Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias on WWE & Comedy

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias is one of the world’s funniest comedians. And he is also a devoted fan of WWE.

Beginning this Sunday, Iglesias joins WWE Rivals on A&E to lead a roundtable that will feature the likes of Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman, and Natalya Neidhart. Episodes will offer a deep dive into memorable rivalries, including Hulk Hogan-Randy Savage, Ric Flair-Dusty Rhodes, and John Cena-Batista.

The youngest of six, Iglesias was raised by his mother in Long Beach, California. He grew up a passionate fan of professional wrestling, an interest that has remained with him. Now 47, Iglesias was thrilled with the way WrestleMania 40 unfolded, and he was there to witness Cody Rhodes finally win the WWE championship.

“This year was my fourteenth WrestleMania,” said Iglesias. “Wrestling has been part of my life since I was a kid. I’m still in love with it.”

Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Iglesias discussed his affinity for professional wrestling, how he became the host of WWE Rivals, and the differences between comedy and wrestling.

Justin Barrasso: How did your connection form with WWE?

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias: I’ve been a huge fan of WWE forever–since I was a child. I’m a kid living the dream. I feel like I’m living multiple dreams right now. I made friends with people in the grind way back in the day. Not just the superstars, but I was friends with referees, people working backstage, and the grips and others behind the scenes.

When my career started taking off, I had Vickie Guerrero at a show, Rey Mysterio at a show, Dolph Ziggler at a show. All these people from WWE started coming to shows, and next thing you know, I’m talking with Roddy Piper and DDP and Scott Hall. A lot of the guys liked stand-up, especially because they had ideas of doing shows on stage talking about the business.

Barrasso: Just over a decade ago, you were part of the film Magic Mike with Kevin Nash. He is one of your co-hosts on WWE Rivals. Was there an instant connection between the two of you?

Iglesias: It was an automatic connection. I was more geeked out that I was working with Kevin Nash than I was about working with Matthew McConaughey or Channing Tatum. For me, I immediately gravitated to Kevin. I was in the company of a wrestling god.

Barrasso: Hosting this show allowed you an opportunity to highlight a plethora of wrestling’s best feuds.

Iglesias: I was reliving my childhood. The rivalry between Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair, I watched it when I was a kid. So when I was asked to host, it was like, ‘Would I like to sit among the superstars and talk about matches I grew up watching?’ Yes, yes, I would. These are matches I watched on pay-per-view–or stole on cable [laughs].

I know my lane. I am not a WWE superstar, but I am a fan of the WWE superstars. And I’m as real as it gets when it comes to being a fan. A lot of times, people come in and promote whatever it is they’re doing with WWE because WWE has such a wide reach. For me, being part of this is one of the most organic things I’ve ever done. It just felt so natural.

Barrasso: Is this a chance for viewers to learn parts of the rivalries they never knew? Enjoy some great moments from the past? Or a combination of the two?

Iglesias: Expect a lot of insight. JBL is part of the show, and that man is a vault of knowledge. I was scared to meet him, but we became friends. He knows the story behind the story behind the story. No diss on Paul Heyman, but he’s the wise man at our table. He knows wrestling inside and out.

For me, I approached it as a fan. My questions might not be the same. I wanted to know who got along with who–and if it ever led to issues backstage. Also, were there any snacks backstage? My stuff is out of the box and random, a lot different from anyone else. But I was a kid in a candy store talking matches. These are matches that helped build the foundation for where we are now.

Barrasso: What’s more cutthroat: comedy or professional wrestling?

Iglesias: I feel like, in comedy, you have a lot more control over your career than you do in professional wrestling. In professional wrestling, you have to rely on a lot of people to guide you. That’s not to say it isn’t the case in stand-up–but with comedy, I am the actor, the director, the writer, the producer, and I have the final say over everything. Yes, I have a manager, I have an agent, I have people who provide opportunities for me, whether that’s a publicist or a business manager. There are a lot of people involved, but I think you have a little more control in comedy, which is what makes wrestling so tough.

Barrasso: Why should people carve out time to watch WWE Rivals?

Iglesias: You’re going to laugh, you’re going to learn, you’re going to see a bunch of wrestlers hanging out and enjoying themselves. You’ll see superstars from yesterday hanging out with superstars from today, and you throw a knucklehead fan like me in the middle, it’s a fun time. We all had such a great time taping this show. It’s a show that highlights our love for professional wrestling.