Skandor Akbar [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
Sometimes these old-timers have had such full careers that when they have the opportunity to reflect upon them, they can be much more fascinating and multi-dimensional than you might original think. Skandor Akbar is just such a person. He is so closely identified with the glory days of World Class (which is a debatable point because he came in after Gary Hart's booking run) that he's become known as World Class survivor who is well-spoken and legitimate. Skandor Akbar's time in World Class is realistically one of a series of great runs as a manager and he had time in various promotions as a wrestler and a booker that is just as noteworthy. If you enjoyed his appearances in the two World Class documentaries, you'll dig this. He covers Tri-State in the years before Bill Watts, Australia in its glory years, Tennessee, Atlanta and many others from the 1960s and 1970s that are often left unexplored by the shoot interview world. Skandor has a laid back approach and he's very enjoyable to listen to without being particularly venomous. Past the historical career, Skandor Akbar became a key figure in the early careers of Steve Austin, The Undertaker and JBL/Bradshaw and has run a training camp for years, so he has a respectable perspective on the modern sport of pro-wrestling.

The Bad
Sometimes it seems like shoot interviews are really great, but they are just missing that something special. Skandor Akbar led a fascinating career and he is a great storyteller, but this interview was just not on the same entertainment level that I would have hoped. He is perhaps a little too low-key and little too affable to get over like a Honky Tonk Man or even a Ricky Morton, but for many I'm sure they'd thoroughly enjoy this.

The Rating: ****1/2