Bron Breaker, NXT Superstar
J-Stew: WWE / NXT presents No Mercy coming to you live on Saturday night, September 30th. If you’re not in the Bakersfield, California area to be there live, you can catch the show live on the Peacock Network, 8 p.m. start time on the East Coast. Right now, I get to talk., No mercy and his career so far in WWE / NXT with a former Georgia state wrestling champion and all-American, a former member of the Baltimore Ravens, a former two time NXT champion. And he has a T-shirt that says he has the best spear in the business. He is Bron Breaker, Bron. How are you, sir?
Bron Breaker: I love that. That’s the best introduction I ever got. Keep going.
J-Stew: I feel it’s necessary because I do have to apologize to you, sir. Mr. Breaker, because back in May, I was standing in your way as you were entering the building for your championship match against Carmelo Hayes. So, Mr. Breaker. Publicly, I’d like to apologize to you for being in your way, sir.
Bron Breaker: Yeah, well, just watch out. Watch where you’re going next time.
J-Stew: I will. I blame George Carol for all of it. How did it feel for you going into Boston against Carmelo Hayes and essentially getting booed out of the building?
Bron Breaker: I loved every second of it. I don’t need anyone’s approval. I don’t care what anyone thinks about me. I don’t care about anyone’s opinion of me. I just I could care less. You know, I’m here every week to inflict pain against my opponents. I have the best spear in arguably the history of the sport. I don’t care. I love it.
J-Stew: It seemed like you you’re feeding off the boo, and they’re kind of making you stronger as the match is going on. So, what kind of transition is that going from the number one good guy in the NXT and now you’re essentially the number one bad guy in NXT?
Bron Breaker: I feel like this is, I just have a lot more depth in this, you know? Part of my career. You know, it’s just this is something that’s. It’s just way better, to be honest with you. I mean, it’s just. Man. It’s just creatively, I can just kind of like, you know, like, just be me let loose and just like, really, you know, bring some great ideas, you know, along with our team here and just. Man. It’s game changer for sure.
J-Stew: The matter of having more toys in Toy Box.
Bron Breaker: I’m having fun. You know what I mean?
J-Stew: And that’s what wrestling is. That’s when the best I think comes out is when you can tell when a superstar’s having fun, like getting that reaction from the crowd. And speaking of people who get reactions from the crowd, your opponent at no mercy. Coming up is Baron Corbin, who is wildly hated, has been hated for all his career, and he cuts a promo wanting to seemingly congratulate you for ending Wagner’s career. And then you two have a have a rather strong I don’t want to call it a slap fest because that sounds like it’s lowering what I intended to mean. But you pick you two hit each other hard and then got into the poll part. Now you guys have a match at No Mercy. So, what in your mind is Baron Corbin’s problem because you weren’t impressed with his resume at all?
Bron Breaker: I respect him in the sense of he’s a former NFL player just like me. We have a lot of similarities being athletes and such. But outside of that, what he does in the ring does not impress me one bit. You know, I’m just going to the same thing that happened to Von Wagner’s going to happen to him. He’s really backed himself into a corner here and there’s really nothing else he can do. I mean, it’s in Bakersfield, California, September 30th at No Mercy. The time is up for him. Like it’s he’s going to be beaten and battered. It’s going to be ugly.
J-Stew: I’m looking forward to a bloodbath. The brutality that I know that you can bring in your year plus as champion, what did you learn from your time as really leading the NXT brand as their champion?
Bron Breaker: I learned a lot of things. I was so brand new to the to the business. I still am. But, you know, man, I mean, I was like, you know, I don’t know what it was, but it was like six or seven months in when I became the NXT champion. And, um, I just, I learned a lot of great things. I learned how to be a leader. I learned how to, you know, led by example. Um. You know, and just. Just be a good listener. Listen to these veterans and the older, older guys who’ve been around and just learn, you know, I mean, just take in all the knowledge that I can and try to learn as much as possible. You know, which was pivotal, I think, in my learning process and stuff during that time.
