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Exclusive Interview: Ruthless Ryan Davidson

Posted: Aug 30th 2014 By: TheROWReporter.com

Ruthless Ryan Davidson is the self-proclaimed cornerstone of Reality of Wrestling, and it would be foolish to argue otherwise. Every description of any ROW event is usually filled with accolades towards Ryan, and it?s deservedly so. I was lucky enough to sit with Ryan and discuss a myriad of topics ? his football career at West Texas A&M University, his training, various injuries, his favorite wrestlers and mentors, his championship accomplishments (or lack thereof) at ROW, and more.

WARNING: The following interview contains SPOILERS.

I began the interview by reading a list of wrestlers and challenged Ryan to name the common factor among them: Tully Blanchard, Bruiser Brody, Ted Dibiase, Terry Funk, Dory Funk Jr., Stan Hansen, Dusty Rhodes, Tito Santana, Barry Windham, and Ryan Davidson.

They all went to West Texas A&M University and played sports there. Everybody who goes to WT, they all know about the Funks. Everybody. They have this wall right in front of the gym, it?s like the hall of fame football players at WT, and the two that stuck in my mind as the most recognizable was Dory and Terry Funk. Actually, the first time I met Terry was at a McDonalds in Canyon, then of course we did a show together. Great guy. Cool as hell. But I didn?t know that all these other wrestlers went to WT until I watched that Dusty Rhodes DVD and they all talked about it. I was like ? are you freaking kidding me? Then I went and looked it up and was like ? holy crap! All these people? Wow!

But Terry Funk automatically took a liking to me ? when I first met him I hadn?t started in the wrestling business just yet, I was still playing football ? then when he saw me again I was in the ring with my opponent at the time going over a match and he saw the WT football (on my shirt)? Then Dusty was there and told some football stories, so they caught on to liking to me real quick.

On his playing days at West Texas A&M?

I played offensive line mainly, then I shot over to defense. The reason why I played defense, believe it or not, I dropped a crap load of weight in the off-season because I did amateur wrestling in high school and then continued amateur wrestling training after high school and lost like 40-50 pounds. I was actually one of the lighter offensive lineman. I was the pulling guard, so I was quick. I was probably a 225 or 220 offensive lineman in college ? that?s not good. I think the lightest O-lineman besides by myself in college was probably 275. I was built, but these guys had mass, and they?re strong. Very, very strong.

Did you suffer any injuries while playing football?

I pulled my patella tendon in high school in my sophomore year. I got on varsity in my sophomore year and I had to miss my first game. After practice we were doing some duck walks or whatever and the next thing you know I felt my patella tendon slightly move to the left and then go right back, then it just swelled up like a softball. Luckily I didn?t tear anything.

I broke my left ankle in early 2004 ? slipped in the snow. Basically my toes went completely to the left. Tore every tendon in my ankle connected to my tibia, and I had a spiral fracture on the smaller leg bone.. The doctor drugged me up, snapped it right back into place, put a screw in my ankle and let the tendons grow back. But it feels fine. Feels great. My right ankle is a tad bit stronger than the left, but other than that I can hop and I can do whatever I need to. If anything, I?ve got a Robocop leg ? so it?s kind of cool.

How long did you play football and when did you begin wrestling?

I played football from 2003 to mid-2004. I broke into wrestling right towards the end of 2003, then when I broke my leg I was out for about 5 or 6 months. By the time of mid-2004, getting ready for the second season, my love for football kind of ran dry. At the time, I wasn?t going to really play or start until my junior year because there was so much seniority and everything like that. It didn?t matter how good I was, even if I was one of the better guys on the team ? it?s sad to say and I?m not trying to cut any excuses ? but they were going to treat the upper classmen better. I might revolve with some guys but I really wasn?t going to get that much playing time. So I made the decision, I was loving pro wrestling and that?s what I wanted to do after college football, so I might was well get a head-start while I was 18-19 years old. So might as well ? boom, there you go.

I heard that you first trained for wrestling at a go-kart track. What was that experience like?

I broke in at ACW, which was Amarillo Championship Wrestling. It was owned by this kid named Bryce Payne and his dad. They owned an outdoor go-kart racing track. Long story short ? I met this guy in my speaking class. He threw a wrestling reference at me and I threw one right back at him. He was like ?man, come over to my dorm and watch some TNA Wrestling.? We started talking and told him I was trying to get into a school but was going to wait until I was done with ball, but he said he knew this guy in Amarillo. So I was like ?take me to him.? And literally, off the side of the freeway between Amarillo and Canyon, there was a wrestling ring outside in the middle of the track. But when I saw guys bumping, it was literally like a kid walking into Disney World for the first time. I was like ?I have to get in the ring.?

