83 Weeks - Johnny B. Badd [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today we’re discussing Marc Mero - better known in his WCW days as Johnny B. Badd - as he was born July 9, 1960 will be celebrating his 63rd birthday this week. Marc trained to be a pro wrestler in 1990 after several years as a boxer, where his main accolade was to become New York Golden Gloves Champion.

Eric - when do you first hear of Marc Mero?

What were your first impressions of meeting him?

He also briefly pursued a bodybuilding career before being trained for pro wrestling by the Malenkos in Tampa. There’s not many people that can train you to be a better wrestler than the Malenkos back then was there?

Mero originally appeared in WCW in 1991 as an enhancement guy before Dusty Rhodes christened him Johnny B. Badd - a nod to the song “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry, and the look of a flamboyant Little Richard character. The Johnny B. Badd character is one of the more well remembered “characters” from WCW. Why do you think that is?

Marc had this to say on the creation of Johnny B Badd:

"Johnny B Badd was Dusty Rhodes' creation. As you know I was just Marc Mero back then trying to make it into the business, and when he saw me he said 'I got this gimmick - Did anybody ever tell you you look like Little Richard?' Now, I thought he meant a wrestler named Richard which I'd never heard of, you know, so he said, "you never heard [of] Little Richard?" he starts singing like, you know, Little Richard singing. 'Oh, the singer Little Richard!' I said, I've never heard that before! And the next thing I realized was he had this Johnny B Badd character in mind. And I gotta tell you, it was probably the most fun I've ever had in the business."

In 1991 - this is a different type of gimmick for WCW let alone for professional wrestling. This is just the genius of Dusty is it not?

He’s a heel originally, managed by Teddy Long, and was unveiled at the SuperBrawl PPV in May of 1991 and you would begin in WCW just after this. He’s quite the outlandish character, with sparkles and said at one point, “I’m so pretty, I should have been born a little girl.” Do you know if Marc ever had an issue with the way the character was portrayed?

Badd would face the Yellow Dog (Brian Pillman) in his PPV debut match at the 1991 Great American Bash…and the entrance is great. But you can tell he’s not exactly TV ready in the ring. The match goes 6 minutes and there’s flashes of greatness but when Brian Pillman can’t get a halfway decent match out of you, Yellow Dog gimmick factored in, it’s a tough road ahead is it not?

He would defeat underneath talent with a right hand - take off of his boxing career - but then put a lip sticker on his opponents face. Everyone knew what they were going for with this gimmick right?

That doesn’t stop WCW as he gets to take on Sting and suffers his first pinfall loss at the Clash of the Champions in a US title match - more remembered for Cactus Jack coming out of a box than the match itself.

On the house shows Badd is paired up with “Stunning” Steve Austin, which is odd because it’s two heels taking each other on, but it was important for Badd to get moving in the right direction for his ring work…and who better to put him in there than with Austin, right?

There’s a lot of interviews with you, Mero & Teddy Long taking place at the time as Mero is getting more and more comfortable on the mic and in the ring. Any memories of these?

They’re building to a split of Badd & Teddy, do you think Badd as a character in 91 was better suited as a babyface, or do you think WCW had to turn him considering the crowds were chanting the “F” word at him more and more?

At the Clash the split takes place when he loses to Brian Pillman in his challenge for the WCW Light Heavyweight Title. Badd has Pillman pinned after the knockout punch but Teddy Long doesn’t let go of the ref in time and it costs him the match. What did you think of Teddy Long as a manager in WCW?

Badd further cemented his babyface turn in a match where he and the Diamond Studd lost to the Z-Man and PN News on the December 22, 1991 edition of The Main Event.
Studd and DDP then attack Badd after the match. The relationship between DDP & Mero is well known now - but back then what was it like do you know?

Why do you think those two gravitated towards each other?

As a babyface, he began using "Badd Blaster", a confetti gun that he would fire before his matches while making his entrance. This is such a great babyface move is it not?

He’s a popular and over babyface but to be honest…much of 1992 he’s just mid card fodder with no real direction or program. What do you think was missing from either Marc or the character at this point?

The boxer aspect of his gimmick is pushed heavily - do you think that was the right way to go?

At Clash of the Champions 21 he would take on Scotty Flamingo - Raven - in a boxing match. Eric - why do these things never work? Why do people continue to book this stuff when it’s just insulting to fans?

