Magnum TA Explains Why It Took Him A While To Talk To Dark Side Of The Ring

Last month, Vice's "Dark Side of the Ring" ran an episode focused on retired wrestler Magnum TA, whose real name is Terry Allen. Making a special appearance as the replacement for Jake "The Snake" Roberts on his podcast, "The Snake Pit," Allen explained why he avoided talking to the show's producers for years.

"It took me two years, I think it was, to even talk to them," Allen said. "I had seen some things that weren't the most flattering, I guess I could say, of some of my friends. And the tone — I just didn't ever want my career to be looked upon as a dark side of anything, because certainly it was a devastating premature end to a career, but it didn't define my whole life."

Allen shared that he wanted to ensure the episode reflected his actual life rather than focusing on salacious details of his accident. The former NWA star also revealed he didn't see the finished episode until it aired. Thankfully, Allen was happy with what he saw.

"The producers were very accommodating and gracious, and did everything they could to make me feel good about it," Allen continued. "[They] told me from the beginning they wanted it to be different than things they'd done in the past. They wanted to be able to tell a story that [had] a positive turn, and ... all in all, that was what they gave me, at the end of the day."

In 1986, during Allen's rise to the top, injuries sustained in an auto wreck forced the former NWA United States Heavyweight Champion to permanently retire from wrestling. At first, it was feared that Allen would be partially paralyzed, but over time the Virginia native recovered to a degree that he was able to walk once again. While Allen was thankful his episode didn't turn out too negative, he understands why shows like "Dark Side of the Ring" tend to focus on that element.

"Unfortunately, from a ratings perspective, most people want to know [about] the car wreck, or ... the drama," Allen said. "We certainly were great subject matter for that, because we lived as crazy a lifestyle as any human being could've back during our days. Those of us that were lucky enough to survive it, we've got a lot of stories, and a lot of things we'll probably take to our grave." The 64-year-old also shared what surprised him upon viewing his installment for the first time.

"They recreated so many really cool things," Allen stated. "They researched and came up with things that I didn't even think would be available for something like this, because Vince [McMahon] owns all the libraries and everything else, so I didn't know what they'd be able to get in terms of footage." Allen revealed that he was pleasantly surprised they were able to use the classic "10 lbs. Of Gold" title belt for one notable scene.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Snake Pit" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.