Former WWE Star Says He Was “Disrespected” By NXT Head Coach
Barry Horowitz believes he has been disrespected by NXT Head Coach Matt Bloom and says he still has a lot to offer the wrestling business if given the chance.
Horowitz will be a familiar name to fans of the World Wrestling Federation in the late eighties and mid-nineties. The Floridian had two runs with the company where he was mainly used as enhancement talent helping elevate the promotion’s star attractions. The master of the self-back pat’s most notable victory in the company when the ultimate underdog defeated Bodydonna Skip at SummerSlam 1995.
Speaking to Nick Hausman on The Wrestling Inc. Daily Show, Barry Horowitz discussed what he sees as his future in the business. According to Horowitz, he has a lot to give the next generation of wrestling stars.
Horowitz explained:
“My last hurrah in my career, besides doing things like this, is to be a coach at some kind of Performance Center or training center. So I could pass on my knowledge and what the Malenkos taught me. We’re not training for two or three months and you got a guy that’s been in the business three years.”
“I’ve been in the business over 30 years, I’ve paid my dues. I’ve been trained by the best in the world, bar none. I don’t care who wants to talk up and do this. Maybe I’m being biased but if we want to get logistics out, and terminology and whatever else you want to pull out of your hat, Malenko’s the best.”
Trained by the legendary Boris Malenko, Horowtiz wants to pass that invaluable knowledge on, and notes that there’s a facility not far from where he lives that would be the perfect place to do so – the WWE Performance Center. However, Horowitz feels he has been slighted in the past by Head Coach at the PC, Matt Bloom.
Horowitz continued:
“I live an hour from the Performance Center. Is my word getting through? I don’t know because think about it, you got a stew, I just want to make it more flavorful. I don’t want to take nobody’s spot. I don’t want to take Shawn’s [Michaels] spot, Norman Smiley, Matt Bloom, the head trainer. What do I know about Matt Bloom? Nothing. He was Tensai and Prince Albert, two gimmicks that failed in a year and he disrespected me over the phone completely. I mean, how dare you? I’m not comparing myself to these gentlemen, but Ricky Steamboat, [Ric] Flair, [Hulk] Hogan. The list goes on, Jimmy Valiant, Rufus R. Jones, Johnny Weaver, [Roddy] Piper.”
“How dare you say, ‘Barry, you’ve been out of wrestling for a while’ like I’m just getting off the couch and I need a job. I’ve surrounded myself by this, and he says, ‘Do you know who our CEO is and world champion?’ First of all, I don’t care. Second of all, if that’s my only flaw when I get to the building, take me in a room for 10 minutes and you could smarten me up and I’m up to speed. What you need to worry about, does Barry look the part? Is Barry in shape? Does he look good to our students? Does he talk good to our students? Does he bully our students? Does he show up on time? Does he have drug problems?”
For Barry Horowitz, the confusion as to why he has been seemingly left in wrestling’s rearview mirror extends past the confines of WWE:
“What? Are you afraid of me? You should be because I will take your f**king spot in one minute! Not trying, knowing, there’s a difference. Trying to take the spot or knowing, and I know. I’m not perfect, but I’m a lot better now than these other clowns. So I find it highly disrespectful, especially All Elite Wrestling. It’s right up my alley all the wrestling they do there. I know some of the guys that are behind the scenes. I have no idea, and if I have some kind of ‘hidden heat’ or something, I’d rather somebody call me up and say, ‘We just don’t like you,’ or, ‘you got to heat,’ but I’m seeing guys getting taken that have had fights on airplanes, that have never worked for Vince [McMahon] or caused problems. What? Is that what I need to do? I’ll pass. I’m legit. I’m real. I don’t play that s**t.”