NXT Assistant GM Mr. Stone

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That's the American Nightmare Cody Rosen, and you are listening to the baby Faces on iHeart Radio. Hey guys, this is ww Superstar Timpy Srun and you're listening to the Babyfaces on iHeartRadio.

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We are bringing in a special guest along a way to guess that we've been wanting to have for such a long time. You guys watch NXT on the CW network every Tuesday night. We have assistant general manager on with us, my man mister Stone. Long time coming, brother, How you been?

Hey, I'm glad we finally did it, and I was not expecting. First of all, that was a very cool intro leading into the show, and then you gave me a really good interest. So now see, I was gonna yell at you for not dressing up for the occasion with me being on, but then I realized I'm also not dressed up.

For the occasion. I came from the gym, So we'll kind of call a truce to start this off a good intro. We're both kind of dressed the same. It's all good.

If I would have known that you would have been in your closet, I would have asked to raid like a nice dress up shirt or something.

Hey, if I turned this camera right now, you would see about over one hundred suits lined up color coordinator. But I'm not even I'm not even gonna show you that side of the closet.

That's how professionals do it. I only get suited up here whenever I have to go to like the Kentucky Derby or something other than that.

You're catching me on one of my best dress days. It's usually some sort of hoodie and joggers.

So hey, you know, you gotta be cozy, you gotta be comfortable.

Absolutely, dude.

Well, once again, dude, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule. I know you had a lot of stuff going on today, huge week in NXT, and I can't even stress enough how cool it is having NXT on here. Actually, by the way, mister Stone, you are a first ever an XT guest. We've had on main roster people, we've had on OBW people, so you are the first person a part of the other WWE bridge that's been on our show.

So big, big collaps to you, my friend.

That Well, thank you.

I mean, I feel special, and you know what's so crazy about that I'm your first guest, but I'm also actually, I believe so the longest raining I think I've been on television and NXT the longest right now of everyone on the current product is that that's been mainstay on TV for almost about six years.

And I'm pretty sure that.

Everyone else has either went up to our SmackDown or out or wherever they went.

And I'm still standing strong in NXT and I could be happier.

About it, absolutely, And you have such a fun role right now too. You're kind of in the mix where you can get into the ring, you can do your stuff there, but you're also working backstage and playing an integral part and some of the storylines going on. And right now, like I said, you're the assistant GM of Raw. You're working with Ava, who had just got promoted, you know,

Well, it's great, And you know, not saying I'm the only one, but I do like to consider myself someone who could kind of do anything, you know. I've last year, I commentated a few episodes of Level Up. Last year, I wrestled a few matches last year. I produced a few matches.

Last year.

I helped make a few matches with Ava as an on air talent. I've managed guys, so I you kind of listen anything in wrestling, and I kind of have done it all in the last year or two, which is cool.

But I love that. I just I love dipping my toes and everything and trying to learn.

We were kind of talking about that a little bit, me and you before we went on the air, about what you do at your job, about how you could kind of do everything, and I kind of feel I'm like that, and I like that.

I just I like you could ask me to do any and I could do it, and if I don't know how to do it, I'm going to learn learn to do it very quickly.

Yeah.

Absolutely, in your company, and it's about like being there whenever it's available, and you've done that your whole career. Of course, you've been at other wrestling promotions and you've gotten your character over so many times. I remember being a big fan of you when you were Robbie back in the old TNA days, and that was always a

Like one hundred.

Percent huge fan? Was then since the first episode, me and my wife watched.

It all the clubs and bars that they went to in my early twenties and I mean my late twenties too, I went to also, so I know all those places, I know the areas, I actually know some of them that were on the cast, And Yeah, I loved it. And then when I was approached to do the character, I mean, it was like a no brainer.

It was cake. I didn't have to think. It was kind of who I am.

Like all my maybe my hair wouldn't have been as high as it was, but like a lot of my friends their hair was that high and you know, and they did dress like that.

So it was very natural to me. And I'm still a fan of the show.

I still watch Oh yeah. It was one of the things that was back when I was in high school. We always used to watch it. Me and my friends would like call each other and be on the phone and talk about it.

Pauly D was hilarious.

And this was also at a time where I know TNA has kind of gotten back and Impact Wrestling has gotten back with like a contract with WWE, and now you're starting to see some crossover there. But this is when TNA was like a legit competition to WWE and kind of running with them, and I was always a big fan of that going forward. So why that stuff and just having you on the podcast is really really cool and just understanding the character part of what goes

In the Okay, I like it.

