Robbie E On TNA Stars Succeeding In WWE, If He Expects To Return To GFW, Dixie Carter, Dad Bods
I recently interviewed GFW star Robbie E, who discussed his status with GFW and his new "Dad Bod" feature on Muscle & Fitness. Below is the full interview:
* * *
I'm here with former TNA X-Division, and Tag Team Champion Robbie E. You've been with TNA for seven years, how is everything going?
"It [TNA debut] was a long time ago. I've been through so many hairstyles in seven years. What is really crazy and when you go back in through that time, me and just a handful of guys are still with the company; like, I'm one of the longest people that has been there, which is wild."
Yeah, it is wild. You're an OG in that locker room. What is your status with GFW because we haven't seen you around lately?
"I'm still a part of the company; I think when Jeff [Jarrett] took over, the number one thing he wanted to do when he restarted it was to revamp the GFW roster and give it a whole new look. To do so, you would have to take some people off of TV that have been there a while to make the product look different, so I'm not the only guy. There are a few of us that are still lingering to make our return. The cool thing is, like we talked about, with the seven years that I have been there holding the titles, where I've been looked at as a comedy guy where I hadn't been taken seriously; so, this is my chance to start over in a more serious role and be a new Robbie E, so I believe it's going to be better for everyone involved so I believe it is a good thing."
You have definitely stayed busy; you had twins.
"Well, that is the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with in my entire life. Harder than Pro Wrestling or Amazing Race, and my Wife; having 9 1/2 month old twins, and now they are at the stage where they are slowly moving around, having to chase them around, that has been the biggest challenge of my life, 100%."
So, these are your first children, right?
"Yes. I remember my wife telling the Doctor that she feels overly tired, and when flipped the screen around he said to us, 'Oh, that's because you guys are having twins!' It was like a movie scene where we were crying, my jaw just dropped, it was just insanity. Twins don't really run in our family so it was just really crazy to hear that we were having twins. It was not expected at all. We got them down now to a good schedule and are both sleeping through the night now; thing is, I don't know any other way. I don't know what it is like to have one baby because I have two; so to me it's normal to do the two baby thing. Whenever I hear someone complain about having one child, I'm like, come on dude; you don't even know."
So, obviously you are keeping busy with that and are doing stuff with Muscle & Fitness, with a social media post every Monday at 10:30am. How did that come about?
"When I did Amazing Race, it was the first time I had connected with Muscle & Fitness. They had actually done an article about me on how I trained for the Race and how I worked on my endurance, and stayed fit during the filming; since then we hit it off on the person who interviewed me so every few months they will reach out to me or I will reach out to them, just kind of like, hey, any new happenings going on in your life? So, when they recently contacted me I had my baby twins and they asked me how my fitness was going and how my lifestyle has changed since having them, I said to them, no, no matter what I go to the gym. They came up with the idea of why I don't do weekly videos and how I can still stay fit and not have a 'Dad Bod.' The thing is, the 'Dad Bod' is a real thing. People I know who were somewhat in decent shape, once they become a Dad it all goes down the drain. You know what I mean? Everyone knows someone like that. Before they were a Dad they looked one way, and after they become a Dad they look another way. It happens; so, these videos are just ways to show what you can do to stay fit and your kids are having a good time while you are doing it. Even if you are not a Dad, they are still funny videos to watch, because you know me, everything I do is funny, so it's a win-win for anyone who clicks and watches it."
I did want to ask you more about your status with GFW. Your thoughts on all the change going on? You have been there during a lot of different regimes. You have been there during the Dixie Carter, Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Billy Corgan, etc. What are your thoughts on how things are going right now?
"If someone is going to come in there is going to be massive changes that are going to be made. People are thinking how there are massive changes happening all the time and they are getting sick of it, but I think this will be the last time changes will happen, and now they have a direction of where they are going with it and I believe they will continue to go with it, so there won't be as many changes going forward because I believe they are set on what they want their future to be."
Do you do feel like the turnover is going to slow down here pretty soon?
"I mean, I think so. I think they kind of revamped everything to where they want it to be. There are new writers, new wrestlers, new agents, so there might still be a few shaky things coming out, but I do believe it will be less and less and less."
Having been there during the ups and downs. Was there ever a period where the company might not make it?
