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Fightful Wrestling Podcast with Sean Ross Sapp

Bobby Steveson: WWE Departure, NXT Parking Lot, Cody Rhodes Helping Him, His Regrets | Damon Kemp

Duration:
40m
Broadcast on:
09 Sep 2024
Audio Format:
mp3

Sean Ross Sapp speaks to Bobby Steveson, formerly NXT's Damon Kemp

0:00 Intro

0:34 Free agency

4:45 Coaching at WWE

5:45 MMA

7:12 The transition to amateur wrestling and pro wrestling

9:15 Working different kind of TV

11:00 Diamond Mine and NQCC

12:40 Main Event with Shelton and Tyler Bate

18:52 People helping at the WWE PC.

20:45 NXT Parking Lot

22:45 Roderick Strong

26:28 Gerald Brisco

27:30 His NXT name

29:30 Pitches

32:15 NCAA 25

34:00 What does he want people to know?



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At King Super's Pharmacy, Care is making it easy to get vaccinated. Care is helping you stay protected from flu, COVID, and RSV. Seasonal vaccines are available seven days a week with evening hours. Care is giving you a shot at staying healthy this season. Walk in whenever is best and get multiple vaccines in one visit at your local King Super's Pharmacy. So come and get the protection you need while protecting those around you. King Super's, a world of care is in store. Visit KingSuper's.com/vaccines for more, restrictions and exclusions apply seaside for details. When you need meal time inspiration, it's worth shopping King Super's for thousands of appetizing ingredients that inspire countless mouth-watering meals. And no matter what tasty choice you make, you'll enjoy our everyday low prices. Plus extra ways to save, like digital coupons worth over $600 each week and up to $1 off per gallon at the pump with points. So you can get big flavors and big savings. King Super's, fresh for everyone, fuel restrictions apply. At King Super's Pharmacy, Care is making it easy to get vaccinated. Care is helping you stay protected from flu, COVID, and RSV. Seasonal vaccines are available seven days a week with evening hours. Care is giving you a shot at staying healthy this season. Walk in whenever is best and get multiple vaccines in one visit at your local King Super's Pharmacy. So come and get the protection you need while protecting those around you. King Super's, a world of care, is in store. Visit KingSuper's.com/vaccines for more, restrictions and exclusions apply seaside for details. What's up, you guys? Sean Ross Sapp, welcome to Fightful. Here with the name you know, you used to know him as NXT's Damon Kemp. You're going to know him as Bobby Stevenson. How you doing, man? Good, man. How you doing? That's right. I'm doing great. It's great to have you. Listen, I always have a soft spot for amateur wrestlers turned, pro wrestlers, fascinated by the crossover, the transition, all that. But what I've got to ask now is how are you feeling now that you are a free agent? All right, I guess, a lot unknown, but a lot of good things lined up. It was a long 30 days, like a shock also, I guess. You could say that. So now it's just more so just having to get things going, without sitting around a lot, I guess, is what you can say. So how did that conversation happen? Is it a phone call? Is it them asking you to come into the office of the PC? How are you informed that WWE thinks that right now isn't the time to continue that relationship? It was a phone call. Yeah, so it was leading up to it. I think wrestling kind of has his way of telling you that things aren't going the best. I don't know without people being direct to you. So it kind of got a little weird with, you know, the guys getting to go to TNA, you know, and I was getting left behind that, or without even being told that what was going on. But one of my boys told me, so he kept me in a loop with that. You know, the timing of it wasn't really adding up for me. Like, it was adding up. It was like, all right, they're doing this. So there must be something going on here. So, you know, and then I was trying to have a conversation. I won't say any names, it's just a heavy release. It's one person, the part of the show. And I was asking, you know, as the person a few times, I was like, am I still part of the group, you know, what are we doing? Are we still moving forward? Or, you know, because I knew what my timeline was, or when my timeline was up, you know, with the company. And I was just trying to figure it out, because like, you know, I'm from Minnesota, and you know, I drove it. Everyone travels to Orlando, so everyone drives pretty far, so I was trying to figure it out. You know, moving forward, you know, like, what are we doing? You know, just shooting should be straight, not having to take a personal at all. But, um, no, I just told everything was great, you know, doing great things. And I was, we were, we were pitched multiple stories that were happy, that were going to happen down the road and stuff like that. But I didn't have anyone to talk to you about when it came to the contract, because I guess there was just no one in that