Running a Brad Armstrong tribute site like I do, I hear from various fans of Brad and the Armstrong families. However, a few weeks ago, I got an email from a wrestler who actually WORKED with the Armstrongs - Sir Robert Dundee! After a bit of "Armstrong chat" with Mr. Dundee (Sir Dundee? Maybe I should kneel while typing this...), he agreed to share some of his wrestling story.

Sir Dundee will be receiving a tryout match with the WWF in the coming months. Maybe, after reading what he has to say, you'd like to give them some feedback about how they should hire him and give him a chance to beat Steve Austin in his first match.....

If anyone would like to contact Sir Dundee, they're welcome to send emails through me at wrestling@lunenburg.org, and I'll be glad to forward them to him!

Anyone that becomes a wrestler has got to be a fan first! Anyone that tells you otherwise is a liar!

I suppose that I first had the desire to become a wrestler when I was 10 or 12 years old. Growing up, we had some great wrestlers in this area of the country, namely Tennessee. There is a lot of tradition here. Jackie Fargo was the biggest star working for Nick Gulas at that time. However, there were many great stars here at the time - a very young Jerry Lawler, Bill Dundee, Tojo Yamamoto, Jerry Jarrett, Mongolian Stomper, Bob Armstrong, and so many others.

It was at that time I decided that I wanted to be a part of this buisiness.

I have been a wrestler for going on 8 1/2 years.

I recieved my break from a couple of guys . . . first Bill Dundee in Tennessee, and Bob Armstrong in Alabama, Georgia, and other places.

I have wrestled for quite a few promotions, mostly in the South, such as Southern Championship Wrestling in Georgia, Southeastern Wrestling in Montgomery, Alabama, Gulf Coast, old Florida Championship Wrestling, All State Championship Wrestling, and American Championship Wrestling, which covered the Pacific Northwest.

I have held the Southeastern Tag titles with Scott Armstrong, the All State Tag titles with Bill Dundee, D.W.A heavyweight title, Southeastern Heavyweight title, and A.C.W. singles and tag titles. I held some only once, others more.

I have wrestled mainly as a heel and I prefer it that way . . . I have worked as a baby before, but I get more heat as a heel.

I have wrestled in front of 40 people and I have wrestled in front of 6,000-8,000. I work just as hard for the smaller crowds as I do for the large ones, I think most of the boys would say the same about themselves.

Of the current crop of wrestlers, not many hold my attention. That's not to say that there aren't any good wrestlers. I would say that Shawn Michaels is up there, as well as Bret Hart, Steve Austin, and Rocky Maivia.

That being said, I think if you look you'll see that all of those guys were brought in the buisiness by guys that represented a generation of wrestlers that were a hardcore bunch of people. Shawn was trained by Jose Lothario, Bret by his father Stu, Austin by Chris Adams, and Rocky's father was great also.

I personally think that Brad Armstrong is posibly the finest wrestler in the world, however Eric Bischoff does not like the Armstrong family. [WADE'S NOTE: I didn't pay him to say that. Really!] Why? I can't begin to tell you why. It is a known fact among the boys at WCW that Bischoff does not like Southern guys! But what about Ric Flair???? What shit that is! Pardon me.

So, to tell the truth, there is not much at WCW I like very much. The WWF is at least giving us a different product.

As for who my favorite wrestlers are, that would have to be Bill Dundee, Bob Armstrong, and Jerry Lawler. Jackie Fargo was also a hero of mine.

I always enjoy working shows with the Armstrong family. I also enjoy working with Bill and Jamie Dundee. Lawler . . . Tommy Rich was also very fun to work with.

I think the crrent state of things in the WWF couldn't be better. They finally realize that they had to recognize wrestlers past accomplishments, and who better to set the table than Jim Ross? I also think Lawler and Jim Cornette had a lot of influence as far as the WWF selling a more hardcore product and appealing to a more traditional wrestling fan, and it's working great! Steve Austin is great at what he does.

WCW . . . no comment. Well, just one comment. Bischoff stinks. He needs to stay behind the scenes instead of trying to steal heat from the guys.

The names under which I have worked are: Rob Dundee, "Hearthrob" Rob Divine, Assasin #2, El Diablo, The Manhattan Mauler, and others I can't remember.

I worked a "job" for the WWF once, and yes, I would like to work for them. I'm not sure about WCW, I know some wrestlers that work for them that aren't too happy!

As I told you before, I think there is a real difference between the two groups - the WWF is going after what I call the "old time wrestling fans," the blood and guts type of fans, whereas WCW is an embarrassment to the great sport we all love. (Rodman, Malone, Greene, White, etc. etc...)

My first match was against the late, great Tojo Yamamoto! I got the t-total hell beat out of me! The promoter liked to put rookies in the ring with Tojo, to see if they had the toughness to endure what this sport offers night in and night out. Fortunately, I had it!

