Al Snow on Ole Anderson Try Out

Al Snow on Ole Anderson Try Out!
6 Time WWE Hardcore Champion, WWE Tough Enough Trainer, WWE Tag Team Champion and current TNA Star Al Snow talks about attending a try out with Ole and Gene Anderson for the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Territory when Snow was trying to break into the professional wrestling business.
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[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

Near the end, Al Snow makes a great point. Wrestlers in those days were misfits, not regular people auditioning for cool TV jobs. The reason "protecting the business" was so important was because the business protected them. It was practically an underworld lifestyle.

[@madringking1119]

Basically the mob

[@Tony-fq5bn]

And the reason for that is, back then when people thought wrestling was real....it attracted people who actually wanted to fight, who were more likely to be jocks, ex miliatry men, criminals etc. Now that everyone KNOWS its fake you got drama majors that really just want to be famous getting in the ring. Very interesting shoot when you consider Al Snow really was the first person to lift the lid on this along with the WWF back when he was on Tough Enough and Bob Holly was showing the kids the way things used to be done. They pretty much through Bob under the bus, (not Al but the WWF)

[@evanabbott2737]

It’s really interesting.👍

[@cloud8317]

True. Seemed like a mix of legit tough guys, misfits, and psychos.

[@avalond1193]

And it was more popular back then now wrestling is a joke

[@IrishPotato86]

I have a buddy that wrestled in puerto rico with Carlos Colon. He said he got in a fight as a kid and his father told him if he wanted to fight. He could go wrestle. So he started training at like 13 years old. He said his first day, they beat the shit out of him and told him to go home. When he showed up the next day, they beat the shit out of him again and sent him home. When he showed up in the 3rd day. They accepted him as a trainee and began his wrestling training.

[@Shinobi33]

Holy shit

[@doubleemcastillano464]

That’s how Hogan broke in…and his leg.

[@liamfeely]

Lies

[@tobiasvosh3878]

Al Snow would beat the hell out of today's pampered WWE roster.

[@ryabterry9782]

Everyone always has a story about walking in 4 feet of snow 0 degrees up hill both ways 5 miles just to go to school at the age of 5

[@whatever_it_takes6691]

And he still walked a couple miles to catch the evening show. Respect.

[@JasonL77]

Ole Anderson was the voice of reason? That's the first time I ever heard those words.

[@timmutohfan]

ole was reasonable, but he had a masterclass ability to ignore the inner voice, that might tell him no...

[@SolidMike84]

The voice of "Fucking!"

[@MrPernell27]

Yes if Old is the voice of reason you must be in a really fucked situation

[@arnabmukherjee5438]

Legend says one can still hear that voice echo : "that was the absolute shits"

[@Shaft-Industries]

LMAO

[@redbuick]

I remember Manny Fernandez talking about seeing those "tryouts",and how Magnum TA saw what was happening and said well I'm out this is BS. Gene and ole called him a coward. Manny said Magnum was smart because he wasn't gonna get a tryout,training anything except his ass abused and beaten down for nothing. I respect Al he's one of my favorites. But everyone's way into anything is different. It just wasn't an easy road for him.magnum wound up trained by Manny.

[@mikedow6302]

I would have had more respect for him back when I watched him wrestle if I'd known what he'd been through

[@travisw3131]

I respect Al for not holding anything against Ole and Gene.

[@luketemple1015]

He doesn't have to. There are plenty of wrestlers who has. And rightfully so.

[@Jim-Tuner]

The thing you have to keep in mind is that guys like Ole got broken into the business in a worse way than what happened with Al Snow. When he first started out, Ole got put in with Danny Hodge - a really tough and skilled guy - and Hodge beat him up in the ring & broke his ribs. But he took it and he came back to wrestling after he healed.

[@johnderekmitchell1510]

I didn't realize how long Al has been around. He looks to be in great condition

[@FreneticZetetic]

This is arguably one of the most amazing "I'm doing it, damn it" stories ever. Making it through that gauntlet is insane enough, but then going to the show instead of eating is super insane. Al Snow runs on pure passion. 110% respect.

