FREE Post: Maven talks to Fightful about Goldberg, Taker and his career

Fightful spoke with Maven ahead of Black Label Pro Crowning Glory on September 4.

The interview begins with Sean Ross Sapp introducing Maven Huffman, the original Tough Enough winner.

Maven discusses moments that left an impression on fans, such as his famous elimination of The Undertaker at the 2002 WWE Royal Rumble. He shares insights into the behind-the-scenes elements of wrestling, highlighting the importance of genuine reactions and the result of quality camera work. 

The conversation delves more in-depth into the elimination of The Undertaker, highlighting the storytelling of the event. Maven credits The Undertaker's professionalism and the perfect camera angles that captured the moment. He shares that his reactions were genuine and mentions being advised by The Undertaker to "just react" during the match. Maven recalled The Undertaker’s reaction when he was getting back into the ring after the elimination. Maven said, “When he came into the ring, I didn't know if I kicked him too hard because I thought he was really pissed at me. I'm like, oh shit, what did I do?”

Sean mentioned Maven's famous dropkick, which is often regarded as one of the best in the business. The conversation circles around to comparing other wrestlers' dropkicks, mentioning Mark Jindrak, Randy Orton, and Bob Holly. Maven discusses wrestling moves and the athletes of different eras. Maven added, “People don't realize how freaky of an athlete Mark Jindrak was.”

Maven recounts his experiences teaming with Goldberg during house shows, noting the simplicity of his role in the matches and the stark difference in their paychecks. He mentioned that he would team with Goldberg, and they would face the likes of Triple H, Ric Flair, and Randy Orton of Evolution. He said he would get his ass kicked for 15 minutes until he made the hot tag to Goldberg. Maven said Goldberg would hit the jackhammer and get the win. Maven said they [WWE Producers] didn’t want him to celebrate the victory with Goldberg. 

Maven discusses his heel turn and character development, especially his conflicted feelings towards Evolution. He said he prefers playing a heel over a face, finding more enjoyment and creative freedom.

Maven spoke about his career after WWE, including his stint in the UWF and a brief tenure with TNA. Maven said he was crushed after being released from WWE, which led him to explore other entertainment avenues, including the reality TV show "The Surreal Life." 

Sean mentioned that he loves reality shows and also mentioned that cast members are getting harassed out in public, and Maven would not let that fly. 

Sean mentions Maven's successful YouTube channel, which has gained significant following in the wrestling world. Maven explains the approach behind his content creation, focusing on engaging storytelling that resonates with viewers. He emphasizes the importance of making YouTube videos that happen to be about wrestling, rather than just wrestling videos, to reach a broader audience.

Maven shares how his partner encouraged him to explore content ideas he initially found trivial, such as what was in his wrestling gear bag. Maven explained that fans are eager to learn every detail about the wrestling world. Maven recognizes that many fans wanted to know everything about wrestling and said he was the same when he was younger.

Maven recognizes that some people believe his channel reveals too much about the wrestling business. Yet, Maven says his channel provides a behind-the-scenes look to help make fans more knowledgeable and engaged. 

In closing, Maven mentioned The Undertaker's post-retirement presence on social media, where fans now get to know the man behind the character. Maven believes it would have been unfortunate if The Undertaker's personality had remained a mystery, as he is now seen as a captivating storyteller. 

Maven shares a personal story about having dinner with The Undertaker in Austin, Texas. He was part of a group that included The Godfather, Midion (a.k.a. Phineas Godwin), Chris Van Vliet, and others. They enjoyed a private meal in an empty steakhouse. Maven said, “It was literally like when you were in kindergarten, and your teacher got everybody to get on Indian style around the carpet. We were all like circling around to hear him tell stories, and he's one of the most captivating storytellers of this generation.”

Maven will appear at BLP Crowning Glory on September 4th in Chicago, Illinois, at the Logan Square Auditorium. The event will feature Jordynne Grace, Tom Lawlor, Raj Dhesi (f.k.a. Jinder Mahal), Mustafa Ali, Mandy Sacs (f.k.a. Mandy Rose), and others. The event will air live on Chris Van Vliet’s Youtube channel (youtube.com/@ChrisVanVliet)

See the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_RWxyfTqjA