My training was unusual. I trained with several people. The most influential was Bill Dundee - that lasted six months in Nashville, TN. I learned about the business from him, and that might have been the greatest lesson I learned! I also trained with one of Texas's great masked wrestlers - the original El Diablo, Dr. Ken Ramey, and I learned a lot from being around the great Armstrong family.

My biggest victory was against....Tojo Yamamoto! I mean, I have beaten the likes of Austin Idol, Jeff Jarrett (on an indie show), the Armstrongs, and many more. Maybe it was teaming with Scott Armstrong to defend our tag belts against the Rock & Roll Express.

The reason I said Tojo was when I beat him it brought me full circle, if you know what I mean.

The current state of indie wrestling? Not great, not bad - it's doing ok. I hope for the day when wrestling goes back to territories!!!!

An estimate of how many matches I have wrestled is as good as I can give you. I would say around 800-1000, maybe 1500. Win-loss: probably won 80-85 percent.

These days I'm on the road maybe 100-125 days.

I don't read the newsboards that often. As for the "smart marks," I think a lot of them are asses! Most of the guys in the business would prefer that they weren't so smart.

That was the great thing about being a fan when I was growing up - wrestlers were in "character" all the time! People used to come to the shows in droves when they believed it to be true! Now they watch it at home. The big two haven't helped too much either.

In my opinion - and that is the only one that counts - Nashville. Birmingham, Alabama, Montgomery, Alabama, Jackson, Mississippi, New Orleans, Louisianna - they're all great towns!

My best match? It's hard to say. I wrestled some great matches and lost, and some not-so-great matches that I won.

I would probably say an hour match with Scott Armstrong with a time limit draw. I wrestled my ass off in defense of my ACW Heavyweight title!

Most indie wrestlers find work through contacts. I know promoters all over the U.S. and Canada, some overseas. Once you have worked for a while it gets easier.

Of the promoters I have worked for, I would probably list Jerry Jarrett as the best . . . he really knows this business. I regret that he is no longer an active promoter. He also launched the careers of many of the greatest stars to step in any ring . . . Jerry Lawler, Bill Dundee, Austin Idol, The Rock and Roll Express, The Moondogs, The Fabulous Ones, Tommy Rich, Eddie and Doug Gilbert, Koko Ware, Jimmy Valiant, Jimmy Hart, Jim Cornette, The Midnight Express, and of course Hulk Hogan started there before he went on to the WWF the first time as a heel.

So much tradition in professional wrestling is right here in the Mid-South. To a large degree, it is ironic that Jerry Jarrett's biggest star for twenty years is currently employed by the same company that was soley responsible for devouring all the talent in the 80's therefore driving all the territories to close down . . . Jerry Lawler!

I have also worked shows that were promoted by the Armstrong family. Again, they are the classiest family in this buisiness, and all of them can work! I have also worked in several small promotions throughout the Southeast.

I wrestle at 5' 11", 235 lbs - the perfect heavyweight!

Music: Nine Inch Nails - I want to #### you like an animal!!! I wrestle with a very flamboyant persona . . . I have wrestled as Rob Dundee, Rob Armstrong, Rob Divine, under a hood, etc.

I always liked the piledriver. However, I also use the figure four.

I have very diverse intrests - I am a scratch golfer, like tennis, went to college, and majored in music education at the University of New Orleans.

My family is very supportive of my career, however they get very concerned about my health from time to time. I have a brother who is a professional cowboy . . . bulls, horses, etc. The element of danger is something that is enthralling to the both of us.

I dislocated my knee in a match against Stylin' Shane Eaton, who I believe is with Music City Wrestling - that happened last October. No surgery was needed, thankfully!

Other than that, your standard wrestling injuries - dislocated shoulder, broken ribs, fingers, contussions, bumps, bruises, etc. I have been rather fortunate, but I have been hurt many times. Don't let anyone fool you . . . this is a tough business! And some of these guys are mean. But I too can get that way real fast!

Where do I see myself in the next 1-5 years? I honestly see myself as the World Wrestling Federation Champion! I know I have the in-ring talent, however, I have more charisma than ten Hulk Hogans, and two Ric Flairs, whooo! And, by the way, Bischoff (or "Bitchoff" if you may) should be hung by his testes for what he has done to Ric Flair!

I have some contact with the people in Music City Wrestling - Bert Prentice is a great benefit to our business! What he is trying to do by keeping wrestling alive in Tennessee is commendable! I hope to be there very soon.

Also, the Armstrongs are involved in a lot of indie shows in Alabama. I'll be in Hanceville, Alabama on Sept. 12, Prattville, Alabama on Sept. 11 - that show is for Southeastern Championship Wrestling. I'm all over the South, really. Keep your eyes out for Heartthrob Rob Divine or Sir Robert Dundee!!! I'll be making a lot of noise wherever I am!