By Jonathan Williams
Rodney Mack is likely best remembered by wrestling fans for his White Boy Challenges of the early 2000s, where, under the managerial guidance of Theodore Long, he gave many Caucasian members of the Raw roster opportunities to last five minutes in the ring with him. Though he was a dominant force for most of his WWE career, he was only there for a few years before returning to to the independent circuit. Trained by the Junkyard Dog, Mack has continued to be a tenacious competitor mostly in Mid-South promotions, showing many competitors (not just white guys) why he is often called the Badd Dogg. Alongside his wife Jazz (who has held many titles, including the WWE Women’s Championship), Mack also runs Downsouth Championship Wrestling, one of the Mid-South’s biggest promotions. This week Mack returns to action in Universal Championship Wrestling, an Atlanta-based promotion featuring many former World Championship Wrestling and WWE talents such as Buff Bagwell, Luke Gallows and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express. As he prepares for three big UCW shows this weekeend at Hiram High School, the North Atlanta Trade Center and the Inspiring Kids Academy, Mack talks to Wrestling with Pop Culture about his recent achievements and his role in UCW.
You’ll be part of three UCW shows this weekend. Have you worked with UCW before?
I’ve worked with UCW in the past and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s one of the few companies that I still choose to work for out there for the simple fact that it’s old school, man. It’s kind of like Mid-South [Wrestling] in the way that it’s not all about glamor and glitz. It’s just old school, old fashioned wrestling and that’s why I’ve been part of it.
Do you know yet who you will be facing at each of this week’s shows?
No. I don’t really know. But it really doesn’t matter because I train seven days a week. The only time I don’t train is when I’m actually at an event. So it doesn’t matter. I’ll be ready for anybody.
UCW has monthly shows scheduled throughout the Atlanta area for 2012. Do you plan on continuing to work for the promotion and becoming a regular member of the UCW roster?
Yes. I was working with UCW regularly at one time, but they slowed up for a while. But I am officially on the roster.
There are several titles in UCW. Is there a certain title you plan on pursuing or do you have any other particular goals in this promotion?
Not necessarily. In every company that I’ve worked for, I’ve always put being the champion on the top of my list. In each and every promotion I’ve worked for, that’s just how I am. I want to be the best and that’s just how it is. Honestly, I really think I have the experience and the knowledge to go out there and represent the company in a respectful way. I can hold my own and dominate the other guys. I have a lot of confidence in who I am and I think I can really represent UCW as its champion.
Are you and Jazz still doing well?
Yes, we are. We train together every day. We have a set of twins that’s three years old and they actually train to wrestle with us every day, too.
Wow! They’re getting an early start. Does Jazz still wrestle actively as well?
Yes they are. And yes, she’s still very active. Matter of fact, we’re both honestly in the best shape of our lives right now.
Of course most people remember you from your days in WWE working with people like John Cena, Shelton Benjamin and Mark Henry. Do you foresee yourself ever returning to WWE, or maybe working for Total Nonstop Action, Ring of Honor or any of the other bigger promotions?
No. If I went back to a bigger promotion, it would be WWE. But I’m not really looking for that. I’m having a blast and I’m accomplishing what I’ve always wanted to accomplish in the business, and that’s being as successful as I can possibly be. I still study every day and I’m still getting better every day. So if I went back to WWE, that would be great. But TNA doesn’t really interest me.
What other promotions to you wrestle for on a regular basis?
Well, I work for Downsouth Championship Wrestling, which is my own promotion. I also work for NWA Battlezone in Mississippi, Oldskool Wrestling down in New Orleans and NWA Wildkat, which is out of Slidell, Louisiana. Those are the main ones I work for. And, of course, UCW.
Do you hold titles in any of those promotions at the moment?
Yes. I am the current NWA Mississippi Champion, the DCW Champion and I’m the number one contender for the Oldskool Heavyweight Championship.
Who are some of the other talents on your roster in Downsouth?
Oh, there’s a lot of guys. I have Kevin Douglas, who once was a student of mine, out of Dallas, Texas. I have Chaos from Lafayette, Sweet Daddy Jones out of Mississippi, Jazz, of course, and Angelina Rush out of Missouri. We’ve got quite a troupe from various states.
For more information, go to www.ucwtv.com.
Wrestling with Pop Culture has free tickets to all three of this week’s UCW shows. Just comment below with how many tickets you’d like for each show (up to six per person per show) and we’ll email you with details on how to get your tickets.