Donald Wood from Ring Rust Radio, along with Mike Chiari, Brandon Galvin, recently interviewed WWE star Jack Swagger, and the following are some interview highlights, which you can listen to in its entirety at this link.
Donald Wood: Sunday is the 2015 Royal Rumble from Philadelphia, but you have not been formally announced for the 30-man Royal Rumble match yet. Will the WWE Universe see Jack Swagger make an appearance and what can the fans expect from you if you enter the match?
Jack Swagger: Well you absolutely get to see the Real American in the Royal Rumble. I don’t know what type of Royal Rumble it would be without me. Every year everyone tries to find their place to start, make an impact, a run to the road to WrestleMania, and make it to that championship match. It all starts at the Royal Rumble. Levels are very high right now. Every Superstar that’s going to be in the Royal Rumble is definitely going to raise the bar, try to stand out, to compete, and give the WWE universe what they come to expect from such a match. It is a lot of fun but also a lot of hard work. I think this year is going to be no different, you’re not going to know what to expect, there will be a ton of swerves in there, and hopefully the Real American is standing at the end.
Mike Chiari: The Royal Rumble is viewed by most as the unofficial start to WrestleMania season, and coming off your feud with Rusev you have a clean slate to work with. So, with WrestleMania quickly approaching, what direction do you see yourself heading in? What are your expectations for the next couple months?
Jack Swagger: It’s a fun time of year but it’s also a stressful time of year. WWE really likes to keep its fans on the edge of their seats and on their toes. They are always trying to keep that big swerve in their pocket for as long as possible. Right now I am unattached, so going forward I’m going to do whatever I can behind the scenes and in the ring to secure a match in WrestleMania and make it a good spot.
Brandon Galvin: You’re viewed as one of the top in-ring workers n the company and somebody they can rely on to put on entertaining matches. Do you ever feel this typecasts you as a performer or limits your potential to allow fans to see more of your personality?
Jack Swagger: Yea it’s a double edged sword. It does only give me so many options. I think it’s on the Superstars in this day and age to get your personality out there. We have so many tools now that we didn’t have even when I first started six years ago. Social media is such a powerful media that is a Superstar is type casted or only getting so many opportunities you can go on social media to promote yourself and your brand and give fans a chance to see that other side of your personality. That will only help your in ring performance entertainment wise though. As far as me, after you have been doing it as long as I have you constantly have to stay hungry and growing and reinvent yourself as an artist. Otherwise as an artist you will be dying and that’s what I try to keep doing as much as possible.
Donald Wood: The crowd in Philadelphia is one of the most intense in all of wrestling. With the Royal Rumble being one of the most important events of the year for the company, what is the feeling backstage regarding possible crowd reaction and does performing in front of such a smart group of fans add even more pressure to perform at a high level?
Jack Swagger: I don’t know if it adds more pressure. I always love working in the Northeast, it’s more intense out there, and it’s always fun when the crowd is into it. Whether they are chanting for the match or something completely unrelated to what is going on. As long as they are involved we feed off of that. I think as a wrestler and a Superstar you have to know where you are at and know your audience. Before you go into the ring, know what is going to work and if it doesn’t be ready to have a plan B.
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.