category, I guess, to, you know, reach out, whatever. And then I asked the person, I was like, to, I like to stay, you know, I always opened them, like, I wanted to stay, it wasn't like my choice. I'm like, oh, no, I'm going to UFC, I'm going to go do this. And actually what I wanted to resign and be there, you know, I enjoyed it, loved it. It was fun to, you know, like, I never wrestled or did any, uh, uh, pro wrestling before. And then I see it was kind of just pretty much just gradually, I graduated in 2020. And then COVID kind of messed a few things up. And then I signed for three years. And then so that was like the only thing I really knew about pro wrestling. Uh, but yeah, like, then like the week later after I had that conversation, I was booked for TV. Yeah, so I was booked to be on TV. And they called me that Monday. And there's all, yeah, we just chose not to resign you. And I was like, Oh, I'll stab in the heart twist. Were they give you a reason or anything like that? No, I think I don't think they really give a reason, but I was like kind of like taking off guard. Sure. Like, so I didn't know what to really ask because I knew just for basketball friends, you know, friends that get released. And they don't really get an answer either. So I was like, I don't want to really want to waste my breath. And at the time, I was just sitting at home by myself. So I was like, I try to gather everything like what happened, like, like the weeks before like everything was going great, you know, and then post like the conversation you had with them, with the person, and then things go like that. And I'm like, dang, you know, that was like doing good, you know. But then it was just, you know, no hard feelings, you know, I said it before, no hard feelings. I'd go back, but it was just like, Oh, like, okay, you know, Yeah, it seems like based on the people that I've spoken to, and at least your demeanor here, it is a door is open in the future. If if the stars align type of thing, have you spoken to anybody there since then about like maybe what they'd be looking for, for a return, or maybe you, or what could have prevented it? Yeah, I don't know, because like, well, a lot of people that hire now, they're all, and I like, they're all high level athletes clean and collision athletes. So I think a lot of us are like used to being coached, like we can take negative criticism. Also, I just bet this comes with being a divisional athlete, you're used to taking negative criticism and just being told what to do like, hey, you need to do this, you need to bust your butt, you know, this will happen, you know, you're working towards this, and stuff like that. And then it was more so just like, yeah, I don't really know. I still lost words a little bit, I guess. I mean, there's also for somebody that has had the background that you have as well. MMA is an option. There are a lot of different paths that that someone could go down. Is that something that you've ever been interested in, or that you're interested in now? A little bit, got a little interested in there, but like, like I said, I was wrestling for three years, like pro wrestling for three years, like, you know, you invest so much in those three years, like you just don't want to like drop everything. So like, that's where I'm at. I don't want to just like go, go throw away those three years and just like go try something else, you know? So I feel like, well, I want to, just to keep wrestling, I want to get in with another big company, you know? I like, you know, I want to wrestle everywhere and anywhere, you know, I want to be able to see the world, you know, being with WWE and like NXT, like you get to meet a lot of different people, people from different cultures and stuff like that. So that was also pretty cool, we get into like, see those type of people. So now it's like, I want the opportunity to be able to travel to where those people are from, like Japan, you know, the UK, you know, everywhere there's a business world square circle I want to be on. So, I mean, when I would ask about you at the performance center, I would hear about how quickly you were picking things up that sometimes can happen, especially with people with an amateur wrestling background, what things did you find easiest to pick up? Like, there were some people that said, taking bumps wasn't that hard. I didn't break falls for most of my life. Was there anything specifically for you that was either easier or more difficult to get into as you got into training? The easiest thing was definitely just the wrestling, you know, just my whole life being the amateur wrestler. You're used to like grabbing someone, you know, you know how to move on the mat, you know, how someone else to move, you know, to pick someone up and put them down without breaking their back or anything like that. And so like the wrestling part, that was like the easiest thing to do, you know, but then obviously, one of the harder things was just like opening up, like being more of a character