1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Battleground Podcast. 2 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 2: Your day for all East. 3 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:17,240 Speaker 3: And exclusive interviews with some of your favorite wrestlers. 4 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 2: Stop seeing what's up you guys. Welcome back in too. 5 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio's official wrestling podcast, The Battleground Podcast. It is battle 6 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 1: from ninety five to seven Big FM, Milwaukee's best variety 7 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: of the eighties and nineties. And as you know, WWE 8 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:39,160 Speaker 1: Monday Night Raw returns to Milwaukee this Monday night at 9 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: the five Serve Forum. You could still grab tickets, very 10 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: few left ticketmaster dot com or WWE dot com. And 11 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: today on the show, we got a guy that wears 12 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: mini hats inside and outside of the ring. 13 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 2: And today he has a special hat on because it 14 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 2: is his birthday. 15 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: Today, Xavier Woods joins the Showy, Hi, your birthday. 16 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 3: Thank you very much. The pleasure is all yours and 17 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 3: I am very happy for you to get the opportunity 18 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 3: to speak to me. And you're going to enjoy this 19 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 3: a lot. So let's get started. 20 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: I'm very excited. First and foremost, let me ask how's 21 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: the neck doing. I know your doctor said that you 22 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: could take it off for a couple hours a day. 23 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 1: Obviously we're not in that couple of hours where you 24 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: could take it off. 25 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 2: How's the neck? 26 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,400 Speaker 3: My neck is feeling terrible. I don't know if you 27 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 3: watched Raw this past Monday night, but I was forced 28 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:26,960 Speaker 3: to wrestle even though my neck is injured. I had 29 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 3: to take my neck brace off during the commercial break 30 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 3: because the referee was accosting me about wearing it, as 31 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 3: it was an illegal tool in the ring that I 32 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 3: was not allowed to have. But then Penta jumped off 33 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 3: of Ivar's back and somehow attached his body to mine 34 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 3: into an incredible Mexican destroyer that has only injured my 35 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 3: neck even more so. Now I don't know where we 36 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 3: even are in the recovery process at this point, because 37 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 3: Adam Pierce refuses, He absolutely refuses to ban this maneuver. 38 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 3: But he bans it when it happens to Cody, He 39 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,279 Speaker 3: bends it. It gets banned when it happens to Randy. 40 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 3: But oh, but not me, not the twenty one year vet, 41 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 3: not the fifteen year company guy, not the guy who 42 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 3: delivers every single time he's out there. We just don't 43 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 3: care what happens to Woods. I wonder why, oh, because 44 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 3: he doesn't want to give us a rematch with the 45 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 3: tag Team Championships doesn't want to give me a match 46 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 3: for the ICY title. I should have been Icy Champion 47 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 3: years ago. 48 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 2: You should have. 49 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: We were advocating for that on this show before, and 50 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: it's a shame that they have not. They have mistreated 51 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: a former King of the Ring the way they have 52 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 1: been not fair, not fair at all for Xavier Woods. Now, 53 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: I do want to ask you this because a lot 54 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 1: of fans have watched the show, watched the documentary on Netflix. 55 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: You know, ww Netflix Unreal has got everyone talking. It's 56 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 1: kind of pulling the curtain back more than ever. Do 57 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: you think something like this helps evolve the business or 58 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 1: maybe chips away the magic wrestling thrives off because it 59 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: doesn't seem like k fabe is really much of a 60 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: thing anymore. 61 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 3: This is a heavy question that I will answer as 62 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 3: best I can. I love magic, I love David Blaine, 63 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 3: what's his name, Copperfield, all these things. I don't want 64 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 3: to know how the tricks are done, so I don't 65 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 3: go searching for information on how the tricks are done. 66 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 3: If I want to know how the tricks are done, 67 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 3: then I will go find out how the tricks are done. 68 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 3: But I will not complain about now knowing how the 69 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 3: tricks are done. After I've looked up the information of 70 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 3: how the tricks are done, it's a. 71 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 2: Solid answer and I dig it. 72 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: Uh, Monday Night Raw Milwaukee this Monday night Pfizer form. 73 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: You can still buy your tickets ww dot com, ticketmaster 74 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: dot com. Now, I gotta say, when it comes to 75 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: Xavier Woods, you've always been ahead of the curve with 76 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: blending wrestling and of course the digital culture, especially with 77 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: up updown, down, and among other things that you've done 78 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: outside of wrestling. Has fan engagement online changed how you 79 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: connect with audiences in the ring. 80 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 3: I don't know if it's changed how I engage or 81 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 3: how fan engagement has it's come about. I will say 82 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 3: that sometimes things occur on the Internet that then definitely 83 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 3: don't translate to inside the arenas, because in the arenas 84 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 3: it's a very different experience. The energy is palpable. You 85 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 3: can damn near taste it sometimes, which is disgusting because 86 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 3: people should wear more toyodorant. Like we were in France. 