Buddy Murphy Talks Paul Heyman Recruiting Him To RAW, His Goal To Become The Next Seth Rollins

Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy was on a recent episode of the WWE After The Bell podcast where he chatted about his storyline and partnership with Seth Rollins. Murphy confirmed that Paul Heyman wanted him to join RAW, as he has previously said that Heyman sees him as "the next face of RAW.' He noted that his beginnings in RAW would lead to joining Seth Rollins' faction.

"Paul Heyman wanted me on RAW, and much respect to Paul. He pulled me aside and he just [said] real kind words to me," Murphy revealed. "And he wanted me to come to RAW and asked if there's anything holding me to SmackDown. I said, 'Hey, I just want to put my best foot forward.' So I get drafted from SmackDown to RAW last year, and then I pretty much just go straight into a program with Aleister [Black].

"I wrestled Aleister in NXT and we killed it. So to go full circle and come back to Aleister and kill it, he brought the passion. We pull the best out of each other. We're very similar – we like to hit. We like to get hit, and when you're friends, you hit harder. We laid it in, but that was out. I thought we put on some killer matches, but they were only matches, and then we go into the third and final where he beats me three matches clean.

"And then I'm broken, and then Seth picks me up and takes me into the club. So I had those killer matches in all these spots, but I was most relevant as soon as Seth picked me up, and joined his faction, and whatnot, and just kind of being the second generation of Seth was awesome."

Murphy talked about his role as Rollins' disciple. He talked about how he does whatever he can for Rollins so that Rollins can have a break from his years working in live events and big shows.

"I knew my role. I know it's based around around him, and I'm fresh," Murphy said. "I'm there to take strain off him. He's killed himself for however long at live events – let me do it. You do your part. You need me in there. I'm happy to take some load off him, and I feel like I try and do that a lot for him because of what I've taken from him over time: all the knowledge, and standing by his side, and getting some popularity.

"I try to give back to him like, 'Hey, bro, I'll take the hot tag or I'll slide in and I'll take some too.' At live events, he'll be on a thing. I said, 'Hey man, I'm just at ringside for the boys. If you need me in there, if you want to suggest, you can throw me there if you want the night off.' I'm trying to look after him."

Murphy pointed out that he is more relevant now with Rollins than he ever was in his WWE career. He also said that Rollins has helped him improve as a wrestler when it comes to storytelling.

"I knew what he has done for me by taking me under his wing in this thing because I don't know if he 100% wanted me, but he took me in," Murphy noted. "So I had to give back, and to this day, if he needs help, I'll go, or I'll mention, 'Hey, get some ice ready.' He's done a lot. He's made me the most relevant I've ever been, and coming back to what we've done in the last couple of weeks, he's changed my game. I feel like I'm a good wrestler, but when it comes to stories, I feel like he's on another level.

"I'll say to him even when we're talking matches or whatnot, 'Hey, I'm just throwing this out. Hit back at me because I want to know why I'm thinking that and why you're thinking that.' So I'll go, 'Well, what about this?' And then he might respond, 'Yes, that's cool. We'll use that,' or, 'no, because of this,' and he'll explain why that's a no. Then I take that and I go, 'Well, why did I go straight to that? And why does he go straight to that,' like different wavelengths."

Murphy expressed his determination to become "The Messiah Slayer" on SmackDown.

"I haven't wasted it, I feel, and I feel when this is done– wearing the Seth gear, the character and myself are very similar as in I want to be the next him," Murphy admitted. "He's done so much, and you go back to his interviews, he doesn't want to be one of the best. He wants to be THE best. Well, so do I. The story's real, and I want to be the second coming of Seth.

"He's been there. He's been The Kingslayer. He's been The Beastslayer, but I think on [SmackDown], I'm going to be 'The Messiah Slayer.' So I'll take those reins and I'll dethrone him."

Murphy also discussed what it's been like to work with Rey and Dominik Mysterio. He talked about how cool it would have been to feud with Rey back when he was Cruiserweight Champion, and he also praised Dominik, saying he challenges him and that makes the both of them better.

"Even though when I was in the cruiserweight division, I was 'the greatest cruiserweight of all time,'" Murphy jokingly said. "How cool would that have been with me with the Cruiserweight Title and Rey Mysterio coming back? That would've been awesome. But it's awesome working in ring, and it's awesome getting in there with Dom. Obviously he's so new to all of this, and he holds his own; he listens. It's fun, and being in there with Rey's fun anyway because you're in there with Rey. But being in there with Dom, it's like another learning curve.

"It makes you better and it's a challenge, and challenges are fun. Doing the whole family, the whole storyline, obviously, it's gone for a long, long time. There's been hiccups in there and whatnot. I get that it's been going on for a long time, but it's just because I feel like people aren't used to having something go for so, so long."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit WWE After The Bell with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.