1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Battleground Podcast. Fuck you play all these 2 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: pros and exclusive interviews with some of your favorite wrestlers. 3 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 2: Stope it wean't tell you. Guys, Welcome back into iHeartRadio's 4 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 2: official wrestling podcast, The Battleground Podcast. It is Battle and 5 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 2: uh Man. Today is a fun time because why our 6 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 2: guests All Ego Ethan Page joint the show Ethan What's up? Man? 7 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: Not a whole lot, just you know, chatting about myself 8 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: and how awesome NXT is. 9 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:43,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I got to talk to you real quick 10 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 2: about how awesome NXT was over the weekend. You held 11 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 2: onto your North American title at Great American Batch, and 12 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 2: I gotta say I didn't know Ricky Starks could fly 13 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 2: like that after watching it. But what did that win 14 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 2: mean to you personally? And how far do you think 15 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 2: All Ego can take this run? 16 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: Well? The win man so much to me that I 17 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: will be celebrating my win in Houston. So if anyone 18 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: wants to celebrate with me, please join me at seven 19 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: one three music Call. I believe, am I right? God? 20 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:20,040 Speaker 1: I'm a fantastic professional. I would say it was a 21 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: very big win. I'm going to celebrate the heck out 22 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 1: of it in Houston, And how far can I take 23 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: this championship. I think I've already announced publicly whether people 24 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: think this is a mistake or not, that this is 25 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 1: the championship in NXT, the most prestigious title in NXT, 26 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: and I'm here to prove it. So I think I 27 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: can take this as far as I want to and 28 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 1: make it as big as I want to. I've already 29 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,479 Speaker 1: made the title more prestigious than it ever has been before. 30 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: But the sky's the limit. Yeah, absolutely for sure. 31 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 2: Now you've described wrestling rookies as requiring an oceans amount 32 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: of patients after you know, helping develop some fresh talent 33 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: and NXT, how do you balance nurturing new stars while 34 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: staying ego First. 35 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: Oh, what a fantastic question. I would say, it's not 36 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: so much that I'm nurturing anything other than my lower back, 37 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: neck and knees. For me, carrying this entire brand has 38 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: been exhausting but absolutely rewarding. And I would say just 39 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: leaving NXT a better place than when I arrived will 40 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: be the ultimate pad on the back. And I think 41 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: that's my main focus, is kind of just surviving mentally 42 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:39,519 Speaker 1: with children. 43 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 2: I completely understand that. I definitely understand that even Page 44 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 2: is our guest right now. Now. Recently during interview, you 45 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 2: talked about when Shawn Michaels first pulled you aside and 46 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 2: said you've never been given a fair shot, and you said, 47 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: you literally hit in the back room. Can you walk 48 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 2: us through that surreal moment again, like somebody like Sean 49 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 2: Michael's coming to you and and talking to you in 50 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 2: that sort of way. 51 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, to me, I would say the most 52 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: eye opening thing. I said this to my wife this week. Actually, 53 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: it's insane to me that throughout the entire course of 54 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: my career I've been trying to convince essentially failed wrestlers 55 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 1: or failed promoters or failed everything, never done anything in 56 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 1: their wrestling careers. Yet they're telling me that I'm just 57 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: not the right guy for the job, or that I 58 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: have an overinflated opinion of myself, or I see myself 59 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: for a position that they just don't agree with. And 60 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: yet here we are with the greatest wrestler of all time. 61 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: And this is a unanimous with many wrestling fans telling 62 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: all ego Ethan Page that he is exactly what he 63 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: thinks he is. How ironic that a bunch of nobodies 64 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: told me I wasn't the guy for eighteen years, and 65 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: then the guy says, man, you've been write all along, 66 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: and now look at what we have. We have arguably 67 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: one of the biggest future stars of professional wrestling. And 68 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: I will boldly say with the utmost confidence, the best 69 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 1: wrestler currently signed under a WW contract at every facet 70 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 1: of what we do as professional wrestlers. 71 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure, absolutely, even Page all ego, even Page 72 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 2: is our guest today. Now, you once said, do do 73 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 2: you think I give a crap morally? 74 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: No? 75 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 2: I like winning. Fans love that quote. Some of the 76 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 2: you know, keyboard warriors, you know, some of the trolls 77 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 2: on the IWC called it mid wrestler energy. What do 78 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 2: you have to say about that? 79 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 1: What was the quote? Again? I don't want to talk 80 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: about myself, but I don't remember all the crap I say. 81 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 1: I just say what I feel. Give me the quote again. 82 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 2: The quote was, do you think I I give a 83 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 2: crap morally? 