87 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:33,599 Speaker 3: It smelled horrible in that place. But it is cool 88 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 3: to see people having a voice online, people that might 89 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 3: not live near other people that also love wrestling. People 90 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 3: that might find people who love wrestlers who might not be, 91 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:47,239 Speaker 3: you know, really on the scene yet, and finding somebody 92 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 3: across the world who also loves this wrestler and being 93 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 3: able to bond with them. So it is great seeing 94 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 3: people be able to bond about things they might not find. 95 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 3: What do you say, bonders bonding friends with otherwise. So 96 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 3: engagement for me is talking to the audience that I 97 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 3: know is listening online. So for me, it's people who 98 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 3: will say people who know ball, people who understand that 99 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 3: I've been wrestling for twenty one years. I started on 100 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 3: the Independence in South Georgia. I then got into TNA 101 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 3: before I graduated college. I then went to New Japan. 102 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 3: I then came to WWE. So I've got a very 103 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 3: long career where I'm very proud of the things that 104 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 3: I've been able to accomplish. And so I talk to 105 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 3: those people because those people are the ones that I 106 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 3: know have been rocking with me. Those are the people 107 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 3: that I know understand video games, they understand movies, pop culture. 108 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 3: So I might say something on television that the world 109 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 3: at the masses might not understand, but the people that 110 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 3: know me know that this is a reference from the 111 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 3: movie White Chicks. This is a reference from the game Fallout, 112 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 3: and so I'm talking to those people because that's who 113 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 3: I wish would have been talking to me while I 114 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 3: was wrestling. There wasn't anybody like me when I was 115 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 3: growing up watching this show. There were a million incredible characters, 116 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 3: but there wasn't anybody who I felt spoke to me 117 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 3: as a nerdy kid who was getting yelled at in 118 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 3: school for reading too many comic books or playing too 119 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 3: many video games. And so with the amount of characters 120 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 3: that we have on the show, there's someone for everybody, 121 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 3: and I'm very proud to be that representative for those people. 122 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 3: So a long winded way to say it doesn't change 123 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 3: the way that I necessarily engage with fans, but I 124 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 3: do enjoy having a space specifically for those fans who 125 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 3: want more of me, or want more of bron Breaker, 126 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 3: or want more of Riha Ripley. It's nice to have 127 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 3: that setup, as in tandem with being able to perform 128 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 3: in the ring in the stadiums and tell people that 129 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 3: their signs are trash and rip them up and tell 130 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 3: them to shut up because they're being disrespectful to me, 131 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 3: or you. 132 00:06:57,400 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 2: Know, throwing their cell phones down when they're trying to 133 00:06:59,040 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 2: get a selfie. 134 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 3: Well, the thing is this, and this is a this 135 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 3: is a very interesting thing we can talk about. You 136 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 3: spoke about unreal. This sh great show Netflix, if you 137 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 3: want to watch it, by all means, engage with all 138 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 3: of it. A bunch of people in the comments on this, 139 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 3: uh this video of me taking the cell phone, Oh, 140 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 3: this is this is a plant. This is no sorry 141 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 3: to break it to you, guys. That's somebody who broke 142 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 3: the rules. Somebody to in my line of thinking, ever 143 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 3: since I began professional wrestling, I was always told if 144 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 3: someone crosses the barrier, that's not a problem because you 145 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 3: don't know what they can do. You don't know what 146 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 3: they've got on them. And so I think about a 147 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 3: wrestling show like a roller coaster. What do they tell 148 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 3: you right when you get on, keep your hands and 149 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 3: feet inside the vehicle at all times, because something out 150 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 3: there might want you more than you want it. So 151 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 3: I see that arm come across the barrier with a 152 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 3: cell phone, with a sign with a pen that now 153 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 3: belongs to me. I don't know you. You don't know me. 154 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 3: You haven't been put there by anybody. You paid your 155 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 3: hard earned money for this, for this seat, and now 156 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 3: you want to throw that money away by putting a 157 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 3: cell phone in my face. No no, no, no, no no. 158 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 3: We're gonna toss that on the ground because it's it now. 159 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 3: Now you disrespected me, and I need the world to understand. 