because an amateur wrestling year is taught to be like straight face, you know, be a killer, you know, don't show any emotion, you show any emotion, your opponent thinks you're tired, you can't show that. So like with pro wrestling, it was more so just like learning how to open up and this be a character and not really give a crap what other people think because they want to see that out of you because if well, you know how it goes, if you're just being a, you know, a potato on the TV, people are like, all right, what is this guy doing? Like we don't care about this. You know, so like I really worked hard on this like opening up and then just being over over the top as I can because I didn't care about looking, I just learned to not like not care about looking stupid. And I give a lot of credit to Terry Taylor because I was in this class for a lot of the time. I was at the PC, he was just like, always be over the top, like you just be larger in life, like if you get punched in the face, you know, just, you know, be over the top, you know, so like him, him being in his class for like the majority of the time I was there really helped me just like not give a crap and just like be a goofball in there, you know, just be a heel and get your butt whooping it's time to get your butt whooping to the best you can as doing that. You had the unique opportunity to work, you worked a variety of different shows, it was like 205 Live, Level Up, regular NXT, the 2.0 version, I think even UK, how would you compare those environments? I know that some of them that are sort of filmed together have a very similar environment, but there might be like some television constraints that people don't know about. Was there any that you specifically preferred? Well, obviously live TV, but now Level Up, well, it's pretty much the same as 205 Live in my opinion, but obviously everyone 205 Live was, you know, the crucial ways and stuff like that. But so Level Up and stuff like that, I think the show started at like 40 minutes before Live TV started, just to get people reps and just put new people out there or even give like the veterans new, like give them a new person just to work with and everyone gets work, you know, getting a good rep. Obviously the live TV, but obviously there's, I didn't know how much just it wasn't until I got on to Live TV, which was like pretty damn quick, because I did the thing with Dime of Mind and then those guys are rolling, so I had to get rolling rather quickly too, or as you just looked like a flop out there. So it was more so just like, I didn't know like the times getting cut during matches, so like having to improvise like, hey, we thought you had four minutes, but you actually had two, so let's get going to the, let's get going home. Then you got to like think about how you cut your stuff out without making it look like looking like garbage and stuff like that. So I had to adjust to that pretty quick, and I think that was pretty, I want to say that's pretty rough, I think it was like, so exciting a little bit, I guess. Yeah, yeah, and I mean, it seemed like you transitioned in and out of that really well. It seems like you adapted to a lot of what was, was given to you pretty well, but also they certainly understood your strengths in your background, because you know, there was Dime in Mind and no quarter cash club and things like that. When you're pitch things like that, how do you feel? How do you respond? Because obviously that's something it's going to be not just right up your alley, but second nature to you. Yeah, so getting to work with Dime in Mind, the creeds, like we all had the same background, we all knew each other before we signed, so that was like kind of cool. And me and me and Brutus actually wrestled in college, so it's kind of cool to see like, yeah, it was kind of cool to be able to like compete with one another, as a sense like trying to rip each other's heads off and amateur, but then you get to come to progress lane, like you get to see a whole different side that someone and like get to be able to create with them, and like especially when you get to work with them, and like you both want to like look the best and whatever we got to do, but and then the same thing with no quarter cash, both the crews, both of the factions were a lot of similar, in my opinion, like with when we were doing the stuff with the creeds and Dime in Mind, we were all really technical, we were portrayed as like real good wrestlers, like grapplers, we rather throw you than know you type of people, and then no quarter cash crew was more so it was like feet stay on the ground, grapplers were gonna bend you 20 different ways, so a lot of the both the groups were kind of similar, but also had their differences also, but both were great groups. So during your time, I mentioned like all the variety of NXT shows, you also have to work main event, like I'm the guy who still watches main event at this point, so I'm familiar with all these and I love it because I get to see