Braun Strowman’s Instagram profile is a delight to scroll through, reflecting his kindness and tender core, besides his feats as a Raw Superstar, and revealing him as an emotional man. When you speak with him you can feel the same passion. On a talent tour to Mumbai, t2 caught up with the ‘The Monster of All Monsters’ and a ‘former strongman’, who has titles like Universal Champion, Greatest Royal Rumble Champion and Intercontinental Champion in his kitty, on Tuesday. Excerpts.
Braun, welcome back to India! When was the last time you were here?
I believe 2018 was the last time I was here. I am just thankful to be back. It’s so unbelievable seeing (how) the responses have been here. The fans are so passionate about WWE here. Over 40 million+ watch every week. Having an opportunity to come here and meet some of the fans and basically say thank you and show appreciation at the time when I am off. Unfortunately, I am not able to compete in the ring right now because I am recovering from surgery. So, that I am here now, still getting to be able to see and meet the fans, get in front of the WWE universe, is truly a humbling experience.
Do you think India has the largest WWE fan base?
It’s got to be up there with the top. It’s the number two viewed sports entity in India behind cricket and stuff like that... how many people watch and knowing all the different streaming platforms and social media and how much content is consumed by our fans here is really amazing. (After seeing) the response for the Hyderabad show... I and my other colleagues who work in WWE feel that this will continue to grow, our relationship with India will continue to grow and who knows what will happen down the road? We might have one of our big pay-per-views because the fans are so appreciative and so excited.
How has your Mumbai trip gone so far?
Yesterday we had a wide open day of media and then I got to visit the great people of Sony (Sports Network) who get our product out to the millions of fans. Last night I had dinner at Soho House. I had to go with the Butter Chicken. We all know how delicious that dish is and it did not disappoint at all. We also got to go down and walk on the beach last night and check out the Arabian Sea, say ‘hi’ to the fans on the street. All in all, it has been an unbelievable experience, just like every time we have come here.
How do you keep yourself motivated when you are injured?
I still have a lot to prove and there is stuff that I want to continue to do with my career. Knowing that there are children with disabilities and illnesses and that are having surgeries and they are leaning on our characters... I have seen so many patients and kids holding my action figures as they go to the see the doctor... anti-bullying and make-a-wishes... it’s truly such an unbelievable opportunity. I am a small-town kid. I grew up in a tiny town called Sherrills Ford, in North Carolina, to knowing that I have millions of fans around the world and people who lean on my character and my colleagues’ to get through their hardships in life is truly the epitome of what being a WWE Superstar is.
At the end of the day, what we do in the ring is honestly the smallest part of being a WWE Superstar. These sit-down meetings we get to have with journalists from around the world and getting to meet our fans and having fun doing it... at the end of the day, I have the coolest job on earth. I get to travel around the world, experience unbelievable cuisines, walks of life, culture and I get to do it with my friends and I get to put a couple of dollars in my pocket at the end of the day. It’s a huge win.
How has your journey with WWE been so far?
I have been with the company for a little over 10 years, minus the year on paid vacation and eight years of being on the main roster, of being on television. It’s a learning experience constantly, being able to go out there and continue to hone my craft, figure out ways to get emotions out of people, and continue to grow my fan base, it really is something special and it’s hard to fathom how far this company has come and where it’s continuing to grow now... now with the merger (with UFC), going into TKO... we are the pinnacle. It’s great to be able to work with such an unbelievable company that supports me and what I want to do and at the end of the day, it is putting smiles on people’s faces.
What from your Strongman career have you got to WWE?
The thing that I picked up the most from Strongman was confidence. I was severely bullied when I was young. I was a husky kid and I got picked on for my weight and reading disabilities and because my family wasn’t very well-off and we didn’t have the fancy clothes. So, I was a little timid and shy. Strongman helped me break those chains that were holding me down from growing. Once I started winning Strongman competitions, I realised that I was somebody. When I was younger, I was told so many times that I was never going to amount to anything because people were very mean to me. When I realised I was someone, it gave me the confidence to continue to aspire to chase my dreams and to do what I want to do and love. So, being able to carry that confidence in being a WWE Superstar knowing that I am important and that I am somebody... every day... is truly a blessing and proving all my doubters wrong. And, what better feeling in the world than to prove people wrong who told you that you couldn’t do something.
Is that also why you have a special fondness for kids, because you had a difficult time and now you want to hold their hands?
Absolutely! It’s the most important thing. They are going to be the next generation who’s going to take care of me when I am old and broken down, from being myself and doing what I love. Any opportunity that I have to speak with our youth and bestow some of the fortunate blessings that I have had, of teaching and showing how to chase your dreams, believing in yourself and never giving up. The world is yours, whatever you want to do. It’s going to be hard at times, but if you are willing to do it, the sky’s the limit. I tell everybody that the sky’s the limit is a lie because there are footsteps on the moon.
What are warning signs to look out for to know if children are being bullied and help them?
That’s a tough question because, unfortunately, I don’t have any children and I want children one day, so I don’t know first-hand, but I know for a fact that the bullying I had to deal with growing up, I feel like in today’s age is a little easier to deal with because it was face to face. Now children are dealing with bullying... on the Internet or social media and they are getting attacked from all angles. The unfortunate thing is bullies aren’t going to go away. They are just mean people out there and everybody has a reason... something might have happened in their personal life that turned them into a bad person. It’s always trying to understand the root of it all.
People are going to be bullies, but what you do with what they say to you is what matters. If you lean on that and believe in what they are saying, it is possibly the worst thing. Who is that person to dictate and tell you that you are not good enough. The nasty stuff that people told me, I used that as fuel to prove them wrong. My message is take the negative energy someone is giving you and figure out how to turn it into something positive. You are whatever you want to be.
Believe in yourself. At the end of the day it’s your life and your rules. You don’t have to make everyone happy and it is impossible to make everybody happy. Find people that you care about and do whatever you can to make those people happy.
You also love nature. Does it heal you?
Absolutely! There’s something about being out in nature. My passion is entertaining people and putting smiles on people’s faces, but there are still times when I like to get back to my roots, and the country boy that I am, take my shoes off and wiggle my toes in the grass, enjoy some sunshine and just decompress.
You sing too!
(Laughs) Yes! It’s mostly to entertain myself, but I do entertain the idea of recording some music. I have a lot of life to live. Right now, I am focusing on being a WWE Superstar, but who knows, down the road, you might see a Braun Strowman country album come out. I can make some noise on a guitar and play a couple of songs. It’s a little tough with these giant mitts that I have been bestowed upon (points at his hands). So, they are not necessarily the most delicate things, but I can manoeuvre my way through life.
What is your message for your fans?
Thank you for your love and support and I cannot wait to get back and do what I love doing for everyone of you... namaste!
Watch the LIVE coverage of WWE RAW every Tuesday, WWE NXT every Wednesday and WWE SmackDown every Saturday on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi) & Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil & Telugu) channels at 6.30am IST. Sony Sports Network is the home to WWE programming in India