Ryback On Why He Turned Down TNA, Wanting To Work With Kenny Omega, Why He Stopped Using Steroids
On episode 158 of The Ross Report, the legendary Jim Ross had a conversation with 'The Big Guy', Ryback. Among other things, Ryback talked about his past steroid use and being on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), the chances of him showing up in The Impact Zone and Japan, the offer he turned down from Bellator MMA, and his favorite independent professional wrestlers.
According to Ryback, his steroid odyssey began when he was a college student working at a Gold's Gym.
"I was a guy that never thought in a million years, Jim, that would touch steroids, or human growth hormone, or anything like that. And it was Triple H, Kevin Nash, and Stephanie [McMahon] came into Gold's Gym. I was 19 years old and working the front desk." Ryback added, "I was in school full-time and I was working at the gym to have some money to support myself. And they came in. And I talked about this before, but I loved Triple H when I was a kid. He was one of my favorites and they were in there and they were talking about some stuff. And we would get some of the pro bodybuilders in there as well."
Ryback claimed that professional bodybuilders normalized steroid use in the once impressionable mind of 'The Big Guy'.
"They kind of started putting it in my head a little bit. I know it was my choice and my adolescent mindset where I'm comparing myself to other people rather than being the best version of myself." Ryback continued, "it was what it was and guys were doing it and I saw the guys that I liked growing up and they've openly admitted that they used them in the past. And if they do it and I like these guys, maybe I need to do this in order to be noticed and I did them for a period of probably three or four years off and on."
According to Ryback, WWE's Wellness Policy greatly benefits the talent, no matter what the reasons were for instituting it. Ryback admitted that being in WWE's developmental system and consequently subject to the Wellness Policy made him stop using steroids.
"That forced me to stop. And because if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to do what I love to do. But for me, I suffered severe consequences for using them where it had shut down my natural testosterone production."
On the subject of TRT, Ryback stated that it was a way to keep him within normal testosterone levels while working for WWE.
"For me, it was a way to keep my body normal with the stresses of WWE, with the lack of sleep." Ryback said, "the way that I push myself, I just wanted to be normal and that's all I ever did."
When asked whether New Japan Pro-Wrestling has contacted Ryback, 'The Human Wrecking Ball' volunteered that Impact Wrestling has made an offer, but New Japan has not.
"Obviously with TNA, or Impact Wrestling, and they made a great offer a while back, and it's just that I have no interest in going anywhere right now with everything that I've got going on." Ryback divulged, "New Japan, I know a few guys over there. They expressed that there was a lot of interest, but I don't know who is in charge of making decisions. There has been zero contact in terms of a phone call, or an email, or anything of that nature outside of just me hearing, 'they'd like to work with you.'"
Ryback added, "I would love to go over there and work Kenny Omega, go over there for two or three days at a time, here and there. I would be totally for that."
As for Bellator, Ryback said that the MMA promotion approached him and he wanted to hear them out, even if he was not particularly interested in competing.
"That one company approached me and I told them what happened and I have no interest in doing that, but I'm sure I'm going to hear them out. I want to hear what kind of money they're going to offer me. That doesn't mean I'm going to do it. Any good businessman is going to hear the offer out, but that's as far as that went right there."
During the podcast, Ryback named Mike Orlando, Moose, and Kenny Omega as a few of his favorite independent pro wrestlers.
"I wrestled a guy by the name of Mike Orlando, who I was very happy to be in the ring with, who I thought was very talented. He's a young guy who I think has a lot of promise. He's a bigger guy. And Moose, who's obviously with Impact Wrestling. He's about 6'5", 300 lbs., and he can go. And I think he has a lot to offer. So that was cool, to be able to go out there and get in the ring with him. Kenny Omega is another guy. I watched that match with him and [Kazuchika] Okada, where they went about 45, 50 minutes. And I thought it was incredible."
Click here to check out this edition of Slobberknocker Audio. If you use any of the quotes that appear in this article, please credit The Ross Report with an H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Source: The Ross Report