WWE NXT Champion Bobby Roode recently spoke with the Miami Herald and below are some interview highlights:
Being the NXT Champion:
“Being in that situation, it’s a pressure situation, but when you get into this business, it’s something you dream about. You do what you do to be a champion, and when you’re the champion, you’re the focal point of the company, the brand. You have an opportunity to perform in main events and have an opportunity to perform with top level talent. That’s the main thing that I truly enjoy, being able to go out there and get in the ring with top performers and be the top storylines and feel like you’re the face of the company, the face of the brand. There’s a lot of pressure that’s involved with that, but I enjoy it.”
What makes NXT special:
“Honestly, the guys and girls in the locker room, the talent that we have, they’re just passionate about what they do. And every night they want to go out there, like you saw in Chicago, every match was a main event, and everybody wants to steal the show. That’s the intent of everyone. Even the guys and girls in the [Performance Center] who you haven’t seen on television yet, they have the incentive on these live shows, whether it’s on the Fort Pierce and Cocoa shows or whatever it is, to go out there and steal the show and to learn. I think that’s the difference. These guys are hungry. They’re young, and they want to be the next John Cena. They want to be the next Roman Reigns. I think that’s what makes NXT so special.”
NXT TakeOver: Chicago match against Hideo Itami:
“Obviously, you look forward to TakeOver events. When it comes to NXT, those are the bigger shows. Coming to Chicago, it was a great match for me. I’ve always looked forward to facing Itami. He was healthy enough to come back, and I thought we had a great match. I thought we told a great story. I was happy with the ending. Being able to wrestle in Chicago, I never really had a chance to perform in the Chicago area too much in my career. I’ve always heard how passionate the Chicago fans are. So to be there and perform in the Allstate Arena, I got to experience that firsthand, and it was a lot of fun, a very special night.”
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
