During a recent interview with CBS Sports, Bobby Lashley commented on the criticism of The Miz, how he blocks out criticism on social media, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On being more confident in his current run in WWE: “Confidence is everything. Everyone sees the confidence when I step in the ring. That’s one thing as a performer in WWE that you kind of battle with. When you first come in, you want to make your presence known and you want to get the acceptance. There’s all kinds of mind battles that you go through. But since I’ve been back, I’ve got to the point where everything I do, I enjoy. The bad storylines I enjoy as much as the good storylines. Right now, though? I feel more confident than ever. I feel like nothing can stop me, and I feel that I’m in the greatest position in the greatest point in my life. Physically, mentally and with the team that I have with MVP, Cedric and Shelton, I feel like everything is rocking in the right direction. Everything is in line for me, and this is just a great point in life for me.”
On blocking out criticism on social media: “I think at the beginning when I came back, there were a lot of things I had to go through. There was that time when people would have broken and walked off and bitched and complained. But I stood in there. Once you had those ups and downs — and I had a real low down for a point in my career — you know you’re going to bounce back. The confidence part is that I don’t care. I stopped caring. A lot of times people care about every little thing. They sit there and read Twitter and want to fight everybody on Twitter and fight people who put negative comments under their stuff, and they always want to battle these battles that they don’t need to. For me, I don’t fight them. I don’t care.
“How I look at it is if I do something that is totally embarrassing on TV and people are joking and laughing, I’m going to joke and laugh too. There’s things I’ve done on TV where I sit back, and if people are clowning me because of it, I would clown me too. That’s what it is. I don’t care. It’s entertainment. If you can’t have fun with this, you’re in the wrong business. If you can’t not take yourself seriously? You’re in the wrong business. I don’t care about anything right now. I’m in a good point in my life where I am happy, I am healthy and I’m going to have a big smile on my face and keep moving forward.”
On criticism of The Miz being the WWE Champion: “You cannot deny the guy. If you have criticism of The Miz? You’re jealous. I remember talking to Miz 16 years ago, and he was having to be in broom closets, having his stuff kicked out of locker rooms and stuff like that. A lot of people would have walked away then. But he didn’t. I don’t know how many years he’s been in the business, but all this time later and he’s still on top? That’s perseverance. That’s stronger than anything else. If anybody has any criticism against Miz? That’s jealousy.”
On potentially winning the WWE Championship: “It means everything. Everything. That’s the top of the food chain. Everybody wants that validation and to know that the work they’re putting in is justified. That world title is the biggest indicator of that. From the time that I came into the business, people were like, ‘Holy cow. That guy has something.’ It was like I had myself right there at the top to where I was almost ready to grab it. There were always those times. I had Cena 15 years ago where I was ready to get that title. Last year with Drew, I was right there about to get that title. I think this time … I think there’s nothing that can hold me back. Getting that title is something 17 years in the making. I’ve been busting my ass and training my ass off to show legitimacy and fight for that title. To get that title means the world to me.”
