Rob Terry Talks First Meeting Vince McMahon, The Possibility Of A Return To WWE

As part of his promotions for "Generation Iron: Natty 4 Life", Rob Terry went on The Chris Van Vliet Show to talk about bodybuilding and how he got into the wrestling business. Terry talked about watching his first live wrestling event and thinking to himself that he could be in the wrestling industry.

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"I started working out at 13. I started training," Terry recalled. "I did my first competition when I was 18. [It was] a bodybuilding show, and then, like I said, being a huge wrestling fan, I watched it. I'd love to do that, you know what I'm saying. I just have no idea how to get into it, and short story, we got for the first time when I was 22.

"I got to see a wrestling show and it was a live event in London. And I had tickets, and I had seats right next to the ring. And I thought, 'man these seats are bad, I'm not going to be able to see the match. I want to be right next to the ring.' They ended up being the best seats in the house because all the wrestlers were right next to me walking down the ramp.

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"So, I was just sizing these guys up. I was like, 'Triple H? I'm bigger than this dude.' I was like, 'Man, I'm way bigger than these guys. I can do this, this is for me. This is what I'm going to do.' A few of these guys would come up to me – I think it was Big Show, Razor Ramon, Scott Hall, he came up to me. These guys are getting in my face because they were like, 'look at this kid over here, the jack guy'. I lost my mind. I had my top off, I was flexing at these guys, and the show ended."

Terry said that after that live event, he tried to do whatever he could to try to get hired by WWE while living in Wales. He said he would even talk people into filming short movies for him, but felt like his efforts fell short.

"I remember driving back home and it was like a three and a half-four-hour drive, and it was the most depressing time of my life because I realized, at that point, this was something that I wanted to do so bad," Terry said. "And I just had no idea how to get into it and it was a like a fire that got lit under my butt, and I would send these tapes off to America. I dressed up as a gladiator. I didn't even hire them.

"I talked these guys into filming me, doing a movie and all this kind of stuff to, sort of, apply, to try and get hired, and all that kind of stuff. But, you know, all these attempts that I was actively making just, it was almost like nothing was working. So I, again, I was still into my natural bodybuilding and trying to turn pro as a natural pro."

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Terry said that on a trip to Hollywood, CA, he was approached by someone working for WWE about an opportunity to be a WWE Superstar. He credits natural bodybuilding for putting him in the right place at the right time for him to sign a developmental deal and live in Florida.

"So, in 2006, my wife and I, we went to Hollywood, California and I did my show," Terry explained. "And before the show, I was in my weigh-in segment and this lady came and sat down to me. [She] sat down next to me and she was like, 'Hey! I'm from the WWE. We're scouting talent. We think you got a great look, and we'd love to discuss and explore the opportunity of signing you as a WWE Wrestler.' My jaw hit the floor and did not come back up.

"It was the craziest moment of my life, and I attribute everything to that for natural bodybuilding. You know, it was the right place, right time, and that was in 2006. And in the end of 2007, I was living in Florida and I was actually meeting and training with these guys that I was just a huge fan and admirer of most of my life. So it was a pretty cool and surreal experience for me."

Terry was on the Wrestling Inc. Daily where he said he was signed because he was a natural. On The Chris Van Vliet Show, he shared what it was like to meet Vince McMahon.

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"He was actually the first guy I met when I was doing my tryouts," Terry revealed. "I just remember, I was sweating profusely and my wife looked over and she's like, 'what's wrong with you?' and I'm like, 'that's Vince McMahon' and, so yeah, it was a pretty cool thing. I got to meet him and he's a very intense individual, great guy, and it was super cool."

Chris Jericho had written in his book that he wanted Terry to be his protege but those plans fell through. Terry had told Wrestling Inc. a few years ago that he was at the gym when he was told that he was mentioned in Jericho's book, and he called it an honor. Terry told Van Vliet that while the idea would have been cool, ideas in the wrestling business come and go without every seeing the light of day.

"I don't know about that," Terry admitted. "Multiple times people would tell me that that would have been the coolest thing for me. That would have been freaking awesome, but you know, it's the wrestling world.

"People have ideas, they go so far, and then, sometimes, they don't materialize. It's just the nature of the industry, so, but that would have been a cool concept. I would have loved that. It would have been a great opportunity."

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Terry was asked if he was ever contacted by WWE following his release from TNA in 2015. Terry said he was, but nothing else materialized from there. He left the door open for a return to WWE while keeping all of his options open.

"Yeah, I got hit up again," Terry revealed. "There was rumor and a buzz that I was going to go back with them and, you know, they were going to contact me but they didn't at that time. But, I mean, I'm totally open, you know what I mean? I feel more ready today than I ever was, you know what I mean? So, it would always be an option for me. So, yeah, like I said, we'll see."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit The Chris Van Vliet Show with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Mehdy Labriny contributed to this article.

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