now is absolute jibberish. if i didn't know the story of him and MR T before hand I would assume it was jibberish of a lunatic ranting about a tv star.
@@biggumstevens1784 don't know the backstory but i like roddy piper cause of they live.. i didn't really get much out of this except what luvballad61 said, " he wasn’t taking a dive and he didn’t like Mr. T"
@@LuvBallad61 Okay, he didn't like Mr. T why? Because Mr. T poured some orange juice and alcohol in a cup? Because there were pictures of Mr. T somewhere (something Mr. T more than likely had nothing to do with and was done by the WWF). Piper is just ranting on and on and gave no real reason as to why he did not like Mr. T or why they did not get along. Look, I'm a fan of the guy, but these interviews he does, makes absolutely no sense and people like you giving him a pass by calling him a storyteller doesn't help.
Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorf were the real stars of Wrestle Mania 1.
They were the whole reason people tuned in. They wanted to see them get their asses beat.
Orndorf was The Man. No bullshit stud horse, sold the part in multiple ways. I saw him come down the aisle just past me in '79 in pre-robe days: not someone you'd want to mess with. Stossel better be glad he crossed Schultz and not Mr. Wonderful! Orndorf might've forgotten to open his hand before belting the SCHIIT out of him.
@@chuckfinley6747 Revisionist history
What a stupid comment this is, cant believe 70 other plums liked it also, Hogan & T were the clear stars, get a grip 👊
Great Interview 👍 Roddy Piper is a legend who never won the World Title. It goes to show that the titles don't make the legend, the wrestler makes the legend.
Some performers don't need a belt and are considered legends.
The wrestling business is odd because Jake didn't win a lot of matches and never won a belt but yet, he's one of the biggest stars of the late 80s.
He was one of few who were so over that they didn't need the world title to solidify their legacy.
@@Chuc_9600 Superfly didn't need a belt to create his legendary career.
Unfortunately, Jimmy ruined his legacy by....welll....I think everyone has seen Dark Side of the Ring series.
@@kenterminateddq5311 he and rude were the best heels of the late 80s
@@derekazyan9942 It's tough to say, there were a lot of great heels in the 80s from Orndorff to Dibiase.
This man knew his job and did it very well. I wont see another like him in my lifetime.
how can u not like The Hot Rod?
Seriously. Even as a kid growing up in the 80s, I always loved Piper, despite him being a "villain".
HE WAS ENTERTAINING LOL
The best and truest line Hot Rod ever said was in WCW when he told Hogan. You only got to be the most famous wrestler in the world, because I carried you to the top.
RIP piper. Top 3 best wrestlers ever.
Nope
the best heal in the 80s. but there was the 70s and 50s he was old school that much is confirmed
not really
So many greats from The Golden Era
Met Piper at an event in Mass. he was gracious and a fantastic guy to talk to.
One of the few people on the planet I really miss seeing.
Really made the world a bit dimmer when he passed away.
Wow, not only was I the IT guy for Lou Duva. My 1st day in pro wrestling, I learned to bump in his BOXING RING, at ECPW. Brutal.
Rody Piper was a real wrestler too having learned Catch Wrestling from Gene LeBell.
I didn't know that! Cheers.
He has a judo back ground and was trained by Gene Labelle who was a jUdo black belt who also trained Ronda Roussey which is why Both have honoured Labelle by doning the Rody moniker which is what Gene Labelle had as a wrestling name.
@@urielcalderon9639
Also Piper had a Catch Wrestling background he learned from Gene LeBell who is considered the best Catch Wrestler ever.
@@davidtice4972 forget the small circuit of catch wrestling judo is the more impressive credential as it was a international discipline.
Catch Wrestling is the arch enemy of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Japanese Catch Wrestler Kazushi Sakuraba defeated 4 members of the famous Gracie Family. Sakuraba defeated Royler Gracie, Royce Gracie, Renzo Gracie and Ryan Gracie. American Catch Wrestler Josh Barnett defeated Ryron Gracie.
RIP HOTROD ROWDY RODDY PIPER#1
LEGEND OF WRESTLING!
Every interview with Piper seemed like a shoot. That’s how good he was on the mic.
some of them were
Can you imagine what Roddy must have been like with a few lines and drinks in him 🤣? It’d be like talking to a 200lbs. hummingbird!