J-Stew: So and one of the people that I think you learned a lot from was former NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, could speak a little bit about working with him and if he’s lent you any knowledge in his time in NXT?
Bron Breaker: I loved working with Tommaso Ciampa. Tommaso is a freaking awesome dude, awesome wrestler, sports entertainer. I mean, top to bottom. I have the utmost respect for him. He did. He did a lot for me, man. Just. I mean, he. He. You know, I was I had to face him and go into a storage stuff with him during a time when I didn’t know a lot at all about this industry, this business and everything. And, you know, he was kind of like my mentor. During, You know what I mean? That time is bringing me along. Helping me. Telling me, you know, teaching me this. That. Giving me this wisdom and stuff that, you know, he didn’t have to he didn’t have to do. And he took the time to really, like, help me and sit down with me and have, you know, whatever. I mean, he’s just he’s a great guy.
J-Stew: Tommaso is a wonderful human being and not enough good things can happen to Tommaso. He’s always been good to me in my interactions with him. So, I’m happy to hear. I’m not surprised to hear that. I’m very happy to hear that another veteran you got to work with during your time as NXT Champion was Dolph Ziggler. He unfortunately got released by WWE yesterday. How was that story? You ended up regaining the NXT Championship on a Monday Night Raw after WrestleMania? Big spot, Big Moment. How was working with Dolph Ziggler?
Bron Breaker: And it was an absolute honor for me to work with him. It was so cool. Just that experience, him, and Bobby Roode both, I mean. Man. It was it really was a privilege for me to be in the ring with him. He’s so, so good. I mean, unbelievably good. And it’s the same thing with, you know, kind of its Masood. You know, Dolph helped me a lot. He talked to me. He just took the time to, like, educate me as a young man in this about this business and about working and just. He’s I can’t say enough great things about Dolph Ziggler. He’s absolutely fantastic. He was awesome to work with a great human being. And he was just he was awesome.
J-Stew: He’s also a wonderful human being in all of my experiences too. And I think he’s going to do great things going forward. And I hope, I hope I hope that ends up being the case, even if it’s not in wrestling. Like he could do comedy, he could do political shows. He can really do whatever he wants to do. And you can say that you beat him on Monday Night Raw, the last WrestleMania. So, you have that. Another person you got to work with you. You got to work with Seth Rollins recently, over the summer, next year. What was that experience like for you?
Bron Breaker: Um, I just I think that was it. I don’t know. It felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Just because Seth is, like, the best in the world right now. You know what I mean? He’s been that way. I mean, he’s just. Phenomenal. Really? It was. It was just an honor, to be honest with you. You know, I used to watch and surf when I was younger and, you know, and I was like, you know, I know 13 or 14, you know, just. As a fan of WWE seeing his journey and stuff, and then I got to wrestle him, which was pretty cool.
J-Stew Now, is that a situation like and this is this is way beyond the fourth wall. Is this a situation where you get a phone call one day and it’s like, Oh, guess what, In two weeks you’re going to get to work with Seth Rollins or, you know, how does that process go where you find out you’re going to work with the Raw World champion, Seth Rollins?
Bron Breaker: It’s different. It’s a different process. I think every, you know, just situational on the opponent. So, I mean, it’s really tough to say it’s different. You know, it’s different all the time. Just there’s not really a certain way that it goes or anything like that. And. You know, I just try to be the best that I can be. And whoever they put in front of me, I try to break them in half and do it and just do what I do.
J-Stew: So, spear them through a wall. Have you had a chance? You speak of the spear and having the best spear. Have you had a chance to think about a program with my tribal chief? And I acknowledge Roman Reigns. Have you thought about a program with Roman Reigns at all? Have you had a chance to?
Bron Breaker: Yeah, sure. I mean, Roman is the WWE Universal champion. All those things that you said, the tribal chief, you know, the greatest whatever you want to call it. You know, Roman is fantastic and he’s all the great things that he says he is, but. When I spear people, they don’t. They don’t get up. It. I, I try to inflict as much pain as I can on my opponents. And there is a difference when you turn on the tape between me spearing someone and then when he doesn’t. Cut and dry. So. You know, that’s not up for me to decide. I know my spirit’s better. I don’t have to. There’s no debate. Just turn on the tape. And what? In WWE. All my combined numbers here at the PC prove that nobody is faster than me. Nobody can jump higher, further side to side or mean anything. I am the best athlete here, so. I don’t have to. There’s no debate. Really? Turn on the tape. Mine’s clearly better.
J-Stew: Have you gotten feedback as to how you can actually. I have an idea for you. Here’s an idea for you. You’ve got judgment day. Who’s lurking around next to you. Right. You’ve got a bait Damian Priest into a singles match for his briefcase. You beat Damian Priest, and then you’re one match away from whatever championship you want. You want to go for Roman, you beat Damian, Priest. Then you can call your shot anytime you want. I got somebody.
Bron Breaker: Yeah. I mean, why not? I mean, Roman or Seth, any. Any championship up there, Gunther? I mean. Is it really any of the champions up there? I mean, any one of them can get it. I’d be happy to fight any one of them, to be honest with you. I’ve already beat Gunther. I already know I can beat him. So, I guess the next best thing would be Seth Roman.
J-Stew: It’s a great little nugget. You’ve already beaten Gunther. I talked to Shawn Michaels on the record a few months ago, and he said he can see you and Carmelo Hayes as a future WrestleMania main event. I assume you share that same vision. Is it’s just kind of a matter of time before you get to a WrestleMania main event?
Bron Breaker: Yeah. Yeah. I think, you know, I’m I mean, I’m so driven and so goal oriented and so just focused on my craft and trying to evolve and be, you know, great and just trying to learn and. You know, like taking the knowledge and stuff that I’m being taught and implemented in a way that I would. I would just man my my attention to detail and the learning process is unmatched in this sport. I think just about how much that I pay attention and write things down and just how eager I am to learn. And I think that just goes back to, you know, my my coaching and stuff when I was in college, because that was, you know, burned into my brain on it on a daily basis. So just attention to detail, small things matter. Little things, you know. So I mean, yeah, 100%. One day I will. Main event WrestleMania. I’m sure it’ll be with Carmelo Hayes. More. More than one occasion.
J-Stew Have you gotten feedback from anybody as far as how you can potentially move to Raw or Smackdown if you feel like it’s time for you to move from integrity to one of those other brands?
Bron Breaker: No, I mean, I’m. I’m focused on what I’m doing right now and next. And that’s Baron Corbin at no mercy, you know? And that’s it. That’s. I’m just focused on the beating that I’m going to give him and his. We’re going to have to call an ambulance to come in to the place before the match. So, they are already there. And then. He’ll be carted out when I’m done beating his ass at no mercy. And then him and Von Wagoner can be hospital buddies or something.
J-Stew And their careers would both be over.
ron Breaker: Yeah.
J-Stew That is a very football like approach to one game at a time. I’m only focused on Baron Corbin right now. And you will be back in the ring against Baron Corbin. It comes to you live Saturday night, September 30th, Bakersfield, California. If you cannot be there live, you can watch it on the WWE Peacock Network 8 p.m. Start time on the East Coast. Brian Breaker, thank you so much for your time today. I appreciate it. I know I’m supposed to boo you, but I like you, so I’m going to cheer you even though I’m not supposed to. But I just I have so much respect for you and your path and your journey so far in that city. And I wish you nothing but the best going forward. And I wish you good health and I wish bad health. On Baron Corbin, even though that’s not the story I’m supposed to be telling.
Bron Breaker: Yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you for having me on the show. I mean, this is a lot of fun. Thank you.
