Main Event Radio on TSN 690 in Montreal and Ryan
Rider recently interviewed former TNA world champion Bobby
Roode. Below are some highlights.
Roode on his world title run: “Things worked
out for the best for myself. Becoming World Champion. Obviously the
disappointment was there at Bound for Glory. I was the first ever winner of the
BFG series. Going through that series and win it the way that I did. Being with
Beer Money, winning the tag team titles with James and before that with Eric
Young in Team Canada. This was my first real shining moment as a singles
competitor. To win the series was a huge deal. And then to walk in to the main
event of BFG against a competitor like Kurt Angle. It was a perfect story for
me. Walking out without the title that night was very disappointing for me
personally. Looking back at it, the way it all went down; I think it actually
helped me out. It lit a fire under me and made me want the world title even
more. In the end, I won the world title; I held it longer than anybody else in
the history of the company. Held it longer than anybody else, something that I’m
proud of. Those were great matches with Austin [Aries]. We had really good
chemistry together, looking back at those series of matches had together make me
really proud. Then we had the tag titles together which was awesome. The
ultimate goal in this business as wrestler is to be the world champion. From day
one, to be the #1 guy, to be the champion has been my #1 focus. My sights are
set on Eric [Young] or whoever has the World title, maybe Magnus after Sunday.
My goal is to once again be a World Heavyweight Champion.”
His thoughts on Eric Young becoming world
champion: “I’m happy for Eric. We’re two guys who came up the same
way, grew up in Canada, with the dream of being a wrestler and a world champion.
He’s a TNA original, we were tag champs together, there’s a lot of history
between the two of us. He’s been in the business long enough and he saw the way
that I carried the title and he sees there’s a bullseye on his back. When the
time comes to doing business, I’m going to do what I have to do. I know what it
takes to get it, to win it, to hold it, to keep it. That eagerness to carry the
world championship again and to have that responsibility again. That was
something I thrived on and something I missed. I will take that opportunity and
make the best of it when it comes again.”
Roode on working with Kurt Angle: “Kurt is in
my personal opinion the best there’s ever been. He can go out there in his
entire career and entertain the masses by his professional wrestling, the way he
handles himself in the ring, his character. There’s no doubt that he is the best
there’s ever been in this business. For me to have been able to go out there
with Kurt and to have produced the matches that we did. To have fans talk about
our matches as some of the best matches they’ve seen, or as match of the year;
it meant a lot to me. Something that I’m proud of. Unfortunately with Kurt’s
injury we had to cut the program short. Hopefully down the road we get to meet
up again and do something special.”
Roode on his Sacrifice match with Bully Ray:
“It’s going to be a fight. The winner is the guy who is able to put the other
guy through a table. We have been at each other’s throats for a few months and
it boils down here. I got a good opportunity tonight to show Bully that Bobby
Roode is the master of the tables.”
Roode on if Beer Money will ever reform: “In my
personal opinion, Beer Money is probably the most recognizable, most over act
that TNA has been able to produce from the ground up. You have two original
guys, two guys who went out there as Beer Money. We had the tag team titles
longer than anybody else in the history of the company. It’s something special.
This week on Impact we came back for one night only. We had a common goal to
soften up our opponents before their matches (Bully Ray & Gunner). In the
wrestling business, you never say never for down the road. But for right now
Bobby Roode’s goal is to put Bully through a table and then go on to become a
World Heavyweight Champion again. I’m sure that James Storm feels the same way
and has the same goal to become a Heavyweight Champion. Down the road, if the
time is right, and we both feel it’s right; maybe Beer Money will come alive
again.”
On Sting and AJ Styles leaving TNA: “It’s
unfortunate. At the end of the day this is a business Not everybody is going to
be happy and people go their separate ways. It’s the wrestling business and
we’re seen it happen a million times. Unfortunately, AJ was a TNA original and
was the face of our company for a very long time. That departure bothers me the
most. I had a great relationship with AJ, we were friends, we were part of
Fortune together, and we had some great matches. I understand where AJ’s coming
from, it’s all business, and I wish him nothing but the best. Sting was a great
guy to have in our locker room. He was a veteran leader. A guy that you can go
and talk to, a guy who I had some memorable matches, and a guy who mentored me a
lot and taught me a lot in the ring. He’s an icon; his name will live forever in
this business. And I wish him nothing but the best of luck. At the end of the
day this is a business and you’ve got to do what you can for yourself.”
