The Cowboy Bill Watts. The name alone will go down in wrestling history for many different reasons. Some look at him as one of the best wrestling promoters of all time, and some might consider him one of the biggest bigots with power in the business. Regardless, Watts is a name that will always be brought up when the topic of great promoters come up.

Watts was known for his straight forward, no bullshit attitude, and that translates into this shoot interview. This shoot interview is 4 hours long, so there is alot to get into, so away we go.

Bill Watts, from Oklahoma, fit the stereotypical Oklahoma male profile. He loved football and played football. Watts went to college in Oklahoma, and became a huge monster for their football team. After college, Watts went off to play in the NFL. After a dispute with one of his coaches, who he punched out, he quit football and turned to wrestling after hooking up with Wahoo McDaniel.

Watts talked about the transition from football to wrestling. He also mentioned how he got into some country and had to leave the country. This is the one thing Watts doesn't get into, as he doesn't explain why he had to leave the country. Watts talks about 1963 a bit, as he talks about where he was when JFK was assassinated, and how it affected his wrestling career.

Watts talked about how he won his first championship. He was scheduled to lose a match to Art Thomas. Art Thomas wasn't so hot, so Watts got pissed (one of his big character traits) and stretched Thomas. Watts then changed the finish and pinned Thomas in the ring, to win his first major championship.

In the first of many stories, Watts talked about how promoters would try to fuck him. He talked about leaving territories because of the way promoters treated him. Watts would remember the way he was treated, to prevent treating his wrestlers the same way once he started up the UWF. Watts told a funny story how he refused to lose to Bob Ellis, and had the promoter scared shitless. Instead, Watts told Ellis he'd lose to him, but just wanted to scare the promoter. Watts did the job and the promoter was relieved.

Watts talked more about his work in Texas. After more "promoter bullshit", Watts went to Florida and helped Eddie Graham book the Florida territory. Watts liked Graham alot. Watts talked about some of his trouble with Dusty Rhodes, as Dusty tried stabbing him in the back. Watts told Dusty off and Dusty knocked it off.

Florida under Watts got so big, that Watts would have the best booking problem possible- having 7-8 main event matches and not knowing how to shuffle the card around. Watts did great business for Florida and had the respect of Eddie Graham. With all the money he made here, he went back to Oklahoma, kicked the "trash" out of the region and created Mid South Wrestling.

Watts talked about all the work he did in Mid-South Wrestling. He created The Freebirds and pushed them hard. Watts also discovered the Junk Yard Dog. Watts talked about how much JYD meant to him. Watts regrets he never got to tell how important JYD was to him before JYD died. Watts put over JYD and touched the race issue. Watts always gets blamed for being a racist. Watts talks about how he always pushed the black athlete and how he pushed various black wrestlers in his career. He talks more about racism in wrestling later on. Watts actually said here, after drawing a huge house at the SuperDome, that he didn't see white or black, he only saw green.

Watts talked about wrestlers generating blowjobs. This is actually a theory/philosophy that holds true to today. During one period in Mid South Wrestling, Watts talked about how he had no pretty boy wrestlers. With no pretty boy wrestlers, he had no female fans at the shows. Watts then started booking "blow job wrestlers" (Guys who could bring female fans to the shows) such as Rick Rude and The Midnight Express. This is something that I think the indies can use today, as good looking wrestlers will draw female fans.

Talk then turned to Magnum TA and how Watts created the gimmick. Watts then talked about Duggan and Dibiase and how much they meant to him. Watts then talked about how gave the Road Warriors the face-paint gimmick. Watts talked about another tag team, The Blade Runners. Watts praised Sting heavily and buried the Ultimate Warrior, calling him a piece of shit.

After talking about all these angles and wrestlers, Watts talked about the Mid South Wrestling to UWF name change. It was done to make the name of the promotion not seem too regional.

Watts then talked about Gilbert and Missy Hyatt. He liked Eddie Gilbert and thought he was good. He pretty much called Missy a rat.

Watts then goes in and out of talking about the past and today. Watts mentions HBK getting his ass kicked in Syracuse. Watts says he would've fired HBK, The British Bulldog and Sean Waltman for allowing a wrestler to get his ass kicked by non wrestlers. Watts said back in his day, a wrestler would always be able to beat up a commoner. He said you got to always protect the business. With that said, he isn't too fond of the way the business was run in 2001 (When the shoot was conducted.) He said it's blasphemous for people to be putting up their middle fingers and talking about 3:16. He didn't bash Austin as a worker, he just doesn't like his gimmick.

