Tatanka talks about WCW contacting him while under WWF contract, using his real name on WWF Hasbros, being The Miz's first opponent and more (Exclusive)

While at the Saratoga Comic Con, Perched on The Top Rope interviewed WWE Legend Tatanka. The podcast had previously interviewed the legend, and you can check that interview out here.

Tatanka is known for having two runs in WWF/E from 1991-1996, and 2005-2007. He is best known for going undefeated on television tapings for his first two years in the WWF. Tatanka was also part of the Million Dollar Corporation, and won a Slammy Award in 1994.

Tatanka also made appearances on Old School Raw in 2010 and participated in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32. Tatanka's also a playable character the WWE 2K video game series since 2017.

SK: Last time we talked you mentioned WCW offered you a contract. Did Eric Bishoff tell you the plans he had for you?

Tatanka: Well, Eric Bischoff planned on me being at a WCW Monday Nitro episode. I was going to be in the audience. That's where it began, but it stopped right there, and I had to tell him, "I can't do anything because one, I'm currently on contract. I'm getting ready to come off contract, but I'm on contract right now, and I can't do anything."

He (Bischoff) told me I was going to be on Nitro, sitting in the crowd, and there was going to be some altercation. That's where it was going to begin. So, there was a plan for me in WCW.

SK: Last time, you signed your WWE Elite figure, which produced high numbers when it first came out, and your blue card Hasbro, and now the purple card Hasbro. Did you have to get permission from WWF to also sign your real name for the Hasbro cards?

Tatanka: What was so cool when I first came into WWF, Vince was very respectful and very careful that he didn't do anything to disrespect Native Americans or my heritage. What he loved was that I am genuinely from a Native American Tribe. I'm full blood Lumbee Nation. He (Vince) said, "Listen, I love it. Let's start with your real name, Chris Chevis." When I first came into WWF, my wrestling name was "War Eagle," Chris Chevis.

If you look at WWE, they have a DVD that came out called "Unreleased." I'm actually in the DVD as "War Eagle" Chris Chevis. That's when I was doing my tryouts with WWF. They loved the Chris Chevis aspect because I was genuinely a Lumbee Indian. So Vince told me I was going from Chris Chevis and take on the name Tatanka, which I picked. So Vince said, "You're going to take on the name Tatanka, and you're going to be the leader of all the Indian Nations. If you remember back in that time, that's what it was; when I started as Tatanka, I was beginning to be the leader of all Native Nations.

Vince is brilliant. He was trying to bring all those groups of people together to support me. It was excellent for me to go from Chris Chevis to a character name. It's not a character name because it is a real name of Sitting Bull. So the Hasbro figure is pretty cool because that's how I was signing at the time, Chris Chevis Tatanka. When people bring the Hasbro figure, 50-60% of the fans want it signed as Chris Chevis, Tatanka.

SK: Your first non-televised loss came to Rick "The Model" Martel, but you were still undefeated on television. Did you feel justified for those losses by beating him in your pay per view debut at WrestleMania VIII?

Tatanka: It's great to be undefeated. It was a big thing that was noted for me, and everyone cheered the unbeaten streak, but everyone knows, you can't go forever unbeaten.

We have some of the greatest wrestlers and entertainers in the world at WWE. They are the No.1 company so you're always facing great talent. They're not only great talent that can wrestle but the talent that the office loves too.

So, I couldn't go undefeated, and I knew that. I knew somewhere, okay I'm going to have a defeat. To have that defeat turn into revenge at WrestleMania, I'll accept that.

Fans don't understand this. A lot of people have had a contract with World Wrestling Federation or WWE, but they'd never been in a WrestleMania. Now, they have so much talent, so many brands that when it comes to WrestleMania, I can't tell you how many guys have never wrestled at WrestleMania.

To be in the business and hear "Tatanka, you're going to WrestleMania VIII." I was like wow, I'm going to WrestleMania already. There was; also, I think like 72-78,000 people and millions of people watching, what an honour. To beat a veteran and the name and calibre of Rick "The Model" Martel, I'm always giving him props.

To come in and wrestle a veteran like him, it helped me. He's a seasoned veteran that taught me so many different things from the timing in the ring, reaction, knowing how to fix mistakes, it was just an honour all around to work with him, but to be able to get that revenge at WrestleMania VIII was just tremendous.

SK: Speaking of being paired as a rookie/veteran. In 2006 you were paired with The Miz in his debut match. What was it like working with The Miz?

Tatanka: When it comes to a debut match with any talent with WWE, it's essential because... forget wrestling for a second, in normal life, the first impression is everything.

So, if someone comes out for a debut in WWE, and they're probably doing something right. The Miz was already famous being on the kid's shows he was doing beforehand, being in an element where he already had exposure, and he had that new look wrestlers have. They (WWE) already knew they wanted to do something with him. If he comes out there and has a terrible match in his first outing on TV that would be bad. So you want to make that first match very important.

Always on a debut match, WWE will put a newcomer (rookie) with a veteran. That's the case here with The Miz being paired with me.

It was an honour to part of The Miz's debut because today, he's a mega Superstar. Look at all the promotional materials, he's almost always there and that's tremendous.

So never forget where you came from in this industry. That debut match was very important because it kicked off to where he's at now. So, it was a real honour to work with The Miz, and I worked with him thrice during that time.

It was good for me, it was perfect for The Miz because they want to put you with someone they know is going to make you shine.

SK: You're in great shape! What do you do to stay in shape?

Tatanka: If you're going to have longevity in this business, you have to take care of yourself. So many guys could have longer careers. But partying too much, not taking care of themselves, not training, not doing the diets, not doing the things you do to keep your body strong and healthy stopped it. I work out five days a week. I'm spending an hour, hour fifteen minutes on my weight training aspect, and I don' sit around. I'm moving and I do thirty minutes of cardio every day.

So that's five days a week training like an animal, hardcore, beast mode soaked in sweat. In the end, you know you've worked out. That's how I do it, man.

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You can listen to the interview below.