David Arquette is a man who clearly hasn’t lost his itch for the business. My colleague Josh Bernstein caught up with the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion backstage at the ACW Rumble at the historic Mid Hudson Civic Center, and while Arquette admitted the whole thing gives him a fair amount of anxiety, he’s still here for the right reasons.
Bring Back the Big Gold Belt
Even though his title win in 2000 remains one of the most debated moments in wrestling history, Arquette wears that legacy with pride. He’s also a traditionalist when it comes to the hardware. During the interview, he made a direct plea to the wrestling world regarding the most iconic championship design in history.
“I got the confidence of WCW heavyweight champion so that helps,” Arquette told Josh. “I think they should bring it back. It is the big—bring back the big gold belt! I think the problem is it’s public domain now because it’s so old… it’s like Steamboat Willie, it belongs to the people now. But yeah, it’s an honor to just be in that history even though it was frowned upon.”
History in the Mid Hudson Civic Center
Standing in the same arena where Macho Man Randy Savage first introduced Miss Elizabeth and Andre the Giant famously lost his hair, Arquette felt the weight of the building’s history. He grew up as a fan of that specific era, citing Savage, Hulk Hogan, and Junkyard Dog as his early inspirations.
“I was just such a huge fan. Hulk Hogan… and Andre the Giant. I don’t know, Junkyard Dog, I liked all the old schools,” Arquette said. “This real arena really does have so much great history, so just be here… I’m excited to just entertain.”
Supporting the New Generation and AEW Favorites
While he keeps his roots in the “Old School,” Arquette is actively following the current product, particularly AEW, where many of his friends compete. He’s especially high on the return of Jack Perry and the flamboyant energy of Dalton Castle.
“I follow a lot of AEW because I got a bunch of friends over there. I’m excited to see Jack Perry come back with Luchasaurus, that was exciting. A lot of fun. And I’m a huge fan of Dalton Castle, oh he’s wonderful, what he’s doing.”
Locally, Arquette was at the Rumble to support his buddies in The Now (Vik Delicious and Hale Collins), whom he met while filming the movie Mobtown.
Entering His First Rumble
Despite all the matches he’s had—including those brutal death matches documented in You Cannot Kill David Arquette—this ACW appearance marked his first ever time competing in a battle royal format. With the ACW Championship on the line for the winner, the stakes were high enough to make even a former World Champion sweat.
“I’ve never done a Rumble before, wanted to support my buddies. Everything about this stresses me out but I love it, so I’m here for it. I don’t know, I hope the fans enjoy it. We do it all for the fans.”
When Josh reminded him that winning would put another belt on his mantle, Arquette laughed at the possibility: “I don’t know, I think they’d still clean off the other mantle and then put it up there. I gotta put some moves together here.”
