Doug Sommers Shoot Interview

Doug Sommers is a name synonymous with wrestling and “Pretty Boy” sat down with RF VIDEO to go on record about his glorious career. Breaking into the industry at the tender age of nine years old with the help of Harley Race, Sommers learned the art of wrestling the hard way and worked his way up the ladder in all the territories. Amarillo. Dallas. Minneapolis. Mid South. Florida. Anywhere and everywhere, and Sommers has tales to show for it as he talks about working with, and for, some of the biggest names wrestling has ever produced. Terry Funk. Verne Gagne. The Von Erichs. Dusty Rhodes. Captain Redneck Dick Murdoch. Leroy McGuirk. The Gilberts. The Guerreros. Bill Watts. Calling all wrestling historians, this is one interview that shouldn’t go under the radar. Many of us fondly remember Doug from his days in the AWA and of course he spent a long time talking about his time in Gagne’s Minnesota based promotion. “Pretty Boy” gives one backstage story after another that have never been heard on camera before. The Iron Sheik. The Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty). Larry Zybsko. Greg Gagne. Curt Hennig. Scott Hall. Nick Bockwinkel. One name after another and no serious AWA fan should consider their collection complete without this incredible shoot. To top it off, Sommers gives his favorite road stories with his partner Buddy Rose and their manager Sherri Martel. In a word, this DVD is fun. It was fun to conduct and, for fans, it is fun to watch. How did you get into the business Is it true that you did ring crew as a teenager for Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling Did the boys ever let you into their inner circle Did any of the guys give you an extra hard time since you were young How big was kayfabe back then Did anyone mentor you Is it true that Harley Race trained you Any good road stories How did you wind up starting to train You refereed for awhile, memories of that What helped you as a referee that you used later on to become a good worker Who taught you how to bump and psychology What was the training like When did you realize you were ready Can you talk about paying your dues back then Memories of early matches against Danny Miller Memories of your first match Was it harder or easier to be taken seriously by the boys who knew you as a ring crew kid Memories of working for Leroy McGuirk Was he a fair booker Memories teaming with Ron MacFarlane Memories of matches with the Gilberts Did you see potential in Eddie Memories of matches with Hector Guerrero Memories of Japan tours Memories wrestling in Georgia Memories teaming with Bobby Shane Memories of matches with Alexis Smirnoff Any good road stories Memories of Ole Anderson Memories of matches with Buzz Sawyer Why do you think you weren’t pushed hard in Georgia later in your career Memories of Jim Barnett Memories of Gordon Solie Memories of Dusty Rhodes Memories of Thunderbolt Patterson Do you think Dusty stole his gimmick Memories of wrestling a young Bob Orton Memories of Andre the Giant Memories of Mr. Wrestling 2 Memories of Tommy Rich Memories of working the Florida territory Good road stories Memories of working for Bill Watts Thoughts on Bill Any good road stories Memories of Porkchop Cash Memories of working Central States Memories of Bob Geigel Were the payoffs as bad as they say Memories of Ric Flair You wrestled in Memphis, thoughts on Lawler as a promoter and booker Thoughts on Jerry Jarrett Memories teaming with Randy Rose in Memphis Larry Zbysko talked once about wrestling you in a match in the AWA where you shit your pants. Is that true? Memories wrestling in St Louis Thoughts on Sam Muchnick Memories of wrestling a young Kevin Sullivan Most fans of this generation remember you from the AWA, how did you wind up in the AWA Who’s idea was it to team you with Buddy Rose Did you know you had good chemistry right away Memories of Sherri Martel managing you Was there ever any romance between you and her The AWA was hot at the time you came in, why do you think it failed Initial memories of Verne Some people say Verne never even watched his own product, true Was there a disconnect between the younger guys and the veterans How hot do you think the AWA could have been Memories of your first matches with the Rockers Did you guys know you had something What made them so good Shawn has talked about being crazy and immature back then, do you agree The Nasty Boys said in their shoot that they’d watch your matches as they did ring crew, do you remember them Thoughts on Greg Gagne Memories of WrestleRock and the videos Memories of a young Scott Hall =0 A Memories of your classic ESPN bloodbath against the Rockers Why do you think that match is still remembered today as a classic Were you surprised when WWE put it out on a DVD Thoughts on Shawn’s success Do people recognize you today from that DVD Has the DVD opened up the door for more bookings, etc Did the WWE ever contact you and Buddy about doing an angle with Shawn Memories of Bruiser Brody Buddy Rose did an interview and said that he and Col. Debeers had better matches with the Rockers than you and he did. Your thoughts? What are your thoughts overall on Buddy Were you surprised that Shawn and Marty came back Memories of matches with Hall and Hennig Memories of Nick Bockwinkel You disappeared for a little while after you lost the titles. Where did you go How did you wind up back in the AWA teaming with Soldat Ustinov Were you surprised that Verne called What led to you finally leaving How did you wind up in WCW in the early 1990s Was it hard to not have a big role at that time Why do you think you didn?t get a bigger push When did you finally retire and why What do you do for a full time living these days Favorite and least fav guys to work with Who did you think would have really made it big and didn’t and vice versa Who was your favorite tag team partner Do you still watch wrestling What are your thoughts on all of the deaths of the past few years and which in particular hit you hardest Thoughts on UFC and comparisons to pro wrestling Do you want to write a book Fav ribs and road stories Do you enjoy doing the nostalgia shows Thoughts on the lack of kayfabe today Do you still have a passion for the business What do you miss most and least about being a full time wrestler