[@DerryTim]

best interview yet. thanks. could listen to him talk all day. very intelligent and articulate

[@tomwalker389]

Al is one of the greatest minds and workers in the business.

[@MizzzyMike]

Similar to the story Hogan tells about his first "training" experience, where the guy broke his leg in the ring, and Hogan still showed up again after his leg healed to the same guy

[@grawakendream8980]

he probably pulled a muscle

[@bryantaylor2427]

That goatee is really putting his chin over.

[@Vitaminb]

That story is INSANE!

[@caorosco83]

Gene Anderson always came across as very intense despite not being a huge talker of the team.

[@yardlet6]

He made the Barbarian cry with a nerve pinch on his elbow. Gene knew where to get people.

[@douglaspatrick868]

Alex Batey Best sub two minute Jimmy Cornette story ever, haha. Gene was a crusty old bastard with no qualms about putting the hurt on another person, period. That being said I never heard a bunch of rotten shit about him like you do Ole.

[@grawakendream8980]

Gene didn’t elevate to the position in the business Ole did.

[@Baci302]

Al Snow is a really cool guy. He's such an intelligent and well spoken person. Seems like he could've been a lawyer or actor or politician.

[@Shaft-Industries]

Al's pretty cool to listen to. It's like you're getting a pure unadulterated account of wrestling without a spin on it.

[@philaman1972]

Huge props to Al!

[@dc1397]

Al Snow was always all in when he was in the ring...he is awesome

[@evdallas3847]

ole is mean to the core

[@TheRydog61]

Alot of respect for Al

[@durden2480]

can't say snow didn't pay his dues!

[@PowerAndMight1984]

I've heard this story a few times. Never gets old and it makes you have more respect for these guys. Back then it was brutal. Today with the Performance Centers and more schools than people can count on their fingers, these athletes have it easy...The training is never easy but getting in is much easier these days.

[@Eidenhoek]

Possibly *needlessly* brutal.

[@mrskinszszs]

@@Eidenhoek possibly, but it does toughen you up for the hashness of life.

[@undergrounddominion4065]

What a fuckin' talker al snow is. He is a genius and should have a big position inside the business to make it better.The guy really knows what the fuck this business is all about.

[@haroldhamblinii8241]

Al is a great guy, always helping the younger workers. Thanks al

[@dustinmyers3257]

thank you, you're the man hannibal! keep up the incredible work!

[@davidscott6472]

Al Snow is and was a great talent. Very underrated. Ole taught people the right way, so did Gene, if you couldn't take it then tough shit. Those were real men. Half the guys today couldn't handle that kind of training.

[@koffinradio]

I love hearing these old school stories, and I love Al Snow telling stories!

[@scott4708]

That’s just brutal, Al! Wow!

[@actnow3]

That tryout required a CRAZY amount of conditioning. My quads started burning just listening to the 5 mile run-500 squat-stair combo. I would have been done after the 5 mile run 😅

[@greglancaster9053]

Always liked Al, but I had no idea how deep his wrestling (and other combat experience) went. Fantastic interview, great job!

[@emilkoch4098]

Stories like this is why I love wrestling, and have so much respect for all the wrestling talent, and respect for the business across the board. This was basically considered the wrestling version of the NFL and NBA combine, training camp if you will. The difference is what they did back then in wrestling training camp was way more work than the NFL and NBA combine today. Hard to believe guys like Al had to go through all of that training/abuse and not get paid for it back then just to even have a shot at making the business. I don't agree with how Ole and Greg ran their training camp, but I understand why.

[@sbz88]

That training sounds brutal 😟

[@tolkus53]

this is a story a old fan loves to hear.

[@bigbaba1491]

Actually Ole Anderson got the same treatment. When he was about to break into the business Verne Gagne made him run, do hundreds of squats and pushups until he was about to fall over from exhaustion, then he made him wrestle Danny Hodge (olympic silver medalist) who wrestled the shit out of him breaking his nose and ribs sending him to the hospital. So basically the same thing....

