Ryback opens today’s show by discussing his thoughts on using steroids. He informs that he used them from age 20-24 because he looked up to certain people in the business who he knew used them. He stopped using them and had all his success without any performance enhancing drugs. He notes that he doesn’t want to use them because he wouldn’t want any children to look up to him and take steroids solely because he was taking them.
Ryback welcomes former WWE superstar, Darren Young to the show.
Young informs that he likes to consider himself a WWE “veteran”, not a “former” WWE wrestler. He points out that guys like him and Ryback sacrificed their bodies for a lot of years and he doesn’t like using the term “former”.

Ryback says he doesn’t feel like his wrestling career is anywhere close to being done at this point, especially after dealing with some injuries. Young agrees, saying he’s only 34 years old and the business is still fun to him, so he feels like he still has a lot left in the tank.
Young informs that he didn’t leave WWE on bad terms. He almost felt like his release was coming and he wasn’t mad at all. He points out that a lot of people return to the company after some time and WWE has a revolving door, so he doesn’t rule out a WWE return at some point in the future. He notes that WWE didn’t give him a reason why he was released.

While his release didn’t really upset him, he admits that he was more upset this past WrestleMania when he saw Finn Balor’s entrance. WWE finally embraced the LBGTQ community and he would have loved to have been invited to be a part of that.
He just wishes that he could have been there to see the strides that they’re making, since he was the first openly gay WWE superstar. He wants to be there for that community and be a hero for them, so he was really dissapointed to not be involved with that entrance.

Young says he holds no hard feelings towards Vince McMahon because Vince McMahon had his back during his singles run. Unfortunately the people under McMahon didn’t. He notes that the most intimidating thing about Vince McMahon is his office door; once you get through that door you’re set.
Young says he didn’t have any problem putting people over and making them look good, but eventually he wishes that WWE just would have given him a bone. He notes that he didn’t like The Miz at all when they first met but during his last singles run The Miz was one of his biggest supporters and helped him tremendously.
Ryback laughs and admits that The Miz was a lot to handle back in the developmental days. He recalls having a few drinks with Miz back then and almost fighting him several times at different bars. He adds that Miz is much more mature now and literally grew up in WWE. He also says that Maryse played a big part in settling Miz down.

Ryback asks him what his future holds. Young informs that he’s heavily invested in his clothing business, “Headquarters Clothing”. He’s also looking to continue improving as an actor so he can land acting roles and roles in commercials. He’s also interested in becoming a celebrity trainer because he loves training and would love to have the ability to help others. Most of all, he’s really enjoying a part-time wrestling schedule where he wrestles 4-6 times a month.

Young says he loved his time working with Bob Backlund. He says that Backlund is a one-take guy, and he loved that about him. He had tremendous strength for a man of 66 years, and he showed that off by lifting Young over his head after he won a Battle Royale. Ryback notes that Backlund was always in tremendous shape, and Young says Backlund tested him physically several times but he’d always pass with flying colours.
Ryback notes that older performers always tell the young guys and girls to appreciate their time in developmental because it’ll be of the funnest times of their entire career. Looking back now, Ryback and Young agree with that entirely. They note that breaking into the main roster as part of NEXUS was also very cool and they’d love to be a part of a NEXUS reunion on WWE television at some point in the future.
That sums up this week’s episode of Conversation With the Big Guy. You can listen to the show yourself anytime here, and I’ll catch ya next week for another recap!