So as obviously as a WWE superstar, we are always kind of begging and pleading for
extended time off.
These circumstances have afforded us that maybe not the amount of time or
time spent the way we expected it, particularly yourself.
Nine years away from WWE, and
you make your epic return at the Royal Rumble and I think it's probably safe to
say this isn't exactly how you envision everything coming back.
>> Yeah, I can't say if I were mapping this out because I do like to
visualize and kinda, I think if you visualize it, you can materialize it.
I did not picture this.
This was not part of my vision board.
Yeah, it's odd.
No question about it.
But gosh, it's so crazy and it happens so fast and we're all in it together.
And you just have to make do, you really do.
And I could sit there and wallow in my own self pity and be like,
my first singles match bag, my first wrestle mania bag and there's a pandemic.
What are you gonna do you make the best of the scenario and and
really there's bigger things right now right?
It's it's all of us staying healthy and keeping our loved ones healthy and
you know, growing gardens and [LAUGH] >> That was gonna be
one of my questions later on how are you spending all this quality time?
>> I'm trying to bone up on my ukulele skills I'm reading,
which I always do that has just kinda sped up even more,
which is kinda scary because I read 72 books last year without a pandemic.
So I have no idea what I'm gonna hit this year helping out,
I actually told her I was going to start gardening with her.
And it got me massive bonus points.
>> [LAUGH] >> Really did she was shocked and
I just but I truly didn't think I was like, wow, what a great way to connect.
Yeah, I'll help you garden.
Let's do it.
Between that and just you know, working out, going mountain biking, and being dad.
Just being dad.
And surprisingly still fairly busy.
>> Yeah, there's no shortage of ways to occupy your time, whether or
not Those ways are productive remain to be determined I,
to your point about the ukulele actually got inspired one day last week.
And spent about a half of an afternoon shopping online for
guitars that I decided that I was going to teach myself to play during all this.
And my guitar playing career lasted, well, about half of an afternoon,
when I decided I didn't feel like spending money on a guitar that I couldn't play.
[INAUDIBLE] would.
>> You might during this, that's the only thing.
Who knows, you might come out of this like in Bay Malmsteen, just shredding rubber.
>> [LAUGH] yeah, I think at certain points I've gotten very,
very ambitious and I was, what, I'm gonna start this, and
I'm gonna do that, and I Been wanting to do this and
the ambition sort of gave way to laziness, >> Yeah.
>> And the Tiger King, >> [LAUGH] Yeah.
>> And just preparing.
That's the one thing about being part of WWE and
my role right now is we slowed down, but nothing's really stopped.
>> And it never stops, and if this isn't proof positive, I don't know what is.
>> Well, let me ask you this.
So, when you got word and
all this is relatively fresh in my mind because the first thing I did this morning
was watched the WWE 24 documentary on the network.
If you're listening to this and you haven't already gotten your eyes on it,
pause this go watch that first.
>> [LAUGH] >> It was really well done.
Hats off to everybody involved and it was an awesome look.
And watching it honestly man it was inspiring and
I would say two or three different points I went man I live in Pittsburgh now.
I should go find Dr. Maroon it was just gave me that urge to do all this
all over again and I don't know whether or not that's a possibility.
Everyone's caught up to the awesome return at the Royal Rumble.
You obviously focus your sights on WrestleMania.
with Randy Orton it's getting unbelievable live reaction at
truly like an emotional story that stood out amongst everything WWE is doing.
What went through your mind when you first got word that WrestleMania
was going to be happening behind closed doors.
>> I mean, you have to admit there was disappointment of course.
Because, as a performer we want to be in front of the audience,
it's not the same without the audience there, physically there.
You know they're there watching at home and that's what you have to try and
focus on, is the performance for the people at home that are hopefully reacting
the way that you would want them to within the arena.
Men, you've gotta just try and look at the positives and that's all you can do.
It was disappointing, sure but pretty quickly, I went, okay, well,
this is what we have, so now what can we do?
I think you can do it without an audience.
Sure, there's those challenges,
don't get me wrong and you do feed off of it with adrenaline and things like that.
And I do think an audience can take something and
make it better just purely by their reaction and how invested they are.
And I think an audience at home does feed off of that.
But this is the set of circumstances we have.
This is what we have to work with and you just have to make it work.
>> Like what you hear.
Catch full episodes of after the bell on Apple podcasts.
Subscribe now and never miss an episode.
[MUSIC]