This Saturday, 'The New Face of Fear' Bray Wyatt faces 'The Beast' Brock Lesnar at Roadblock - WWE's final stop before WrestleMania. He shares his thoughts on Lesnar, his career, and some of his favorite matches...
How do you prepare to face someone like your next opponent at Roadblock, Brock Lesnar?
Wyatt: It's hard. When you're training for Brock Lesnar, you've got to train like you're fighting. And I've had Brock on my horizon for a long time. He's about one of the only ones left I haven't encountered fully yet. But I've been in there with Brock, and I know what he brings - at least somewhat - and I would never admit to being afraid because I'm not. I'm excited at the chance because I look at myself as a dangerous person, too. It's going to be a war.
You've created your own eerie character who can give some very enigmatic speeches - do you write all of those yourself or do you have writers to help with that?
Wyatt: With me, I handle it differently. I don't allow other people's words to come out of my mouth because I don't feel that's natural. I wish people would dive in deeper, and see that the things I'm saying sometimes are not just as simplistic as they sound, but there's a lot more to it. There's a lot more effort that goes into it, and I can't help the way I feel. So, when I walk out there and I feel something, and I feel there's a message I want to get across, I deliver that however it comes out of my mouth, and sometimes my mouth actually works faster than my brain. I don't know if that's a gift or a curse, but that's the way I've kind of always been in this world. I very much want to inspire people to change the way they think, and not be afraid to not conform to society. That's who I am, and that's the message I put across.
On growing up to become a third-generation wrestler...
Wyatt: It's intense. You grow up in a family full of cowboys, it's no surprise that I turned out kind of the way I did. I don't think I ever really wanted to be anything other than exactly what I am right now, and not a lot of people get to say that. It's an honor to be who I am, and I wake up every day and I'm just happy. Surrounded in happiness. There's still a lot of things I have to do to kind of be where I wanted to be, as far as winning world titles, things like that, but it's a crazy lifestyle full of crazy men, and I just kind of fit right in. I may be the craziest of them all.
On he and his brother, WWE Superstar Bo Dallas, both making it to the WWE...
Wyatt: It's an honor, you know, he does his own thing. He's got his own way of going about it just as I do. But I'm sure he's proud, and I'm proud of him. I'm happy for him just as I'm sure he's happy about me. We don't necessarily tell each other those types of things, but it's an honor to have him here with me.
On his near football career...
Wyatt: If I was three inches taller I'd probably still be playing football. But that's the way the cookie crumbles. It was a means. It's kind of what you do in the south when you're a kid - you play football and you wrestle. It kind of molded me into the man I am today. Especially being in that south region of Alabama, that culture down there is a little bit different than most. It was a pleasure to play football, but this is where I always wanted to end up. So, even if I was good, and if I had made it in the pros for a little while, if I even had tried to make it in the pros, you know, I still would have made it up here, and I would have been a step behind. So, I'm glad I got into it when I did because, like I said, this is where I wanted to be.
What is your favorite match so far in your career?
Wyatt: A couple come to mind. I definitely look back at The Shield - Shield vs. Wyatts, the first one we did at Elimination Chamber - that one was a great experience. It was kind of a changing of the guard. Everyone in the back, I think whether they wanted to admit it or not, they looked at it like that. And sure enough, the members of The Shied and The Wyatts have kind of taken over the WWE since. I think, obviously, wrestling Undertaker and John Cena at WrestleMania is a huge honor. But my No. 1 is definitely that Royal Rumble against Daniel Bryan. Especially given that we just lost him, and won't have him competing out there anymore. I look back at that match, and just the feel of it, the flow of it. it was just a beautiful, beautiful time - beautiful moment for us both. That's definitely my favorite moment so far.
As someone who has faced him, what do you expect from The Undertaker at WrestleMania?
Wyatt: Well, it's no surprise how I view the Undertaker. He has lived up to the name 'Phenom' to every extent, and there's not many human beings on planet earth that I would ever pick over the Undertaker. Although, I am a huge fan of Shane McMahon, and what he brings to the table. He's going to meet his fate at the hands of The Undertaker.
What are you most looking forward to about WrestleMania?
Wyatt: The surprises. To be a part of a spectacle that is WrestleMania is a privilege. I think what I'm most looking forward to is breaking the attendance record, and, you know, having my moment in front of those people. I've never done the entrance - last year at WrestleMania my entrance was in the daylight, and I didn't get the full feel of it - just to come out, and walk that stage with all the 'fireflies' in the sky...I think about it constantly. It's going to be something that brings chills all the way up and down my spine. I'm very much looking forward to that.