[@grawakendream8980]

Hodge's working was more dangerous than anyone else's shooting

[@scotttavernier720]

Very good interview. Al snow is class

[@edlynward4359]

I don't know if he has a bad memory or is just confused. The dog collar match was at Starcade 83' in Greensboro. He was in charlotte and supposedly went to that match the same night. Also he mentions the ropes and mentions the WCW rings. WCW was founded in 1988. I also believe snow had his debut in 82'.

[@furnitureconsortium]

the starrcade match wasnt the first dog collar match between them, they did that match at house shows as well.

[@lancehill1397]

a legend......

[@billfranco4731]

good interview

[@timdupill9839]

"He bit me! The man bit me!" Hahahhaa.

[@massiethomassie751]

the legendary Verne Gagne training

[@rmac5584]

Real tough guy!

[@evdallas3847]

great insight

[@tonymctony4551]

I couldn't imagine dusty rhodes doing 400 push ups. What's with the pushups?

[@outlawsupreme1324]

Depending on the person and muscle development and your reps you put in everyday you can get strong as fuck from push ups and if you focus on your breathing it can help cardio

[@ryabterry9782]

It's because Al snow is full of shat

[@jimh4167]

Might maybe be smart to take wrestling in high school and college Back then and now

[@jonathanhensley6141]

Tony atlas Also talks about how wrestling was a closed society and how it was to get In. He said pro wrestlers were the toughest guys around because if u insulted what they did then they would beat the crap out of u.

[@stevea6192]

Notice how after taking the “students” money, and abusing them, no one got a tryout? They never were going to give them one. They preyed on the dreams of these guys to get their money. And people wonder why they called wresting fans “marks”? You were nothing but a sucker to them.

[@bobbycecere]

sounds like you got worked fam

[@AntoRetroGamer]

Do you guys ever listen to the points being made...

[@Jim-Tuner]

If you listen carefully, there were two groups participating. There were the guys off the street who wanted to be wrestlers and then there were the guys that Ole was really training for the business. The point of the "open tryout" for pro-wrestling back in the day wasn't to find new wrestlers, it was to show those guys off the street that pro wrestlers were athletically no joke and to convince them that it was all real. Back in the day, you got into being trained for pro-wrestling by knowing somebody or being noticed by somebody. You got in by being invited in. Those open try-outs were always a work designed for marks.

[@cloud8317]

What Al describes sounds absolutely brutal.

[@josecavazos1869]

Shit this sounds more intense than buds training.

[@georgepalmer6762]

Perry Saturn said it was more intense than Ranger training.

[@stevejamieson8468]

This makes me agree with what Manny Fernandez said even more about this crap they put people like Al through. These trainees were too physically exhausted to show what they might have been capable of doing if they more fresh. I wrestled in High School and College, did Freestyle tournaments, did submission grappling, and MMA. Never once in training did they do any of this crap to us, let alone the dirty crap that Al described.

[@masavoy0228]

Sounds like that WCW power plant tryout

[@plovy5115]

"Al Snow was the drizzling shits." - Ole Anderson

[@adamrobinette139]

To Ole Anderson everyone was the drizzling shits, except him. To hear him tell it, he invented Pro Wrestling, and the exclamation point...

[@oxcarthabu]

"Ole Anderson was the drizzling shits."- Ole Anderson

[@MadmanXXVII]

I laughed so hard at this comment!

[@mattbadish7840]

Hannibal u should try and get Ole Anderson to do 1 of these interviews that would be AWESOME

[@TheHannibalTV]

Very possible if I ever go to Atlanta again.

[@mattbadish7840]

Thanks for the reply

[@grawakendream8980]

@@TheHannibalTV Did you ever make it back to Atlanta? I think Ole would definitely respect you because of your resume. And that he probably can't touch his fingers around your wrist.

[@StevensBorowsky]

Wow. Remarkable, reminds me of the military haha.

[@MoveInSilence23]

💯

[@evanabbott2737]

Sounds kinda like seal training, weeding out the weaker people.🤔

[@steveaguiar1934]

My first MMA boot camp made me puke twice, literally they try to break you for your own good , this sounds familiar a little bit.

[@johngallagher72]

It's a tactic in book camp and the military ..break the persons will and they are yours to do as you please because you wont resist.