Watts called Ernie Ladd and Bill Dundee the best bookers he ever had. Watts said he was a demanding, yet fair boss. He'd rotate bookers every year to relieve stress on the booker and to allow the product to freshen itself up.

Watts then talks about the rise of WWF and how Vince would steal his guys. Vince overpaid everyone and Watts was on the losing end of a war. Watts then talked about how he played Crockett out. He told Crockett that Vince made an offer to buy UWF, but in reality Vince didn't want to touch him. Watts ripped Crockett off, sold UWF, and left the business for a while. Watts then talks about Crocketts failure as a a boss running a major company. This is some really great stuff here.

Watts then talked about WCW and his time there. He says when he first started, the boss at the time, Bill Shaw, wanted losses to stay at around the 8 million mark. This was in 1992. Instead of keeping losses at $8 million, Watts turned it around and had losses at $400,000. Shaw still tried firing him, and Watts says Shaw was an asshole.

Watts said WCW was retarded for allowing big time contracts to be signed. He said this was one of the many mistakes WCW made at the time.

Watts then talked about the wrestlers of WCW. On the following guys he said this:

-Scott Steiner- a drug infested freak, who was much better as a heel than a face. He said WCW finally saw the light in 1999, but it was too late.

-Rick Steiner- a great guy, but didn't want to dump his brother.

-Ric Flair- A great wrestler but bad booker.

-Kevin Nash- awful wrestler. Nash actually wanted to quit the business, but Watts got him to stay. He said Nash is an asshole now and has a big head. He buries Nash, and I think deservingly so.

-Ron Simmons- loved giving him the belt and saw how everyone went nuts. When Simmons tested positive for drugs, Watts took the belt off of him. Watts then says blacks dominate every other American sport (Hockey is Canadian) so it doesn't make sense that black wrestlers don't have a larger role as champion. Watts even says it's amazing that Vince has never really pushed a black wrestler strongly.

-Jim Ross- loved him alot and put him over.

-Jake The Snake- Watts destroys Jake here. He calls him a gutless coward piece of shit. He also calls him a druggie and a drunkard and one of the worest people ever in wrestling. Wow.

-Erik Watts- deserved his push but should leave the business.

Watts then talked about the sheets. He said you can never please them, because they always have to say what you should've done, or else the sheets would be out of business. I think he's somewhat right there, because I have seen sheets put over a product when everything was clicking.

Watts talks about an incident with HBK. He puts over HBK as a worker and talks about fining him early in HBK's career. HBK even acknowledges this story in his DVD.

After wrapping up the end of his career, Watts talks about the business today. He says he doesn't care for it, nor follow it. He doesn't care where wrestling goes, because he's finished with it.

Watts also touches steroids and bashes anyone who takes drugs in wrestling.

Watts closes the interview off by saying that everything he said in this 4 hour shoot is his own opinion only. He says it's the truth in his own eyes. He said he probably offended some people with this shoot, just like how he offended people in the locker rooms, but that is just the way he is.

Final McWord
Wow, what an interview. If you know Watts' work then you know how good this interview will be, because Watts treats the interview just like how treated everything else in the wrestling business- head on. Watts really lets loose and just talks about everything openly. If something sucked, he said it. If something was good he said it. Most of this interview focuses on Watts promoting career, and not his in-ring career.

Also included on this shoot is alot of UWF TV. There are about 10 UWF matches on this tape. One full UWF show is even included, where all three UWF championships changed hands. It also included a steel cage match with Duggan and One Man Gang. This is fucking awesome to watch and relive, and great if y ou've never seen it before. Wrestling was simple then, and the fans were definitely much more appreciative. UWF was a classic promotion, and you get to see alot of Watts' mind-work on this tape.

I liked this interview alot, as Watts told alot of stories and also explained alot of his booking philosaphies, that you will probably agree with when watching it. From "Blowjob Wrestlers" to having shows go off the air when the main event wasn't over (Because how would a TV show know how long a match would go), Watts had alot of great ideas and explained them so anyone could understand.

Overall
For 15 bucks, this is something any wrestling fan should watch. You will appreciate the wrestling business more and get a handle of the way things used to be run. If you've seen Watts' promotions, no hype for this tape is necessary. If you're someone who never experienced the UWF or Mid-South Wrestling, then this will open up alot of new doors and your mind.

I highly recommend this shoot interview, even though it is 4 years old. Everything still holds up today, as Watts hasn't really done anything in the wrestling business after this shoot was conducted.

To pick up this shoot, visit RFVideo.com or go to BILL WATTS SHOOT directly.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com