WWE Superstar Jack Swagger recently spoke with the folks at Ring Rust Radio about his relationship with Jim Ross and Zeb Colter, working both sides of the “We The People” gimmick as a heel and babyface, this year’s WrestleMania season and more.
Below are highlights from the interview:
On WrestleMania season and where he sees his character going: “It’s a fun time of year but it’s also a stressful time of year. WWE really likes to keep its fans on the edge of their seats and on their toes. They are always trying to keep that big swerve in their pocket for as long as possible. Right now I am unattached, so going forward I’m going to do whatever I can behind the scenes and in the ring to secure a match in WrestleMania and make it a good spot.”
On if he feels being a good worker ever feel typecasts him as a performer or limits his potential to allow fans to see more of hi personality: “Yeah, it’s a double edged sword. It does only give me so many options. I think it’s on the Superstars in this day and age to get your personality out there. We have so many tools now that we didn’t have even when I first started six years ago. Social media is such a powerful media that is a Superstar is type casted or only getting so many opportunities you can go on social media to promote yourself and your brand and give fans a chance to see that other side of your personality. That will only help your in ring performance entertainment wise though. As far as me, after you have been doing it as long as I have you constantly have to stay hungry and growing and reinvent yourself as an artist. Otherwise as an artist you will be dying and that’s what I try to keep doing as much as possible.”
On his program with Alberto Del Rio entering WrestleMania 29 and whether WWE struck gold by toeing the line: “Absolutely. It was a very hot topic across the United States. I think the WWE should do more on it along those lines and still stay PG. It made it fun and more relative to our older fans. With the story lines today, it’s very hard to generate natural interest in the WWE universe. You can’t force it down their throats; they are only going to like what they like. Having something that’s already on the tips of their tongues or on their minds, it just makes it that much easier, fun and intense. Any time you can get Glenn Beck crying it’s a good thing.”
On playing both sides of the “We the People” character and whether it was difficult for him to play a villain or was it a more entertaining role: “Growing up in Oklahoma, my High School team was renowned and very good. We would walk into places and they would just boo the hell out of us. So from a young age I got a taste of that and I liked it. The more you boo me the better I’m going to wrestle. You don’t like me? So what. It’s a lot of fun to work like that and wrestle with that mindset. I haven’t been on the other side of the ball or the we the people character. It doesn’t have the same type of fulfillment but it’s different as you can imagine Hear the people actual pop for something good or cheer a victory is nice too. I’m not sure which one I like more right now so maybe I’m going to need a six year face run to make sure.”
On working with Zeb Colter and lessons he’s learned: “Zeb Colter is unbelievable, he is priceless.I can’t tell you how many things he has helped me, other Superstars, the creative team, and even Vince with. An all-around good person and his experience is almost incomparable in this day and age in sport entertainment. Riding with him he has made me a better driver because he complains all the time. You almost get into one car accident and he never lets you forget it. That aside, with wrestling, it’s a different generation and mentality that still works. You have to take the match like that, work like that, and have that mentality. I think the main thing with him is he wants physicality. He has worked with me on a lot of things like my size and being more physical and when to do something in a certain spot. The best thing about him being out there is you never know what he is going to say ringside. There has been so many times he has said something and made me pop and I laughed right in the middle of the ring. That may be bad for some matches that’s always a good thing with me.”
On his Oklahoma days and how his relationship with Jim Ross: “I started playing football in 2001, the year after the won the National championship. I actually met Jerry Briscoe 2004 when I was half way through and he introduced me to Jim. Whenever they were in town we would get together and talk college wrestling or wrestling in general. We would talk football with Jim and have dinner. Of course they told me about it, I’m a big guy and good looking. They always said finish your degree finish college and if you want to give this a shot we will be here waiting. The last semester of college I interviewed for so many finance firms and security exchanges. There were so many jobs there but the opportunity just wasn’t as good as what the WWE was presenting. You should have seen the look on my parents faces when I told them that I was going to do it but it ended out working out pretty well. I graduated in May 2006 and by July of 2006 I was signed and moved to Deep South Wrestling.”
On the difficulty of creating submission holds or even working in different holds into matches: “It is one of the processes of being a Superstar, to always be evolving. It’s hard because everything has been done and seen before. To find something that works you can only find through trying something out there in the ring. You have to try it out there, see how it works, and see what it looks like. It is very difficult but it is very possible. Another thing too with so many guys on the roster and in NXT there are only so many moves you can do without someone else doing them. That is rule number one to me; don’t do anything else that someone else is doing. You want to be yourself and stand out. To find a move that works, stands out, and separates you from everyone else, it is hard but you can do it.”
Check out the complete interview at BlogTalkRadio.com.