Arn Anderson has given his thoughts on the critique of one of the most controversial additions to the legendary Four Horsemen group.
For years, the group prided themselves on being the cream of the crop and excelling in excellence. Not that every member of Ric Flair’s elitist faction had been the best in-ring performer but it had always consisted of established talent.
This changed in 1996 at WCW’s Great American Bash event. During a match featuring Ric Flair and Arn Anderson against NFL football players, Kevin Greene and Steve McMichael. In the storyline, during the match it was revealed that McMichael, nicknamed “Mongo”, had been given a briefcase full of cash and offered a position within the Horsemen. Thus McMichael turned heel on his partner and joined Flair and Anderson in celebration.
Mongo would go onto be a full-time wrestler in WCW despite having such little experience beforehand. Arn Anderson spoke about Mongo on ‘Arn’. Many fans were vocal with their feelings that Mongo was struggling with his newfound role in the world of professional wrestling. Double A reflected on this.
So, the people who are critical of ‘Mongo’ and his ability to wrestle I welcome you to try that. We’re sitting in the back, and he went ‘Double-A, I’m sorry about that, man. I know that was terrible.’ I went, ‘Look, Mongo, don’t sweat it, man. We all make mistakes.’ But you could just tell that it bothered him that he wasn’t groomed enough to position himself to do really well and I know he got a lot of flack, which he did not deserve.”
Mongo retired from full-time action in 1999. In 2001, the former football player was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), better known in some circles as motor neurone disease (MND).
“He’s fighting a horrible disease. It’s so humbling to see pictures of him, it just rips my guts out, here’s a guy who came into our business, was an All-Pro football player in the NFL with no formal training, and was immediately put in a main event match with Ric (Flair) and myself against him and Kevin Greene. And when I say no formal training, I mean ‘No Formal Training.’
Ric Flair On His Relationship With Arn Anderson
It has been public knowledge for years that Ric Flair was best friends with Arn Anderson for many decades. However, as reported in 2021, the ‘Nature Boy’s’ relationship with his former Horsemen colleagues was not what it was in later years. Here the multiple time World champion reveals wishes both Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard well and answers whether or not he thinks they’ll be back together.
H/t to TJRWrestling.net