guys from NXT, girls from NXT, work main roster people, you had the opportunity to work, I believe it was Shelton and Tyler Bait on main event, what were those experiences like? So it was like here's the thing, so like every time I have something good going for myself, I always find myself in an obstacle to like get there. So like when I got the call for Shelton Benjamin, it was a Saturday night, I was in Wisconsin visiting my boy for his birthday, you know, I was dude, I was only like nine months in, yeah, nine months in, so I was new and I didn't know it was a rookie thing to like, well don't forget your gear, if you travel somewhere, bring your gear, so I was like crap, and all right so I was in Wisconsin, and then I didn't bring my gear, and then I was oh crap, so I had to, they booked my flight to fly back, because they wanted me to fly out Sunday, so I flew back to Orlando at like four or whatever, and I had to hop on another flight, I forgot the times, but I just remember getting into, it was Oklahoma, Oklahoma like super like two in the morning, you know, I had to get up the next day, then I had to wrestle, I'm like my biggest show ever, because like, I had no idea what I was in, in store for it, and all I keep in mind, I thought the call wasn't going to be a good call, because like every day we see a two with, yeah, whenever you see a random two or three number pop up, I was like bro, like not now, not, not when I'm celebrating my voice birthday, like this can't be happening now, and then so, yeah that happened, and so the match was Shelton, that was like a big, like a match I really wanted to happen, because he went to the University of Minnesota, and then I went there too, then you hear the stories, because the coaches that are there now, they used to wrestle with Shelton, and and Lesnar, so you get to hear all the fun stories, and you know, the back of the college stories and stuff like that, so when I found out I was wrestling him, I was all crap, it's gonna be awesome, it's gonna be real cool, and then like, this is like first time like actually being able to interact with like the main roster talent, so like I got to, so we wrestle, I wrestled Shelton, forgot what, where it was at, somewhere in Oklahoma, one of the big stadiums, and I think at the time there was like 14,000 people there, and I was like oh crap, and I remember really when Regal, he was like before he, like before I went out there, he was like hey, just make sure you breathe, because like you know, being new, like you go out there you see all that, all of that, you tend to like, you know, choke up a little bit, so before I went out Regal, I was like hey just make sure you're breathing out there, you're moving, you're thinking like don't let the big, the big crowd shock you, and so that was pretty cool just to have Regal, you know, a part of that also, and then the match with Shelton happened, it was just before that I keep bouncing all over the place, Edge, that was like the first time I actually got like a good conversation with him, I was like oh crap, it's Edge, you know, pretty sick, and then he was like giving me like pointers and tips before I went out after it, and he helped, he kind of like orchestrated the match with me and Shelton a little bit, you know, and I really appreciate Shelton for doing that too, because he really helped me like display what I could do, even though it was being nine months in, he easily could have been like oh man I got to wrestle the young guy, let me smash him in, you know, seven minutes, but he really, he really put me on and gave me the opportunity to like really display what I can do and everything like that, and so I really appreciate that, so like back to Edge, you know, I didn't know like the style up there was like a lot slower compared to NXT, because NXT were always taught to like go go go, no movement, like I mean all movement, don't stay there, you need to go, go, go, go, so like that's how I brought the style up there to a main event, like I didn't know anything, so I was like going fast, so like we were right with me and Shelton meant to go wrestle, I was moving a little bit faster trying to move, and he was like hey slow down, and I was like all right, you're like, hey try to go again, he's like slow down even more, I'm like all right, and I felt like I was moving like a turtle out there, but I guess like just different audience and stuff like that, yeah, and they see audience, those guys, those people there are there every Tuesday, and then versus like you go into the random season, you know Oklahoma, you know, you might get random families that might see down the ticket master, wrestling's in town, and then they go, so you got to kind of dumb it down for them, so like going slower, a few punches were a little bit like they were good about this too fast, I showed down, I was like dude I'm punched, you know, but I don't want to look like, you know I was the new guy, I was trying to like show out a little bit, because I know who was watching in