Bobby Roode spoke with The El Paso Times this week to promote this weekend's WWE live events in La Cruces and El Paso. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On a list of wrestlers, past or present, he wishes he could work with: "When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of Hulk Hogan; I was a Hulkamaniac. Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka; that's who I grew up on — 'Macho Man' (Randy Savage). As I got older and studied the craft, certain guys stood out: Obviously, Mick Foley and Ric Flair. I was a huge fan of Rick Rude and Arn Anderson. There's many guys, many performers in the past who turned me into the sports entertainer I am today. But, if there was one guy (I'd like to wrestle against), it would be Mr. Perfect (Curt Hennig). He's my all-time favorite."
On finally moving to the WWE main roster and his run in NXT: "I think timing is everything. I have no regrets in my career. I've been able to make a name for myself and build my own brand. I have a following of fans. Being in the WWE is special; NXT was a great experience; being the champion and the face of the company was amazing."
On making his WrestleMania debut at next year's WrestleMania 34 pay-per-view: "It's a few months away, but WrestleMania is in the back of my mind. The ball is in my court. It's what I do with the opportunity to see if I make it there. I'm just going to continue to do the things that made me successful and, hopefully, I'll have a shot at my first Mania in April."
Check out the complete Bobby Roode interview at ElPasoTimes.com.