160 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 3: They got to stop doing this or they're gonna get 161 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 3: their stuff taken. 162 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 2: Exactly. Let it be a lesson. 163 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: When you see Xavier and Kobe walking down to the ring, 164 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: keep your hands behind the barricade. It's kind of, you know, 165 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: like you said, a roller coaster, arms and hands and 166 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: feet and everything inside the ride. 167 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:35,439 Speaker 3: So this is crazy to me too. Someone will see 168 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 3: me take a sign, they'll see me take a pin, 169 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 3: they'll see me destroy something of someone's and then they'll 170 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 3: still have it on the other side of the barrier 171 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 3: at this point. Fool me once, shame on me, or 172 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 3: shame on you, right m hm. Fool me twice, fool 173 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 3: me three hundred times, fool me for the duration of 174 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 3: a full wrestling theme song. That's I can't be blame 175 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 3: for that. I can't blame for that. 176 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 2: Exactly exactly. Xavier Wood is our guest on the show 177 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 2: with us, right now. 178 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: Uh, so you mentioned about the journey that you had 179 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: starting from you know, beginning early days the independence to 180 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: where you're at now. I will tell you, as a 181 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 1: fan of yours for a very long time, I remember 182 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: you as Consequences Creed from TNA. Now that WWE has this, 183 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 1: this partnership and they've opened the. 184 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 2: Door with TNA. 185 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: By chance, one night only, they ask you to bring 186 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: the red, white and blue trunks back. 187 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 2: Are you open to this for one night only? 188 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 3: So I this is this, This is a sore subject 189 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 3: because at Rustlemania in Philly that year prior to Carl 190 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 3: Weather's past and that's my inspiration, Apollo Creed, and so 191 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 3: I wore an updated version of the Consequences Creed gear 192 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 3: and more mixed with Xavier woods and that was me 193 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 3: retiring the fit. The only way that I would bring 194 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 3: it back for one night only would be if there 195 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:09,440 Speaker 3: was a TNA show where we had a six sided ring. Okay, 196 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 3: that is that is what I have been begging for. 197 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 3: But also I would need I would need a very 198 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 3: high dollar amount because the things let me let me, 199 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 3: this is gonna take a second. This is gonna take 200 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 3: a second. I when you really go back and look 201 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 3: through the history of history books. I am the first 202 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:31,719 Speaker 3: homegrown TNA talent to find true success in WWE. When 203 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 3: you break that down, that means that I am the 204 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 3: one who washed the stink off of TNA and made 205 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 3: it acceptable for us to cross over to WWE. That 206 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 3: is why aj Styles is now here. That's why P. D. 207 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 3: Williams has a job here, Robert Rude has a job here. 208 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:49,679 Speaker 3: That's why Samoa Joe got to come here for a 209 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 3: little while. That's why that's why so many people that 210 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 3: were in TNA now have the ability to experience WrestleMania. 211 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 3: That's literally because of me. Without me coming over and 212 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 3: showing that TNA was cooking up real stars, none of 213 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 3: them would be here. And so I need an entrance 214 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 3: where people are throwing candies and rose petals at my 215 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 3: feet because the homegrown successful talent has finally come home. 216 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 3: People want to say, oh, aj Styles, just Aja is 217 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 3: very good. He's incredible, one of the best. He's one 218 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 3: of the reasons that I got into TNA in the 219 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 3: first place. But I still did this first. I'm still 220 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 3: the one. I'm still the man, and so we're gonna 221 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:33,959 Speaker 3: acknowledge that first and foremost before I put on any 222 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 3: sort of red, white and blue and get inside of 223 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 3: any sort of excited ring exactly. 224 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: And I know people on the internet they want to 225 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: try to, you know, say that you weren't the first 226 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: and that was our truth. But if we really want 227 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: to go back to it, our truth was in WWE, 228 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 1: and then he got released, then went to TNA, and 229 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: then came back. 230 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,559 Speaker 2: We're TNA original, then came to WWE. 231 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 3: Exactly, And that's what I tried to explain to p people. 232 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 3: But these new booty wrestling fans want to do a 233 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 3: quick Google search and think that they know everything about wrestling. Like, Bro, 234 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 3: you've been here long enough for a cup of coffee. 235 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 3: The amount of time that I have been a professional 236 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 3: wrestler now has the ability to drink twenty one years. 