Is it just me or does anyone know what the hell Piper is trying to say. He is going in all sorts of directions and just rambling on. He's a bit incomprehensible. The poor guy! He appears to have some kind of brain damage. And I say that not to be disrespectful, but it's my honest opinion. Pro wrestling ruined his life. At least the second half of his wrestling career. I remember him in the 80's. Back then he was a completely different person. He was the most unique wrestler at that time. That's why Hollywood pick him up for acting. But unfortunately Hollywood used him the wrong way and he didn't make it. When he return to wrestling it was the beginning of the end. He just wasn't the same. And over time it got worse for him. But it was like he didn't have any other options.
Watch his last interview on the Rich Eisen show. He’s 100 times worse. It’s beyond sad.
Ya, well your Literary prowess ain't that swift either. Your English teacher could say the same about you. At least Roddy has an excuse.
What year was that vs the year of this interview?
Understood everything he said Maybe it's You with The Problem .. He was Talking about Wrestlemania and His Problem with Mr. T And How they Wanted Him To Take a Dive For Mr. T and He Refused . I mean what Part Of That Did You or anyone Here have a Problem Understanding . I mean if he was all over The Place it's Because The Guy interviewing him was asking him Different Questions
Piper was a great heel.
Piper was so great in 1985.
Piper was perhaps the best heel ever .
Ernie Ladd (RIP) was pretty good as a heel as well.
Last main event I ever saw was a cage match main event between heel Ernie Ladd and then face Orndorff in the Superdome, around New Year's '79. Orndorff such a beast back then. Looked like you'd cut your hand off if you punched his jaw. Really physical match.
Man, he was already starting to fade in 2003. Still mostly there, but having trouble focusing. Watching him mentally fade away the last 10 years of his life was rough.
Hitting Jimmy Snuka with a coconut...
Making fun of Uncle Elmer's wedding...
Trashing the Flower Shop
Singing "Dem Bones" with the Bushwhackers
Man, the hits kept coming...
I love Piper but damn his answers were hard to follow in later years. He was all over the place.
agreed
Who the hell knows what he was saying ... not even Roddy probably does here
He's on uppers...his pupils are dilated like crazy..
Hot Rod Portland Or. will never forget you Thx for all the Great memories Portland Wrestling.all the Star wrestlers came through here.
What a story teller holy shit super cool dude
Piper was so cool that even as a kid you liked this heel. He and Orndoff were some of my favorite wrestlers growing up. Miss the old days of wrestling. Can't watch it anymore with today's crop. Piper would've made a great mob character in movies. RIP legend 🙏
Interviewer asks, “”Is wrestling all fake?””
Piper says , “” listen, your driving us wrestlers crazy.
Please,stop?””
Very astounding dialogue
I remember Piper talking about "The Wrestling Sickness". You live it so long - you walk it, you talk it, you drive it, you eat it, you sleep it, you live it - that it becomes a fundamental part of who you are and you can't drop it even if you want to. Even Jesse Ventura recalled Piper asking him how he'd managed to get away from the influence of wrestling and if he ever regretted doing so. Ventura laughed and gave an emphatic "no".
I read the "no" in his voice 😆
@@TheRealAb216 LOL when you've heard enough Jesse it's almost impossible not to hear his voice when reading his quotes. :)
I met piper at a wwf show I gave props he thanked me for showing him respect
When Roddy was on World Championship Wrestling in the early 1980s, I hated his guts. However when he talked about dealing with the media on pro wrestling being fake, he was good at putting down his critics. I miss him dearly since and the late Ernie Ladd knew how to raise hell.
Long live the memory of the late, great Roddy Piper. xoxo The Clarences
One of the greatest entertainers ever. You could love and hate him all at the same time. But you were sure to do at least one of those.
It's nice to see a coherent Piper here. Many of his interviews closer to the of his life, he could barely keep a cogent thought going. It was pretty sad.
I never thought Piper ever understood the vision that Vince had Mr.T was a huge star at that point just adding him to the match made everyone involved stars and helped turn Wrestlemania into a household word
I was about to say the same thing. Thanks for beating me to it.
Glad to know that others felt the same way about the vision to increase the scale of visibility to the business.
@@shinigami146 Yeah, it was so great that now a rapper like Bad Bunny or as Jim Cornette calls him Bugs Bunny is now from some fan's perception is on the same level as The Miz & the rest of the talent. Brilliant move Vince, it's shit like that is the reason why the business now is a joke.
If Vince knew how to actually run a promotion he wouldn’t have had to cheapen the business by bringing in stars that didn’t have any business in the ring.