From the Observer

Scotty Flamingo KO'd Johnny B. Badd at 1:01 of the second round. Worked boxing matches always come off bad because people have seen enough "non-worked" (and even worked that they thought were non-worked) to know the difference.

Before the match they did an interview with Dallas Page and Vinnie Vegas as a guy with hair styled from the back to look like Don King talked to Flamingo. Flamingo was as good as is possible under these circumstances and Badd did come off like a legit boxer, but it looked pretty bad overall. After a 2:00 first round where Flamingo got destroyed, Page poured water in Flamingo’s gloves, and he KO'd Badd in the second round. *

It’s wrestling - why can’t it just be wrestling, and how do you not let the boxer win the boxing match? He’s the babyface! Shouldn’t he overcome these odds?

Somehow - the next program Badd is involved in is…with Maxx Payne. Eric - chat me up - what’s your favorite Maxx Payne match?

During this…rivalry…Payne stole the Badd Blaster…and that’s the story. Payne would shoot Badd in the face with it…injuring him and forcing Badd to forfeit their match at Clash of the Champions with facial injuries. It would make Badd don a mask…the creative in WCW in 1993 - not the best was it?

At Beach Blast Badd would get the win over Payne before losing to him a no disqualification match on Saturday Night. It builds to a mask vs. guitar match at the Clash in August where Badd would get the win and take Payne’s guitar. Riveting stuff is it not Eric?

As your ascent in WCW begins, did you have a good relationship with Marc? Did you know about his wife Rena - aka Sable?

Badd works a lot with Steven Regal who was TV champion at the time including a title match at the next Clash in November. These were very good matches, how did you see Badd evolve as a worker in two years?

One of the higher profile moments for Badd is at Slamboree in Philadelphia challenging Steve Austin for the US Title.

From the Observer:

1. Steve Austin pinned Johnny B. Badd in 16:12 to retain the U.S. title. Badd came out with "I love Philly" on his ring jacket and was still booed. They mainly worked on the mat for the first 13:00 interspersed with good high spots but everything looked good. The finishing sequence was very good at the time but the finish looked similar to every manager finish on the card which got old. Badd had Austin pinned but Rob Parker distracted the ref. Badd went after Parker and Austin tried to hit Badd, who moved and hit Parker. Badd schoolboyed Austin for a near fall. Badd then used his sunset flip off the top rope for another near fall. Austin then gave Badd a back suplex and it looked as though they were going to do a double pin finish with Austin getting his shoulder up, but the part after the suplex looked very clumsy with Austin winding up on top. Badd KO'd Austin after the match. **¼

The whole “I love Philly” jacket and still getting booed is classic Philly is it not?

When you look back at WCW in 1994 before Hulk enters the picture, you see Badd, Austin, Pillman, Dustin Rhodes in the midcard…names that you would eventually see help push the WWF in 1996 & 1997’s talent roster in the right direction before the Attitude Era really takes shape in 1998. Looking back - how much talent did WCW have that maybe was underutilized that could’ve helped the company in the long run? Or did they need to go the WWF and “learn a new hold” as they say?

You see these ranges of talent, leaving the WWF to become bigger stars in WCW like Hall & Nash in 96, and the rise of Foley, Austin, Rock in 98 to fill those gaps…that’s just how wrestling will always be right? Leave one terrority for another and sometimes it works for the talent and sometimes it works for the company right? Do you think that’s why fans are so invested in people leaving WWE for AEW and vice versa? The aspect of wrestling being like professional sport players who leave for other teams?

Back on topic - Badd finally wins some gold at Fall Brawl 1994 as he defeats Regal for the TV title.

From the Observer

1. Johnny B. Badd captured the WCW TV title from Steve Regal in 11:08. Some good wrestling early with a lot different from the usual variety of spots. Badd even used an airplane spin early. He did a tope which the camera missed completely. Badd missed a crossbody and caught his throat on the

ropes. Sir William choked him with a cane. It slowed down at 7:30 with Regal riding Badd

and Badd making intermittent comebacks. They did two near falls based around Sir William's interference backfiring before Badd got the pin with a backslide. **½

Meltzer brings up a missed dive, when your Executive Producer - does that type of stuff drive you insane?

For some reason…after winning the TV title…you program him with Wayne Ferris…the Honky Tonk Man. Did you not like Johnny? Or did you not know you hated the Honky Tonk Man at this point?

