Ryback Supports "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's Praise For Andrade

Wrestling Inc.'s president Raj Giri and former WWE Star Ryback, joined together for a new installment of Conversations with the Big Guy Ryback. During their discussion, Ryback touched on the recent praise that "Stone Cold" Steve Austin gave to rising WWE Star, Andrade, in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated.

Ryback agrees that Andrade has been impressive, and he believes that WWE's creative team should be putting more focus on Andrade's changing character.

"When I watch Andrade, he has a presence to him and he conducts himself very well. That is the guy that creative needs to come through for, and he needs something with a storyline, and presence, and to get some character development over time, and be at the right angles, and win matches at the right time," Ryback said. "I think Steve Austin is spot won with all of that. It is hard to argue from an in-ring standpoint. We have seen from a history of pro wrestling where guys are great in the ring and it just never fully came to the realization what they could be, so that is where it comes for WWE to kind of come and make that whole thing happen." 

Ryback thinks that putting Andrade on WWE television with his real life partner, Charlotte Flair, would boost fan interest in the product. He used Triple H and Stephanie McMahon's past storylines as an example of successfully featuring a real life relationship on TV.

"I think you put him and Charlotte together. In this day and age, to not do real-life stuff when it is known is a miss because it's a disconnect for fans. They see them coming to the building together, and leaving together, and see them on TV or different things on social media together," Ryback explained. "I don't know, use that on TV. Like Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, that was good because everyone knew it was real. Maybe not do the Rusev and Lana stuff, but [bring Andrade and Charlotte on in] a different way because I think it would elevate him.

"Charlotte has been used so well over the years with being Ric Flair's daughter and all those accomplishments, I think it would be a good way to put him in the spotlight with her," Ryback continued. "You do an angle where he is jealous of her success as they are together on TV. That is the character development stuff where you can sink your teeth into over time."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Conversations with the Big Guy Ryback with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Peter Bahi contributed to this article.