I know how passionate you are.
And I do wanna know how much pressure you put on yourself to get your message across
cuz deep down there's a message when it comes to you and
I have talked about that privately if you wanna share this publicly,
>> Yeah, man and again, it's another thing
where it's like, I don't want to necessarily define myself by this message.
But it is so important and the message isn't meant to be everything, but
it's also something that's like isn't this a cool concept?
And the easiest way for me to kind of reiterate it is I'll always remember
I wanna say it's like 2019 Hall of Fame and I brought my wife with me.
And my wife is this clearly Muslim girl, right?
She wears a hijab, but we're all dolled up and
I'm walking her on a red carpet is doing interviews.
And man the amount of press that she got this visibly what Muslim grew up for
the first time walking at WWE Hall of Fame, red carpets.
And I'm the one doing all the interviews but everyone's like, my God,
how cool is that there is a Muslim moment on WWE.
And to a lot of people it goes, what does it matter?
It matters to girls that look like her.
>> Right. >> That they see that.
It matters to guys that have names like Mustafa or Mohamed.
It matters, man.
And I'm not saying I should get something because of it.
I'm just saying that's pretty cool >> You're the that is in a position to do
something a bout it.
>> To do that when I grew up my representation
on TV was APU from the Simpsons, that's it.
I didn't have a guy, some people like, that's my guy and that's my guy and
I can relate to, he's from my city.
I had nothing man, especially in wrestling, I had nothing,
I had nothing I aspired to be that guy.
So I'm not saying that I'm just like groundbreaking like, but
at the same time, who checks the boxes the way I do?
So I just think it's such a missed marketing concept or even like, good PR or
whatever, but the end of the day, it's the message that's important to me.
And, again, I'm not saying that because I'm from this background or
because I have this name or religion, it's important.
I'm saying none of that should define you because look, in the real world,
sometimes that stuff does define you.
Sometimes it does limit you.
I'm living proof that if you work ten times harder than everybody,
you can make it.
Again, back to the story of how I got into WWE I wasn't supposed to be here.
But a guy named Mr. Foley at one point is competing for
the WWE Championship, I've done these things.
I was in contention to have a WrestleMania match at one point like I did that.
So they can't take that away from me.
But to go back to what Vic saying that message is kind of like the sweet
like the cherry on top.
I don't want it to be everything.
I don't want it to be the defining role, but like, yeah, I'm damn proud of it.
>> While you're in the process of defining who Mustafa Ali is within
the world of WWE, what's the next step?
What's your immediate goal now that you're back in the fold?
>> I mean, back in the fold and again it's just so much emphasis I can't stress
enough what it would mean to not just me but I think a lot of people and people not
just from my background but to hear the new United States Champion Mustafa Ali.
This is America man,
isn't the United States like sometimes I don't feel like I'm at home.
Even though I'm from Chicago, born and raised there, a former police officer.
When the when the national anthem plays I stand up but
sometimes I feel like I'm not at home.
>> Dive into that.
Talk to me a little bit more about that.
That's not obviously I mean, I can't necessarily relate to that this is-
>> Yeah, it's, always a weird concept and,
my earliest recollection of it is unfortunately it's 911.
That's the first time I really felt like,
wait- >> Did you become aware because the world
became aware sort of?
There was a negative connotation because of the event.
>> Right.
>> Was that a case where you as a kid growing up, you didn't necessarily look at
yourself as differently, but then you sort of went, wait.
>> Yeah, 100%.
And yeah, I mean, kids are gonna be kids, right?
I'm sure someone said something once in a while.
And I referenced a who early,
before people probably said my name with the Indian accent or whatever.
But 911 was the first time I felt like, because am different physical harm
you can come to me and my family, that was the first time i ever felt that.
And I'll always remember being in class and because 911 was
national tragedy teachers were kind of talking about it in class and
we're having these open, pretty mature conversations.
And I remember just kind of saying something along the lines of like, yeah,
I can't believe this happened to us.
And I'll never forget the kid in front of me turned around like that.
He goes us.
Your people did that.
And the teacher and nobody said anything.
And like you have to realize this this person in front of me I thought of as
a friend.