@@chuckfinley6747 Exactly right. I mean, I'm sure the NFL,NBA,NHL & MLB players would hate it & have a problem with anybody in the wrestling business stepping onto their field, rink, or court when they have no business in that arena, so why the fuck should it be accepted & tolerated that actors & musicians step into our arena & expect either current talent or legends like Piper to not take exception to T or as in today's case, Bad Bunny & Snoop Dog among other celebrities stepping in the ring & be booked by idiots like $ mark Khan & Vince to go over current stars?
@Lamont Norwood back when Vince was doing this garbage with Mr. T most wrestlers did know how to legitimately fight. Go read arrest reports and listen to the road stories of the old territory guys. It was nothing for them to get into a brawl and clean the place out. I would love for you to bring this attitude to Haku or Dan Spivey.
And as far as the modern guys, just because the ending of the match is predetermined doesn’t take away from the work they’ve put in or the athleticism that is required to put on a match.
Mr. T vs Piper was a joke. Bu that’s when wrestling became a big spectacle.
Yeah he was a joke but his name recognition being one of the biggest TV stars in the world at the time along with Cyndi Lauper helped put WWF on the map for Wrestlemania 1. He wouldn't have got half of the mainstream coverage they did without those two.
Wrestling wasn’t a big spectacle before that? Ali vs Inoki?
@@ninjacape Gene lebell vs. Milo Savage was before that
How did Lauper get involved, for crying out loud?
Piper was very entertaining and he tells a story in his wrestling matches.
He certainly had some first - material to pull on!
As a Brit I love Roddy, he is a legend....... I didn't understand a word of this interview.
Piper is my favorite all time wrestler, ever. Even as I was a kid in the 80s and he was Hogans nemesis he was my favorite. Hated he never beat Hogan for that belt.
Still sadly missed in late, late 2024....
Miss you, Hot Rod!
“If It’s Good Nuff For Da Pope It’s Good Nuff For Me!”-Mr. T
Mr. T was a legit fighter, and he was a bodyguard for celebrities (including boxers like Ali and Frazier) before he got into acting. He's genuinely tough. I love Piper but it's a good thing he didn't have to find out the hard way.
Piper was a golden gloves boxer. Mr. T was a bouncer with no real fight training. Piper would have been fine.
@richle905 he wasn't a golden gloves boxer. He claimed he was...but he wasn't.
@richle905 Piper never boxed at all, he just made that up as part of the story, Mr T could box though, it's how he got the part in Rocky.
@@richle905The Golden Gloves thing was a work, Piper was a black belt in Judo though. Mr. T was bouncing/bodyguarding for boxers while Piper was doing worked wrestling matches, Mr. T also had an amateur wrestling background.
yes piper was a golden glove boxer who told you he wasnt
Too bad they ain’t friends because I respect both of them.
I still miss the Highlander. He was always my favorite WWE persona.
He is one of the most unique performer as he was a villain but played the most memorable hero as John Nada.
Loved his Mr. T bashes as he got the Little People Wrestler the Haiti Kid and gave him the Mohawk hair cut.
Before Dwayne Johnson was the smart ass talker it was Piper!!!
I cannot believe he is no longer with us in this world.
I wish Roddy would've stayed a heel longer, but I guess it was hard to do because so many people loved him.
i have his matches on dvd. downsizing/moving - was about to put it up on ebay. watching it for skips/scratches...i cant part with it. i didnt know the anniversary of his death is in just a few days💔💔💔we miss you 👑
“I came here to chew bubble gum and kick ass….and I’m all out of bubble gum!” - Roddy Piper
I'm just glad they made peace before Piper passed away
he was one of the best heels , so funny always made me laugh .
PIPER'S PIT WAS VERY ENTERTAINING LOL
He and the late Ernie Ladd were great heels as well as talkers.
Piper was the type of wrestler that didn’t not seem like a heel or a baby face.
I like it when piper had his face painted In 2 tones he did a awesome job on his role…
"I wasn't going to take a dive for him."
Nevermind the reporter, I don't think Roddy knew whether wrestling was real or not.
He was protecting the business. Outsiders aren't supposed to be able to come in and beat a pro wrestler. Just like the David Arquette thing
it was very real especially in those days
Thank God for TH-cam you can watch old fights.
I was about 12 when Wrestle Mania 1 happened. It was the BIGGEST thing in the world!!!
That was the invention of Pay Per View.
I had just been born so how ever many wrestlemanias there are is how old i am.
@@johnduckworth3866 That would be cool to be able to say "I'm this many Wrestlemanias old!"
I never knew Mr T was a wrestler, I only knew about the A-team.
WOW! Really? He wasn't a "wrestler" per se, but this was at the height of his popularity. I'm 48 and remember this vividly, lol
He was more of a brief 'guest' wrestler, linked up with Hogan for a storyline feud with Piper.