Who were your favorite wrestlers when you were growing up?

Before the wrestling business, I had a certain group of wrestlers that I loved as a fan, then when I got into the wrestling business it was completely different. My favorite wrestlers growing up as a fan ? Triple H, Cactus Jack, I was the biggest Cactus Jack mark you?ve ever met in your life. I loved guys like The Undertaker, ?Stone Cold? Steve Austin ? mainly WWF guys. I didn?t really tap into WCW until probably about 2000. Of course when I started to get more into wrestling I went back and watched all the old Nitros and all the old WCW pay-per-views. Actually I have some old WCW trading cards with Flair and Sting, even a Jim Ross trading card. But those guys were dominantly my favorite wrestlers.

Then of course when I got into the business it was Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, Curt Hennig ? guys like Arn Anderson. William Regal and Fit Finlay are two guys to this day ? anything involving William Regal and Fit Finlay ? and meeting those guys personally and talking to them, them giving me advice and stuff ? you couldn?t have my attention any better.

What about Booker T?

It?s funny, and I feel so bad, but when I was a fan ? I respected his skill and everything but I wasn?t a fan of Booker T. He always put on great matches, he was big and athletic, but I just wasn?t a fan of his. But now, obviously knowing the business and knowing Book and knowing how great he is, he is my mentor. He?s one of the best to ever put on a pair of boots. It just goes to show how much fans know compared to actual wrestlers.

What has kept you from attaining championships at ROW?

I have yet to hold a strap here (under the ROW banner), and I?m not going to lie to you, that irks me a little bit. It really, really does ? both character-wise and a little bit personally. I know on the indy scene the belts don?t make the wrestler, the wrestler makes the title. I know that. Some of the greatest wrestlers ever never even held a title, guys like Jake the Snake ? Rick Rude never was a world champion. As great as Jake the Snake was, for him to never hold a world title is ridiculous. But the thing is, it irks me a little bit that I am yet to hold a title. But being in the TV Title Tournament is definitely something where I?m going to get my aggression out. That?s character talking and that?s also real-life shoot. There?s been guys that have won titles and completely deserved it and are very talented, but if you want to shoot from the hip there?s been some guys that have held some titles that haven?t deserved it at all, that I could run circles around ? and it gets me a little bit.

You mentioned the Television Championship Tournament. There are several matches that haven?t aired on television yet, but you have already earned a spot in the finals. You will face The Pride or Evan Snow in the championship match. Any preference?

The Pride really is awesome. He?s good. He?s tough as nails. He?s insane, he?s absolutely insane, but he kind of did his thing and he?s had his moment. But going back to me not getting a title after so long, this is my moment. If I get to work him again, I know Summer of Champions was kind of crazy, so whatever happens in the finals? whatever. I?ve wrestled Evan Snow as well. He?s talented. He?s got more talent than he knows what to do with. If I get to wrestle him, I?ll be good. Either way, I don?t care. Whether it?s E. Snow or whether it?s Pride, I?m ready for both.

What are your thoughts on Stevie Ray, Inc. now being four members strong with Raj Singh, The Samoan Beast, Jared Steele, and yourself?

I love it. Absolutely love it.

Is Stevie Ray, Inc. becoming the new Team International, supplanting them as the most dominant group in ROW?

Team International ? they?re on a different level of their own. Those guys are completely talented and I definitely respect their work. I definitely respect X, and I respect Ayden Cristiano, and especially Sergei Volkov. But behind the scenes, Gustavo Mendoza ? we had our run-ins in the past in the ring, but outside of the he ring he?s one of my best friends in the business. So that?s also another thing, going back to Summer of Champions with The Pride, I had some animosity towards The Pride because he was the guy that kicked Gustavo out. So it?s like ?you do my boy and now I?m going to get you back for that.?

But are we going to be the next Team International? No. But with all due respect, we?ll be better. You can?t really compare to a guy that?s 400 pounds and can do a moonsault ? Samoan Beast. You can?t compare to a guy that?s been with WWE, traveled all around the world and has been tutored by the best of the best ? Raj Singh. You can?t compare to a guy that?s wrestled all over the country, has been here since day one, and is one of the toughest guys I?ve ever met ? Jared Steele. And then, last but not least, you can?t really compare to me. With all due respect to Team International ? those guys have more talent than they think they do. But if it?s toe-to-toe, Team International versus Stevie Ray, Inc. ? the expert tutelage wins over everything.