[@Jim-Tuner]

Its not much different from the military. The only way you test people's character alot of the time is to take them to their limits. Its rough, but it weeds out the quitters and the guys with bad attitudes. Its better to get people out of there who don't want it fast than to have them and others waste six month figuring out that they don't want it.

[@mileswebb9027]

ha ha ha ha ha. Such an awesome story. Thanks Al

[@AhtoNajeebRashied]

Al is da man.

[@dustinmyers3257]

is the full interview available anywhere? all i have found are various segments which are all great but i would love to see the full interview

[@TheHannibalTV]

It will be posted in the coming weeks.

[@scottanderson8167]

Ole sounds like a real peach.

[@barryjackson1401]

what a story!

[@VishiousLOW]

See they can't break people into the business like that nowadays. You get some guys who know how to grapple and or fight, and end up kicking one of the trainers ass. Tha bully shit only works so long.

[@MT-tu8dt]

How the hell can you still wrestle after all those vicious workout routines?! It's crazy.

[@bobdole7292]

hes a pro wrestler dude u think hes remotely close to telling the truth

[@JackgarPrime]

Well none of the guys doing that routine were wrestlers yet, and I HIGHLY doubt any of the active wrestlers were doing anything close to that as regular training. The point of this was to beat the shit out of people who say they want to be wrestlers and try to see if they break before agreeing to train them.

[@raym.778]

@@JackgarPrime I think _his_ point was that pro-wrestlers are essentially like carnies. Notorious liars.

[@Jim-Tuner]

You were not meant to wrestle after all that. You were meant to get beat up. Back in the day, that was part of the process for getting in. Its really a test of a guys character and a test of how bad he really wants to do it. 90% of guys that get put in any kind of tough situation will fold or walk away. They were the looking for the few that keep going no matter how bad it got. And its really true that the only way you can test the character of most guys is to take them to their limits.

[@bobnewfart7630]

When I see Al Snow I think of one thing and that's Head. lol

[@falagarius]

What I don't get: Al Snow passed every part of the tryout, and didn't get picked. What would anyone have to do to get a chance?

[@kevthegoat8774]

Do you think people tried this with guys like Steve Williams, Bart Gunn, Ron Simmons, Danny Hodge, Scott Steiner etc I doubt it.

[@tysman621]

Would love to see Hannibal vs lesnar.

[@liamfeely]

Why

[@ryabterry9782]

You know when all snow is lying ..his mouth is moving

[@bryantaylor2427]

Al "they were very classy individuals" Snow.

[@djohanson99]

he so right:not everyone can do this. I think how he went thru it was proper, how else can we know if you for real? give me 400 push-ups along with a bunch of other shit and then i respect your position. Not Everyone can do this. that is a fact!!!!

[@morbid1]

I wish he would have said what the result of him going there was . Did they call him ? I mean what was the result . He obviously made it but it would have been nice to know the results of that specific tryout.

[@grawakendream8980]

Gene was definitely of the old school cloth that couldn’t have caught on in ånother line of work easily.

[@JA_WILL]

I believe Gene became a Deputy Sheriff after his Wrasslin career. Just imagine that eye twitching once he pulled you over

[@gregorykrug8034]

And they didn't comp him a ticket to the show?

[@durden2480]

Of course not

[@jimmybenyoucef4416]

Being through all of that hell is bigger accomplishment than having a pathetic WWE title run, imo

[@jacobsamazingfamilyfun922]

Stop exaggerating Al

[@skullface2694]

you always hear about these wrestlers doing crazy shit to train, but half of these dudes dont look like they could do any of it....i refuse to believe dusty rhoades ran ANYWHERE....

[@adamdavis2760]

the donut store???

[@evilTaker90V2]

SKULLFACE But Dusty sold tickets, that's what matters. His charisma got him over, not his body

[@yardlet6]

Dusty was an athlete in West Texas University. A lot of wrestlers went there either in football and amateur wrestling.

[@geoffa87]

Jay Burgess actually, if you go back and look at his stuff as the gaint in wcw he was in great shape. Plus this was the mid 90s, Al broke in way before that.

