Josh Mathews On Being Married In Wrestling, Getting Past Bitterness After Being Let Go By WWE
Impact Wrestling commentator Josh Mathews was recently a guest on the Not Sam Wrestling podcast. During the interview, Mathews discussed his experiences with his personal life being so intertwined with his professional life.
Mathews is currently married to Impact superstar Madison Rayne, whom he wed in 2015. Being that they are both involved in the pro wrestling business, Mathews explained that it is almost like they are married to the business. Mathews said at this point in his life, he doesn't see himself doing something outside of pro wrestling.
"I think so. She had an interview this morning where we were driving back from the gym and just to hear someone else talk about pro wrestling and that being their life and starting out and going to train, it was a little surreal to me to think like, okay, this is me at 38 now and this is the life we have chosen, and you are so far deep into it," Mathews said. "Not like I couldn't get another thing, I had other things or the possibility of other opportunities to go and work for a 'normal company,' but to me, this is just–I don't think I have ever hated wrestling, but I hated some situations that I was in, but now I can start over and go to independent wrestling shows with Sonjay Dutt and learn that side of wrestling that I didn't really get to learn, or look at or appreciate for so many years because I was coddled for so many years."
Mathews also revealed that he still felt bitter over being let go by WWE years ago. He said he learned to get over it by watching his wife and all that she has accomplished this year. He knows now that he can still do great things in the wrestling business even if he isn't in the WWE.
"I think through Madison's eyes like last year and watching everything that she did and seeing her get to compete at 'All In' in front of the largest crowd she had ever competed for and watch her excitement because of that, to get the call to do Mae Young (Classic), to sitting down and talking about whether she should go to Ring of Honor, or should I do this," he explained. "Through her excitement it made me kind of go, you know what, it was a really long time ago that I was trying–it was almost so easy for me to get to where I got to because I was so young and in hindsight I didn't really get to take me years and years to get there so watching her do it last year and everything that she did, it is really hard to do this, hard to get to the level that I got to and still at in getting to live a great life and all of those things that come with it, but to watch her level of excitement over the past year, also, to learn that the WWE isn't the 'end all, be all,' that there are other places out there. There are people doing amazing things, like we are doing amazing things too, and you don't have to be associated with that company and there are other opportunities for growth and space."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Not Sam Wrestling with an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Source: Not Sam Wrestling
Peter Bahi contributed to this article.