gorilla, you know, and then so I get back, and it was really cool, Edge was like one of the, he was the first dudes like meet us behind the curtain, so I was like oh shh, like it was just mind-blowing for me, you know, nine months and you just came off a big match, and then so he gave me a lot of input, so that was pretty cool to be able to do that, you know, just to like, I sat in the gorilla the rest of the night, just to like learn, I sat in on people's matches, and just to hear them, you know, you want to be a big star, so you got to surround yourself by the big stars, so if you want to be in their position, you got to surround yourself by them, so I was just listening to what Cody Rose was saying, or you know, whoever is playing in their match, I like try to like, butt in a little bit without making them look like I was buttoning, just to like, you know, hear, hear how the big good, how the big dogs do it, and then, yeah, Russell and Tyler, that was awesome too, that was actually in the American Airline Center, that was pretty cool too, he's great, he's a great talent. 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A little bit style of the Johnny St. stuff he does, like when I went to the UK, I got to work with Johnny St. a little bit to learn the little tricks, because I don't know why, like being a big person, it's always fascinating to be like a little bit more big technical, like the little guy, so it was like, that was always the thing that I enjoyed, but they were both great, they were both amazing matches, and just for any experience, I'm wrong. Were there any guests coaches along the way that you particularly took a lot from, like, you never know who you'll hear that might drop in at the PC or anything like that, and just be there for tapings or there to coach or anything like that along the way? I think really, yeah, I mean, they're all great coaches there, but I think the people that that really were like a surprise to me to see there, so we were on TV, Seth Rollins, he was like, he watched some, he watched, he was watching the show, but thankfully I was on the show to be able to get his input, you know, because top dude, you want to know what they're thinking, so you can, like, work on that, and then, so he watched the show, we got good in, I got good input and feedback from him, but the other great one was Cody Rose after my main event match with Tyler Bate, I was in the locker room, and I guess he was getting ready with, he was doing with someone JU, so, and I was just sitting in the locker room, you know, just watching the show on the TV, he comes over, he was like, hey, like, he daps me up a little bit, he's like, oh, that was good stuff out there, I really appreciate that, because, you know, top dude, you know, you think you don't want any, at WWE's hot, so you want everyone to be on their A-game when they're out there, so when he came over to me and said, hey, great job, you know, he looked like you belonged out there, and I was like, one of those things, like, let me pay myself real quick, you know what I mean? Cody Rose, talk to me. So when he said that, it was one of those things, it was like, because, like, you know, you question yourself a lot in the wrestling business, if you're doing good, if you're doing the right things, or if people are enjoying what you're seeing, and then when Cody Rose came over to me, you know, showed me some love in the locker room, I was like, all right, I'm doing something right, you know, just keep my head on straight and stay focused, because, you know, the biggest dog in the company is, you know, showing you love, so you must be doing something right, and then, yeah, that was pretty close, that was another good thing about being able to go up on those main event matches, being around those top guys in the locker room, too. So after you had announced that you would be leaving WWE, they did the, I think it was after that, they did the parking lot segment. What was your reaction to seeing that? That's sort of, it's sort of like a rib as well, that the parking lot always claims another victim. Yeah, the parking lot is a deadly place. So, yeah, like I said, I got the call on Monday, and then I was just, obviously, just don't go on the TV, because if you're not being resigned. And then, so I guess, like, the guys are telling me, and I was just being told, like, hey, we don't know where we're doing yet, we're just like waiting around, because like, we don't have a script or anything like that. So I'm assuming that like, they had to like flip up a lot of things, because like, right when I was called, I just like announced that I was like, not being resigned. You know, so I don't know if they had to like flip up a lot of things apart, I think on that script, because they weren't telling them anything. And then, you know, I tuned in, I watched it, and I was like, oh, I gotta do it somehow. At least I didn't end up swimming with the fishes, but yeah, yeah, you're not dead on their TV show, at least that we know of. Yeah, I'm