WWE superstar Ryback recently spoke with PressofAtlanticCity.com to promote the upcoming WWE Supershow event from AC on March 30th and of course, WrestleMania 29. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
How Tough It Is Being A WWE Superstar:
“I grew up playing baseball and football, and I was very successful at both of those. I’ve seen guys come in and try to do this and mentally and physically fall apart instantly. It is by far the hardest thing I’ve done in my life –– the things we put our bodies through in a day-in and day-out basis and the injuries we suffer.”
“Anybody who questions the legitimacy of WWE, that’s all you need to know. I literally broke my ankle in three places, and I kept running as my foot dangled and finished the match, whereas one of the premier NFL player fractures his ankle in one place, and goes down and he’s done. The injuries are real, and the emotions we bring out are real –– it’s the best form of entertainment that money can buy.”
WrestleMania 29:
“WrestleMania is the biggest event of the year for us. It’s something you’ve got to see in person to see how magnificent it is. It’s the culmination of a year of hard work. You’ve got the biggest matches and angles going into one night. It’s a lot of fun –– a lot of excitement. You pack in anywhere from 50-, 60-, 70,000 people in an outside arena and it’s just something you’ve got to see.”
During an interview with Ring Rust Radio, Ken Shamrock revealed that he is seeking a return to WWE. Highlights from the interview are as follows:
On a return to WWE and how winning the World Title would cement his legacy:
“Oh, definitely. I’ve tried to reach out, but I’ve been hitting some walls. I’m not sure if my messages are getting through or not. In my career, if you follow my career and watched everything that I’ve ever done from the time I was in high school to where I’m at now, I’ve always been able to reach the pinnacle. In football, I was able to win championships and go to bowl games in college, be an All-American linebacker and there were a lot of things I was able to accomplish. In my professional career, every time I jumped into an organization, I always reached the top and the title. I know with NWA with Jeff Jarrett, TNA, I was their first heavyweight champion, so I was able to reach that pinnacle. With Pancrase, I was their first champion and was also able to bring it to the U.S. using my character. I also reached the level in the UFC as a heavyweight champion, one of the first of all time, also rookie of the year, fighter of the year. I got into pro wrestling, I’ve got tag team champion, Intercontinental champion, King of the Ring. There were several times where I wished I had got that opportunity, and probably should have had that opportunity, to at least challenge for the Heavyweight Championship belt. I never got that opportunity, and I’m not sure why, but it is what it is. I will keep fighting to try and get that opportunity and close this thing up to be probably one of the only persons in sports history to go into several different organizations and become world champion in every one of them.”
On Brock Lesnar and the transition from wrestling to MMA:
“People go, ‘What about Brock Lesnar?’ Brock Lesnar was not a true MMA fighter. Brock Lesnar was basically eye candy for MMA. He came in there, he was big, he was strong, he won a few matches, he captured the title and then he was out. Not much of a career. He is a true pro wrestler and amateur wrestler, so I think it’s a lot easier making the transition from being an amateur wrestler and pro wrestler into MMA than it is being an MMA fighter into pro wrestling.”
On Vince McMahon vs. Dana White: “That would be awesome.
The only thing is that this is what I know about Dana [White], and you can ask anyone, Dana always talks and talks and talks, but I’ve never seen him do anything. I saw Vince talk, talk and talk, and he has done something, he has gotten into the ring, he has participated with the fighters and the wrestlers. I have not seen Dana White do that. I’ve seen him call out Tito [Ortiz] like they were gonna fight, and it never happened. I’ve never seen Dana interact with his business the way that Vince has. Vince has stepped in the ring against guys he’s pissed off. Hey, you gotta give him credit for that. He stepped into the lion’s den, per say. He did step into the Lion’s Den one time!”
Check out these pictures of the WrestleMania 29 set being built including a huge Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. The set was manufactured by Rod Wraps in Miami, FL.
