Donald Wood from Ring Rust Radio, along with Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin had former WWE and current TNA star Drew Galloway on the show this week, and below are some interview highlights.
You can check out the entire interview at this link.
Donald Wood: Arguably the biggest move TNA has made over the last year besides the jump to Destination America every Friday night at 9 PM was signing you. What was the decision process like signing with Impact Wrestling and what are your long-term goals with the company?
Drew Galloway: The process involved obviously talking with the bosses over there. I was over in Scotland for a show, for a Scottish company ICW. I spoke with them and initially I was a little apprehensive. I wasn’t looking to get back on American TV so quickly to be honest. I spoke with the bosses there and they told me the plan and I got excited about. With Destination America deal and the opportunity to be a part of something on the ground floor and try to build it up, and the opportunity to just be myself. Anything you see on TNA is me, that’s Drew Galloway 100%. I’m talking ad Drew Galloway, I’m wrestling as Drew Galloway, and it’s no gimmicks. I get to just be a wrestler and be myself. I’m getting the opportunity to do that with TNA and I couldn’t be any happier right now.
Mike Chiari: You worked almost exclusively as a heel during your time in WWE, but you’ve quickly become one of the most popular baby faces in TNA. What has that transition been like for you, and what is your preference between the two?
Drew Galloway: Honestly I don’t have a preference, I just kind of do my thing. If you notice the way I wrestle, I do wrestle more like a heel even when I’m a face. I just have a particular style like I’m a hybrid European/American with a little bit of strong style in there. Honestly I don’t have a preference. I legit wrestle how I wrestle. If the fans are on board their going to cheer, and if they aren’t digging it they are going to boo. Either way I am having fun. It’s weird to be cheered to be honest, I’m just used to being the bad guy. The fans are digging what I am saying because everything I say is me, it’s not scripted. It’s Drew Galloway speaking his mind and they feel the same way if they are getting behind it. I want to say thank you to them for loving wrestling as much as I do.
Brandon Galvin: You recently formed a stable known as The Rising with Eli Drake and Myka to go up against the Beat Down Clan. You’ve been part of stables before, but as the clear-cut leader of this one what are you hoping to accomplish and why do you feel like the three of you will have success as a unit in TNA?
Drew Galloway: Well the guys I joined up with are guys that feel the same way I do about wrestling. They are really young, eager, and hungry. Obviously Haku’s son is a great part of the group. He’s got that family tradition and he loves wrestling more than anything. Shaun Ricker is my third man there. He is a young kid that’s being trying hard to get a break and just hasn’t gotten the opportunity yet. He has a great look and great passion. These are a couple of guys I’m excited to be running with me. Over the next couple of weeks, especially this Friday, you’re going to learn a little more about the group. We are going to be tweeting out the live tweets during the show. So if you are a fan out there, tweet what you’re thinking, tweet what you want, say anything in the world, and I have a hands on approach and I’ll make sure it gets on the show. It’s going to be an exciting few weeks coming up and you’re going to find out a lot about the Rising.
Donald Wood: After your departure from the WWE, you spent a lot of time getting back to your roots on the independent scene. How did working the indies influence your style now and did it help your confidence after being underutilized for so long?
Drew Galloway: Absolutely. It was fun to do those lengthy matches once again. When I got into wrestling, I wanted to, you know, wrestle. I’m 29 years old, everyone seems to think I’m in my mid to late thirties just because I have been around for so long. I started when I was 15, wrestled the indies for six years, I signed with the WWE when I was 21 and stayed there for eight years. All I ever wanted to do was wrestle whenever I had the opportunity. I did make a few bold statements initially when I was cut from the WWE on Chris Jericho’s podcast. I told the world they never got to see the real me. A lot of people believed in me and gave me opportunities and I was very lucky with the places I have been and the titles I’ve won. I am currently holding five titles over three continents. Luckily I am making a name for myself and people are believing in me and giving me that opportunity. Places like TNA just giving Drew Galloway the chance to be Drew Galloway.
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.