"No, and even when everyone else was, I'm more of a 'whatever' person. I live in my own world. Like, unless something happens then there really is no sense in losing sleep over anything until I actually get a call when someone says to me that I won't be getting paid, so unless something like that happens then I don't worry about stuff because I can't change it, but GFW now; which is also hard for me to not say TNA, it's just never going to die. It hasn't, and despite going through some tough times it is still here, and I believe since it made it through that tough period I don't think it is going anywhere."
With all the tag teams you have been part of, and during those periods, do you have one favorite period with the company?
"I always try to think if it was during the Robbie E & Robbie T or during the Bro-Mans run I like them both. My time with Big Rob was a lot of fun because not just because we had the same name, but we both weren't doing anything and I feel like we were just thrown in together just to do something, and Rob wanted to be with someone more experienced so they put him with me. He opened up so much more when he was with me. We made the red velvet ropes, and the Ssweaters, we just made it really cool and fun. That was a fun time, and I won't ever forget walking in with two matching sweaters and I handed one over to Big Rob with that look on his face when he held that sweater. I wish Instagram was big back then, but then the Bro-Mans too was awesome. I look at it kind of the same where Jesse was inexperienced so they put him with me to kind of get more comfortable which he did. He ended up becoming so much better and got better in the ring and we were two reality show stars teaming together; both from CBS; different shows, but I believe that was the first time ever, and then we had our own DJ, which I believe was a first time thing, so the Bro-Mans were cool and that was fun looking back on it now, so I guess they were both equal, 50/50 during both of those times."
What would you like to see yourself doing when you go back? Would you like to go back to do tag team or singles' run?
"You know, me and Bram were teaming together They had sent us to NOAH in Japan. We were teaming out in NOAH together. I don't know if that is a possibility; I personally would love that because Bram is awesome, and I think we would make a great team because opposites attract, and a 'beauty and a beast' sort of thing, or if I was singles', I would love to do that as well, but whatever they throw out at me, I just do the best that I can do and make the most of it. I try to turn some crappy situation into cool things and try to make it look good, so I just like to go with whatever they give me."
Had you wrestled in Japan before that?
"I have. We did some One Night Only shows over there before."
What were your thoughts on Bram's suspension from NOAH? If I can explain it to people who are listening; he took a photo in an ice box?
"Basically, it was as simple as, there was no drinking involved. We had just went out to eat, and I had gone back to the hotel; they went to a local store, which is kind of like a 7-11. They went there to get some snacks and whatever, so there was one of those boxes with ice cream in it. For some reason, Bram thought it'd be funny to post a picture of him in an ice box giving a thumbs up, like no big deal or thinking of anything. Even so much as the next day he said that it was funny and asked me if I should post it and I was like, it's up to you, I don't care. Meanwhile, I'm always cautious and even I didn't think it was a big deal, and then he got called in the next day; they told him to take the picture down and were sending him home. Someone had saw it on Twitter and contacted the shop, which is a big chain there. People were complaining about it and wanted their money back for the ice cream so the whole shop had to throw the whole box of ice cream out. It was a big disaster. They take things really hard over there; even something small in Japan they take it very seriously so for precaution they sent him home. They weren't mad at him, and knew it was an honest mistake, but they did it to be safe. It sucked because Bram had to miss the rest of the tour."
How's he doing now? I know he was recently injured.
"He's out there hurting in Italy. Again, the bad luck of such a great guy, but he's full on back now. He'll be coming back to GFW soon also."
I wanted to ask you about the whole Alberto El Patron situation. He was stripped of the title. Do you think the whole situation was handled the right way?
"Yeah, and it's kind of like the Bram thing. I'm sure Alberto is a super cool dude; he looked at it the same way. It was more of a precaution thing. Even in the statement that he released he agreed with their decision just to be on the safe side."
How was it like working for Dixie Carter? I know a lot of fans will give her crap, but she did keep a wrestling company alive for a long time and put her money into it, and kept a way for people to work, and I think that gets lost a lot of times.
