Sensational Sherri Martel

Sherri talks about growing up and liking wrestling. Her family thought she was odd for being so into wrestling, but Sherri said she was always different.

Sherri talks about her training. She said how when she first tried getting into wrestling, the school she went to, told her to come back when she turns 21. Sherri then seeked out the Fabulous Moolah, and Sherri started making her mark in the business from there.

Sherri trained with the Fabulous Moolah for some time. She talked about what it was like and the other girls that were there. Sherri also talked about being a female in a male dominated business.

Sherri then talked about working for Verne Gagne and the AWA. She tells alot of good stories here about AWA. She also discussed Hulk Hogan and Hogans role in AWA. Sherri then talked about Curt Hennig and Scott Hall as well. On Scott Hall she said that she never thought Scott would've got the out-of-ring reputation that he got.

Sherri also discusses the Rockers. She talked about how the Rockers would use wrestling figures before their match to create spots. She said the Rockers were innovative. She said she always thought Shawn was the better one, and was not surprised about his success. She called Michaels the "total package" and said he was the best in everything he did. She's happy for him.

Sherri talks more about AWA and working in other territories. Talk moves to Wahoo McDaniels and Madusa/Alundra Blayze as well.

Sherri talks about the jump she made to the WWF. It was a financial decision. She talked about her relationship with Vince McMahon then, and her relationship with Vince now. She said she still talks to Vince and is welcome backstage today, at any WWE show she wants to go to. She still exchanges X-Mas cards with The McMahons this day, and is very fond of them.

Sherri discussed the differences between WWF and the AWA. She said WWF was more professional and that WWF was tighter.

Sherri talks about winning the WWF Womens title, then later dropping it in Europe. Sherri talks about Jake The Snake as well, and told some ribs that Jake the Snake pulled on the ladies of the WWF at the time.

Sherri talks about The Macho Man and Liz. She talks about their relationship and confirms the rumors that Macho Man was over protective of Liz at the time. She talks about working with Macho Man, and the whole storyline building up to Wrestlemania VII. She said that Macho Man and Liz wanted Sherri to be with Macho Man. When the whole angle was played out, Macho Man and Liz gave Sherri presents for her work. Sherri also confirmed another Macho Man rumor, which was discussed in the Ric Flair book, and that is that Macho Man spends an insane amount of time laying out his matches, as he writes pages and pages of spots and lays out the match before hand. Sherri talked about the script she got from Savage for WM VII, then said it was all worth it, as it was a really good match that had everything going on for it at once.

Sherri talks about working against Dusty and Sapphire. She liked it and tells some interesting stories about that time.

Sherri talks about worrying about getting fired after the Macho Man Program ended. She said that she was wrong for thinking that, as Vince liked her alot. She talks about getting paired up with The Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase. She talks about her brief time with him.

Sherri talks about reuniting with Shawn Michaels in the WWF. She says again she always knew HBK would be a star. She talks about singing his entrance music and how that all came about. She loved her time with him.

Sherri comments on the Bret Hart vs Ric Flair feud. She was always a Ric Flair fan.

Sherri talks about what got her fired from WWF. Sherri said she was caught smoking weed. She said she was addicted to smoking weed. She said she was in the WWF from 87-93, and would've stayed longer if she wasn't smoking weed. Sherri would later on in the interview say that drugs got her fired from WCW as well.

Sherri talks about her brief stint in ECW.

Sherri moves on talking about WCW. She says she always thought Eric Bischoff was cute. She said WCW was a corporate promotion while the WWF was close as family.

Sherri talked about the ex-WWF talent in WCW a the time. She said all the guys were the same to her. She said some were jealous of Hogan and his big paydays, but she said God Bless him, and said he did what was write for his family.

Sherri talks about working with Ric Flair. She loved every minute of it. She said her promo time was cut down a bit, but she said that she accepted it because after all, she was with one of the best talkers in wrestling history, Ric Flair.

She tells some classic Ric Flair stories and talks about Flair on the road.

Sherri continues to talk about WCW and all the work she did there. She talks about working with Harlem Heat. She tells a funny story about how all the boys in the back said Harlem Heat literally stunk. She talks about giving them Woolite. Sherri also adds that she was supposed to originally be paired with Ron Simmons, but since OJ-mania was running wild at the time, WCW put her with two black guys instead of one. Go figure.

Sherri saw potential in Booker T. She is happy for him and isn't suprised how well he is doing now. She says being a black world champion is a big thing, and she is proud of Booker.

Sherri talked about the nWo, and how the "office" wrestlers had free reign. She wasn't bothered by it, because it didn't affect her.

Sherri also talked about meeting Liz and Macho again for the second time. She said they were alot different to be around since they were divorced. She said Liz was completely a different person all together.

Sherri goes in-depth about WCW and her work there, before talking about her firing. On her firing, she tells a story about how she did 8 Somas in one day and collapsed in Bischoff's office. She said she was talked to about drugs before and denied she was on them. With her passing out in Bischoff's office, she woke up the next day, after her blackout, and was told she was let go from WCW.

Sherri talks about her drugs problems candidly. She says she thinks there should be some sort of mandatory drug testing in wrestling. Sherri says she shouldn't be alive today for this interview, and says she's very lucky. She is 46 now, and wants to live. She is saddened by the drugs and death in wrestling today.

Sherri talks about coming back to WCW in 2000 for a quick shot to feud with Madusa. Sherri was asked what she thought when Madusa dropped the WWF Womens title in the trash. Sherri said professionally, it wasn't good for womens wrestling, but it was a business decision and see why Madusa did it.

On her comeback in WCW, Sherri says that she didn't know how Vince Russo got into wrestling.

Sherri talks about leaving WCW again and how WCW closed down. She was asked about going to NWA TNA, but she said it wasn't worth it for her, financially.

Alot of post career questions are asked. Sherri noted that she's working on a book, and she's up to Chapter 4 of it already.

Sherri says that her time has come and she won't be returning to wrestling. She likes the new girls and enjoys watching them. Sherri says that she wasn't asked to enter the WWF Hall of Fame yet, which is good, because that means she's still young.

Sherri closes off the interview by thanking her fans and talking about the seriousness of drugs.

After the interview ends, RF Video and Sherri go off to play a rib, presumably on Sherri's Husband or Boyfriend. Sherri goes up to her significant other and says they have to re-do the interview because the audio didn't come out. He just stared at Sherri. Sherri said it would only be three more hours. He just continued to stare at her. Sherri and RF Video let him know that they are joking around, and he doesn't seem too thrilled. Funny thing to watch here.

Final McWord
Entertaining interview. For one, I never knew Sherri had so many drug problems, that it got her fired from 2 national companies.

In the spirit of the Shoot, Sherri answered everything and you can tell she was honest in her answers. Sherri also comes off very knowledgeable as well.

Sherri also confirms many rumors in this interview, such as the Macho Man ones. Sherri also gives some news by saying she's working on a book, and for now is officially retired from the wrestling business, on a national level.

Overall-
A fun interview to watch. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for stories from the 80's WWF and 90's WCW periods. I'd also recommend it to any women wrestling fan or any womens wrestler, as Sherri was one of the pioneers in her profession.

To pick up the tape, go to http://www.rfvideo.com or go to Sherri Shoot Interview directly.

I'm done for now, but keep it here on the DOI for more McTape Reviews.

Upcoming Reviews:
1- JAPW- "2 Extreme 4 New Jersey"
2- ROH 8/28 Scramble Cage Melee
3- CSWF 4/24

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com