hiding in a trunk until I get a hopefully another call to bust out. What were your feelings when you saw that? Were you like, yeah, at least it's that way? You know, obviously I heard, you know, I was like, sure, I was like, dang, man, I was like, you know, you know, I was, I was watching, I had a laugh about it. I put a funny tweet out, because me and Miles born were pretty close. I just put a tweet out, and I was like, oh, shout out to Miles born for keeping the AC on for me, and you know, being in the trunk. I had a fun laugh with that, but I know obviously it hurt, because I didn't expect it to be you, you know, being written off like that, you know. But I had a laugh about it, but I also had a few frowns about it, but I guess you got to write someone off somehow, you know. Very, very early into your in-ring run, they had you feuding with Roderick Strong. And I mean, I know that the the original point of diamond mine was to help elevate an awful lot of people with some, some at least legitimate skills in that regard. How was that working with him? I think you teamed with him, and you ended up facing him quite a few times before joining diamond mine as well. Yeah. So I think the one regret I have is not asking him a lot more questions about his work, and you know, just learning what wrestling was, because at the time, I think I was five months in when I got to wrestling diamond mine. And you know, I didn't know like the etiquette of like just like pick the veteran's brain, and just like get to know their background, and you know, how they work, you know, what you can work on, you know, taking them aside, like getting in the ring with them. So I didn't really, I was still learning what the business was. So like, I didn't know what to like, how to approach them, like asking, because I didn't want to seem like a bother. Or so that's one thing that do regret, because like I said, I didn't come from a progressive background. So I knew who the stars were growing up, but I wasn't the guy that I was watching it religiously. It was not it wasn't because I didn't like wrestling. It was just wasn't, I just wasn't what I was into at the time growing up. You know, so but now that I look back and I see like, I obviously wasn't watching NXT until like I started getting the hiring process. And I watched every show and every Monday and Friday night show. And then so like, you look back now, you get to see what him what he did, like on the street of the arrow and just like going back and watch some of his matches all night. I really wish I was able to like get in the ring with the guy and just like pick his brain and just like learn more instead of just like, I was saying, I wasn't made nostril on any way or shape or form. It was just more so just like showing up to work and then doing what we had to do for promo or do the match and then just be done with it. So I wish I was able to just pick his brain more. I think this came with inexperienced too, just like not knowing what progressive was and just how to go about it. But gaming with them, it was, it was great. But there's so much experience because like, you know, like I mentioned five months in, you know, you tend to walk your matches through step by step. You know, a guy like that who's been doing it for so long with the pedigree he has, you know, he's not going to want to talk about everything step by step by step by step by step by step. So that was a big learning thing for me too. It's like, hey, when we go out there, you know, you don't necessarily have to call your shine in the back. You can, you know, call it out there, you know, but obviously him, his experience was way different with the mock. So like, and then we did the things, the, the great American bash with the creeds, when, you know, he didn't really call his heat. He just kind of went out there and just did it, you know, I was still new. So I'm like, Hey, we're gonna punch you here. Do this boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. And then him doing it, he just went out there and did it. So I was like, Oh crap, you know, this is like, if I can just learn to go out there and just like, do it and like be able to call a lot of things out there, it would probably take like so much stress off in the back, having to be like a cut off into this. I'm going to punch you here. You're going to roll here. I'm going to punch you here and kick you here versus just going out there. And then just doing it so it feels a lot more organic. And then of course, just take so much stress off the back. Because like the last thing for me was wanting my matches to look so choreographed. You know, I did not want that. So like, I eventually got to the point, sir, a lot of people get a point to it. Like you just, it just comes with the learning of what wrestling is like, you're not going to be calling your matches in the, out there, you know, when you're two months in, you know, brand new. So eventually just, it helped me a lot with working with him just to like make it a