What He’s Doing Now Since Leaving WWE:
“I’ve been keeping busy. I’ve been making personal appearances as well as doing independent bookings. I’ve been working on a movie project locally with some writers and a production group. It has a good script, and a medium-budget of about $1-to-1.5 million. There’s also a reality show that I’ve been in talks with.
“I also have a legends deal with WWE, so I go in from time-to-time for DVD commentaries, and I sometimes go to developmental (NXT). It gives them an extra set of eyes who doesn’t necessarily get to see the guys as often, and can give them a different perspective.”
WWE Developmental:
“For a long time, when I went to any sort of developmental, it seems like every guy there had a cookie-cutter look to them. Just a really generic look. Now there are a lot of guys that really look like professional wrestlers. I feel really comfortable with the new group that’s there right now. They’ll be able to continue the business.”
WrestleMania Memories:
“The first Wrestlemania I was involved with was the Michaels/Hall ladder match, when I was Shawn’s bodyguard. I still think that was one of the greatest matches of all time. A year later, me and Shawn were headlining. And then I co-headlined with ‘Taker the next year. I was involved with some great moments in the early-to-mid-90s.”
Being a Part of the Undertaker’s Streak:
“It’s funny because I didn’t believe that there was truly anything special when I wrestled ‘Taker at the time. There was no inkling of a streak or anything. The guys like me that are earlier in the streak are just lucky to be part of the streak. Now it’s such a big thing, and one of the really special things in the business. I really don’t think the streak is ever going to end, and if it was up to me, I wouldn’t ever have it end.”
Paul Heyman recently spoke with Philly.com to promote WrestleMania 29. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
The City of Philadelphia:
“There is no Paul Heyman in 2013 without the city of Philadelphia. Each city has a unique flavor… and Philadelphia is the reason why ECW became such a global phenomenon and in turn solidified my reputation and afforded me the opportunity to build my reputation that I would have never had in any other city in America or in the world for that matter.”
Working with CM Punk and Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania:
“How could it be bad for me? I have two of the three main events properly represented on the biggest Wrestlemania of all time in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. How could things be going anything but splendidly for me? I’m ecstatic with my current role in WWE. I get to work every Monday with my two best friends: Brock Lesnar and CM Punk. I have ‘The Beast’ [Lesnar] and ‘The Best’ [Punk].”
Final Hype for Brock vs. Triple H and Punk vs. The Undertaker:
“One, you have a chance to come and witness true history, where The Undertaker’s streak is finally going to be snapped. You get to say that ‘I saw it live when The Undertaker’s streak was broken by CM Punk. Far from least important, you get to sat thank you to Triple H for all of his in-ring contributions to the WWE Universe throughout the years because if you’re a Triple H fan, you’re not going to get to see him wrestle again. This is going to be his last match because Brock Lesnar is going to beat Triple H and this is your chance to say thank you to the The Game.”
Reid Flair, the 25-year-old son of legendary wrestler Ric Flair, has been found dead on Friday, according to multiple sources. Details concerning his passing have not been disclosed.
With his background, Flair was hailed as future wrestling star dating back to high school as he was an accomplished amateur wrestler who achieved numerous awards. His career, however, was sidetracked in 2009 due to a slew of personal issues, including an arrest that found him in possession of black tar heroin.
Following a hiatus from the squared circle, Reid made his in-ring debut for All Japan Wrestling in January, replacing his sick father in a tag team match due to the WWE Hall of Famer suffering a blood clot in his leg. Last month, Reid competed in All Japan’s Excite Series tour, wrestling undercard tag team matches. On March 15, Flair wrestled his first singles match in All Japan, causing Yasufumi Nakanoue to submit with the Figure Four Leglock.
In recent months, there was talk of Reid joining WWE developmental along with his sister, Ashley (NXT Diva Charlotte). WWE did take a look at him, but he was never signed to a contract.
He was scheduled to make independent appearances in Maryland this weekend with his father.