Is Stevie Ray, Inc. a team of individuals, or will it be gang warfare?

Absolutely. Always looking after each other?s back. It?s not that we need to. Each guy under Stevie Ray Inc., including myself, we don?t need anybody?s help. But if it?s there, it?s there. We?re four guys that are massive, and strong, and smart. And it?s even better now that we have a guy like Stevie to guide us to where we need to go, so all we?ve got to do is win belts.

You consistently produce the most intimidating promos at ROW. How much work goes into that process?

I never try to think of the most witty thing to say. I wouldn?t call myself the brightest crayon in the box, but I?m not the dullest. So when it comes to saying things witty or knowing my thesaurus from front to back, I?m not really a guy with words. But when it comes to emotion, when it comes to feelings ? I try to speak with as much emotion and feeling when it comes to promos. I?ve got a lot of aggression. I?ve always been that way ever since I was a kid. And going back to the fact that I?ve been having some of the best matches that ROW and PWA has had. I?m one of the best guys, if not THE best guy on the roster. I had a ?best of five? with Mysterious Q, who is by far one of the most talented individuals I?ve ever seen in the ring, but he wouldn?t be Heavyweight Champion if he didn?t have to go against a guy like me. There?s nobody that?s brought the best out of him except me. Wrestling all of these different guys and bringing out the best in them, and I?ve never had a title shot? It irks me, so I have a lot of frustration ? That comes out in my promos, and that comes out in my ring work, and that comes out in my mindset when I have a match because I am literally going to prove the entire world wrong. It?s not if, but when I get a championship, it doesn?t stop there. I?m going to rub it in everybody?s face. If people think I was bad before, chasing after it ? once I have it, whenever that time comes? it?s going to be way worse.

You teamed with Samoan Beast and faced Mysterious Q & Alex Reigns during the June 14th show. You suffered a gash that necessitated 7 stitches above your eye. What happened?

There?s always a thing where you can do something, a move or a strike, a gazillion times ? fly over the top rope, jump off the top rope, do whatever a gazillion times ? but it?s that gazillionth and one time that all hell breaks loose. I was pretty much at the wrong place at the wrong time, he just threw a shot at me and it caught me right in the best worst spot possible. Alex Reigns ? he?s very talented, but he?s also rare in the fact that he?s a southpaw. I?m not really used to working southpaws, so I kind of have to watch because it?s coming from a different angle. From the best of my memory, he threw a double-axe handle and it caught me in the right eye. Seven stitches ? split me wide open. I wanted to keep going in the match but I knew that I would probably have Book chew me out for all of the blood that would be all over the place.

Talking about new gear that is in the works?

I actually got some new gear for this next show that?s coming up, so when we?re in the finals I have another pair of gear. They?ll be different. I?m also trying to do some different NFL team designs and colors and things like that. I?m working on an outfit that emulates the Houston Texans a little bit, but fits more of me. So be looking for that in the future, trying to get it done before the holidays.

What experiences have you had with WWE?

I?ve had some tryouts, had some dark matches with certain people. I?ve been doing extra work since 2007, even before I came to Book?s. My first one was at a Raw in Shreveport, LA. It?s been fun ever since. I think me and Rockstar Robbie are the two guys that have been there the most. This past go-around I did a three day tour through Dallas, Houston, and Corpus Christi ? but before that time I hadn?t been with WWE in like 2 years. I was just trying to prepare myself and trying to get better from the last time was there and everything like that. But I?ve had great experiences all around. There?s not a time that I?ve been there that I don?t learn a night and day difference about everything. I?ve been in the ring with some guys that I never thought I?d be in the ring with ? Jamie Noble, Dean Malenko, Arn Anderson, William Regal. I?ve wrestled around with Titus O?Neil, Ezekiel Jackson ? got to pick the brain of Dolph Ziggler and Goldust, and everything like that. It?s also cool when you walk in the back and people know you by name. That means they?re paying attention, and that means they know who you are. And that?s very very cool. I?m just trying to chase the dream. It?s a long hard road, but as Book always told us ? the hardest part is not getting there, the hardest part is staying there.

You once did a run-in segment against Sheamus. What was that experience like?

