The NXT Big Thing! Interview with Wade Barrett (Issue 56; Aug 2010)

FSM: So, Wade, congratulations on winning the first season of NXT! How did it feel to win the competition?
Wade Barrett: It was great feeling, especially as I got to find out the same time as everyone else - both the rookies and the fans. It really felt like I'd won the World Cup of WWE! Winning a contract and securing a title shot at an upcoming pay-per-view was a really big deal and after working hard for six years, winning NXT was a big, big moment for me.

How much did you learn from your pro mentor, Chris Jericho?
As soon as they announced which rookie would work with which pro, I really thought I'd hit the jackpot by getting mentored by Chris. He was the most experienced pro, the biggest star and I really felt I got lucky there. He was very quick to pick up on the things I was doing in matches and on the microphone, and the things I needed to work on. He really stressed the importance of how I needed to be strong in every single aspect of what we do - not just in-ring work, not just on the microphone, not just how I look, not just my personality but everything as a whole. The fact that I worked on all those areas is what pushed me through to victory.

What about the other rookies... did any of them stand out for you?
I was impressed with a number of guys. Skip Sheffield, in terms of his size and strength, was probably the strongest guy I've ever stepped in the ring with. I was impressed with Justin Gabriel too - he was the only rookie to beat me on the show and I liked his athletic abilities and some of the moves he could do. He's a really exciting competitor.

What about the guys from Season Two?
They seem quite a different bunch to your series... They're definitely an interesting batch. The first season, all the rookies were quite seasoned wrestlers in terms of how long they'd be doing it, but the second season... well, although there are some very good competitors, there are also some loose cannons. I'd say they're little bit more unpredictable, and that may give Season Two a different feel from the first season.

Of course, NXT was a brand new idea from WWE - what did you make of the concept behind the show as a whole?
NXT is excellent for making new stars for WWE, and it was great for eight new guys to get exposure on TV and show both the world and the guys of WWE what they've got. Every aspect of our abilities as superstars was tested, from our personalities to our ring work and how we are on a microphone, even through to the rookie challenges. Everything they look for in a WWE star, the spontaneity they need was tested from week to week and it gave people a look at who would be most suitable and could wrestle for WWE.

The rookie challenges you mentioned got a mixed reaction from the crowds. What did you make of them?
I understand why they did them, but I can see that some challenges made good TV, and some not so much. However, pretty much universally in the back amongst the eight rookies, we all pretty much against doing the challenges. We thought they made us look stupid and ridiculous on camera. We did them and although they did have a use in terms of entertainment in general, we didn't feel too great about the challenges at all.

One of those challenges, the 'Talk The Talk' challenge, happened over here in the UK. What was it like to perform in front of home crowd?
That was a great feeling, because I'm used to being booed as a bad guy. The Americans don't usually take to well to a British guy coming over and telling them he's better than them. I'm used to be hated and I don't really care if people like me or not. But it was nice coming back to the UK, being myself and doing what I always do. The fans seemed to really get behind me, which I appreciated - it was nice to come home and be that guy, and then to go on and win the microphone challenge. I had members of my family in the crowd that night too, so it was such a nice moment. Right now, there is somewhat of a British and Irish invasion in WWE at the minute. What does that say about the strength of wrestling this side of the Atlantic? The independent scene in the UK is struggling with a lack of investment, and I think it's always going to look like the poor relation of WWE, by virtue of the fact that WWE is by far the strongest player in the world of sports entertainment. The product WWE puts out is so far ahead of anything else on the market, so people are naturally disappointed when they show up to see an independent company. That's always going to be against them. But in terms of the talent in the UK, I know there's some real good talent out there and some real good performers. You just have to be able to look past the surroundings, the lack of pyro and that sort of stuff. If you're going to go to an independent stuff, just enjoy the in-ring stuff and forget about everything else.

Do you keep up-to-date with what's going on in the British scene these days?
I've got lots of friends in the UK who are involved in the wrestling scene. It's difficult to keep up-to-date with what's exactly going on, but I try to keep in touch with the internet and the forums. Plus, I try to keep up with what the guys I used to wrestle are doing now.

Saying that, you're quite familiar with some of the WWE guys like Sheamus and Drew McIntyre already, aren't you?
Well, interesting enough Drew, Sheamus and myself were actually signed by WWE on the same day in 2007, when we had a try-out in London while WWE were over on a tour. They invited the three of us and told us to get in the ring and wrestle each other and we all signed developmental deals that day. So yeah, I know them very well - we've wrestled in the UK before and was nice to be signed on the same day. They've had some great success since they debuted, Sheamus with the WWE Title and Drew's long reign with the Intercontinental belt. I'm hope I can follow those guys success and get in the ring with those guys again at some point. We've had some rivalries built up over the years and it be great to continue them in a WWE ring.

Maybe we could see a English/Irish/Scottish triple threat match-up in the future?
[Smiles widely] Yeah, why not! And do it at WrestleMania... maybe even in the UK!

How did your love for wrestling begin then?
I started watching wrestling when I was a kid, with the likes of Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior and the Legion of Doom, who were my favourites growing up. My real big hero at the time though was the British Bulldog, Davey Boy Smith; I had a big poster of him on my wall at home, and he was a real big inspiration for me. So I always loved watching wrestling, but it didn't enter my head that I could become a wrestler until the age of 20.

What made you realise that it was something you'd want to do?
It was when I read Mick Foley's book and realised that wrestlers were just normal people who got into wrestling. They weren't just born into it, as I always thought they were - you assume growing up that you could never be like these cartoon-like wrestling stars - but after reading Foley's book, it brought home this was a normal guy who got into wrestling. It was then that I decided this is something I wanted to do. I hit the gym and built myself up - which you obviously have to do to be in the WWE - and then, at 23, I was wrestling on the UK independent scene and going up and down the country wrestling in front of 30 people at a time for very little money, getting beat up and getting injuries. Then I got my try-out in London and got my deal; I was flown out to Louisville, Kentucky and then got moved down to Tampa to work in Florida Championship Wrestling. There, I got used to wrestling six, seven days a week and perfecting the WWE style. Two years later, I was called up to NXT and now, the rest is history!

You've already been in the ring with some of top stars, but who are you looking forward to locking horns with the most?
I'm excited to take on anyone; I want to challenge myself by taking on the best. I see myself as someone who can get to the very top, holding titles and carrying the company. In terms of people, I've already been in the ring with John Cena before but I'd like to face him again and with some more experience, I think I can move up to his level and get a win. Triple H and The Undertaker would be good to face too, they're real stalwarts of the company and guys I've been watching all my life.

What about outside the ring - have you taken to US sports completely?
Well I'm still a huge football fan - my team is Preston North End where I'm from, and I enjoyed the World Cup as well. I watched the England/USA game and if England had lost that match, I don't think it would have been worth calling my wife considering the amount of stick I would got... everyone would have bombarded me with abuse! But I've got into American Football too, because I generally like most sports anyway. The only ones I can't stand are baseball and basketball.

Finally then, it's clear to see you're enjoying being a WWE star - but what's next for Wade Barrett?
Well, I'm 29 and I've already realised my dream. I've wanted to do this for so long, so whatever happens now happens because I've had the chance to wrestle for WWE. Of course I want to move up and take on guys like John Cena and become a top name in the company, but just being here is a huge weight of my shoulder after all the hard work I've put in. Now all I want to do is perform and enjoy being part of it.