The wrestling world is expressing its shock and support for the Flair family on Twitter in response to the tragic passing of 25 year old Reid Flair. Here are some tweets:
Jim Ross
@JRsBBQ
"Words cannot express our emotions re: death today of Reid Flair the 24 year old son of Ric Flair. Condolences to the Flair family. So sad."
9:52 PM - 29 Mar 13
Kurt Angle
@RealKurtAngle
"To Ric flair and His family, I'm So Sorry for the Loss of Reid, Ric's Son. You Were family to Me. GOD Bless You Ric! I Love U"
5:50 PM - 29 Mar 13
Rowdy Roddy Piper
@R_Roddy_Piper
"My heart is with Ric and Reid Flair today! Reid was my son too!"
6:34 PM - 29 Mar 13
Eric Bischoff
@EBischoff
"Heavy heart. Our thoughts, prayers, and sympathy to Ric Flair and family at the passing of Reid Flair. Such a sad day."
5:51 PM - 29 Mar 13
TAZ
@OfficialTAZ
"Extremely saddened by the tragic passing of Reid Flair. My deepest Condolences to the Ric & his family."
10:18 PM - 29 Mar 13
Bray Wyatt
@WWEBrayWyatt
"God, be with the Flair family on this day of mourning. I'll always remember the good times buddy. R.I.P Reid"
6:08 PM - 29 Mar 13
G.I. Joe: Retaliation looks to be having a strong opening weekend at the box office. According to Deadline.com, early data shows the movie pulled in $10.5 million on Thursday (including $2.5m from some Wednesday midnight screenings) and around $15 million on Friday. If they can keep up that pace, it will do around $45-50 million for the four-and-a-half day Easter weekend. Audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore, better than the first installment’s (B+).
Which WM29 Match He’s Most Looking Forward To:
“What match am I looking forward to the most at WM29? Several have my interest and ALL are important for those involved on a variety of levels. I certainly look forward to the Shield’s 6 man tag in their debut at the ‘Big Event.’ Very curious to see how @TripleH and Brock Lesnar engage. I love these physical, hellbent for leather type of matches. The Streak is a WM highlight and no element in WrestleMania history has been more significant than the Undertaker going 20-0 at the Super Bowl of WWE. As one who had a hand in signing both @JohnCena and @TheRock I am proud that they are going to close the show, again, but also am nervously anxious to see how they follow all that precedes them. Big time players step up and play when the game’s on the line and closing a WrestleMania event is akin to the game being on the line.”
How He Think Fandango Will Do At WrestleMania:
“I honestly feel that he will do well & have a surprisingly good match with the great Chris Jericho, @IAmJericho. I know that Fandango can wrestle because I’ve seen him pre-Fandango in NXT and it is unfortunate that some fans have already indicted this young man before they’ve see the new persona in action. Just because one doesn’t like the gift wrapping doesn’t mean that the package inside, inside the ropes in this case, won’t be a pleasant surprise.”
Kurt Angle In The WWE Hall Of Fame:
“Do I think that Sting or Kurt Angle will ever be inducted into the WWE HOF? Absolutely, is my best educated guess. When? I have no idea but I hope I’m around to see both inductions.”
What He’s Looking Forward To At WrestleMania:
“Everything about WrestleMania. I mean, I remember as a kid my fondest memories were of watching ‘Mania and dreaming of becoming a WWE superstar. That’s probably cliche because a lot of people say it. But I’ll tell you something fella, I was the kid coming from Ireland that snuck down a 2 a.m. to watch pay-per-views when my dad and ma were asleep.
“I was creeping down these wooden stairs and these wooden floors. It was actually brutal, it was great when they had carpets, no problem at all. But when they got rid of the carpet and varnished the floors, I’d literally be treading down on tippy-toes all the way down so I wouldn’t be heard on the day before school.
“I was in for every pay-per-view but WrestleMania was special. To be involved in WrestleMania 26 when I was there with Triple H — first of all, I can’t believe I’m here and two, I can’t believe I can get paid for this. And of course, last year was special with Daniel Bryan.
