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Credit to WWE.com
Way back on May 10, 1996, I had my first WWE match in the hallowed halls of the Copps. My opponent was Bob "Hardcore"
Holly, although at that point he was still the Spark Plug, checkered flags and all. I know Bob's glad he ditched that gimmick.
I arrived to the building three hours before the show, not realizing that for non-televised live events, the guys show about
an hour before. This gave me enough time to get good and nervous. The show started at 7:30. Bob showed at 7 p.m., walked up
to me, and asked how long I'd been working. I replied with the truth, three and a half years. I realized that might have been
the wrong answer when he rolled his eyes, grunted and walked away. Knowing Bob the way I do now, I'd laugh. Back then I said
sh**, but vowed to prove that I belonged in the ring with him.
What was my way of proving that, you ask? Dancing.
Extremely bad, and extremely Caucasian. You see, at this point I wrestled on the indies as Sexton Hardcastle. Christian had
just finished his training and wrestled as Christian Cage. For some unknown reason, we decided that dancing, very badly, would
get a reaction from the crowd. So Christian would hit "the Carlton," and moves very reminiscent of his peeparoonie. In the
meantime, I would hit the most horrendous version of the running man you will ever see. With all of that being said, I thought
that my WWE debut was the perfect opportunity for my Tide-white-like running man. I walked to the ring with the music I always
used, Walk by Pantera. I can hear the RVD fans now, but at that point I had no clue he was using it too. I was clueless to
ECW. I climbed in the ring and started dancing like a madman. It looked like I was having a seizure.
Our referee (and
now one of my best friends in the business), Timmy White, was dumbstruck. My mom, sitting in the front row, snapped a picture
of this spectacle her son was making of himself. She caught Timmy's incredulous look perfectly. I still laugh when I see that
picture.
Finally, Bob hit the ring, and it was time for him to stare at me in disbelief, and try not to laugh. Now
with Bob Holly, that's tough to do, and I think I won him over. The match went great, the people were into it, even though
they had no clue who I was. This was the beginning. Which led me, seven years later, to the Copps for a little promo. Just
a little howya' doin'.
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