What’s the thought process behind Badd & Honky? I mean the idea would be to give Badd a rub as the upcoming star and Honky the veteran…right?

At Halloween Havoc they go to a 10 minute draw for the TV title…do you think the time limit gimmick for the TV title made it feel like a lesser belt?

Did Mero ever come to you with any issues with working with Honky?

Just a few weeks later at the Clash there’s match #2 and here’s what the Observer would have to say:

2. Johnny B. Badd beat Honkytonk Man via DQ in 6:14 to retain the TV title. Poor match but no worse than expected. Honky kept stalling, claiming his hair was pulled. After three minutes, Badd messed up Honky's hair and sent him running. After the obligatory ref bump, Honky hit Badd with a balsa wood guitar for the DQ. 1/4*

I mean - these are not great matches but you’re getting what you paid for with Honky is that right?

The 3rd match is scheduled to be at Starrcade and well here’s the story…

“Ferris was contracted to receive $1000 per appearance, no matter the segment or the match. This did not sit well with Farris as most of the wrestlers on the roster were signed on a permanent basis. The partnership was already off to a bad start. Unfortunately, after the contractual spat, WCW booked Farris to lose to Johnny B. Badd at Halloween Havoc 1994, but Ferris refused and instead of taking the issue up with the upper management, Ferris turned to Hogan for help.

Due to the influence of Hogan, Honky fought Badd to a draw, but the situation just got worse from there. WCW was determined to get back at Ferris for his refusal to lose and therefore, the following month, Ferris was once again booked to lose to Johnny Badd as Ferris felt like he was an unknown commodity and losing in his own hometown of Nashville, Tennessee was a slap to the face….

Was this all just doomed from the start?

“Accounts differ as to what actually happened. According to Ferris himself, he went to speak with Bischoff in his office and demanded that he be given another contract, as well as be booked to win the title against Badd. Much like before, Bischoff said no, and Ferris left the company.

According to Eric, the altercation of sorts never took place in his office but at the loading dock of the arena. Bischoff stated that a number of other personnel were present and Ferris was looking to hold the company hostage in order to renegotiate a new contract. Bischoff then fired Ferris and to this day, he maintains that this particular firing was his favorite.”

Could any of this had been avoided? Should you had cut bait with Honky after Halloween Havoc?

How pivotal was Hulk to all this?

Did Mero ever discuss this with you or was he just going to do his job at this point in his career?

Did you think it was unfair for Marc and what he had going on?

Because of the issues with Honky, Arn Anderson is inserted into the match. Do you remember the decision why Arn?

Badd would retain the title and win the match that neither were probably prepared for…but this launches a program between the two. Did you feel like you owed it to Marc to put him with a professional with Arn after this?

Arn would win the TV title from Mero in Center Stage on TV for the Main Event when Col. Robert Parker & Meng helped Arn get the win to build to Uncensored in a boxer vs. wrestler match. Why this gimmick again Eric?

From the Observer

3. Johnny B. Badd defeated Arn Anderson in a boxer vs. wrestler gimmick. The gimmick here was Roc Finnegan (who I'm told was Marc Mero's legit trainer when he was a Golden Gloves boxer in New York many years ago although this may not have been his real name but he looked perfect for the role) at ringside doing the Burgess Merideth angle. In fact, this was mainly taken from the pages of the Hogan-Stallone Rocky III script for slapstick.

They fought in rounds. First round saw Badd overwhelming Anderson with fast punches. Second round saw Badd knock Anderson down four times. Between rounds Anderson attacked Badd and gave him a DDT. Anderson then asked the ref if it was a no DQ match and when the ref said yes, he threw Badd over the top rope. Parker was kicking Badd on the floor. Anderson whipped Badd into his own stool which broke into a bunch of pieces and hit the spinebuster on him. At this point Finnegan jumped on Anderson's back. Badd made a brief comeback but Anderson threw him to the floor where Parker was beating on him. Anderson threw Badd into Finnegan who began cutting Badd's glove. Finnegan put a bucket on Anderson's head and Badd punched the bucket, then took off his glove and delivered the KO punch in :22 of round three. This was hardly the type of mixed match they do in Japan, but for what it was, it was entertaining. **½

I mean…this is a whole lot of gaga is it not?

As you prepare for the launch of Nitro…did you see Johnny B. Badd being a big part of it?

How far did Mero come along at this point in your eyes? Did you think the gimmick was holding him back from moving into the upper midcard or even being a top guy?

