SLAM! (via The Kingston Whig-Standard) recently did a fantastic feature story on Tyson Kidd. The piece touched on his life since his career ending injury, his photographic memory as a kid, and much more. Check out some excerpts below to get an update on his physical condition, his work as a producer, and more.
If he blames Samoa Joe for the injury:
Joe did come to the hospital that night. We spoke that night. We would text throughout the time I was hurt, but I only saw him face to face when I got hurt and when I did see him that night, things were still up in the air with the severity of my injury.
He was definitely remorseful and I think we all are when we hurt somebody and when somebody gets hurt under our watch. Stuff happens. We perform at such a high level so many days a week that things are going to happen. We just have to do the best we can to take care of each other and to let a person know that we’re there for them when they do get hurt.
My first day back as a producer after two years, once I was out of meetings, he was the first guy who I Terminator-style sought out and found. And we had a very good talk and we’re friends. We get along great.
His current health:
I do feel great. I train every day and I try to eat right as many days a week as possible. But at the same time, I also know that I feel great right now due to staying in shape.
It put a lot of things into perspective. Even though I do feel great right now, there is a chance that if I were to try to wrestle that I might reinjure myself. It might not be in that first match back and may not be in that second match back, but there is a chance.
On tagging with Cesaro:
That last year of my in-ring work, I think I got to show a lot of people a lot of versatility, from my stuff in NXT to my stuff with Cesaro. I did a lot of cool stuff before that too, but a lot of times it’d be on Superstars or Main Event or even NXT prior to the move to Full Sail (University).
Vince McMahon suggesting he become a producer:
That was his idea. He thought I’d be good at it or I could get good at it.(McMahon) said to me, ‘You’ll be like me.’
I didn’t know if I’d be good at it and I didn’t know what all it entailed. I didn’t know if I would get any real fulfillment out of it. But right off the bat, maybe two weeks in, I was a part of a battle royal and I had an idea that Tye Dillinger would be one of the last three guys. I thought his ’10’ stuff was getting over and I thought it would be good and he could have a good showing. I’ve been given those same things where maybe you’re not being super featured but they throw you a little something and then see what happens out of it.
The audience was completely with (Dillinger). When he came back, he was happy and I felt that fulfilment (McMahon referred to), which now I’ve felt a million times over. I love my job. I’ve been doing this now almost a year and a half and I haven’t taken a week off yet.
On his legacy:
I do wish my career had kept going. I think sometimes people think that we know everything in advance. We don’t. As I was living it, I was curious to see where Cesaro and I were going. I’d kind of made more of a blip than I’d made the first time I was tag team champions with Harry (Smith).
I don’t know if it breaks my heart to say it or not, but I feel like my legacy might be more behind the scenes than it ever was in the ring. That feels kind of funny for me to say because I spent so much time in the ring and trying to perfect every movement that I ever did. But I think when it’s all said and done, my legacy might be more behind the scenes than in the ring.
Make sure to check out the full piece for much more.