I'm pretty to just take it as like a compliment. Right, I'm pretty sure a lot of the younger talents always trying to ask some of the guys that's been around a while what they can do to help out. Is is is having character development and character driven? Is that still like a main focal thing? At least in the NXT locker room?

It is in all of you know, wrestling and all of sports entertainment. Even if you're not a character, right, You're still a character. Even if you're just a a plain vanilla guy. It's like, what's your backstory? Like everyone has something to them. But the more you could add to it and the more the people could connect with it, I.

Mean, the more it's gonna get over.

But you know, it's not necessarily like the old days where you're gonna have, you know, a clown and a guy with a guitar and a drummer and it be so kind of like cartoonish.

You know, times have changed.

Things evolved, but there everyone still has a character. It just might be more of, you know, a character you gotta look more into to learn about or watch more to learn about.

Yeah, you more or less kind of live the life when you were kind of going through your character change. So it's probably a little bit easier for you to dive into. And whether it depends on who it is either tones it up a bit or just kind of tones it down for the television. So I just always thought that that was, you know, a cool thing, and just hearing about that's really really cool because character you have to get over.

You have to make sure people care about you.

I've always thought I'm not a worker myself, but I've always thought that some of the work rate can kind of come a little bit second, and I would be fine with that because your character has to make me believe on screen.

Well, that's the thing about wrestling. It's opinionated, right.

Some people like characters more, some people like in ring Moore, some people you know, everyone likes things and that's.

Why it's so great.

But I've always you know, I'm a big character guy coming up. You know, when I started, I had so many different characters that I tried. I was a pop star and I had set microphone and I sang on my way to the ring and more polka dots.

Obviously was Jersey Shore.

I was a valedictorian, where I was like a guy who graduated college but still attended college. I was like the creepy older guy who still went to college parties even when I graduated college. Already I was a part of a thing called the Moxie Family where we were like Italian guys, almost similar to what Tony D's doing on nxteen.

Now.

I've always played with characters and had fun doing them, and similar to you, that's kind of what I enjoy.

Yeah, and once again, and I think that that stuff's really really cool just to come across the screen as believable and lock me in take my money. So for doing it and being such a believable character. And even if you have to done silly stuff in the past, it's related to a lot of people. And that's the stuff that kind of gets you.

Noticed.

We were just talking about NXT and NXT and it's it's such a huge deal.

You guys had just made the switch from the USA network.

Now you're on CW and guys have had all these what's going on We'll get into the most recent episodes, but what's that switch to the network ced W? What's that been like for both you and all the other superstars in the company.

What's the mindset going on in XT right now?

You know, you always get that little boost of energy with a switch because you feel like, you know, maybe some more eyes or some new eyes will be on the product.

So even though you always work.

Your hardest, maybe it pushes you to work a little harder.

To create some more excitement, which it has.

And I mean the thing about NXT and it's for our SmackDown also, it's everything going on. But NXT, I think everyone now knows when you turn it on every week to expect the unexpected. You don't know who's going to show up, You don't know what's going to happen, You don't know what wild thing is going to happen.

You know.

I think by the end of every episode, people are saying actually excited to tune in the following week to see storylines continue, to see the matches that are being made. So it's just an exciting time for like all of all of the ww.

You know, yeah, absolutely, And you just mentioned it right there, mister sone expect the unexpected.

That's it's always been.

Wrestling just such a hot thing because it makes you want to turn the channel right, it makes you want to this makes you want to see what happens next. And here in NXT it's been so hot recently. You've had the last couple episodes that's made people like, wow, I wasn't expecting that to happen. I want to go back just a couple of weeks ago NXT twenty three hundred. It was at the famous Philly building where ECW started.

And of course you've got to have all come back.

I mean, you saw Don Marine, saw RVD, the Dudley Boys, you yourself had a run in with Rhino, So what was that like?

It was so cool?

I mean, so I performed in the twenty three hundred arena before it was the twenty three hundred, and when I guess, I guess it was still called the ECW Arena only or even had a name in probably two thousand and two. So like twenty two years ago when it was still full on, it looked a lot different than it does now. Yeah, it looked a lot different than it does now. So throughout the years, I have

To see them again, to see them also kind of.

Get their flowers, returning to the building and getting some exposure.

It was just it was just a really cool night.

And I hope, I hope it's something that kind of maybe happens yearly or something.

I don't know.

It's just such a successful show and it created so much excitement and I think the fans were pleased it wasn't a letdown. You know, you get built up for things. Sometimes you watch and you kind of go, oh, that wasn't that good. I mean, it was phenomenal. It was a great episode. The crowd was hot all night, The people got their money's worth and it was It left me wanting more and I think everybody else too.