At Fall Brawl, Mero is right back where he was 4 years before, wrestling Brian Pillman in the opener. This time they get 30 minutes and the winner earns a US title match against Sting. Badd gets busted open over his eye and it gets the dreaded zoom out so the cut and blood isn’t shown - how frustrating was that for you with Turner considering how much blood AEW gets away with it on TNT nowadays?

Meltzer would have this to say:

“The match was pretty slow for the first 12:00 because they were going so long.

Actually the length of this match was an office rib that backfired. The idea was to expose that both of these guys aren't as good workers as people think (since both have Steve Austin-sized contracts) and would fail trying to put together a 30:00 match, but it turned out to be the best match on the card.”

We know later on it would come out that Pillman & Dave would talk regularly - but was this an office rib?

“The last 8:00 of the original match was good. Badd suplexed Pillman over the top and did a dive over the top to the floor. Badd came off the top but Pillman caught him with a dropkick. Badd used a power bomb for a near fall and Pillman used a tombstone piledriver for a near fall. Pillman used the leg sweep/Octagon submission. Badd hit his punch but Pillman was under the ropes. Pillman came back with his "Air Pillman" springboard clothesline but Badd kicked out and the bell rang at 20:07.”

It’s a hell of a match for a 20 minute draw but then it’s announced that there must be sudden death because there needed to be a winner…

“The two traded big moves and near falls for the entire overtime which included Badd's sunset flip off the top, Pillman doing a huracanrana, Badd reversing a crucifix into a back slam, Badd with a Frankensteiner off the top rope, Pillman with a swinging DDT off the middle rope. Badd then threw Pillman off the top rope and Pillman caught his throat on the guard rail. Badd used a Liger dive and went for a splash from the apron into the ring but Pillman got his knees up. Pillman dropped Badd in a face first suplex onto the ring ropes and then delivered a tope which came up slightly short. Pillman tried a Silver King dive but ended up crotching himself on the top rope for a near fall. Pillman went for a crossbody off the ropes and hit it, but Badd wound up on top for the pin at 9:07 of overtime. ****”

Hell of a match - you really need to go out of your way to check this one out if you have the Network or Peacock or whatever…but a 30 minute opener as an office rib to a **** star match…quite the achievement is it not?

Badd would never show up for his title match, and it leads to the classic angle on Saturday Night where Maxx Muscle talks about how Badd had 4 flat tires and Badd figures out it was DDP & Muscle messing with him…this is that classic angle that works everytime doesn’t it?

Why DDP & Badd at this point do you think?

DDP is TV champion at this time and now that DDP tried to steal Badd’s shot against Sting…they face off at Halloween Havoc where Badd regains the TV title from DDP. Were you looking to bring both up the card or was this all based around Kimberly becoming more of a character?

Then at World War 3 a month later, Badd successfully defended the title vs DDP, and in an added stipulation, he won the Diamond Doll - Kimberly from DDP.

From the Observer

“1. Johnny B. Badd retained the WCW TV title pinning Diamond Dallas Page in 12:35 and also won the Diamond Doll. Very good opener. Badd hit a plancha at 4:00. Page hit behind Doll and threw her at Badd and then sucker punched him. Page later called for the Doll to hold up a number and she refused. Later after Badd hit a well-timed clothesline, Doll held up a 10+ for Badd's move. The two then went back- and-forth for near falls including Badd reversing a tombstone piledriver into one of his own. Finally Badd did a Liger flip dive out of the ring, threw Page in and did a legdrop from the apron into the ring and scored the pin. ***½

Man this was one of the first times we could see DDP go. How good were Page & Mero together?

Kimberly remained as Johnny B. Badd’s valet for the next few months, before we got to another rematch at SuperBrawl 6 in February 1996. What did you think of Mero & Kimberly together?

Did Page or Mero ever tell you they had a problem with things?

The stipulation at Superbrawl was that Kimberly would win DDP’s

$6.6 million fortune if Badd won, which he did.

From the Observer
“Johnny B. Badd retained the WCW TV title and won the "$6.6 million" from Diamond Dallas Page in 14:59. It was their typical good match with lots of good near falls and a good build. From a wrestling standpoint, this blew away everything else on the show. Badd reversed Page's attempt at a tombstone piledriver and delivered one of his own for the win. ***¼”

They’re putting on the best matches on pay-per-view at this time before the luchadores took hold…but were you already starting to see issues with Badd and about his contract?

