TOI caught up with Ryan Reeves aka Ryback, 31, the WWE star at Kingdom of Dreams on Wednesday evening. From how much he eats and works out to maintain that ripped form, to watching Indian movies with a desi girl in the USA, the wrestler chatted with us in between meeting his fans. "Ryan was my first name, and when I was a kid, my friends called me Silver Back, which was my first wrestling name too. So, I came up with Ryback, which is my ring name now," he said, explaining his title.
He added, "This is my first time in India. I don't know much but I've heard about Mahatma Gandhi from a colleague." The WWE star, who travels to Mumbai next, said travelling gave him time to relax. "I am not wrestling these days, I am travelling for promotions. I like long flights now. For me rest and wrestling go together," he said.
When we got talking about his physique, Ryback said, "I eat all the time. I eat everything from chicken to steak to egg whites. I'm on the run all the time and if I stop at a restaurant, I order at least two omelettes with chicken. I eat eight to 10 times a day. And I work out for three hours, with yoga and stretching, strength or weight training and conditioning.
Everyone has different genetics, and I come from a larger family. Some people are built skinnier naturally. You just have to eat a lot and then work out."
The life of a WWE wrestler doesn't come without sacrifices. "The WWE told me if I wanted to be the best, the best bet was to stay single and not start a family. I'm a loner and that is what I've given up to be what I am. I've had girlfriends, but at this point, I have to do what I need to do." But there was a girl in the US who introduced him to Indian films. "I knew a girl who was an Indian in the USA. She had a bunch of Indian movies which we watched together," he told us.
Ryback, who always wanted to wrestle, shared his formula for success. "I pretty much wanted to be a wrestler since I was a child. But I do believe if I work hard in any field, I can be the best at it. Even if I was working in a McDonalds, and flipping hand burgers, I would own a McDonalds. I believe in being the best and putting your best at whatever one does."
WWE star flexes muscles in Gurgaon - The Times of India
He added, "This is my first time in India. I don't know much but I've heard about Mahatma Gandhi from a colleague." The WWE star, who travels to Mumbai next, said travelling gave him time to relax. "I am not wrestling these days, I am travelling for promotions. I like long flights now. For me rest and wrestling go together," he said.
When we got talking about his physique, Ryback said, "I eat all the time. I eat everything from chicken to steak to egg whites. I'm on the run all the time and if I stop at a restaurant, I order at least two omelettes with chicken. I eat eight to 10 times a day. And I work out for three hours, with yoga and stretching, strength or weight training and conditioning.
Everyone has different genetics, and I come from a larger family. Some people are built skinnier naturally. You just have to eat a lot and then work out."
The life of a WWE wrestler doesn't come without sacrifices. "The WWE told me if I wanted to be the best, the best bet was to stay single and not start a family. I'm a loner and that is what I've given up to be what I am. I've had girlfriends, but at this point, I have to do what I need to do." But there was a girl in the US who introduced him to Indian films. "I knew a girl who was an Indian in the USA. She had a bunch of Indian movies which we watched together," he told us.
Ryback, who always wanted to wrestle, shared his formula for success. "I pretty much wanted to be a wrestler since I was a child. But I do believe if I work hard in any field, I can be the best at it. Even if I was working in a McDonalds, and flipping hand burgers, I would own a McDonalds. I believe in being the best and putting your best at whatever one does."
WWE star flexes muscles in Gurgaon - The Times of India