IMPACT star Heath Slater recently spoke to TV Insider to talk all things pro-wrestling, including how Slater has had conversations with WWE talents who are anxious to explore options outside of WWE. Highlights are below.
Says that there are WWE stars who are asking him about IMPACT:
They know when they are locked down under contract, they can’t get out. That’s the bottom line. You may have well signed yourself up for the military. But guys that did get released and guys from other companies have been texting and calling and asking about Impact. The WWE crew, some of them have been like, ‘Man, that would be awesome to do this, But I still got a year-and-a-half or another year.’ I’m like, ‘Remember what you’re saying because years go by pretty fast. So if you really want to, I might know a guy.’ The interest is there for sure.
How he wanted to go to EVOLVE during his free agency storyline in WWE:
It was when I was not drafted on Raw or SmackDown. It was supposed to be a joke. That type of thing. Make Heath the butt of the joke. Then JBL [John “Bradshaw” Layfield] came to me saying I wasn’t getting drafted. The whole day I was thinking if I’m not going to get drafted, I go to pitch Ed [Koskey] of [WWE creative] to make me a free agent and pop up on each show. Let me fight for my spot. He looked at me saying, ‘We were just going to put you on SmackDown.’ I fought for my idea. Next thing you know I was on Raw, SmackDown, Main Event, pay-per-view. Booked more than I have ever been booked working this free agent thing. My whole plan was to go for the Intercontinental title. Let’s say I keep trying and proving myself to where Shane [McMahon] and Stephanie [McMahon] both want me for their show. I would end up not signed anywhere and win the title. I even pitched to go do EVOLVE and outside promotions WWE trusts to make people think this free agent thing was real. They went with the watered down version of it. But I did get one of my best friends in Rhino out of that and won the tag titles with him. I wouldn’t change that for nothing though. It was a childhood dream to be IC champion. Though if I had to pick I’d rather have Rhino as my best friend. I hope I can get this #Heath4Impact going and have a run with him in Impact.
On his short return to face WWE champion Drew McIntyre:
That’s exactly what that was. McIntyre called me a month or so in advance. I told him I wasn’t going back, and I didn’t want it. Then literally two weeks before Slammiversary he pleaded with me to let him pitch working together. He was sure they would go for it. Then when he called me back and said they went for it I was like, what?! It was one of those things where Drew is one of my best friends inside and outside the ring. We just clicked 12 years ago when we met. I’m in the ring with him and Dolph [Ziggler], who is a friend too. I thought to myself, ‘I’m going to hit a home run and speak from the heart and let you know how I feel.’ Thankfully, it was one take and came off great. I wanted to prove to them that I could have been doing this the whole damn time if you gave me the opportunity. Now you give me the opportunity to come back one day to show what I can do, I’m going to spread my wings and fly to other companies and give them my talent.
