Former WWE Superstar Jimmy Wang Yang joined WrestlingNews.co’s “The Velvet Ropes with SoCal Val” for an exclusive interview to discuss his new autobiography, “James Yun: Yun’s Time.” During the wide-ranging conversation, Yang opened up about the locker room culture during his time in WWE, specifically touching on the infamous “Wrestler’s Court” and the leadership of The Undertaker.
When asked if he ever had a run-in with the mock legal system used to police the locker room, Yang confirmed The Undertaker’s central role. “He was definitely the leader of the locker room. He was the head judge of wrestlers court,” Yang stated.
However, Yang described the proceedings as less of a serious tribunal and more of a theatrical display. “Those things are just so ridiculous, just like backstage drama. Go in the room and everybody’s acting like they were in the courthouse, and the Undertaker’s there,” he recalled.
Yang also revealed the simple method most wrestlers used to escape punishment. “Mos times they would get out of everything just, they would just bring Undertaker a bottle of Jack Daniels and, okay, well, courts dismissed,” he said.
Despite the intimidation factor associated with the “Deadman,” Yang spoke highly of his personal interactions with him. “I love Mark. He was always awesome to me,” Yang said. He described the man behind the character as a “big teddy bear” once you got to know him.
Host SoCal Val shared a story about a fan calling The Undertaker “Mark” during a Q&A session in Germany, noting how intimidating his response was. Yang agreed, acknowledging the aura The Undertaker carries. “6’10”, tattoos, everything,” he noted.
The conversation also turned to the topic of “ribs” or pranks on the road, with Yang admitting that the pranks from his generation were often severe. “I’m old… the ribs back in the day were, like, brutal. It’s not like, ‘Haha,’ like, ‘Oh my God. Did you really do that?'” he said.
He then shared a specific, harrowing example involving former WWE ring announcer Justin Roberts during a European tour. “I remember being in Europe, and… they took Justin Roberts passport before the flight,” Yang revealed.
The incident occurred at an airport in London. “We’re in London actually… at the airport, and they… take his passport,” he continued.
The consequence of the prank was significant, leaving Roberts stranded in a foreign country. “He was stuck there for like, two or three days,” Yang stated. “They took his passport back to the States”.
Yang used this story to illustrate the extreme nature of backstage culture during that era. “That is bad,” SoCal Val remarked, to which Yang agreed.
Yang delves deeper into these stories and his life in wrestling in his new book, “James Yun: Yun’s Time.” The autobiography covers his journey from a difficult childhood to his time in WCW, WWE, and TNA.
The book is available now on Amazon, with audiobooks on Apple, Barnes & Noble, and Spotify. Paperback copies can be purchased at Jazzyyang.com.
