Bronson Reed Reveals “Mr. Nice Guy” Gimmick Was Inspired By Real Life

Bronson Reed’s return to WWE in December 2022 came with a unique twist: he was introduced as “Mr. Nice Guy” in a series of vignettes. Though the character didn’t last long, Reed recently shared that WWE legend Paul Heyman had a hand in shaping the concept.

In a recent interview with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, Reed reflected on his time as “Mr. Nice Guy” and revealed that the gimmick was actually inspired by his real-life personality. “It was basically, it was based on myself, to a degree,” Reed explained. “I was working with Paul Heyman, and he came up with the ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ tagline.”

Reed described how the character was supposed to showcase a man who’s genuinely kind in his everyday life but transforms into a fierce competitor once he steps into the ring.

“In my life, I’m the good guy. I always say that. I’m a dad now, I’m a loving husband, I do everything I can to be a nice guy, but when it comes to being in the ring, I have to be a killer,” he said. The concept played on the idea of a hitman—someone with a normal life and family who switches to a ruthless persona when necessary. Reed laughed as he explained, “You see these hitmen in their everyday lives. They’re normal guys with families and stuff. They just happen to go kill people at night.”

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While “Mr. Nice Guy” may not have become a permanent part of Reed’s WWE identity, fans got a glimpse of the dynamic, multifaceted character he and Heyman tried to bring to life.

Do you think WWE should have given the “Mr. Nice Guy” gimmick a longer run? Share your thoughts on Bronson Reed’s reflections in the comments!