You been living in a cave
@@christopherharper9932 I believe they Said He was a amateur wrestler in High School
I got this full shoot on DVD. Pretty good.
Hot Rod knew what he was about. We loved to hate him ... and then we just loved him.
He is missed.
Roddy was a golden glove boxing champion before wrestling
That means very little.
Learn about it
No he wasn't as that's a work, he is a black belt in Judo though.
you're wrong he was a boxer
Roddy Piper was a legend
Piper was all talk!
I ran into him at an Airport. The guy wouldn't stop yakkin. "I did this, I did that, Im the greatest"
I had enough, one thing led to the other and he swung his carry on bag at me.
I threw him against the Delta gate counter. I then tossed him through the glass and he landed on the tarmac. I jumped out the window superfly snooka style.
He ended up pulling out a cocunut from his trunks and busted me upside the head. Then I woke up and realized it was all a dream.
I miss this guy
loved him, can’t help but feel substances are at play here
Yeah, he's a little off for sure.
Take all them hits to the head over the years and come see me. However what you stated is definitely a possibility. Some these kids playing college ball are graduating colleges with not only desplomas, but the TBI nobody wants to talk about.
I was thinking the same thing. He's on something.
Mr. T is 2 wins 0 losses at wrestlemania
They Live..love that movie he did!
Piper not being one of the biggest guy's in the business was surely one of the best minds when it came to mastering his character. Thank you Piper for the memories, and I pray you are with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Rest in heaven rowdy❤️
Difficult to follow his accent and train of thought sometimes but is still interesting
I loved piper passing off the fans. The greatest.
Roddy was great. Before my time but I’ve watched a ton of stuff which includes him. Great stuff.
That was a match of thee ages. Can't forget cowboy Bob Orton another badass in that OG era of wrestling. I personally liked the body slam match between Andre the giant and big john studd and the junkyard dog vs Greg the hammer valentine. I had wrestlemania 1 on VHS. The 80's and 90's now those were the good ole days of professional wrestling.
YES RANDY ORTONS FATHER USED TO BE PIPERS BODYGUARD ON PIPERS PIT LOL
@@ernestpassaro9663 wearing that cast forever and a lifetime. The greats left a wonderful legacy
@@edwardmarcell2494 THAT SHIT WAS FUNNY COWBOY BOB ORTON USED TO WEAR THAT FAKE CAST AND HIT OPPONENTS WITH IT THINK HE WAS A BIGGER HEEL THAN HIS SON !
@@ernestpassaro9663 yeah Bob Orton came from that smash mouth wrestling generation and his son was a whole different era that was more technical. I tend to go with thee old school wccw wcw wwf/wwe
@@edwardmarcell2494 BOTH ALL TIME HEELS BOB ORTON AND HIS SON RANDY !
Besides Stone Cold, Roddy Piper was my absolute favorite wrestler. Drove like 4 hrs to see that Wrestle mania, best memory ever!
Looking back now if it wasn't for Piper there would of been no Wrestlemania.
Roddy is simply one of the greatest of all time. He’s on my personal Mount Rushmore of wrestling.
They Live is my favorite!!
Piper was special talent. Charisma for days
People always talk about Hogan not putting people over clean…he took more dives than Piper did…lol
Favorite wrestler of all time.
Rubber chicken, Mr T's kryptonite.
Piper didn't like Mr.T for reasons other than.Wrestlemania was marketed to the casual and the curious wrestling viewer,that's the reason for all of the celebrities at that first event.Mr. T's name is what sold that event to those who didn't really follow wrestling.Piper and all of those who had a problem with that man being there knew why he was there,and why he so important to the event.
Mtv and cindy lauper also
True.Those bigname celebrities put that event over.
@@Friend2AllCats They knew he wasn't a wrestler,they knew it. That was one of the reasons Mr.T was on the card,he was over big time.He brought a lot of attention to WM 1.
Piper should be upset with McMahon, not Mr. T. Piper was jealous of Mr. T's celebrity.
@@76WestSports I agree with you on a hundred. 💯
Piper should have boxed Ali. Since piper thought he was so tough
Its hard to understand what piper means sometimes. I wish he was more direct. Its confusing
THATS WHAT IM WORKING WITH HERE
This interview is confusing. It’s scripted wrestling. He takes dives all the time. Mr. T isn’t the character that he played in Rocky 3. It’s not like Mr.T came there for a real boxing or wrestling match.
He's such a big deal......One of those guy's you'd think would live forever! R.I.P Piper