84 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 1: No? 85 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: I like winning. 86 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: So this is my issue with people judging, I mean 87 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: pretty much in any walk of life. I've done interviews 88 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 1: with people that work for the CW network and they 89 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: have asked me how I feel morally about the things 90 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 1: that I do, and I ask them how do they 91 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 1: feel morally about getting paid by the company that airs 92 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: the things that I do on television? Everyone on earth 93 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: gets to benefit from my actions, whether it's entertainment, whether 94 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 1: it's giving someone an avenue to hate me, because truthfully, 95 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 1: they're not happy with their life, but they can focus 96 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 1: their negative energy on me because I genuinely don't care 97 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: what people think. So as far as this quote goes, 98 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 1: I don't know. Man. I was just honestly feeling it. 99 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: That's what I said. I don't take it back. I 100 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: don't take back any dumb thing that I've ever said 101 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 1: in my life because I'm just living and I live 102 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: honest and true life, and I tell people my intentions 103 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 1: with a smile on my face, whether they're good or bad, 104 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: and everyone else is just fake and phony. They say 105 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: things they don't mean, they make promises they'll never keep, 106 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: and they have these beliefs that they don't actually follow 107 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: through with. So whatever anyone said about me, I'm sure 108 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: they can't look themselves in the mirror honestly and tell 109 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: themselves the truth. So you know what, sure enjoy calling 110 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,599 Speaker 1: me mid or whatever thing you thought was gonna hurt 111 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: my feelings. 112 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 2: We are hanging out with the greatest NXT North American 113 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 2: Champion of all time, Ethan Page. All Ego, Ethan Page 114 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 2: now another one of the goats and wrestling. You've also 115 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 2: spent some time with your backstage time with The Rock 116 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 2: has been described as a turning point. What's the most 117 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 2: unexpected advice he gave you? 118 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 1: Ooh, So there was an instance where I felt I 119 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: was in the position to suggest something to everybody in 120 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: the room, and I suggested it in the most Canadian 121 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: way possible, which is very out of character for me, 122 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: and I was a little bit more polite than I 123 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: should have been. The Rock told me that if I 124 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: ever feel that I'm right, to never second guess myself, 125 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: no matter who's in the room, himself included, and to 126 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 1: just speak my truth and stand on what I believe, 127 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 1: because he said, if you feel it you're right, just 128 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: know you're right. So ever since then, I've never doubted 129 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: myself in any scenario, and I've just become just a 130 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: disruptor and kind of went with my gut on any 131 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: situation possible. And I don't think my career has slowed 132 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: down since that moment. So people say it's pivotal as 133 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: far as perception, and you know, it's like, oh wow, 134 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: they let Ethan Page on screen with The Rock. No, no, no, 135 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,119 Speaker 1: they put all ego on screen with the Final Boss 136 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: because they knew that was best for the WWE. And 137 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: The Rock told me that whatever I feel and whatever 138 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: I think is best for me, and that's how I 139 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: have lived and that's how I've handled my career ever since, 140 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: and things have gone fantastic. Yeah, absolutely, for sure. 141 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 2: Last question before we let you go. You know with 142 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 2: ww in this partnership with with TNA, Slammiversary is coming 143 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 2: up this weekend. They just announced AJ Styles is going 144 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 2: to be showing up at Slammiversary. You've got your own 145 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 2: history with the company. Any chance we'll see you showing 146 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 2: up to Slammiversary this weekend? 147 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,359 Speaker 1: Wait? Hold on, AJ Styles is going to be at Slammiversary. 148 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: He is? 149 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 2: That was just announced today by TNA. 150 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 1: Damn, that's very cool. I just found that out. I'm 151 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: a big TNA fan. I'm excited for TNA. I'm excited 152 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: for their locker room and the success that the company 153 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: has been having. But heck, no, I will not be 154 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: appearing as Slamnniversary. I am flying out at the end 155 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: of these interviews to Dover to be the Grand Marshal 156 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 1: for NASCAR thanks to the CW network. So I will 157 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: be schmoozing with some network executives and making the relationship 158 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,320 Speaker 1: with NXT and CW even stronger than it already is, 159 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: and I'll be telling people to start their engines and 160 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: all that stuff too. 161 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 2: Absolutely well, all Ego Ethan Page. It's an honor we'repevieus 162 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 2: to have you on the show Man. Thanks for stopping by, 163 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 2: and we look forward to seeing you back on here 164 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 2: very soon. 165 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: Thank you. Happy to be here.