Former TNA Champion Bobby Lashley appeared on a recent edition of Ring Rust Radio, and below are some highlights:
On facing Bobby Roode on the January 7 live TNA Impact on Destination America:
“First of all, I think we rose that bar really high coming into this third match. The first match we had was incredible and the person that was supposed to win won. The second match was as incredible if not better. So with this third match were really going to have to give the crowd what they want but at the same time we know who should be the champion especially in TNA and that’s me. Destination America January 7th I think it would be a good time for them to go ahead and hand the title over to the real champion and then we can run it the rest of the year that way.”
On the importance of making a good first impression on January 7:
“I don’t think it’s any different. I think that is what TNA has been doing the entire time during their existence. They were the organization everyone wanted to put their thumb on. Even with all the amazing people and talent we had coming over. Every week we had to prove ourselves over and over again. I don’t think it’s going to be a challenge. Since I have been there and even before that when I would watch some of the TNA stuff and they would always have great shows. The ratings have been doing great and the shows have been getting better each time. I think the momentum we had last year we’re going to keep it going. We have a lot of good guys coming in like the Hardys that are still in there. MVP, myself, and Kenny King we’ve been doing some big things. Bobby Roode, I mean he is the champion right now but we gotta take that away from him. Everything we’ve been doing has been right on point. We’re gonna show new fans what TNA is all about.”
On the differences between preparing for a wrestling match and an MMA fight:
“Well I think, part of which is because I’m a little crazy, I don’t really distinguish between the two. My training stays basically the same. Before when I would go into training I would train just one way to get bigger and more of an appearance wise. Now I train completely different. I train to be a better athlete. That just goes hand in hand with what I’m doing for the professional wrestling side and the MMA side. I have a great training here and train with some great guys. So I don’t really have to change my training around. Sometimes when I get closer to a fight, I’ll just up my cardio just a hair. Now with the matches we’ve been having in TNA I’ve been having 20-30 minute matches so I have to be in good shape for those also. The training is so similar I just do some tweaks here and there depending on what I’m doing that week.”
On facing James Thompson, who beat him previously, at Bellator 134:
“There is a little bad blood between us and he knows why. The media circus we’re going to be in leading up to that point, I know there’s going to be a lot of discussion about it. People we go back and watch that fight and understand what happened. I don’t want to be the guy that says this, but I’m going to be that guy that says this, ‘I believe I won that fight.’ So going back into this fight, I am training a little bit harder, this fight to me is a little bit more important because I am going for that redemption. I’ll put the time in in the gym. I’m in the gym a couple times a day now and we’re so far out, just getting mentally focused and ready for the New Year. I am giving almost 100-percent that I’m beating this guy in this fight.”
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.
