Prior to losing the IMPACT world championship to Kenny Omega at last night’s Rebellion pay per view former champion Rich Swann appeared on Talk Is Jericho to discuss a number of different topics, including why he thinks 205 Live struggled to get over with fans and what the key backstage differences are between WWE and IMPACT. Highlights from the interview are below.
Breaks down why he thinks 205 Live never got super popular with the WWE Universe:
“At the time, it was, ‘Oh man, I’m about to be debuting.’ But then, as you’re in it and looking back in through it, it’s like, man, there are so many people not only in WWE, but in this new brand that we’re about to try to push to this massive audience. There’s so much content. There’s so much going on. Everybody that’s being put out is just going to get lost in the shuffle, and nobody’s gonna understand who and what they are because there’s so much. I thought it was great to be in it, but looking at it now, I don’t know how much of a good idea that was just because you got so many people. How can you connect?” I just tried to show my personality, to show my character, to show who I am as a person. I tried to turn that up. I just tried to connect with people. I feel like I was successful with that.”
Says IMPACT doesn’t put as much pressure on talent backstage:
“Definitely it was more at ease. Not that I felt that I was walking on eggshells in WWE because my time there, I didn’t have any problems. I was fine. But definitely the difference between the two companies – you can feel there’s not as much pressure that’s put onto your shoulders. It’s meant for that, you’re supposed to feel pressure, but unnecessary things. Things are just planned out more, and it’s just because over there I feel like it more’s of a machine, and here it’s more intimate and more of a family style. I feel like it’s not brought from person to person to person. It goes through two people and they’re making the decisions. We work and talk through things and come to a decision and do it.”
(H/T and transcribed by 411 Mania)