"I grew up around guys like Andre" - Former WWE Superstar on growing up in the pro wrestling business [Exclusive]
Former WWE Superstar Shawn Stasiak has discussed what it was like growing up in and around the world of pro wrestling.
In an exclusive interview with SK Wrestling's Ryan Boman, the former WWF Hardcore Champion went into detail on his pro wreslting influences and how being around the pro wrestling business from a young age impacted him, including some of the high-profile names he got the chance to be around:
"My father was an influence on me getting into the business, obviously... I remember sometimes my dad would take me to the arenas in the North West, the Pacific North West… I grew up around guys like Andre the Giant, Roddy Piper, Dutch Savage, Playboy Buddy Rose. Ric Flair would come through, Harley Race… the list goes on and on. So I was exposed at a very early age to the business. And, of course, the business had changed over the years. But as a teenager, in high school, taking up amateur wrestling myself, I would still follow pro wrestling."
Shawn Stasiak is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Stan Stasiak. Stan, a former WWWF World Heavyweight Champion, was a mainstay in pro wrestling in the 1960s and 70s.
Shawn Stasiak on his pro wrestling influences
Shawn Stasiak would go on to describe his specific influences from the world of pro wrestling, mentioning larger-than-life characters we all know and love, like The Ultimate Warrior and Sting.
"And then, of course, my friends and I would idolize certain wrestlers. We’d be in the gym working out and we would mimic or imitate other wrestlers we would look up to. It kind of inspired me, with the days of the mid to late eighties, I like the guys that had larger than life personas. The comic book characters come to life, guys like Ultimate Warrior, and Sting. I liked the face paint, the theatrics."
You can listen to the full clip between Ryan Boman and Shawn Stasiak below:
If any quotes from this interview are used please give a H/T to SK Wrestling.