On the March 9, 1996 edition of WCW Saturday Night, Badd would lose the TV Title to Lex Luger, in his last WCW appearance, with DDP costing him the title. Did you know you weren’t close to a deal with Mero and you needed to get the title off him?

Did you ever think he would leave?

They had also began the angle to split up Badd and Kimberly, when he questioned her as to what she was doing the previous week on Nitro when she came out wearing white and holding roses but Kimberly refused to talk about it; after the match, Badd cut a promo on the upcoming match at Uncensored and lashed out at Kimberly for not looking out for him during the match with Luger. It was to lead to a Loser Leaves Town match at Uncensored between himself & Page…but Mero would leave before that. Do you remember the circumstances?

Do you know what the original plan was?

Mero leaves and is replaced by Brutus…the fucking Barber… Beefcake as the Booty Man and now Kimberly was the Booty Babe…

Was Rena Mero ever considered to be a part of the on screen package? Would you had liked to have brought her in?

It’s reported that Mero left WCW on bad terms, his contract had expired on February 28, and the negotiations with Bischoff on a new deal fell apart.

From the Observer

“Mero had also asked recently that his angle involving being managed by Kimberly be dropped, blaming his deep religious beliefs and not wanting to be on the road affiliated with another man's wife even though it was all a role. The original angle was supposedly to be where Kimberly would be with him, then screw him (costing him a match, not figuratively) and things would go back to how they were. However, some felt the chemistry of the two in the ring entrances were strong and they were planning on keeping the two together over the long haul. The recent storyline deal where the two have been having problems was done at Mero's request because he wanted it broken up citing his religious faith. Bischoff apparently said that he didn't want to be in a situation where every time they booked him in an angle he'd not want to do it if Jesus Christ wouldn't approve of it.”

Is this how you remember it?

Here’s what Marc Mero said on why he left WCW:

Mero stated that the real reason behind his WCW departure had to do with his daughter.

"I'd love to straighten that out. First of all, I was making really good money with WCW at the time. I was on a guaranteed contract and they treated me really good there. They gave me a great deal and at that time it was amazing. What happened was, Kimberly was a sweetheart, I enjoyed working with her. What happened was, at that time my daughter was eight or nine years old. It was very difficult for her to see me on television with another woman. She'd be crying at night when I came home and she'd say I was leaving her mommy and stuff like that," said Marc Mero.

The former WWE Superstar further stated that he felt he didn't need a valet at the time and left WCW because he did not want to upset his daughter.

"All I said was, I didn't really need a valet," added Mero. "I mean, Johnny B. Badd didn't necessarily need a valet, didn't have to have someone walking them to the ring and I brought it up that it may be better if I didn't have one. Then it became this whole religious thing and stuff. It was not that at all. It's just that it was really more about my daughter being hurt and seeing her so upset. It got blown out of proportion. Maybe someone has their own version or whatever but that's from my point of view. I just remember that being the reason."

Do you believe that Eric?

If Marc had seriously voiced a concern about this - would you had forced him to continue do you think?

Mero went on to sign with the WWF, starting at WrestleMania 12 a few weeks later and brings in his wife Sable too as his valet. Is this the ultimate irony?

As the nWo takes shape - where do you think that would’ve left Johnny B. Badd?

Marc would find some success in the WWF, but it was wife Sable who became the superstar. Mero would leave the WWF at the end of 1998. Departing the WWF in May 1999 over a sexual harassment lawsuit, Sable would shockingly show up on an episode of Monday Nitro in June, and was mentioned, and shown in the crowd on air. What did you remember of putting this together and did you talk with Marc about Rena making this appearance?

Marc also made a one-off appearance in June 2000 for WCW, confronting Tank Abbot which we recently discussed on our Slamboree 2000 episode…did you think there was anything left of Mero in a TV role at this point?

Marc would briefly return to wrestling with TNA in from 2004-2005, reprising the Johnny B Badd character. Mero retired from wrestling in 2006, opening and operating the Marc Mero Body Slam Training Institute in Altamonte Springs, Florida. Marc is now a motivational speaker - talking about his trials and tribulations in life, etc.

When was the last time you spoke with Marc?

Have you seen his speeches?

What do you think his legacy is - do you think it’s just being Rena’s ex or do you think he carved out his own?