Montez Ford Talks His Reaction To Hitting Wild Ladder Match Spot At "NXT Takeover 25"

Montez Ford, who is one member of the current NXT Tag Team Champions Street Profits, was interviewed on the Not Sam Wrestling Podcast about NXT having a stand-alone pay-per-view with NXT: TakeOver 25. So much so, that Ford admitted to still feeling nerves while performing in NXT.

"NXT has already built that type of aura as far as those main stages," Ford said. "It wasn't attached to those 'Big 4' [Survivor Series, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble] as people would say that, so for us to be on the single solitary weekend and have that much attention on us, that is the intimidation factor right away. Not only all the eyes will be watching us but we have to go out there and we have to take it. NXT: TakeOver has already built the vision to the wrestling world and the brand. Our main thing was to go out there and actually show people just who we are, period."

Ford expressed dedication and motivation regarding working with top tag teams. Ford said that he and fellow tag team partner Angelo Dawkins understand the magnitude of working with teams such as The War Raiders.

"I think the main thing that drove us was the fact that you have all these experienced wrestlers and entertainers that are coming from all over the world, all different promotions where they had made names for themselves, so what we did was when we had the opportunity we had gone up against them," Ford said. "We went up against The War Raiders. For us, that was our time to show everyone because these guys have wrestled all around the world. So, we wanted to show them that, 'Hey, we can hang with them. We can go with them'. So that is all a part of making a mark.

"That is what the beauty of NXT is and why it is so competitive. Competition is so high and viciously hungry because you have people from all likes of life that can come here. So, you have to be on your A-game all the time because all types of people are coming in and all types of people want the opportunity and all types of people have this certain name that they are trying to build up and keep. You have to let them know that when it is it their time to shine, they have to go because that chance may not come back again."

Speaking about the ladder match at TakeOver 25, Ford said he was terrified to perform his acrobatic leap from the ladder to the ropes. Ford even said he'd 'change his name' had he miscalculated the jump.

"It was terrifying," Ford claimed. "I even remember towards the end of the match where Dawkins speared Steve Cutler [of The Forgotten Sons] and I was like, 'Oh man, I have to go.' I'm just thinking as I am getting up there, I'm like, 'Man, if I don't make this, I just won't show my face anymore. I will just leave the company, change my name, might go by a different name, different alias, I will move to another country or something. It might get so bad I might move way up grid and change my name because if I don't make that jump'. All these things are going through my head as I go up the top ropes leaping to the ladder. You can even see once I landed, you can see my eyes that are in shock that I made it."

Ford, along with Angelo Dawkins, claimed victory in a memorable ladder match at NXT: TakeOver 25. The match concluded with Street Profits winning the vacated NXT Tag Team Championships.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Not Sam Wrestling Podcast with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Peter Bahi contributed to this article.