WWE: "Amazing" Wrestling Era Will Never Return, Brutus Beefcake Says (Exclusive)

Brutus Beefcake is best known for his time in WWE from 1984 to 1993. In an exclusive interview, the wrestling legend discussed the perks of being a big name in the industry during that era.

Beefcake became a wrestler in the late 1970s alongside his long-time friend, the late Hulk Hogan. The 68-year-old received the nickname The Barber when he began cutting his rivals' hair after matches. He also achieved success as one-half of the Dream Team with Greg Valentine.

Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter, Beefcake compared his lifestyle in the 1980s to famous musicians:

"It was an amazing, amazing time in the '80s. I was teamed up with Valentine in the early '80s. We were rock stars. Everywhere we went, everybody knew us. We never had to buy a meal, we never had to buy a drink in a bar. Everyone paid for our stuff. It was an amazing time in our business that'll never come again." [3:15 – 3:39]

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Watch the video above to hear Brutus Beefcake pay tribute after Hulk Hogan's recent passing at the age of 71.

Brutus Beefcake on WWE's perception in the 1980s

In 1982, Vince McMahon took over WWE from his father. By the end of the decade, the former Chairman transformed the company from a professional wrestling organization to a worldwide entertainment juggernaut.

Reflecting on that time, Brutus Beefcake added that people started looking at wrestling differently in the showbiz world:

"VH1, MTV, everybody, we were all over everything. Hollywood was knocking. Couldn't wait to get on a card or in a venue where we were. That was a big, big deal because Hollywood rejected the wrestling business up until that time completely, and we were the era that suddenly became cool." [3:39 – 4:06]

Beefcake also revealed that he lost a close family member around the same time that Hogan passed away.

Brutus Beefcake was speaking at TMart Promotions' The Gathering 6 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart