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His reaction to WWE fans rejecting the Rock return:
"I just wanted to be quiet in all of this, in all of the noise, I really wanted to be quiet because at that point, again, it may be arrogance and it may be me being naive, at that point I felt no I've done everything. I kept thinking something good is going to happen from this terrible situation. Something good is going to come. And I remember I talked to Diamond Dallas Page who God, I love D, but he said, no matter what happens, it will be the best thing that ever happened to you. When you're a pessimist and a curmudgeon angry type like I am, and he's the most positive human being on the planet, you want to be like, God, dude...but he wasn't wrong. He wasn't wrong, because imagine had I not been in the WrestleMania 40 main event. The fire would still be burning. If not, it would be completely out of control at this point. But we didn't even have to do that because Hunter heard it. He heard what was going on. It's a different time in WWE. As far as WWE and pro wrestling and sports entertainment, you have to lead the audience. You can't let them entirely lead the show because then it becomes a choose your own adventure book and nobody buys those. But in the case of that was something that was so loud. He had to hear it and it just I was very lucky again to be in that spot."
What his Wrestlemania Plan was if WWE stuck with Rock vs. Roman:
"I don't know you'd have to, again...You gotta get good all in here all on the You're booking a great show for me at some point I don't know and it was a whirlwind because it was such a hit. It was such such a hit but also I was on the road with both Brandy and Liberty and I didn't want to be a negative thing in their orbit, in their space. Yeah, I don't know what the plan was. I never heard it."
When WWE made the decision to pivot back to him:
"I'll stand by this, again, and it's not what you want to hear, but I will say this, whatever happened backstage, whatever the plan was, whatever the pivot could be, whatever the pivot that did happen or didn't happen, what's on television to me has been far more compelling. So it's just an area I don't like to look at, or I guess, talk about solely because what's happened on raw on SmackDown in this, as people say, now the build is the legend, and I'd rather go with the legend of it all."
The Rock's current persona:
"I think...I think the Rock Has become so many things -Movie star, billionaire, philanthropist, business owner, president of divisions, Under Armour, The Connection, all that stuff -, and if you strip it away, the thing he is the most is a pro wrestler, and I don't have to like him, and I really genuinely don't like The Rock, but I have all the respect in the world for, I can spot another pro wrestler, and he's one. It's in there, and remember, I'm watching him versus Triple H in a ladder match, as they're both on their way up. I'm seeing The Rock as I always tell people at my school and stuff, nobody in our generation is over, but here's who's over. The Rock, John Cena, I use those examples. So if you ever could pull that trick, if you ever could get the fans to buy into you and believe you at the level that The Rock did at the level, that a Stone Cold did, Clearly you can do it again. So it doesn't surprise me ...the fun he's having it also doesn't surprise me because he has 60 people around him at all times."
"Brian's [Gerwirtz] there, but it's what a team he's developed We really are a product of the team you put around me. I have a small team, you know. They're not...as we don't roll as deep as him, but it's important those people that prop you up and support you and like The Rock is playing built up by that team. He has a great team. I'm not even knocking. It's just hilarious. That content is going to happen, folks. They're going to get it. He's just always there to deliver and keep people guessing."
His mother's reaction to being incorporated into the storyline:
"I had to tell her that he's saying mean things about her, or not so much mean things about her, but my mom's usually asleep during Raw, and then she'll watch it on YouTube, or the, someone she works for is a big fan, will talk, tell her about it she works at a dental office, will tell her all about what's going on, but she got caught up pretty quick, because she printed Mama Road shirts, and she's for my dad's foundation, which they're doing a signing at WrestleCon. So she's got those shirts to sell. So she's in, but I also think just as a mom, I think anyone who's gone against me. In a sense of trying to get this one thing, trying to get this one thing. She's out to fight. And The Rock may intimidate so many other people. Hell, Rock might even be able to intimidate me....cannot intimidate Michelle Runnels. Cannot. Just not going to happen, and I look forward to whatever that moment is. If there is a moment. He's getting nowhere near her at WrestleMania, but, we'll see. Speaking of moms though...The Rock's mom here's what you need to know about The Rock's mom. Are you ready? You all ready? Yes. She's a lovely lady. Absolutely one of the kindest people. When you see her at a show, she brings huge energy. She always brings friends and stuff. Love her. Lovely lady. Would never say anything negative about her."
Whether Brandi Rhodes Could Get Involved:
"I don't know if involved is the right way to put it. I don't, I wouldn't want her...wrestling is violent no matter how you look at it. I wouldn't want her to be in that harm's way, but I do think, I guess this is a little scoop final stop of the day. I do think you will see Brandy at WrestleMania and to me, and I'm not going to get choked up. I haven't gotten choked up all day to me. That will mean a lot. That woman, got hugely scapegoated and hugely just misinformation and everyone knows who they are that was involved with it, and if ever there was a moment for her to just feel like a princess and feel like somebody who did a lot more for wrestling. There's so many people working at AEW., who she was the one who said their name. She was the one who wanted to keep them in the fold when something went wrong. And for how she was treated after the departure, and this is not by any company, just in general. It pisses me off to this day, and I look forward to just....she had a great experience last year at WrestleMania. She felt that love again."
Whether he's worried about working two Wrestlemania matches in the same weekend:
"No, I wrestle every weekend, and I'm not the type of guy who's going to go, I'm there every weekend, and they're not, but I am going to say it in the sense of when it comes to stamina and endurance, there's no way to train for wrestling like actually wrestling. I think Roman knows that, actually more than ever and he tries his damnedest to gear up for these main events and he's been more successful than anybody ever in our game when it comes to these main events. The Rock absent from the ring for 12 years or whatnot...total unknown. He could absolutely be in there at a Ricky Morton like speed and it wouldn't surprise me. I can already tell you he packs a hell of a punch, but I do this on the regular. I've got full time lungs, and I think the type of match on Saturday that we're going to have lends itself to me. I really do, and I think that'll leave me hopefully open for a fair fight Sunday, strip everything away, and, I think Roman Reigns also wouldn't mind if it was a fair fight, because I feel he has something to prove too. But, I say that and the same guy who screwed me last year. We'll see.
His relationship with Seth Rollins:
"Ah, I like to think he's my...I'll tell you. Like, you're bonded over people you have these significant memories with. We're going into WrestleMania 40, the main event, his first main event. Together, a main event with the guy I came back and wrestled, returned against, with the guy who won the first NXT title, my dad, handed him the belt. I got Seth and I these Rolexes."
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