Former multi-time Intercontinental champion Wade Barrett recently joined El Brunch de WWE for a conversation about the launch of NXT Europe, and how whether he ever plans on returning to the ring as a competitor. Barrett adds that he’s currently very happy in his position as a commentator for NXT, even revealing that it is the most fun he’s had in his career. Highlights from the interview are below.
His thoughts on NXT Europe:
You know what? I found out this morning the same as everyone else [about NXT Europe]. I was working out and I suddenly got a memo sent through to my email account from WWE, hey, press release, just going out. Just so you guys know, I don’t know any more details than you guys. It was a surprise to me. I believe NXT UK is morphing into NXT Europe. What exactly that entails? I don’t know. How it’s going to play out? I don’t know. But I do know this, every time WWE makes a big change like they’re doing here with NXT UK, they always make things better. It’s never to make things worse. It’s always to make things bigger and better so I really don’t know the nuts and bolts of what NXT Europe is gonna involve, how it’s gonna be different to NXT UK but it’s exciting. I think there’s gonna be more opportunities to superstars all over Europe including, you know, not just the UK. Including Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Austria. There’s so many countries over in Europe and of course all over Eastern Europe too. You got Bulgarians and Romanians and there’s plenty of countries out there where they all love WWE.
On a return to the ring and how he’s having too much fun on commentary:
That is the question I get more than any other. I get asked that a lot. I technically — if you’re gonna call it that, I retired at 35. That was the last time I was at a WWE ring. Haven’t been back in a ring since, which I would say is very, very young for somebody to retire in this industry. We got guys going in their mid-to-late 40s. I’ve seen guys compete in their late 50s, early 60s, okay? So there are definitely examples of people who have gone a lot longer. I will say this, in my career, including everything I’ve ever done in the WWE, my happiest I’ve ever been has been sat commentating at NXT. I’ve never enjoyed anything more than I enjoy right now so I’m not somebody sitting there thinking, ‘Aw, I gotta get back in the ring, I miss it.’ I miss parts of it and there’s parts that I don’t miss and it’s hard and you get beaten up. But I will say this, I’m healthy, I’m fit. If the right opportunity came along to get back in the ring to compete against, I don’t know, maybe Drew McIntyre, then maybe I could be convinced to get back in the ring once again. We will see so, to be decided.
(H/T and transcribed by Post Wrestling
)