"It sucked" - Robert Roode comments on missing in-ring action due to the pandemic [Exclusive]

Robert Roode has opened up on having to temporarily step away from WWE due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Roode was forced onto the sidelines due to travel restrictions early in 2020.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling's Rick Ucchino, The Glorious One said "it sucked" to sit on the sidelines for as long as he did. Robert Roode also highlighted how the pandemic messed up his schedule. Wrestlers often rely on their schedules for consistency in both their professional and personal lives.

"It sucked to be honest with you. I’ve been doing this for a long time. When you’re used to a schedule and a routine when you’re on the road three or four days a week, then you’re home three or four days a week, you get used to that grind and you get used to that schedule. So does your wife and everybody around you, right? So it was a challenging kind of adjustment for me."

"Obviously, the pandemic was life-altering for many people, in many aspects. To the average Joe, I guess saying that I’m stuck at home and unable to work doesn't sound too bad. But I love what I do. I love being a part of the show."

Roode made his remarkable return this past September when he unsuccessfully answered WWE Champion Drew McIntyre's open challenge on WWE RAW.

Robert Roode says time away helped him heal both physically and mentally

Robert Roode in WWE

While being away from the ring caused some issues for Robert Roode, he also said there were some positives to be taken from his situation. Specifically, Roode was able to "heal" his body as well as "mentally freshen-up."

"I was always eager to get back and stayed in touch with people. I stayed in touch with Dolph. I stayed in touch with the office because, somehow, I wanted to find out what I needed to do to get back to work. It took some time but we figured it out. I had the better part of six months off, at home. In a way it was good that I got to recharge my battery and… Not that I was unhealthy, but mentally freshen-up, get healthy. My body healed. All that good stuff. But at the end of the day I would much rather have been working than sitting at home the entire time."

Robert Roode is currently one half of the SmackDown Team Champions, alongside Dolph Ziggler. Together, they're known as The Dirty Dawgs, and they're prominently featured on the blue brand.

Make sure to check out PART ONE of Rick Ucchino's conversation with Robert Roode in the video embedded above. Also, make sure to subscribe to the Sportskeeda Wrestling YouTube Channel and keep an eye out for PART TWO of the conversation.