I guess kind of talking about that, you know, the the NXT show was so unique, and so is the set up. You had the nxta arena down there in Orlando, and you've been you've been on the main roster, You've been around everywhere. What makes it more unique to perform in front of that NXT crowd and especially at a place like that. What what how does NXT stand out and performing in that arena than anywhere that you person ever performed.

Well, the thing is when you when you're in the same location for most of the time, you get a lot of the.

Same hardcore fans every week.

So it's similar to the cult following almost that ECW how when it started when it was only a DCW arena and they built these crazy fans who were so invested in everything that was going on.

That's kind of what happens at NXT.

You know, we have these same die hard, hardcore NXT fans that come every week that are so invested and know the characters. They see us arrive at the building and leave the building, and whether they hate us or love us, they're just they put everything into it, almost like they're a part of the show.

So that just you know, makes it takes it to a whole other level.

There's no fans in the audience who you know, don't know what's going on, or it's their first time at a show. They are there and they are they are involved. You know, it's like one big family.

And that's what I figured because you can honestly feel it on the screen too, and and honest almost reminds me of how they do things here in Louisville. Of course, we're home of Ohio Valley Wrestling that used to be the home of the developmental program before NXT was a thing, and it's just such a small compact but into an arena where you kind of get to learn and cut your teeth in the business. I see a lot of that reflection on the NXT set to wrestled here in Louisville.

I have I have one time I wrestled for OVW Man.

I wish I could remember whoever one time one time I did Yes, yeah, yeah, same cool atmosphere.

I remember the building and.

Uh yeah, areena a bit about performing in like those small It's almost like you get more nervous and it's more nerve wracking when you're in that small setting and it's tight and the fans are packed in and you see that red light on.

There's something about.

Small buildings that just it brings like an extra energy to the situation.

And it's it's the same thing as a fan.

Dude, when you're sitting there watching it, you feel like you can connect to the wrestlers a little bit more. Your chance actually, ards, I got to watch your mouth when you're trying to talk some issues. It's a little bit more experience. I was talking to you off air and I said that we gotcha podcast. I lied to you because I have to ask. You've been in the ring toe to toe with now Rhino and now you've been in the ring toe to toe with bron Breaker.

I got we gotta know for the fans.

I think, uh, I think I think I might have been a little more laid out from Bronze.

I think I'm a little more laid out from bron Breakers.

Yeah, I mean, he's doing big things on the WWE roster. You got to work with him and kind of like as he's developing, and I all spears are created equally, but when you have a freak athlete like that that can like hit the ropes at like something like twenty miles an hour or something that he does, it's probably does not feel really good.

Yeah, my rib definitely still from a year ago when I felt it Halloween, have a glad year.

I think it's still a little something something on it.

Hey, I don't I don't blame you. That's why I'm a podcaster. I'm on this end of it.

You know.

I've always always been kind of a whist when it came to that stuff. I secretly want to take a bump, but at the same time, I don't want to feel I'm in my thirties now, so I don't want to feel it for like another three weeks here. Of course, in more shape than me, you've done it for a while, so it's surprised that that even you're still feeling the effect.

Yeah, well, hey, you're in your thirties, that's a good place to be. I'm in my forties. So even believe me, I don't want to. I'm not toning down the gore from Rhino because that did not feel good. Also, but if I had to pick one, I guess from.

But I got it, and let's talk about like I said, well, we'll kind of continue on a couple more questions from NXC.

We'll go ahead and get you out of here, complete on with your day. It was such a.

Huge uh, just a couple of days ago, uh, with your recorded show, and the biggest talking points coming out of that, of course was chase you they're they're they're no longer a thing man, So what do you think that's gonna be like going forward? Now you have ridg Holland kind of on top of the world, ready to challenge Williams and for next semester.

Well, I'll tell you this. The next day, I went to the gym. There's a true story. I went to the gym. I was working out and someone's talking to me. I take my headphones out. It's an older guy and he said, it looked right at me, and you know, I'm wondering what he's going to ask, and I.

Have to talked to the guy before. But he goes, is Chase You really done? Can you not?

This is an old man at the Jim said this to me. So that's how everyone feels about it. That's how sad everyone is about the Chase You situation. Everybody loves Chase You. If you're a bad guy, if you're a good guy, if you're a what I like. If you don't like Chase You, there's got to be something. I think Rich Holland is the only person who probably doesn't like Chase You because they're fun to watch, they're great in the ring, they're good people.

But yeah, it's kind of sad.

I mean, it's gonna be different when you don't look at the audience and see all the Chase.