>> Yeah. >> And I'm looking around and man,
I've never felt more alone like ever.
So that image is burned in my head.
Your people did this.
Your from American like what?
I was so confused and I was saying the same I live down the street from here I
come to school here, I'm American I love apple pie like I don't
know what you want from me, you know I mean?
And that's when the first time but
yeah it became glaringly like a sad reality to me that this is the world
I live in where I have to make sure that you know I'm on your side.
And that's sad man like that's the beauty of this country, right?
Like people from different backgrounds,
free to the brave all that like let's stand by it.
But when a when a tragedy like this or
fear hits it's scary to me how quickly we let go those principles and
these the foundation and what this country is supposed to be standing upon and
hiding behind fears and tragedies.
But, yeah, that's been something with me for most of my adult life.
>> And how have you prevented yourself from letting that turn into anger and
you sort of lashing out or becoming a negative regarding that?
Cuz your message is one of positivity and inclusion and saying, look,
you're gonna lead by example.
When very easily, you could say, screw this, I'm going the other way.
I'm taking the- >> Yeah.
>> Easy way out.
>> Right, so there's two principles that come to mind.
One is, and I'm not saying you think of this as a meat courier avec, but-
>> No of course.
>> Let's say you guys think, no, I'm just giving an example.
I'm just saying- >> I mean, it's very important to have
this conversation for everyone.
>> Yeah but I'm saying, if anyone and I'm just using you guys as an example,
if you guys have the preconceived idea that someone from my background or
my religion is violent, or is aggressive or they uncivil,
and you say something hateful to me.
But then I respond back saying something uncivil or vile or
whatever I've kind of reiterated your point, right?
>> Right. >> If you're saying this guy's this isn't
I spew hate back at you.
I've got to reiterate the point but
if you say all these things about me that I'm uncivil, I'm immature, I'm a violent.
And you say this to me, but I go, Cory, I don't know what's bugging you man but
I hope whatever is bugging is, you figure it out and if you need my help, I'm here.
I've kind of already dismantled your whole song, right?
Because this guy is like, Pete.
So that's how I deal with and I hate even talking about social media because
the older I get is realize how useless it is in reality, but
social media is an example, right?
Like people would say these things, and I go back to the Hall of Fame example.
I took a picture with my wife, and she has her hijab, and we're smiling.
And this one comment was, this is America, tell her to get that rag off her head.
>> Come on.
>> And no but as vile as it is, the response is what basically disarm this guy
and I said like something like my brother or something like that.
I go this is America and her wearing that is the most American thing that she
can do, you saying that, is the most un-American thing you can do.
And so, I've already dismantled these patriots like argument.
>> Yeah.
>> Like you're being un-American.
And I just remember all the comments is like, this guy afterwards, but like,
that's one approach.
One approach I have is like, they throw hate at you,
smile at them and wish them well.
>> Sometimes that's the hardest route to take because I know am an emotional
guy and I mean my instinct is to fire back, say no, [BLEEP] you.
>> That's it.
>> Yeah. >> You twice, yeah.
>> So, I mean, and the other principle and I'm trying to gather my thoughts here.
I'm just, and I hope this sounds right.
I'm just kinda so tired of proving how American I am.
I'm sick of the struggle behind it,
like having to explain by the way, I'm from Chicago.
When I meet someone they go, where are you from?
And I go Chicago and they go, no, but like where are you from from?
Listen to dude am I asking you if your ancestor from Ireland or
you're like you said you're from Boston I let it go, right?
>> Yeah.
>> Same thing, but it's I think I have to like pull that back even to because,
again I judge by people's intentions not through action this person doesn't mean to
offend me, right?
This person is trying to get to know me, and
is assuming that because I'm what I look like that I'm from somewhere else.
So then I have to give him like my mom's from here my dad's right but
I was born here.
I think all of us are American.
Yeah, I'm American.
>> That's how we started this conversation.
>> Yeah, so it's a little bit of both yeah like respond or respond with this
positivity but the other thing is I'm kind of tired of the fight, man.
I'm a tired old man now.
That's, [LAUGH]
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