Ricky Steamboat Talks Women’s Wrestling, PCW Ultra

WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat was recently interviewed by Ring Rust Radio. You can check out the full interview at this link, and check out submitted highlights below:

Ring Rust Radio: At the upcoming PCW Ultra show in Wilmington, California, on May 4, you will be the special guest referee in the light heavyweight championship match between Shane Strickland and Douglas James. What are you expecting from this match and who do you think walks out as the champion?

Ricky Steamboat: You know, this will be the first time that I’m going to be doing an appearance for this company. In doing some research on it as of late, I understand that it’s a pretty stand up company for an independent company. The crowd that they draw for me to say is amazing for an independent show so they must be very professional. I’ve done guest refereeing in other appearances and I’m just the type of guy that with being a baby face all my life, I call it straight down the middle. The matches that I’ve been involved with as a referee, sometimes the heel likes to get up in my face a little bit and even at 65 years old, I don’t put up with that crap. Most times or not, the poor guy gets chopped down a few times. A word of warning to any of the two participants; I’m not afraid to throw some of my stuff at them that I’ve done over the years.

Ring Rust Radio: One of the most anticipated matches on the PCW Ultra card is the battle between Chelsea Green and Tessa Blanchard for the women’s championship. What are your thoughts on the rise of women’s wrestling and the possibility we could see two women main event WrestleMania next year?

Ricky Steamboat: You know I’m very happy with the World Wrestling Entertainment company to which I still work for. In the last several years, they’ve really given women a chance. I feel that we really had some good, athletic women wrestling out there and they work just as hard as the guys and put on a heck of a show. I know Tessa, I’ve met her on a few occasions and I’ve watched her work in the ring. There’s probably some grey areas that she needs to work on but overall, she seems to be doing well every time I’ve seen her work in the ring. If you don’t know, I’m sure you probably do though, she is Tully Blanchard’s daughter. Of course, my history with Tully going back to I’m going to say 1982, ‘83 or ‘84 maybe in that timeframe I had many a good match with her dad. The women’s revolution is really stepping up as of late. On any given night, on any wrestling card, a lot of times those women will either steal the show for the evening or they’re working just as well as the guys.