[@theb3654]

SKULLFACE You can be fat and a good athlete at the same time. NFL players for example.

[@JABS991]

Wow. Great story. They put Al in hell. ... what the hell did the BIG names in wrestling have to go through?!

[@durden2480]

Depending on the era, as well as the trainer

[@nathueil1]

Ya know your gonna get your ass kicked as soon as you sign a Hold Harmless agreement lol🤦‍♂️🤣

[@takerdust]

Not sure if I understand the story. Al wouldn't give up multiple times, despite everyone else quitting, and they still rejected him? Was the point of the "tryout" was only to beat up new guys to spread the word that wrestling was too tough for outsiders?

[@televiper11]

That’s right. Ole details it in his book- a scam to fleece marks and toughen up the business’s rep

[@tonymctony4551]

Al Snow?

[@ENCwwe]

A lot of older wrestlers were like some soldiers in the military, they’re thugs who require a job where they can kick people’s asses or they’d be doing it in the streets.

[@craighoward6243]

People, don't realize or understand kayfabe they have no clue. Anyone of these so-called fake Athletes, with a fake spot. Can't hurt anyone. This is the " secret" at any time any " Fake wrestler" can put one of those moves on a non Athlete. I had the figure 4 leg lock put on me. Hurt like nobody's business. Thought my legs were going to break! Oh it's not fake. They apply the holds so it does not hurt!

[@thevoiceofreason6712]

Im the only voice of reason

[@josephmiller4497]

They tried to do it to Magnum TA who was trained by Mannie Fernandez The Ragging Bull .who wouldn't play the game so they gas them so they can man handle whoever and for once I disagree with Al Snow normally I agree now what they were doing was saving spots for their hand picked guys and maybe making a guy who may love it hate everybody is different some need the face to face screaming to bring out their best while the next needs somebody to go slow down try again you can do it you go by the person and learn.

[@jaronzennaiter]

Whats the point of the tryout then? What were they looking for? To hurt ppl?

[@fjccommish]

Run 5 miles, 500 squats, run stands, 400 pushups, run there and back with people on your back, jumping jacks, now wrestle - me: "Hold on. Let me do all that again. That will be a decent warm up before I work out."

[@mrjeremyleblanc]

Ole Anderson got stretched and brutalized by Danny Hodge his first match. He came back. Didn't Hogan get his leg broken at first? Wrestling used to be trial by fire

[@sandranapier3741]

Did Ole want to be given HEAD??

[@ryabterry9782]

Everyone always has a story about walking in 4 feet of snow 0 degrees up hill both ways 5 miles just to go to school at the age of 5 ...a bunch of BS

[@hereticlife2546]

There’s no way those numbers are real. There’s just not, sorry.

[@jackfrost728]

al snow would have been 20 years old in nov of 83 not a teenager. good story but not 100% true.

[@Wonderboy1126]

He knows how to tell a story. Never believe a pro wrassler

[@duster71]

Wonderboy1126 what the fuck do you know,

[@000slasher]

4.14 an STF ?

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

What percentage of this do you perceive to be true? I'm guessing it's quite minimal.

[@geoffa87]

DuckTalesWooHoo1987 considering other things I've heard from other old school guys, I can see this being true. Hulk Hogan talks about Hiro Matsuda breaking his leg on purpose on his first day training. Sid talks about Tojo Yammamoto(sp?) beating him with a stick to toughen him up. It was different back then, they presented it as real and they needed to make sure you were tough enough to be there and that you weren't gonna go running your mouth that it was fake.

[@Papawill13]

Anyone who eats during an interview has no Class. It is Foul, Disgusting, and shows you have no manners nor care about others.

[@lotus7357]

He used steroids

[@marcussanders6975]

Lol tough guys

[@JuniorLewingKoo]

Don't care about Flair, Arn, Gene, Ole Anderson, JJ Dillion, Dusty Rhodes, Kevin Sullivan, Bill Watts. These individuals strikes me as a bunch of conniving, lying conmen. It's one man's opinion.

[@kanekanekaneable]

Regarding what

[@misfitdanzig8152]

Pro wrestling is real not that reality bullshit total bellas.