Tito Santana (2007) Shoot Interview

ARRIBA! Longtime WWE and AWA Superstar Tito Santana sat down with RF VIDEO for an exclusive shoot interview that every wrestling fan who fondly remembers the 80s and 90s will enjoy. We covered Tito’s entire career, including his salad days in the Georgia territory and got to enjoy one cool story after another.

Santana discussed how he came with his ring name after being saddled with “Richard Blood” in Florida Tito before talking about all the big names of the era including; Eddie Graham, Paul Orndorff, Jim Barnett, and Ole Anderson. Our shoot then ventured north to Minnesota for some AWA talk before heading down to Texas and covering Tito’s days working for the Funk’s in Amarillo, Texas. You’ll really enjoy the stories on Verne Gagne, Ted Dibiase, and the Funk brothers!

Many of us jumped on the Tito bandwagon once he went to New York and wrestled for the McMahons. Tito talked about his first match in Madison Square Garden against WWE Hall of Famer Baron Mike Scicluna as well as future matches teaming with Andre the Giant against the Valiants! All of us longtime WWE fans couldn’t get enough as Tito told one great story after another involving all of WWE’s biggest stars. Bruno Sammartino. Lou Albano. Jesse Ventura. Adrian Adonis. The Iron Sheik. Jimmy Snuka, Roddy Piper. Randy Savage. Kerry Von Erich. Junkyard Dog. Demolition. Jake Roberts. Ric Flair. Hulk Hogan. The list goes on and on and there is no stone unturned as Tito talked about everything from Dr. D David Schultz slapping 20/20’s John Stossel to Mr. T’s involvement at the first WrestleMania.


