Bully Ray was recently a guest on “The Ross Report”. During the interview, he touched on why he doesn’t think that the WWE will allow anyone to reach John Cena status ever again. Here are the highlights:
On Talent’s Not Being Given Creative Freedom:
[Ross] know[s] damn well that you don’t go to the top of the mountain and stay at the top of the mountain unless you are chosen to be at the top of the mountain. And that’s not the way it was. One of [Ross’s] best friends in the [pro] wrestling business and in real life is a guy named ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. He was told to never talk. What would’ve happened if he never grabbed that microphone and never would have said, Austin 3:16 means I just whooped your ass’? Now, back then, it worked. Now, if you’re not told to say something like that, how can you ever get to the top of the mountain?
On Why Vince Won’t Let Anyone Reach John Cena’s Level Again:
Seth Rollins has done it all and can do it all. But how come Seth Rollins is not at Cena level? How come he’s not at Rock level? How come he’s not at Austin level? It’s because I don’t think they will ever allow anyone to get to that level again. If you take the three biggest stars over the last 20-some-odd years, would you say that Cena, Austin, and The Rock are the three biggest ones? Okay, so those three guys in their own way do what they wanted to do without Vince’s approval. Listen, Steve was able to walk out and still come back and have a job. [Ross] helped out a lot, but not a lot of people walk out and come back in the next day. Rocky was able to walk away and become the biggest star in Hollywood. And John, my God! He just won the Muhammad Ali Award. He [has] granted more wishes than anybody on the planet. I mean, he walks on water when it comes to the WWE. And he was able to tell Vince, ‘I’m not [going to Saudi Arabia].’ I don’t think they’re ever going to let anybody get to that level again where they have control or say.
On What Vince Once Told Him About Wrestler Leverage:
I learned a very important lesson from Vince McMahon one day, JR, that he taught me one-on-one. I don’t remember the arena we were in, but we were in a hallway and he said, ‘Bubba, it’s very rare that the boys have leverage on me, but when they do have leverage on me and they don’t use it, shame on them.’ What a lesson to learn from Vince McMahon and I apply that lesson to what’s going on in the WWE today. They’re creating their stars, they’re letting their stars get as big as they possibly want them to be, but then there’s a ceiling. And I think Roman [Reigns] is at the top of that ceiling. I think Ronda [Rousey] is at the top of that ceiling. I think Charlotte is at the top of that ceiling. I’m not sure who will ever get passed that.
You can listen to the full episode of “The Ross Report” by clicking HERE
Credit: The Ross Report. H/T WrestlingInc.
