Story: Don “The Rock” Muraco was a top worker during the prime 80s era, held the Intercontinental title, beat a job guy while eating a sandwich, and would be inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame, so his career easily earns him legend status. He was part of the outlandish Fuji Vice and other comedy segments with Mr. Fuji, showing off his talents as an actor and comedian. Muraco would be seconded by Billy Graham for a run as a babyface, have a very fun stint in ECW, and eventually run his own small promotion in his home of Hawaii. He sits down to discuss 1983 in the WWF, a time and place where he was in the thick of the professional wrestling business.

Entertainment Value: I think Don Muraco is one of the most enjoyable shoot interview subjects, as he is so laid back, not bitter, and has a great sense of humor. His shoots often come off as like conversations, he just has a vibe that comes across in his mannerisms and presence. This is all true for this Timeline, as he is indeed chill and talkative, sharing humorous stories and giving his takes on the various events, all with no bitterness whatsoever. This is beyond rare in these shoot interviews, as sour grapes are normally present in even the most successful workers, so for Muraco to be so carefree and having no real heat with anyone is impressive. The lack of bitterness means his answers are more reliable, since he isn’t working an agenda with all of his comments.

I enjoyed hearing about the changes made when Vince McMahon took over the promotion, a topic Muraco covers quite well here. He discusses how business was before the takeover, how it changed, and what expectations were like among the workers. This kind of first hand information is so cool to hear about, especially from someone like Muraco, who seems candid and open about the topic. As you’d expect since this interview was several decades after the events in 1983, Muraco does have gaps in his memories, but he is direct and relaxed when he does have insight to share. I just like the tone when Muraco sits down for these interviews, he makes it feel like a casual conversation and that is so cool to experience as a fan. If you’re into 80s wrestling and want an informative walk down memory lane, give Muraco’s episode of Timeline a look.

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