Source: The Ross Report
Jim Ross interviewed former WCW and WWE star, Marc Mero. Mero talked about the deal he signed with WWE to leave WCW, his relationship with his ex-wife, Rena, who performed for WWE as Sable, and his views on Roman Reigns’ big push in WWE.
Was he earning money in the $500,000 range as Johnny B. Badd in WCW?
“Well, that didn’t really happen until I went over to WWE. I mean, it was close in the WCW, but it was really WWE that opened the door for me to make more money. Obviously, that’s why I left WCW. It was just a great deal.”
Mero was able to negotiate a term in his contract that would require WWE to fly his then wife, Rena, wherever Mero traveled.
“I used to travel with Van Hammer for a while and lived with him and we just got into a lot of trouble together. And it was just a real sad place, man. And that’s one of the reasons, when I came to the WWE, bringing my ex-wife, Rena, with me. I didn’t want to end up in divorce. And that’s why a part of my contract was that WWE agreed to fly her everywhere I went.” Mero added, “I started in WCW in ’91, so I was there for many years, but we got married in ’94. I got off the drugs and I just wanted to keep a strong marriage. I really tried to get into my faith in God and just go to church and raise our daughter. I adopted Rena’s daughter, Mariah, who is still my daughter to this day. So when I got that contract at WWE, the one thing I said to Vince McMahon, I said, ‘Vince, I can’t do this unless my wife flies everywhere I fly.’ He said, ‘I’ve never heard that request before,’ but he gave it to me.”
In addition to Mero’s WWE deal being among WWE’s first guaranteed contracts, the salary and airfare for his wife made the deal a source of jealousy in the locker room.
“Looking back now I can see there is animosity. Guys are missing their families and here I am with my wife every night staying with me and traveling with me. It was very tough.”
Mero said he was never jealous of Rena’s rising stardom as Sable and he had no problem putting her over.
“My thought is, ‘oh my gosh! I am so happy for her.’ Not like, ‘oh, she’s going to overshadow me.’ Never once did that come into play. I allowed her to powerbomb me few times and people will go, ‘that just killed his career’ and, to me, I didn’t even care. They’re backing up the Brink’s truck to our house at the time.”
They would divorce in 2004 and Rena would go on to marry Brock Lesnar two years later
“There’s no animosity and I don’t know if you ever noticed, Jim, Rena and I have never said a bad word about each other. In any interviews, no one has ever said anybody did this or did that or nobody is mad at each other. Actually, I remember walking into court, when we signed our divorce papers, hand in hand. I hugged her goodbye and we both went on with our lives. And I couldn’t be happier for her. She has got two children with Brock and our daughter, Mariah, is moving up to Canada to live with them. They’ve got a house up there and everything. Her husband is going to go up there and work some of the tractors for Brock.”
He relates a great deal to Reigns in his ongoing struggles to get over.
“The sad part is I remember that I think it was last WrestleMania they were going to have Roman Reigns win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship strap, I believe, and if anybody can feel for that guy, it’s me because I remember I was coming into WWE with high hopes and Vince was really high on me and he wanted to push me up that ladder real quick and then I got no reaction from the audience. And then, when you walk out with a girl like Sable, who’s going to look at me? Roman Reigns is at least lucky that he doesn’t have that going to the ring, okay? But I know how it feels and it is a really, really tough feeling inside to go through that, knowing that he’s such a hard worker, good looking guy, man, he’s a great wrestler, and he’s giving it his all. And just sometimes, you can’t force feed a wrestling fan. They’re going to like what they like and dislike what they don’t like.”
He does not understand why WWE has not turned Reigns heel at this point.
“I don’t understand why they keep pushing it. If something’s not working, change it. Just don’t keep putting this guy through something like this because if you think it’s hard for the fans, think of how hard it is for him.”
What was your favorite match of all-time that you weren’t involved in?
I go back to Macho Man and Steamboat at WrestleMania. A lot of false finishes, a lot of psychology. Some of Stone Cold’s matches, that guy can just go. It seemed like he didn’t get tired out there.
Speaking of Savage, were your thoughts of him finally going in to the WWE Hall of Fame?
Oh gosh, I think it’s great. I always liked Randy. He was really funny, every time I saw him he’d say “Hey Badd man.” I have great memories of him, every time I saw him he was so kind to me.
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