Former WWE star Ryback recently did an interview with Chris Van Vliet and here are the highlights…
On a possible return to wrestling: “The end goal is to [get healthy again] for life. That’s the most important thing I’ve learned in all of this. I love pro wrestling. I’ve loved it since I was a kid. The way that the business is, I love everything AEW is doing. If there is an organization that is treating talent better, that is a great thing in pro wrestling … I owe it to myself to get my health back and to grow Feed Me More Nutrition…”
On the trademark battle with WWE for the Ryback name: “I wish them all the best. I’m done being angry and all that but WWE refiled for the Ryback trademark on the final day before I was set to get it. I had to pay to have my trademark filed and they refiled on the final day and my attorney notified me…it’s gonna cost me between $45,000 and $60,000 to cancel out their trademark on it. It will take anywhere from 12 to 18 months and I should be awarded it at the end but I’m going to have to pay. I sent them a message. I sent Mark Carrano a message last week … At the end of the day, if I have to pay it then I have to pay it. It’s not all upfront, it’s over the course of the time so that makes it a little better. No one wants to pay that kind of money … It’s not gonna stop me from using the name on it but merchandising, I can’t have a shirt with Ryback on it or Ryback TV on YouTube. They also filed for [Ryback TV] in entertainment and online services, which is very odd.”
On the biggest misconception about him: “As far as the biggest misconception, I think an unsafe worker was always the one that always made me smile the most. It just was not the case.”
Who would he like to work with in the ring?: For me, the match up I like the least for me is always wrestling bigger guys because it’s physically harder on my body. Like The Big Show’s, the Mark Henry’s, and the Kane’s because those guys are giants. There’s not a lot of those guys around anymore. I always said the Brock match has always been one. Braun, he would be a fun one, Bobby Lashley and those guys. I think there’s people that like those kinds of matchups. AEW – there’s everything from Moxley and Kenny Omega, those guys. Cody, Jericho, I’ve wrestled those guys already and Moxley too when he was The Shield. Always had great chemistry with him, I thought. There’s a lot out there. It’s just a matter of getting healthy … when I am healthy and when I know I’m gonna be able to be available, I will pick up the phone and make a phone call.”
Is the door open for Ryback to go back to WWE?: “Yeah, I’ve been told that I can have a meeting whenever I want. How true that is, I don’t know and don’t really care. Getting my health back is my main priority. A lot would need to change. Just refiling of the Ryback trademark to me, it doesn’t need to be going on. There’s no need for it. It does not help matters at all.”
Ryback’s friendship with Vince McMahon’s brother Rod: “Rod loves Feed Me More Nutrition. Me and Rod McMahon are friends and he always goes ‘Vince always spoke really highly of you.’ I don’t speak to Rod about Vince negatively because it’s his brother. In all fairness, I understand having a business. I have respect [for Vince] from a business standpoint. My thing is to treat human beings better.”