point to like, even like on the house shows, just to like, Hey, I'll call my shine to you out there. I'll call the heat to you out there. And if I be bucketed up out there, my bad, I swear, it's like, are we screwing up out there? You know, it's a, it's a house show, but it's also a learning opportunity too. So, you know, being able to work with a guy like that, it really helped a lot. Even though he doesn't know it, it helped a lot. You also have the endorsement of Gerald Brisco, which, you know, does not come lightly, does not come lightly and proactive. So when I came down for my trial, he came and watched. So he came and watched and I did my trial. And I, and we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. They took me to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. And I remember it, because I forgot what it was like a little, like, I know those little Texas Roadhouse, like you write your name on it. If you bring it, you get like a two for one, something, I don't know, it's a little card thing. I still have it saved because I always wanted to like be able to like come back to that with him. You know, how you remember, like, you know, 10 years ago, you took me to Texas Roadhouse, I still have the Texas Roadhouse for the law. It literally just looked like this, but set Texas Roadhouse on it. And I remember the waitress gave it to us. And I remember I put it in my wallet and I saved it because I wanted to like, you know, something to like look back on when my having, having did in my Brisco. But yeah, I mean, it's always, always great to see a guy that is revered like that, endorsing you. I'm always interested in how NXT names are developed because obviously you had a name that was familiar. And they switched it to Damian Kemp. Did you have any input in that or, or how did that process go? I wanted to keep it. I wanted to keep it because I was like, I felt like I already made a good name for myself before I got here. So I was like, why switch it? And like, it's like, it's kind of like a restart. But so how they go about names are is just like, you get closer to TV and they want to do something with you. They'll give you options per name. So like, what I did was you send them a bunch of options as they like it. They don't even just keep going on events or they'll pick something for you. So what I did was I would write down, I googled, I was like, I typed in cool names for guys, first names. And they all popped up. So then I wrote them all down. And then I typed in cool last names for guys. And they all popped up. So I like wrote first and last names right here. And then I kind of just like, drew a line here, drew a line there, there, there, there, there, there, and submitted them. And it's funny because my other option for my first name was Diego. They were like, oh, you want to do Diego or Damon? And I was like, I don't know. I look like a Diego. I'll just do Damon. So I went with Damon. And then it was funny because literally as my name, like, I did a 205 live with Andre Chase. And then I looked at like Twitter on like that Friday night. And I seen that there was a guy that murdered people. And like Daytona, his name was Damon Kemp also. Oh, no. And it was literally all over the news. And then I told, I told one of the guys, I was like, yo, you know, there's a, you know, a serial killer out there from Daytona name, uh, Damon Kemp, right? And like, do we change it? You know, this is a bad thing. And then, oh, no, no, I'll just leave. It wasn't that big of a deal. Like it is. And they make that much news. I might do it. Look at NBC. It's out of the news. I just, I'm looking now like, dude, got life in prison. Yeah. And I was like, first thing they're going to see until I actually make a name for myself is a, a guy's mug shop with the same name as me. Wow. Yeah. So then I kept the name. So I was like, all right, cool. But, uh, yeah, that's not what you're the name. You just pick a bunch of random names and hopefully whatever you, whatever you throw out the wall sticks. That's how I went. Were there any pitches or ideas that you wish would have came to fruition and NXT that maybe didn't? Um, this everyone wants to win a bell, you know? Yeah, of course. Yeah, everyone wants to win a bell. But it was one of those things that would never go, you know, some go pitch. Hey, man, uh, I think actually won the championship tonight. And then that's this cringy. That, that's an old Bob Holly story because brief picture is always like, yeah, Bob Holly would just say, I got an idea. Let me beat everybody and give me the bell. Yeah. So I was like, obviously, everyone wants a bell. But, um, I don't think, no, I was always pitching a lot of ideas. I pitched a lot, you know, even, like, um, when things were like going real good, I was still like pitch funny, a lot of funny stuff, you know, just because like I wanted to show another side of myself because everyone knew I was serious. So it was just like, all right, how can I not be? How can I show another layer? Because like, I