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Bobby Roode Talks His First WWE Meeting After Leaving TNA, His In-Ring Work Being Secondary, More
- Updated: November 20, 2016
Source: Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast
On episode 108 of Sam Roberts’ Wrestling Podcast, NXT Superstar Bobby Roode spoke with radio host and professional wrestling enthusiast, Sam Roberts, just ahead of Roode’s homecoming match against Tye Dillinger at NXT TakeOver: Toronto. Among other things, Roode talked about making the gutsy decision to leave TNA without planning out his next move, knowing WWE was the place for him after WrestleMania weekend, and his ‘glorious’ entrance music.
According to Roode, leaving TNA was a huge gamble for him, as he did not know where he might end up. Roode admitted that he thought he might go to work in Japan if stateside work did not materialize.
“It was scary [to leave TNA] and a little bit nerve-racking. I mean, I’m not sure if I’m a guy that loves change. I was very, I guess you could say, comfortable, doing what I was doing there for a long time.”
Roode said, “so it was a risk. I didn’t know what was going to happen when I left. I really didn’t. I thought maybe I could go to Japan and work if it didn’t work out anywhere else. Like I said, at the time, I didn’t love doing what I was doing. I didn’t know where I was. I was just at a point in my life where I just had to go home and sit and figure out really what I want to do.”
Roode professed that leaving TNA was a risk worth taking as reaching his professional goals is only possible in WWE.
“Obviously, the WWE is the be-all, end-all of sports entertainment and the opportunity that it presents for a lot of individuals is something I got in the business for in the first place almost 20 years ago. So there [are] a lot of things on my bucket list that I want to do in my career and the only place that I could go and possibly achieve those is being a part of the WWE.”
Roode recalled, “and thankfully, I had the opportunity to talk to WWE and they flew me down to Dallas [Texas] WrestleMania weekend and I got a chance to talk to some pretty important people and got a chance to meet some of the guys. And just kind of take in what the WWE is all about and immediately, I just knew, at that point, that I need to be a part of it all.”
Roode indicated that he had a conversation with Triple H prior to WrestleMania weekend about what he wanted to do now and in the future. ‘The Canadian Enforcer’ said he just asked Triple H for an opportunity and that is what he has been given.
“Before I got down to WrestleMania weekend, I had a conversation on the phone with Triple H. And, obviously, I’ve been around for …
