Tyler Breeze appeared on Busted Open Radio on Monday where he discussed a wide range of topics including his WWE tenure.
Breeze noted that he is not sure if Vince McMahon saw him in the same way as Triple H did when recalling his transition from NXT to the main roster. He said,
“I have an idea (of why I went from the presentation I had in NXT to where I ended up). So I knew once we started kind of got rolling with NXT, we were creating something special and the group of people that we had and again, at the time, it’s all about time and place and we were at the right place at the time with the right people and luckily, I was prepared enough and given the opportunities at these TakeOvers and these big events to deliver and kind of show what I can do so, once it got to that point in NXT, I knew it was a matter of time before I probably got called up. It’s just the nature of the beast and how it goes. You can’t stay in that atmosphere or stay the NXT guy forever. So when I got called up, I kind of had an idea, you know what I mean? It’s not like you’re clueless going into this thing that like, I’m not the biggest so that’s automatically working against you. I was very much a character that you’re either gonna love it or you’re gonna hate it. I don’t know if there’s a middle ground and when I came up, I just don’t know if Vince (McMahon) saw the same thing that Hunter did and that’s why he paired me with Summer Rae immediately which I love Summer, she’s great but at the time, I was kind of in the groove of my thing and I was very specific on how I made Tyler Breeze where you didn’t really know if he was heterosexual or — I was right on the fence, you know what I mean? But the thing was that he was in love with himself so I didn’t need a tag partner, I didn’t need a manager, I didn’t need a girl, I didn’t need a guy, I didn’t need anything and as soon as they paired me with her, I went, ‘Okay. This is already changing the dynamic of what it was in NXT. So we’ll kind of have to see where it goes from here’ and as the ball started rolling, I just kind of went, okay, I don’t know if he takes this seriously enough or if he thinks I’m too small or whatever it is and it just never really got the same opportunities on a TakeOver or something like that for NXT and just, you know, kind of does what it does where you blend into the pack of people that are there until you kind of get proactive again because you go, man, I’m not getting used here. I should probably think of something. That’s when me and (Dirty) Dango found each other and started doing the Fashion Files and everything else…”
Breeze recalled having meetings with Vince McMahon in WWE, saying,
“One of the reasons why I never wanted to go up and knock on the door (of Vince McMahon) is because what if I don’t know — and this is just one of those funny, weird, personal things, but what if I don’t hear what he says? What do I do? Do I just walk in or do I not walk in? That’s always one of those thoughts in your head so I’m like, ‘Okay, let’s just do it, let’s do it’ and I go, oh, (Dirty) Dango obviously, he’s got some experience here, he’s talked to Vince, he knows the right stuff, I’m gonna trust him. So we walk up to the door and there’s no one standing there and I go, alright, here’s the thing. So I walk up, I knock on the door and I just hear (a grunt noise) and I go, ‘Oh no,’ and so I look over at Dango and I go, ‘Do I go in? Do I not go in?’ And he goes, ‘Yeah, just go in.’ I said, ‘Alright.’ So I open up the door and Vince is laying on a massage table getting a massage and he just looks up and he goes, ‘Not now’ and I go, ‘Alright’ and I close the door and Dango’s rolling on the floor. He’s just laughing his head off and I go, ‘Why’d you tell me to go in!?’ He goes, ‘I don’t know!’ He goes, ‘I would’ve gone in too’ and I was like, ‘God!’ I was like, of course, the one time I go to talk to him, it’s that and that kind of sums it up. The other time I talked to him, I was dressed as Nikki Bella and it was just kind of like, alright and he just wanted to see how I looked so I walked in, he was sitting in a chair in the middle of a room and I go, ‘Hey Vince’ and he goes, ‘Haha. Yeah, cool’ and I go, ‘Alright’ and so it’s like, that was my interactions with Vince up until that point.”
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Tyler Breeze Reflects on His WWE Tenure and Vince McMahon’s Perception
Former WWE superstar Tyler Breeze recently appeared on Busted Open Radio, where he opened up about his time in the company and his perception by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Breeze, whose real name is Mattias Clement, discussed various topics, shedding light on his transition from NXT to the main roster and the challenges he faced along the way.
Breeze acknowledged that he wasn’t sure if McMahon saw him in the same way as Triple H, who played a significant role in his NXT career. He believed that his unique character and presentation in NXT had resonated with the audience, but things changed when he moved up to the main roster. Breeze mentioned that McMahon immediately paired him with Summer Rae, altering the dynamic he had established in NXT.
The former NXT standout described his character as someone who was in love with himself, blurring the lines of his sexual orientation. He emphasized that he didn’t need a tag partner, manager, or romantic interest to enhance his persona. However, McMahon’s decision to pair him with Summer Rae altered the trajectory of his character and raised questions about how seriously McMahon took his gimmick.
Breeze also shared some amusing anecdotes about his interactions with McMahon. He revealed that he was hesitant to approach McMahon’s office due to the fear of mishearing instructions. However, with encouragement from his tag team partner Fandango (known as Dirty Dango), Breeze finally decided to knock on McMahon’s door. To his surprise, McMahon was receiving a massage at the time and told Breeze that it wasn’t the right moment for a discussion.
Another memorable encounter with McMahon occurred when Breeze was dressed as Nikki Bella. McMahon simply wanted to see how he looked in the costume and offered a casual response to Breeze’s greeting. These encounters highlighted the unique and unpredictable nature of Breeze’s interactions with the WWE Chairman.
Despite the challenges and uncertainties he faced during his WWE tenure, Breeze remained proactive in finding opportunities to showcase his talent. He eventually teamed up with Fandango to create “The Fashion Files,” a popular segment that showcased their comedic chemistry and garnered a dedicated fan following.
Breeze’s candid revelations provide insight into the complexities of navigating the WWE system and the challenges faced by performers in establishing their characters and gaining recognition. His experiences shed light on the importance of timing, perception, and adaptability in the highly competitive world of professional wrestling.
As Tyler Breeze continues his journey outside of WWE, fans can look back on his time in the company with a deeper understanding of the obstacles he faced and the creativity he brought to his character. While his tenure may not have unfolded as he had hoped, Breeze’s resilience and ability to find success in alternative avenues demonstrate his passion for the industry and his determination to leave a lasting impact.
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