You shirts, right, Yeah, yeah, I mean props to Rich Holland. He's going to Deadline right now to go one on one with Trick Williams for the NXT Championship. So he got what he wanted. But yeah, I don't know.

I guess next Tuesday, we'll see what that first week is like. When when they're not a part of it.

Yeah, I guess school is not in anymore.

Out school's out for the summer the time being a winter or whatever it is. But that's all I wanted to talk about was Deadline coming up. It's going to be a Minnesota at the Harmory Arena. You as a GM of NXT, what are you looking forward to the most? And for people that's going to be tuning into NXC, maybe watching it for the first time they have in a while, what do you think fans can expect from that show?

We have your your Iron Survivor matches, which are always super exciting to watch. But I mean we just talked about it, NXT Championship. You know, it doesn't get bigger. Trick Williams Ridge, Holland Ridge.

Is on such a a war.

Path right now. I don't know, if you know, I don't know if is Trick ready. I mean, Trick is always ready, but is he?

So we're going to see.

So it's going to be a great main event. Bringing NXT to Minnesota is gonna be great. It's been a while, so, uh, you know, as always, NXT's going to deliver on the biggest platform on this huge p l E.

And I just get to sit back and enjoy it, you.

Know, absolutely, hope take any spears or I'm gonna be hiding I think any super kicks from anybody. Well, of course, once again we are speaking with NXT g M. We are speaking with mister Stone once again. Assistant GM.

Yeah, we don't want to get ave upset.

Assistant no, no, no, I listen. I don't want to mess with that family at all. They are going through a lot right now.

So once again, I want to thank you for coming on the show, and we're gonna have a Thanksgiving. Holidays start next week. I know that you're a family man. You have any traditions for Thanksgiving coming up? You guys split going you and your wife split? Going to different uh in law's house or how's that done?

So we uh her family's outside of Philly, mine's in Jersey.

So we are going to Philly and we'll be with her family for Thanksgiving.

But then the next follow the following days we'll see my family.

Yeah, awesome, that should be a good time.

You have any you have any overrated like Thanksgiving foods? I always try to ask that to people. It's like you always fun to connect with food. I'll just go ahead and start out first. I do not like stuffing as much as everybody else does. Makes it a huge thing, and we can't eat until there's stuffing's done.

To hell with that. I could care less about stuffing.

Yeah, no, I agree with you.

And you know, I don't want to sound like a big party pooper here when I say this, because I love Thanksgiving. I love the idea of it, the comfort that Christmas is close, all that stuff, but the actual meal. I mean, if you get a really good turkey, it's great, like a lean, juicy turkey, love it.

But everything else it's just kind of there. I don't know. There's not many other things.

That like, when you really think about it, is it that great?

I don't know.

No, I can't see terrible.

No, it all depends. And I know some people like do it a little bit different now. I know people that like, what do you call it, like smoke? They just do it a little bit more than your traditional leave it in the oven all day and the whole house smells like it.

But it's really at the end of the day.

For me, as I get into my thirties, it's more or less about the football and just being with family. I mean like it's fun too as a blood kid get to eat at your mom and dad's house for free.

Yeah.

Well, dude, once again, I want to thank you for joining the show. We are here with assistant NXTGM mister Stone, Mister Stone, now that you have this life changing platform here in the baby faces on iHeartRadio with me, your host Austin Montgomery. Is there any of them anything that you'd like to promote? You want to tell for any fans where they can find you, how they can get ahold of you, where they can see you weekly for sure?

Well, I mean obviously at mister Stone. Ww is my Twitter, my Instagram and my TikTok. But I did want to just real quick talk about after weekly. After NXT right when it goes off the air, we are doing an instagram live myself, the others us the GM, Stevie Turner and Blake Howard, who is you know a commentator on Level Up for the b We're doing it right now live on Stevie's Instagram right when NXTN five minutes after NXTNS and you know it'll last give or take about ten minutes.

We take fan questions.

We have guests on, so it's a super fun interactive thing for the NXT universe. So please tune into that this Tuesday and every Tuesday right when NXT goes off the air.

Awesome.

We'll make sure that we'll make you drive that because we want to keep getting the numbers on NXT. We want to make it even bigger than it already is. The people you guys do not know about NXT, you need to watch it. It is technically very much where

All right, I appreciate it, and I'm not gonna eat stuffing now you put that in my head.

Yeah, that's right. We're getting on the no stuffing gang once again. Thank you so much for listening. This is another exclusive episode with a special guest assistant NXTGM.

Mister Stone.

This is the baby Faces Podcast on iHeartRadio.

Thank you, guys.

This is mister Stone, and you are listening to the Babyfaces on I Heart Radio.