Ring of Honor star Bully Ray recently spoke to USA Today’s “For the Win” section ahead of ROH Best in the World, and below are some interview highlights:
How his character has evolved from Bubba in ECW and WWE to Bully Ray:
“Bully Ray is Bad Guy 101. I did not reinvent the wheel. I just stuck to the plan of being an effective bad guy and I just put my own little twists on it. …I became that heel that I knew I could be. I got myself in the best shape that I’ve ever been in because I knew that was going to get people to sit up and take notice immediately. I’ve had this speaking ability that I’ve had my entire career that nobody really remembered since the days of ECW. For six years in WWE, I didn’t really get to talk too much and then six years as a tag team in TNA, I didn’t get to talk that much. Now here comes Bully Ray cutting some of the best heel promos in the business.”
Working full-time for ROH:
“From my point of view and from my relationship with the rest of the locker room and my relationship with the fans, things cannot better. The first night here at the Hammerstein (in New York), I said I’m not coming in to be one of those veterans who is looking to take somebody’s spot or come in and grab a quick payday. I said I was coming in to be a full-time guy with Ring of Honor and a legit part of this locker room and that’s exactly what’s happening. Nobody understands what it’s like to be part of a company like Ring of Honor more than I do, especially being in ECW. I understand what drives these guys, their passion and their willingness to put their bodies on the line and steal the show every night. I also understand the other side. I’ve wrestled in front of 100,000 people at WrestleMania. I’m trying to help them as much as possible to become better versions of themselves.”
Matt Hardy’s “Broken” gimmick in WWE:
“I think that they will get the best of both worlds. They can milk this Hardy run for every dime it’s worth and then they can evolve into a version of the Broken Universe that the WWE sees fits. WWE is not going to allow creations that got over someplace else to come in and rule their world. It’s not going to happen. It didn’t happen with the Bullet Club and it’s not going to happen with Matt Hardy’s Broken Universe. They are going to have to put their stamp of approval on it and have their creative input.”
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