237 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 3: What are these kids talking about? Oh well, I heard on. 238 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 4: TikTok that this and this, and you're really sucking wrestling. 239 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 4: What are you talking about? What did you get on 240 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:27,200 Speaker 4: your phone? Get out of your bedroom, get in front 241 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 4: of the sun, and go do something. Experience life a 242 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 4: little bit like I have fired me out hind Neckertz. 243 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: No, sorry, sorry, we gotta calm things down here. So 244 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: we don't injure the neck even more. I know our 245 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:42,839 Speaker 1: time is coming up here towards the end, and I 246 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: got one more question for you before we let you go. 247 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 1: Especially with today being your birthday and everything else. You know, 248 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: WW feels like it's on the edge of a much 249 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: bigger shift than before. New leadership, new platforms, a changing 250 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: fan base, partnership with other companies that we thought we'd 251 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: never see. What excites you the most about where WWE 252 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: is heading right now? 253 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 3: I'd have to say the thing that excites me most 254 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 3: about where WWE is heading now is showing the world 255 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:27,839 Speaker 3: that what we do is not a joke. What we 256 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 3: do as professional wrestlers. We tell stories that people want 257 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 3: to hear, that people genuinely want to experience. Play is 258 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 3: something that's very important for children to learn, how to 259 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 3: understand human interaction, how to understand situations that they might 260 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 3: not yet have the chance to be a part of. 261 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:52,199 Speaker 3: Movies are very important for storytelling, character development, understanding things 262 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 3: that you might not get the chance to understand by 263 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 3: not yet being in that situation. Professional wrestling is something 264 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 3: that occurs a year, not a twelve episode run, and 265 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 3: then you got to wait six years, Like, it's not 266 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 3: Game of Thrones. We're not coming at you every couple 267 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,480 Speaker 3: of years. We're coming at you every single week, multiple companies, 268 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 3: multiple different types of people from across the world, and 269 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 3: we are able to tell stories that are meaningful to people, 270 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 3: that really help people understand friendship, conflict, so many different things. 271 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 3: And I love that. Let's say specifically, Hollywood is starting 272 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 3: to understand that this is not what they thought it was. 273 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 3: It's not it doesn't have this stink on it anymore 274 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 3: where it feels like, oh, wrestling that fake stuff, Like, no, 275 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 3: this is not fake. This is the complete opposite. This 276 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 3: is one of the realest forms of entertainment that you 277 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 3: could ever experience coming to this live performance. And I've 278 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 3: seen grown men crying at wrestling shows due to the 279 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 3: emotion that they're feeling from these performers in the ring. 280 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 3: I last just last week, I had little children letting 281 00:14:57,400 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 3: out all the rage that they've ever had in their 282 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 3: bodies focused at me and getting it out. That's cathartic 283 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 3: for them. It's cathartic for me being able to yell 284 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 3: at people and tell them to shut the hell up. 285 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 3: This is the greatest tribe on the face of the 286 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 3: planet to be a wrestling fan. You're so lucky. I'm 287 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 3: so lucky to be a fan. I'm so lucky to 288 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 3: be a professional wrestler. And the direction it's going, it's 289 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 3: only growing and getting bigger and becoming more of a 290 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 3: thing in pop culture. And I love that. I love 291 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 3: that for everybody who's getting to touch wrestling for the 292 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 3: first time. I love that, for everybody who's loved wrestling 293 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 3: all their lives. I love that so much, for our 294 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 3: entire tribe. You're gonna get me all choked up. I'm 295 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 3: supposed to be. 296 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 2: We don't want that to happen. We don't need you 297 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 2: to get choked up and into connective every more. But 298 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 2: we're gonna wrap things up. 299 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 1: I just want to say thank you for coming back 300 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: on the show today. 301 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 2: It's an honor and privilege to have you on. And 302 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 2: once again, Happy birthday, Xavier Woods. 303 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 3: Thank you very much. You know what, I'm sad this 304 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 3: one is ending. I'm actually enjoying this interview. 305 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 2: Maybe we'll have to do it again sometime soon. 306 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 3: You know what, I'd love that. You know what you know, 307 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 3: regardless what they say about you, you're not that bad. O. 308 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 2: Well, I appreciate that. 309 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: Hopefully, uh now that this is a little, a little 310 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: and in the wrestling business a rub, so maybe this 311 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: will help me get over eventually. 312 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 3: Fingers crossed for your kid.