Ryback has been a vocal force for pro wrestling despite staying away from the ring. Ever since his departure from the WWE, the former Intercontinental Champion has only appeared a few times in the indie circuit and did not sign for any of the major promotions out there.
“The Big Guy” addressed the rumours of him possibly joining the AEW and shed some light on his departure from the WWE in a talk with The Ring Report. When asked about the possibility of joining AEW, Ryback said:
“Right now, my main priority is just getting healthy,” Ryback said. “I just had another shoulder scope yesterday which was my second one in two years. I’ve had ten stem cells procedures and I’ve got the eleventh coming up on February 11th. That, right now, is my main focus.”
Where that’s at, I don’t know, and it honestly hasn’t crossed my mind yet because I need to get to a certain level health-wise before I know I can push myself at a high level again.”
He proceeded to claim that AEW’s arrival will prove good for the pro-wrestling industry and will provide competition in a good sense. Ryback added:
“I think it’s great having competition with All Elite Wrestling,” Ryback said. “I’m very happy for everyone involved. I think it’s good for professional wrestlers to have options and there’s different promotions that are doing a lot better now because of the visibility social media provides so it is one of those things where you might not have to work for WWE to have a successful career or to make a good amount of money…”
It is no mystery that Ryback did not exit the company in good terms and he elaborated on how things panned out towards the end of his stint with the WWE. Ryback said:
“I took matters into my own hands. I went home and sat out my contract,” Ryback said. “They tried to freeze my pay and I then went and had my nose and ear fixed which required them to pay me to the day my contract expired on August 8th. They wanted to fire me publicly the day prior but I had not been medically cleared yet and held on to that and I waited to get cleared until my contract expired so that they could not publicly fire me.
“I then wished them the best, and that video is out there, on their future endeavors and because I was one step ahead the entire process, I left on my own accord and saved my career and health in the process.”