“But every year you evolve and every year you strive to push the boundaries. That’s what is going to happen this year I think. It won’t be with The Undertaker, it won’t be for the World Heavyweight championship, but I guarantee you that whatever I’ll be involved in is going to be very special.”
What Is So Special About Performing At WrestleMania:
“Every time I go out there, I get those goosebumps and I get that feeling in my stomach of nerves. I think that never goes away because you’re always with a different crowd and it’s special to you and it means so much to you. You always get nervous, I always get nervous.
“But for ‘Mania, it was incredible. I remember being at the stadium and being all hyped up. I’d literally been on Raw for maybe four months, I’d already been WWE champion — I’d done a awful lot very quickly. This was another step being in there with such a superstar like Triple H.
“I just remember walking the ramp and looking around and going, ‘Wow, this is unbelievable, it’s like a huge football stadium.’ Then, I remember going down and…I was blown away. I remember my knees, for just a half a second, just got weak. I actually thought I was going to go down. I composed myself and I went down that ramp. It felt like it took me 5 minutes to get to the ring. That’s how long that entrance way was for that ‘Mania.
“I remember getting in there and seeing Irish flags and trying to pick people out. It was absolutely incredible.”
His Favorite WrestleMania Moments:
“I loved the Roddy Piper vs. Adrien Adonis match with Jimmy Hart involved. It wasn’t a long match but it was an exciting and fun match with guys like Jimmy Hart being pulled in by Adrien Adonis, Roddy Piper being on fire and both of them being pulled over the top rope. Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake coming down and cutting Adonis’ hair and him freaking out. That, to me, was a great match.
“I also loved Bret and Shawn at WrestleMania XII. I was really torn, I liked both of them but I was more a Bret Hart fan at the time. When he lost, I was gutted. Another great — well, I don’t know if it was great, but a hyped-up match — was Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan. I was never a Hogan fan, I was an Ultimate Warrior fan. I just like Warriors’ energy in the ring. I just remembering hoping Warrior would beat Hogan.
“Those are the type of matches that are great, where you’re torn between the two.”
Bret Hart Motivating Him to Become a WWE Superstar:
“He was the first person, it was unbelievable. I always wanted to be a WWE superstar, I just knew it was the route to go. I remember I was working at a club called Lillie’s Bordello where I worked part-time just to get some extra cash.
“He came in to the club in Dublin and I asked him a question about getting a career in WWE. First, he sat down and he was there with his daughter. He sat me down and gave me some really great advice.”
His Dream Opponent:
“Undertaker. Absolutely Undertaker. I was absolutely gutted [when I lost the four-way between myself, C.M. Punk, Big Show and Randy Orton]. That was the match I wanted. The ‘Dead Man’, he’s one of the biggest legends and greatest superstars there ever will be in our business. To be able to step into the ring with him at WrestleMania, fella, there would be nothing bigger.
The International Olympic Committee Eliminating Amateur Wrestling:
“I think the people on the committee have completely lost their marbles. I think that is the most bizarre, ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my entire life. They’re literally removing one of the core sports of the Olympics that’s been there since the very beginning: Greco-Roman wrestling. And they’re taking it out to put in, what? What’s in there now? Badminton? Table tennis? Fly-fishing? Stamp collecting? Is stamp collecting in the Olympics now?
“I’ll be honest, that’s lost all credibility with me. I think that should be one of the core sports. Taking it out is ridiculous. I think they should be removed from their position in the committee because they have no idea what they’re doing.”
Carlo’s Bakery from reality TV show Cake Boss delivered a WrestleMania 29-themed cake to WWE headquarters on Friday. Stephanie McMahon noted on Twitter that the cake was a surprise and thanked owner Buddy Valastro. The cake features a huge MetLife Stadium and an Empire State Building with the WrestleMania 29 logo on it. On the side, it says, “From Your Tag Team Partners At Met Life Stadium, NJ & NYC.”
