Andrade Shares His Initial Frustrations In WWE’s Performance Center

Current WWE United States Champion Andrade and his fiancee Charlotte Flair were recent guests on Seconds Out. During the conversation, Andrade spoke about how he didn’t have much difficulty adjusting to WWE’s in-ring style. He credited his international experience with helping him make the adjustments. Andrade did, however, share some frustrations he experienced during his time in WWE’s Performance Center. 

Andrade’s WWE PC Frustrations

Andrade confessed that he had difficulty with WWE’s demanding schedule. He compared it to his time wrestling on the indies and in Mexico, explaining how “you have your time” there. However, upon signing with WWE and moving to America, you’re suddenly locked into their regimented schedule, where “[…] you need to go the gym, you need promo, you need all this schedule. I don’t like schedules.”

Having had years of experience before stepping into a WWE ring, Andrade admitted he had problems attending lessons covering the basics:

“When you would workout with the guys who have never wrestled in their life? I’ve been wrestling for nine years in this moment and some of these guys don’t know a wrist lock, or waist lock, or head lock,” Andrade explained. “I stay in the corner and say, ‘Ugh! Three hours?’ Because the class is three hours.”

He continued,” I have to stay in the ring because I’m learning headlocks, or a spot, or a little wrestling. And I’ll say, ‘Okay, Norman Smiley, next.’ People are standing in the ring while he says, ‘A headlock is this, a headlock is this, a headlock is this.’ Norman Smiley keeps saying wait, wait, and he understands because he speaks Spanish and says, ‘Hey, tranquilo, tranquilo, tranquilo, relax, wait, wait.'”

“After that, you stay in promo class and between promo class with the English and Spanish,” Andrade continued. “Sometimes when I have my English class, I don’t get home until like 5 or 6 PM when I start my day at 8 AM. I think, ‘Oh, I’m so tired.’ From Monday to Thursday or Friday for one year? Whew, I’m so tired. It was a hard time for me but for now, I’m here. I have a beautiful lady that’s a superstar, my belt, and a good life.”

Andrade is scheduled to defend his United States Championship this Sunday at Royal Rumble against Humberto Carrillo. He recently retained his championship against Rey Mysterio in a Ladder Match.

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.