The following recap is from this week’s new sit-down interview with Michael Cole (seen above), featuring WWE RAW star and new #1 contender to the Cruiserweight Championship, Brian Kendrick.
Cole welcomes Kendrick and says it’s been a ‘long, strange trip’ back to WWE, and Kendrick talks about it all being a bit of a dream. Cole says they have known each other a long time and even traveled together during Kendrick’s previous WWE run, and Cole praises Kendrick for his work ethic. He asks if Kendrick looks back and reminisces about the past, and Kendrick says he does and they were good times. Kendrick says he’s confident in the person he is today, then Cole mentions talks of Kendrick being rumored to be a WWE Performance Center coach after running his own wrestling school. Kendrick says he had talks, but he kept saying he is still a wrestler, and he wouldn’t be satisfied just being a coach.
Cole brings up the Cruiserweight Classic and talks about how well Kendrick did, and cites his match against Kota Ibushi, which was highly regarded, and his emotional sendoff with Daniel Bryan. Kendrick says the whole thing was bittersweet because he thought that night was it for him in WWE, and he had made mistakes in the past and was still grateful for the opportunity. He says everything worked out because he’s there now, and Cole asks if he ever thought it would play out like this. Kendrick says he wouldn’t tell anyone else to put money on it, but the top talent is here and this is where he likes to be.
Cole asks about facing TJ Perkins for the Cruiserweight Championship at WWE Clash of Champions, and Kendrick cuts Cole off while he talks about Perkins’ ‘Cinderella story’ run. Kendrick says Perkins was homeless, but so were half the guys in the locker room. He says Perkins hasn’t given up anything more than the other talents or him, and he’s sick of hearing about Perkins. Kendrick says it leaves a bad taste in his mouth, and they will only talk about him and sing his praises after Sunday night.