Were you a fan growing up
Who did you like watching
Were you a fan growing up
Can you talk about your high school and college football careers
What was Tully Blanchard like in college
Did you wrestle in school also?
Any good recruiting stories?
Who did you play with in college
How hard did you take it when you didn’t make the Chiefs
How did you wind up in the business
What was the hardest thing about training
What were your expectations
Memories of your first matches
Did anyone mentor you early on
Who gave you the name Richard Blood
Early memories of working in Florida
Thoughts/memories of Eddie Graham
Memories of matches with Paul Orndorff from the territory
How did you wind up in Georgia
Memories teaming Brad Armstrong
Memories of Jim Barnett
Memories of Ole Anderson
Did anyone mentor you there
Who and how did you come up with the name Tito Santana
How did you wind up in the AWA
Early impressions of Verne Gagne
Memories of working the Amarillo territory
Thoughts on the Funks
Memories teaming with Ted Dibiase
Memories of your series with Mr. Pogo and Mr. Saito
How did you wind up in the WWWF
Initial thoughts on Vince McMahon Sr
Initial thoughts on Vince, Jr.
Was it hard adjusting from the territories to a big company
Memories of your first match in Madison Sq Garden against Baron Mikel Scicluna
Who were your traveling partners
Memories of teaming with Andre in MSG against the Valiants
How soon into your run did you know you were getting over and the office had confidence in you
Memories of Lou Albano getting fired at the TV Tapings
Whos idea was it to team you with Ivan Putski
Did you enjoy teaming with Ivan? Was there more pressure on you as the workhorse
Memories of Bruno Sammartino
Memories of working with a young Hulk Hogan
Memories of your series with the Valiants
Thoughts on the Valiants
Memories of your series with the Samoans
What were the after parties like in New York
Favorite matches during this run
Why did you wind up leaving
Did you leave on good terms
Was there ever any consideration to give you a big singles push
How did you wind up back in the AWA
Were you treated differently this time around as more of a vet
Did you find you got more respect when you would work places after your first WWWF run
Was it frustrating with Verne on top
Memories of matches with Nick Bockwinkel
Memories teaming with Dino Bravo
Thoughts on Bruiser Brody
Memories of Jesse Ventura
Memories of Adrian Adonis
Memories of John Studd
Memories of teaming with Rick Martel
Memories of Billy Robinson
Who were your fav guys to work with in the AWA
Why did you wind up leaving
Thoughts on your return to Georgia
Did you ever work with Flair or Race when they were NWA champ
Thoughts on your brief run in the Mid South
Thoughts on Bill Watts
When the Road Warriors started getting hot, was it bad for business in the long run beings that they didn’t sell for babyfaces?
Memories of JYD from Mid South
Thoughts on Dusty during this period
How did you wind up back in the WWF
How was Vince Jr different
Did he tell you he was going national
What were you promised
How were things different when you returned
Did you prefer your push as a singles or tag team wrestler
Thoughts on your series with Muraco
Were you surprised when Backlund dropped the belt to the Sheik
Memories of your matches with the Sheik
What was it like to work against the Sheik in title matches on top at the time
Thoughts on how things changed when Hogan came back
Dusty claims that he was the first choice for the WWF when they went national, how do you think things would have changed if that happened
Did Hogan change at all with success
Thoughts on Piper at that time
Was Jimmy Snuka as crazy outside of the ring as some people say
Memories of your series with Greg Valentine
Memories of when David Schultz slapped John Stossell
Were you disappointed you didn’t have a higher profile match at the first Wrestlemania
Were you a little turned off with the involvement of Mr. T and thoughts on T
How did things change after the first Mania
How did Vince Jr change with success
Memories of matches with Terry Funk
Memories of working the Funks at Mania 2
Memories of teaming with JYD
How hot was the WWF at the time
When did you realize that you had now become a celebrity
Memories of your series with Randy Savage
Do you think more could have done with that program
Memories of Wrestlemania 3
Memories of the Bulldogs
Memories of teaming with Mil Mascaras at the Paul Boesch retirement show
Who’s idea was it to put you with Martel
If Zenk didn’t leave, what do you think you would have done
Memories of matches with Demolition
Memories of matches with the Hart Foundation
Are you surprised at Bret’s later success
Memories of working with Andre in tag matches
How did Savage change when he got the belt
How hard was it to work with Jake Roberts at this time
Memories of matches with Rick Martel
Was it odd when Dusty came into the WWF
Memories of your series with Curt Hennig
Was it disappointing that you weren’t being pushed in a featured status at this time
Memories of matches with the Warlord
Memories teaming with Ultimate Warrior and Hogan at Survivor Series
Thoughts on Warrior
Was there ever any thoughts to turning you heel in the late 80s early 90s
Memories of matches with Ric Flair at Royal Albert Hall
What was the travel like during this time
Was the partying excessive
Did anyone ever come along you thought had it but never made it
Who’s idea was the Matador gimmick
Did you like it
Memories of Kerry Von Erich and teaming with him
Memories of matches with Shawn Michaels
Did you know he had it
You wrestled in ECW in 1992. Did the WWF have any problems with it at the time
What do you remember about it
How come you never showed up to defend the ECW title against Shane Douglas
Did you realize your time in the WWF was coming to an end and if so, how
How did things end with you and the WWF
Do you think you parted on good terms
Do you think your contributions are sometimes overlooked during the boom of the 80s
Why do you think the AWF didn’t work
You made one appearance for WCW, how did that come about
Why was it only a one time deal
Did you expect to work for them again
Memories of the match with Jeff Jarrett
What finally caused you to come to the decision to retire
What have you been doing since wrestling
Do your students recognize you and how do you handle that
How did you find out you were being inducted into the Hall of Fame
Who’s idea was it for Shawn Michaels to induct you
Thoughts on the ceremony
Are you on good terms with Vince Sr and the WWF today
If you could put 5 matches in a vault to show your great great grandchildren, what would they be
Have you ever refused to do a job and why
Favorite and least favorite opponents
Advice for young guys
Best ribs you ever saw
How come you never had a big run in Mexico
Road stories from all areas
Are you surprised by guys like Terry Funk and Flair who have been around this long
Have you ever had talks with NWATNA
Thoughts on the lack of kayfabe today in wrestling
Did you ever feel pressured to take steroids
What was your favorite time in your career
What is your favorite moment in your career
What do you think is wrong with the business today
Can the business boom once again like the 80s
Where were your favorite places to wrestle early in your career such as countries or territories
Any thoughts on writing a book