I cannot say enough about the enthusiasm of Indian fans: Seth Rollins

For Colby Lopez aka Seth Rollins, the lockdown has been a mixed bag with a lot of ups and downs. However, on the positive side, he says that he got to “spend some time at home and relax a bit”. “It is first time in 15 or 16 years to get this extended resting period and let my body and mind rest and spend time with my loved ones when I get the opportunity,” he says.  

The five-time world champion admits that he is a “weird” guy when it comes to fitness, and that he has not let the lockdown affect his fitness levels. “I am one of those weird people really likes working out. I know, for more people, it is chore to get out and move around and go to the gym, but I always loved it. However, for me, throughout my life it has been a therapy for me,” says Rollins.

Ask him how has WWE coped up with the ongoing pandemic, and he says, “It is work in progress. The timing could not have been worse for WWE considering that one of the first events we had to talk about postponing was WWE WrestleMania. I feel we have really taken this opportunity to shift gears and I think it’s been a great adjustment period and hopefully we can learn from it and take these lessons with us when we get back to normal or semi-normal situations.” 

Rollins, understands the importance of having a live audience at the wrestling arena, but he also says that performing in empty stands “has worked for him”. “When I first started wrestling when I was 18 years old, I was wrestling in front of very small crowds and in much less exciting arena and there were no TV cameras or millions of people watching at home (laughs). For me, it has been about adjusting to the new odds of not having a live crowd. And it is fun because you get to tell your stories differently,” says the 34-yaer-old American wrestler.

India is one of the largest fan bases for WWE outside of America. Speaking about his fan base here, Rollins says, “From a social engagement perspective, it is incredible. I think majority of my followers, if not from the United States, is from India. They are very active and that carries over whenever we do a live event in India. Their excitement levels are so high it is almost overwhelming. I cannot say enough about the enthusiasm of Indian fans.

Rollins describes his journey in the sport as “slow but sure” and feels that he “was never the best”. “I have never been someone with a famous last name, I am not the biggest, strongest or fastest. I haven’t always been the best in certain assets. I had to improve and look at myself and what mistakes I was making and try to get better. I never had any shortcuts, I had to grind my way up,” he shares.  

Rollins also shares a great bond with WWE legend Triple H, and commenting about their equation, he says, “He has always been a model of hard work to me. And he is someone I could go to when I needed trusted and honest advice. From the beginning he has been a mentor to me and he has never sugar-coated anything. He has always been honest with me.”

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