Last week during SummerSlam weekend, we had a chance to attend the WWE 2K18 launch party in New York City. SEScoops correspondent Jason Solomon of the popular Solomonster Sounds Off podcast got a chance to speak with now-former NXT Champion Bobby Roode about his experience in NXT, if he wants to join the main roster in the near future and which WWE Superstar he wants to work with on the main roster.
Roode said it’s been one hell of a year for him in NXT after a long career working .. elsewhere. He raved about the WWE Performance Center and has gotten the chance to work closely with head trainer Matt Bloom, Triple H and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels.
“It’s been a really gratifying year for me,” said Roode. “To be welcomed in to this company and the NXT locker room the way I have the last year and a half has been really cool. To be looked upon as a guy with a lot of experience, kind of a locker room leader is cool, but at the same time I’ve been able to learn from a lot of people as well. In this business, you always continue to learn everyday.
“That’s one of the best things about being in NXT. There’s so many great minds available down at the Performance Center in Orlando. Matt Bloom and his coaching staff are phenomenal and very hands on. Triple H has his finger on the pulse at all times. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Shawn Michaels over the last six months. It’s kind of like getting your PHD in professional wrestling when you’re in the room with him, so no complaints.”
Bobby Roode is rumored to be joining the main roster soon, but it sounds like he still has things he wants to accomplish in NXT. Roode says NXT is the hottest brand in WWE today and would like to see NXT hold live tapings for their weekly WWE Network show.
“It’s funny because I get that question a lot. One of my goals since coming to NXT is to get NXT to the same level as RAW and SmackDown. I really don’t feel like NXT is a lower brand. I feel like we’ve almost reached that level. It’s a very popular brand and I think it’s the hottest brand under the WWE umbrella. I would love for NXT to one day to be able to do live television and maybe that’s the next level we take that to, I don’t know.”
When he does arrive on either RAW or SmackDown, Roode says he’d love to work with the biggest star in WWE, John Cena.
“There’s a laundry list of guys when you think about RAW and SmackDown that I’ve never been in the ring with. To narrow it down to one, obviously a guy I would love to have a moment with is John Cena.”
Check out the full video below, which also includes interviews with WWE Champion Jinder Mahal, Braun Strowman, RAW General Manager Kurt Angle, former RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss and Bayley.