Diamond Dallas Page recently opened up about Dennis Rodman‘s time in WCW, while he was an active player on the Chicago Bulls. The pro wrestling legend revealed the blunt truth about Rodman’s involvement and how it was perceived by fans and the media.
Rodman first appeared on WCW Monday Nitro in 1997. It was in the middle of his NBA finals series against the Utah Jazz, which sparked plenty of criticism. At the time, he was already an established player. He had already won multiple NBA championships and was among the top defenders and rebounders in the league.
During an appearance on The Game Plan, Page recalled how Rodman’s WCW appearances were perceived. He noted that it was negative, as the Bulls star was a controversial figure due to his antics on and off the court.
Rodman also famously skipped out on practice during the finals, so he could appear on Monday Nitro.
“When Dennis came in, there was some people originally the first year that paid attention and wrote it up, and got some eyes on it,” Page said. “It was Dennis Rodman. As far as they’re concerned, he’s a freak show and so are we.”
Polarizing athletes appearing on or even taking part in pro wrestling storylines wasn’t uncommon. WCW’s competitor, WWE, did that same thing by bringing in former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson for WrestleMania XIV.
Diamond Dallas Page Praises Dennis Rodman
Diamond Dallas Page also praised Dennis Rodman for his transition to pro wrestling. The former WCW star revealed that Rodman understood the concepts of pro wrestling and working a crowd. He embraced the villain role and didn’t shy away from actively participating in a match.
Rodman’s athleticism was on the full display in the matches he had in WCW. Page said he felt ‘The Worm’ could have done well if he made a permanent move to pro wrestling.
“[Rodman was] a natural. He knew what a heel was. And the guy that I gotta say really grasped it,” Page told The Game Plan. “If Dennis would have got in and done [pro wrestling] full time, yeah, he could’ve been huge.”
Page emphasized Rodman’s ability by comparing him to Logan Paul. The influencer is a modern example of a polarizing figure capitalizing on an opportunity and thriving in pro wrestling:
Page Reveals How Rodman Dealt with Criticism
Page also revealed how Rodman dealt with some of the scrutiny when he appeared in WCW. It was a big news story at the time, considering it was while the NBA Finals were ongoing.
Rodman was an important part of the Chicago Bulls roster along with Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan. They were the defending NBA champions in 1997 and were on a quest to win their second consecutive championship.
Rodman has short stints in WCW and was involved in feuds with top stars, including Page, Lex Luger, and ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage. The former WCW champion shared that ‘The Worm’s involvement was viewed in a negative light by the NBA and was even documented in The Last Dance.
[Rodman] got a lot of heat from [the NBA],” Page told The Game Plan. “He didn’t give a [expletive], he was a natural.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Diamond Dallas Page Reveals Blunt Truth About Dennis Rodman’s WCW Tenure appeared first on Heavy Sports.