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I have a confession to make before you begin reading this interview. Bobby Roode is perhaps my favourite WWE Superstar of the modern era, and while I try to be impartial in all my articles, I find myself slightly biased towards the man.
Not only does Roode personify all that was glorious (no pun intended) about old-school NWA tradition, I've always been a fan of how he sells his injuries convincingly and impeccably. I only had a few minutes with the man in this conference call, but I still had a chance to ask some pretty interesting questions.
My favourite thing about a Bobby Roode match is how convincingly you sell every blow, for the remainder of the contest. Is 'selling' a lost art in today's wrestling?
Roode: I just pay attention to my performances and I guess that's just the way I was moulded and brought into this business. My experience obviously, I mean twenty years in this industry, have helped me do that. But I'm still learning.
I'm still trying to get better at it. I do think that selling is very important. I also think that psychology is very, very important. To tell a story within a match.
You could say I'm more of a traditionalist and an old-school mind where I can tell a story by which I can get the fans to be emotionally involved in what I'm doing.
I like to make them cheer, I like to make them cry. I like to make them mad. I like to make them happy. Take them on an emotional rollercoaster, you could say...that's what I look forward to doing.
Now that Cowboy James Storm is a free agent, do you think we'll see a Beer Money reunion in WWE?
Roode: I can't answer that for sure. You never say never in this business. But I don't know what James is doing. I haven't spoken to James in two years. So, I don't know what his plans are. But I mean I know that right now, I'm the United States Champion.
WWE has invested a lot of time and money into me. I'm doing pretty damn good on my own. So, I don't know what's going to happen. People can speculate, but quite honestly I'm very, very happy doing what I'm doing right now.
I look forward to being United States Champion for a very, very long time.
One of my favourite programs was the one between you and Roderick Strong in NXT. How did you make it as personal as it got, and is it one of your favourite feuds as well?
Roode: It is. It is. You know, going back to your question earlier, people were invested a lot emotionally. It got personal. That was the story that we told in the weeks leading up to our matches.
I'm very proud of my feud with Roderick. I'm very proud of the matches that we had. Like I said earlier, every time I can take my fans on an emotional rollercoaster where they're cheering me or booing me, laughing or crying, whatever that may be...to be that's a success. The feud with Roderick was one we were able to make personal, to get the fans emotionally involved in.
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