"That is basically what you just said is how I look at it. I don't know why everyone hated her so much; perhaps because she wanted to be on camera? Who cares, so does everyone else. It's wrestling. Who doesn't want to be on camera? Big Whoop. They talk about her lack of creative ideas, who cares, it's wrestling. You want to go down the list of stupid ideas in wrestling? But no, she paid everyone; she kept the company open. Her family is what started it. When I started with the company she was my boss. She was always good to me, which enabled me to buy a house and drive a nice car and support my family, so it is what it is. I love her. I still keep in contact with her."
Do you see her getting involved with wrestling ever again or do you think she is completely done with it?
"At first when she first got into it sh wasn't knowledgeable at all, but I bet over the years as she was part of it for so long she learned to love it and she probably misses it a little bit so I can see her jumping back into it at some point. I don't know where and when but I mean, why not?"
Do you watch WWE right now?
"To be fair, I DVR GFW and I make sure I watch that to keep up, but the only other thing going on in my house are Baby Einstein and Baby Songs on Alexa that we have blasting all over the house, but that's pretty much it. My kids go to bed around 7pm and my wife and I just look at each other like we have been literally through hell and we are just ready to go to bed by 7:05. The only show that I do watch and I am obsessed with it is The Bachelor. It's just the greatest show in existence."
Bobby Roode made his WWE main roster debut on SmackDown. Samoa Joe was in the main event on this past SummerSlam, and AJ Styles is a top star on SmackDown. These are guys you once worked with and are now top stars for the competition.
"It's not only three awesome wrestlers because they are so talented, it's also cool because there was a time when everyone said that if you were in TNA you would be there for life and that there is no where else to go, but it shows that there is. This goes to show how awesome Jeff Jarrett is because he helped brand them. Believe me, Jeff helped them develop their platform on SpikeTV at the time and become such bigger stars it's awesome and am so happy for them. All three are great guys. When I first started on the road with TNA, me and Bobby Roode travelled everywhere together so I learned so much from him. I'm super happy for him."
Do you ever see yourself going down that path [signing with WWE] or are you happy with the path you are currently on?
"It's Pro Wrestling, anything can happen. I may end up fighting McGregor. Maybe my wife will give me permission to go on the Bachelor just because I like the show so much."
We're 17 years removed from the Monday Night Wars and there is more wrestling on now than ever; what are your thoughts on where the wrestling business is today?
"It's cool because a lot of guys; even if they are not big living on wrestling, they can make money in wrestling, even if it may not be for big money like there was during the Monday Night Wars because there are places like WWE, TNA, New Japan, ROH, Evolve, and even top Indy guys who aren't in any of those companies but are booked 3-4 days a week can make money off of wrestling, which is really cool. It's different. It's always changing; everything comes full circle. If you are enjoying the current product, but sometime it's going to change since everything changes, but if you like it now, be prepared for the change. If you hate it now, be patient, it's going to go back to the way it was before."
So, you have your weekly thing with Muscle & Fitness, how long has it been staying in shape since having twins, or is a mindset you can do it regardless.
"I said, no matter what I'm not going to change my body, because people who have kids tend to change their physique, so I'm still going to do the same things I did before, except now I have kids so what is the big deal? They come to the gym with me and go to daycare with me when I work out and try to work out at home as well, my second workout at home is what i do when they are around. I try to do any type of workout, whether in my garage or in a safe place playing where they're around me or around my wife; it's just a mindset. You just have to do it. A lot of people get tired out because they are so exhausted from the baby so they don't workout, so that is how they get into that funk. For me, no matter how tired I am I still workout no matter what happens."
Would you say that your physique is still the same since having kids?
"1,000%, if anything; better."
Everyone has to check it out; it's free, it's on social media. I know I use that excuse that I am too busy to get my workouts in, so if you can do it during those circumstances?.
"That means you have to tweet of you working out around your daughters. Perhaps get them up in a powerbomb and do squats or something."
Sounds good. About returning to the ring, when can the fans expect to see your back?
"After this, the next Impact tapings are around November, right after Bound for Glory so I'm hoping to make my return then."
We're all looking forward to that. One of the veterans in the locker room, Robbie E; thank you for taking the time to speak to us. How can people find you?
"My Instagram and Twitter are @RobbieEImpact"
You can catch Robbie E's "Dad Bod" feature with Muscle & Fitness every Monday at 10:30am. Below is the latest post:
A post shared by Muscle & Fitness (@muscle_and_fitness) on