We got approached by Alberto Del Rio ? who is a wonderful guy, cool as hell, A-Z professional. He told us about this idea ? he knew we were wrestlers and he wanted to put us as security, but we didn?t know at first what we were going to do. Then word got around what we were going to do to Sheamus ? We got in there and got in it with Sheamus? and Sheamus is what you see on TV, he is the epitome of aggressive. That guy hits, and he hits hard. But I got a couple of shots in there, which was kind of funny. But I had a blast wrestling, not only with dark matches, but also being on TV and getting to hear the reaction of the crowd while beating someone down.

What is some advice you get when working a WWE show?

The biggest thing that we always get taught, by WWE and even with Book, is have everything mean something. Selling. William Regal says it all the time, he?s like ?if you work on nothing else in wrestling, not your moves, not your look, nothing else? if all you work on is your selling, you?ll be a 4-times better wrestler than what you are now.? And there?s so much advice about match psychology and how to get certain things over in a match ? It?s A-Z stuff. It?s selling, how to work, psychology, doing stuff that means something instead of just throwing a guy? it?s a whole bunch of stuff.

You had a stint as a Rosebud during the WWE?s last Texas swing. How was that?

I was a bunny in Dallas and a hotdog in Houston and Corpus. Awesome.

Rockstar Robbie told me a story about an ill-fitting bunny suit. Tell me your version of that story.

The suit was too short. You know, me being 6?2? or with my boots on 6?3?, and every bit of almost 260 pounds, the first bunny suit was like pajamas. It was just so comfortable. I came out and Adam Rose, he?s a cool dude and everything? He had a great analogy on how to react to him. He was like, ?when I come out you guys gotta be like, ?Oh my God it?s fucking Michael Jackson. Oh he?s back from the dead, it?s fucking Michael Jackson!?? Which is a great analogy because if Michael Jackson did come back from the dead and he was right there I would freak out. So in Dallas he said I was going to be the bunny for the next three days. But I get there Monday night at Toyota Center and they had a different bunny suit. It?s just a onsie zip-up gimmick and it?s little tight in the shoulders and chest and arm region. And it was also very snug in the ?crotchal? region. As soon as I made my way into the arena, from what I heard from the boys, Adam Rose apparently was like, ?Oh my God. Who?s in the bunny suit? You can see his dick. That?s not going to work. Fuck. You can see his dick.? I went over to Adam Rose, he goes ?Hey, mate. Your junk?s hanging out. We can see your junk. It?s not going to work.? So he wanted me to switch with Bryan Keith, so then I was the hotdog, he was the bunny? and everybody got to see what I?m working with. So what?s up, ladies?

I understand you are working on a podcast. Any updates?

I am currently working on it right now. The reason I want to do it ? there?s not a podcast out there, besides Wrestling Compadres that Book does where you actually have a legit legend?s point of view, but 99% of the time it?s a podcast by fans that all they do is tear down the business. Nobody ever talks good about what?s in professional wrestling, and that?s what I want to do. I want to talk about what?s good, what?s right ? and obviously different opinions about what?s going on in WWE or TNA. An opinion is just an opinion, but I?m not going to sit there and go, ?Why does so-and-so have a job? That guy sucks,? and all that negativity. Plus I don?t want to talk about just wrestling. I want to talk about life. I want to talk about how to pick up chicks, different college experiences, just a whole spectrum. I?m trying to do different trial runs and when I feel right then I?ll release a podcast and have different guests on. I know Book is down to do it, Stevie is down to do it ? I?m definitely going to get some different people. I want to get some football players on it, not just wrestling, but different people from different perspectives. I want to make it a show about entertainment, it doesn?t have to be all about wrestling.

What can we expect from Ruthless Ryan Davidson in the future?

Obviously, not just the TV Championship, but I?m going after the Heavyweight Title. Like I said, Q is the most talented guy that I?ve been in the ring with. You have Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat ? he is basically my Ricky Steamboat. He?s my arch nemesis. So I know we?ll definitely cross paths again. You?ve heard it a bunch of times through different wrestling interviews and DVD?s and stuff like that ? if you?re not trying to be the Heavyweight Champion, there?s no reason why you?re here. I believe that, with as much entertainment value and wrestling value that I have, I know that I can be the best ROW champion to date. And with all due respect to Book, I?m a ROW guy through and through, for life. I will always support and everything, but I don?t plan on staying here for the rest of my career. And Book wants us to do that. He doesn?t want guys to just stay in ROW for the rest of their career. He wants us to go to Japan, TNA, ROH, and WWE. So obviously that?s the goal too? to move on to other places.