On the latest episode of VOC Nation’s Wrestling With History famed legendary on-screen personality Ken Resnick spoke about a multitude of topics, including how he believes the WWE centerpiece needs to be a babyface. Highlights are below.
Says that the centerpiece of WWE needs to be a babyface:
Vince would not have quit his idea of going national (if) Hulk wouldn’t (have) come, but Hulk was his greatest vehicle… Macho Man (Randy Savage) as far as (being) muscular was great, but Hulk had everything… Ric (Flair) was much better as a heel than he was as a face (although) when he did wrestle as a face he was still very, very good. But whoever Vince would have knighted to be the (face) of the company, it would have needed to have been a babyface. Even on TNT (not the network, but the former WWE talk show on USA Network) when the heels would come on the show, other than Bobby Heenan, just by the nature of their character they couldn’t be as engaging as a babyface (could have)… Whoever took that lead in taking WWF national and international would have needed to have been a babyface so that when they went on local talk shows (and) national talk shows, as a babyface you can ingratiate yourself with the host to the audience. As a heel you really can’t do that.
How Andre The Giant couldn’t really work the hectic WWE schedule in the 80s:
(Hogan as the face of the company had to) work night after night after night, a different city every night working, and certainly Andre couldn’t have come close to working that kind of schedule.
Thoughts on Ric Flair:
Because his interviews were so great, a lot of times people forget that Flair was one of the best in ring workers of his time. You needed someone that had the passion for convincing people to go to the arena to buy a ticket, and where Ric didn’t have the physical size of Hulk, he had that wow factor in the ring as well… Ric had that persona (that) when they first came out from that curtain, they didn’t have to do anything and they still grabbed the crowd long before (he) even made it to the ring. (He had) that ‘it’ factor.
How important theme music is for a character:
If you think about it, in the 80s we had the Cold War with Russia, the Olympic boycott, problems in the middle east; even the presentation when Hulk would come out to Real American, what fan could not immediately relate to that? At the same time I think it was just an awesome choice when the Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth would come out to Pomp and Circumstance. What person and what parent didn’t immediately relate to their graduation (or) their child’s graduation? Even back in the 80s, Vince McMahon and the production team at WWF; they dotted every I and crossed every T. As soon as that music played, not only did everyone know who was coming out, but subconsciously they immediately related to the song they were hearing… Their marketing and presentation and production was then and is now second to none. You can argue with the philosophy, the style, the storylines, but you can’t argue with WWE’s production.
Says that Macho Man was very protective of Miss Elizabeth:
I never had any problem working with Randy. We weren’t close friends and didn’t hang out at all away from the business… I never ever had any sort of problem with the Macho Man. He was overly protective, almost obsessed with keeping Liz separated from almost everyone… I was flying from some show and connecting through to Omaha on to the next city which I think was St Louis. It was early in the morning because they always put us on the first flight, so I was kind of tired and got off and made my way to the connecting gate. I got there and checked in; back in those days you still had to check in with the gate agent. I looked around and glanced over and there was Liz sitting there. So I didn’t know if she was by herself so I went over and (talked to her). All of the sudden this hand kind of grabs me and spins me around. (Savage) didn’t know that it was me, but it was (in his mind) just somebody talking to Liz. And he was angry. I said ‘Randy it’s me, I’m just on my way to the same place you’re going.’ And then he kind of relaxed a bit. But he was extremely obsessed with keeping Liz hidden away. Other than that, working with him I personally never had a problem.
On Savage feeling that he should have been the top guy:
I always felt that deep down there was pressure or resentment that Randy felt that he should have been top dog. I don’t think anyone would argue, in terms of in ring work, Randy Savage was a much better worker in the ring than Hulk Hogan. I think Randy always felt that he should have been the guy… He is still iconic to this day years and years after his death. If he had been a face and not have had the pressure internally of trying to be the top dog, I think he would have been fine.
Check out the full episode below.
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