Heidenreich has reflected on one of the most bizarre WWE segments.
The former WWE star recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet for his first interview in over 10 years. He talked about things such as the recent viral photo showing him working in Walmart, health issues he is dealing with after his long athletic career, and more.
During the talk, the retired wrestler was also asked about his infamous segment with Michael Cole and how he feels about it 2 decades later. Heidenreich admitted that the memory of that segment will always be disturbing for him:
“It’ll always be disturbing, there’s no doubt about it. I mean, it was brought to me, I don’t remember particulars, but I do remember thinking, man, this is really off the wall. When you’re training to do vignettes and practicing in Louisville, you don’t practice for a vignette like that.”
Heidenreich Reveals Original Pitch For Infamous Segment
The September 16, 2004, episode of SmackDown saw Heidenreich dragging Michael Cole to a backstage area. The wrestling star was seen forcing himself on Cole and telling the broadcast personality that he has been studying him. The segment ended with the former tag champion locking the door and telling the WWE commentator that he was going to give Cole what he wanted.
When asked how he was pitched the segment, the 53-year-old noted that he was told that he would be giving Michael Cole a poem. Though he admitted that the real meaning behind the segment was very clear and he still finds it disturbing all these years later:
“Well, I mean, they said I was gonna abduct him, and bring him to the back, and then put him in a room. Then I think it was like you’re gonna act like you were like watching him, and you’re going one place with it. It’s like you’re going like it, and then you say, I’m gonna give you a poem.
But it sounds like I’m gonna give him something other than a poem. I don’t know if it’s innuendos and stuff when you say it, ‘I’ve been watching you, I know what you want, and I’m gonna give it to you.’ But I look back and all the things that have been said about all these years, it’s kind of made me infamous, more than famous. But it’s disturbing still, and it’s weird.”
Michael Cole’s Reaction
Heidenreich later also revealed Michael Cole’s reaction to the whole thing, saying that even if the segment was disturbing and weird, the WWE veteran was down for it. The former WWE star did note, however, that the segment made his wrestling run more memorable than anything else:
“I guess he was kind of like, this is weird, and joking around. But he wasn’t like I didn’t like it, off-put or not wanting to do it. I mean, I could tell he was down for whatever. It’s like we’re working together, right? It’s a scene, and we’re building a story. He was whimpering. I mean, even though it was disturbing and weird and bizarre, I would have never come up with that on my own. I think it helped. That thing made me more memorable. People will never forget that.”
After getting released from his WWE contract in 2006, Heidenreich has had a couple of short indie runs. He last entered the ring in 2018 for a battle royal, but the former footballer has largely stayed out of the business since the end of his WWE career.