Former WWE star Ryback recently spoke with former WWE creative team member Kevin Eck of Pressbox, and below are some highlights:
What the final straw was with WWE:
“Booking was only one part of why I chose to leave. I actually just opened up about my ankle injury on Episodes 16 and 17 of Conversation with The Big Guy. I firmly believe my entire WWE career as Ryback went the way it did stemming from my ankle injury in Nexus. Being denied magazine covers and who knows what else while there, along with the stop-and-go booking, all led to me finally leaving. I could have just been satisfied making decent money, but only limited to what they wanted me to earn no matter what I did or how hard I worked or how over I got and being a ‘TV star,’ or say [screw] it, I know who and what I am and there isn’t another human being alive like me. I create my success, and I’m going to achieve all my goals I have set.”
Working in Japan:
“I am more than open to going over there for two-to-three days here and there. Anything outside of that would be very difficult considering how hands-on I am with everything going on right now.”
Changing his names to Ryback Reeves:
“Ryback was a name I created when I was not in the WWE, along with ‘The Big Guy’ and ‘Feed Me More.’ I understand WWE and Vince McMahon like to protect the WWE brand, rightfully so, but I don’t come in there and say, ‘OK, I now own WWE and the same goes for my brand.’ They have gotten away with [that] for far too long, and I gave them my heart and soul while working for them. I refuse to be limited to just a wrestler and have other people tell me I cannot do other things with my life. I want to control how I am perceived and am allowed to make a living with the brand I created and own.”
