WWE star Rusev spoke with Shakiel Mahjouri for SHAK Wrestling about various topics, including the valuable lessons he learned from pro wrestling legend Paul “Big Show” Wight.
Rusev said, “I kind of give that as an example of Big Show. Big Show said, ‘If you show up to work every day, like it’s your first day at work, you know, how do you show up first day at work? You always dress nice, you’re always being polite, you’re always respectful, you’re always on time, you’re always courteous. If you approached every day like this, then you’re going to have a long and successful career in the WWE. But once you start cutting corners, once you start thinking you’re better than that, or you can do the load management, which is a new word that I kind of associate with NBA, which is kind of taking it easy type of deal, then it’s just not going to — this is not for you.’”
On how Wight was a great locker room Leader and mentor and how wrestling is losing its hierarchy:
“I think Big Show is a great leader overall, like you know he’s very, but all these guys from old school, man. You know, they demanded respect because they were treated that way. You know, when they were coming up, they had somebody to be over them and to demand that, and we’re kind of losing that. And I don’t think that’s necessarily good for the business. I think hierarchy is a good thing. I think being respectful is a good thing. Being on time is a good thing, and that’s why wrestling and WWE teaches you good just for the rest of your life. Those are great, responsible things as a human being to have, and it’s up to me now. I have taken that upon me to withhold these standards because you know I’ve traveled the world with John Cena. I fought him all over the world. The man never took a day off. He never took a match off. He was out there performing 30 minutes a night.”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
