Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows briefly appeared in WWE NXT earlier this year, and Anderson recently appeared on the “Busted Open Radio” podcast to discuss The O.C’s time on the NXT brand.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On their NXT run: “That was fun. Having the opportunity to go down there and seeing guys that are truly new to professional wrestling, a couple of the kids that we worked about a month ago, that we wrestled with, they’re only two years in pro wrestling and only two years into training. So being able to talk with them about talking through a match and talking inside the ring about a match, and then after the match, talking to them about the match, it was kind of fun to be able to talk to legitimate kids that are 23, 24,25 years old that are hungry, and they’re really hungry because they’re passionate about the business. It’s been cool to go down there and see that.”
On if they felt like they weren’t getting used enough on the main roster: “I don’t know so much that it’s not being used the way we think we should be used. It’s just, WWE, sometimes you gotta sit, and you gotta take your time, you gotta be patient, and you gotta wait. We’re competitive guys, right, so we always want to be used. We always want to be on TV, we’re always ready and willing to go. We want to be on Raw, we want to be on SmackDown. We want to be on all the PLEs. But sometimes you gotta take a step back because there’s a lot of guys there, a lot of girls there, a lot of stuff going on, especially with the last year, the last couple years, especially with the way it’s been. So you gotta be patient. Also, getting the call to go to NXT, zero negative. If anything, we got the text, I believe we were actually driving to SmackDown that day. We got the group text about going to NXT from one of the writers, and it just excited us. We’ve been doing this a long time, over 20 years, for us to get in the ring, talk wrestling, talk about promos, talk about storylines, and physically get in the ring and do it, it still excites us. It’s the only thing that really gets me going anymore in the world, besides watching my kids hitting a home run or something. So being able to go to NXT, total positive. We did it for about a month, I think it was a month or five weeks or whatever it was, and I wouldn’t mind it being more. Any chance we get to be in a pro wrestling ring, we’re just ready.”
Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, also known as The O.C., made a brief appearance in WWE NXT earlier this year. Anderson recently discussed their time on the NXT brand during an interview on the “Busted Open Radio” podcast. Let’s take a closer look at what he had to say.
Anderson expressed his enjoyment of their NXT run, stating that it was fun to have the opportunity to work with wrestlers who are relatively new to the business. He mentioned that some of the wrestlers they worked with were only two years into their training and professional wrestling careers. Anderson found it exciting to be able to talk through a match with these young talents, both inside and outside the ring. He appreciated their hunger and passion for the business, which made the experience even more enjoyable for him.
When asked if they felt underutilized on the main roster, Anderson explained that it wasn’t necessarily about not being used the way they thought they should be. He acknowledged that WWE is a large company with numerous talents and storylines, so sometimes it requires patience and waiting for opportunities. Anderson emphasized that he and Gallows are competitive individuals who always want to be on TV and showcase their skills. However, they understand the need to take a step back and be patient in such a dynamic environment.
Anderson also shared his positive experience when they received the call to go to NXT. He mentioned that they were driving to SmackDown when they received a group text from one of the writers about the opportunity. The idea of being able to talk about wrestling, promos, storylines, and physically perform in the ring still excites them after over 20 years in the business. Anderson expressed his enthusiasm for being in a pro wrestling ring and stated that he wouldn’t mind doing more in NXT or any chance they get to be involved in professional wrestling.
Overall, Anderson’s comments shed light on their time in NXT and their perspective on their role within WWE. They enjoyed working with young talents and appreciated the opportunity to be involved in the creative process. While they always want to be on TV and showcase their skills, they understand the need for patience and waiting for the right opportunities. Their experience in NXT was a positive one, and they remain ready to embrace any chance to step into a pro wrestling ring.