could be funny, like I'm a funny person, you know, and I want, I was pitching a lot more funny stuff. And then it took a little bit, but it just got so much, a lot of things to work on. So like eventually, you know, with the, um, the group I was with before, like, we finally started to get some like, to show some personality, like being able to open up and just like, mess around in these pre tapes, you know, without being serious. And like, I think some of our best pre tapes were when we were like, we were giving the script, but we didn't really necessarily say everything that was on it because we were just like joking around a lot. And it was like, so it was like a lot, a lot of fun because we were all used to being serious. And then finally, being able to like open up and I was like, Oh, this saw feels like, you know, be a little bit more loose and I had to be a scrunch, scrunch play stuff for a pre tape. But, um, yeah, that was, yeah, I kind of rambled on there, but no, no, no, I mean, listen, it's, we're here to hear you talk. Before we wrap up, I saw you tweeting about NCAA 25. Who's your NCAA 25 team? Michigan. Okay. Yeah. Well, I'm not a band wagon. I'll give you guys that. So my dad's from Michigan. And so the reason, another reason why I'm such a big Tom Brady fan is Brady paid for Michigan. So growing up, we would always hear about Tom Brady in Michigan. And then, you know, how big Michigan, they're still big. But even back then, our stories are like my dad getting mad, like, punched in the refrigerator over the games and stuff like that. So it was like, we were growing up and we got family in Michigan too. And then, hear about Tom Brady, hear about Michigan. So we just grew over this like, liking Michigan and then liking Tom Brady. So everyone always gives me crap. And I'll even be my Tom Brady because he wins. I was like, no, I was actually in first grade with my little matching Patriots gloves and my boots at recess. You know, so I went way back with it. Yeah, Michigan, my team though. Who's your NFL team? I mean, obviously your brother was trying out for the, for the bills, was, was doing that throughout the summer. Do you have an NFL team? Uh, the Vikings. Figured because of the geographical location there. Yeah. But before it was, well, people was trying to say I'm a band wagon because I like the Patriots. I like the Patriots because of Tom, Tom Brady, but it wasn't like, it's not my fault. He went on them doing all those rings, you know, my fault. And then, and then I was a bucks fan, you know, once again, Tom Brady, I love Gronkowski also. And then now I was like, they're both retired. I was like, all right. So, uh, Vikings. What did you think? I don't know if you were even there yet when Gronk did his, uh, WWE stuff. Did you hear the fables of his, uh, of how they taped his, his segment? I heard it took them quite a while. Oh my gosh. I heard, I heard it held up the WrestleMania tapings by like two hours trying to talk him into doing that spot where he jumped off. Oh geez. Yeah. I remember seeing, I remember seeing closely. I definitely didn't see a live though. What is something you want the world to know about Bobby Steves and that they might not know as, uh, you pursue free agency now and you've said any ring anywhere? Oh yeah. Do you still have a man of many talents? You know, my life was never, my life was ever determined by the squared circle or wrestling mat, you know, uh, me and my, me and my good friend, Ethan Carl, he's a country singer, you know, before it was like four years ago, I put a country song on YouTube just under Bobby Steves. And so if you look it up, it's the song is called Ain't Gone. And I put that out. I was like in someone's basement and I put it out because like my huge country, country music fan. And then so me and my boy, Ethan Carl, we filmed the song last, last week. It's currently being mixed and it's going to, it's going to drop within the next few weeks. Um, another big thing I decided with the talent agency. So I'm looking to be in TV shows, commercials and possible movies. I just did a few reads for a few as a, as a police officer in a movie and then security guard in another movie. So just waiting to hear back. Um, if I get the role or not, but yeah, it's man of many, many talents. You know, hopefully you see me on the screen, you know, giving someone a German suplex through the ceiling or, you know, in a, in a fun role in a movie or a TV show or even a commercial. No, so Bobby Stevenson has been awesome. Can't wait to see what you do next. Guys, make sure you follow, make sure you support this fellow. Lots of cool stuff coming from music to the screen to in the ring. Bobby, thank you so much for joining us. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. Thank you so much. Until next time guys, we're out. When you need meal time inspiration, it's worth shopping king supers for thousands of appetizing ingredients that inspire countless mouthwatering meals. 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