NXT 10-Count: Mojo Rawley

NXT 10-Count: Mojo Rawley

Did you know that Mojo Rawley is an avid collector of Zubaz clothing? How about the fact that Mojo never drinks coffee? This week, the “Master of Hype” is in the hot seat answering the questions from YOU, the WWE Universe, in  NXT’s 10-Count.

WWE UNIVERSE: What is the difference between the training you went through in the NFL compared to the training you’ve gone through with WWE?

MOJO: I was surprised to see the extent of how different the training is. In football, I was a defensive lineman so my weight training was centered around achieving mass and power. I did mostly high weights and low reps. My cardio training primarily required me to operate at a high energy output for short bursts throughout a football game. Now, my cardio and weight training has to enable me to function nonstop throughout a match. I have to be able to function continuously throughout the entirety of a whole match. Quickness within a ring is more important than straight line speed on a football field. The structure of my training has changed completely but my training style has not. Intensity, conditioning, power and HYPE!

WWE UNIVERSE: There has to be a time when you are not hyped, right?

MOJO: There isn't. I stay hyped all the time, no matter what. That is what I stand for, that is my foundation. I learned a long time ago that this is what is required to achieve success. Even when things are at their worst, you have to be more hyped than ever so you have what it takes to fight through the storm and into the light.

WWE UNIVERSE: What do you do in your free time?

MOJO: Outside of training, my favorite hobby is break dancing! I love going and dancing for hours nonstop. It’s phenomenal cardio, plyometric and agility-based training, and my dance moves are awesome! I am also a collector of the clothing known as Zubaz. I own hundreds of pairs of shorts, pants, underwear, shirts, head bands, bandanas, neckties, sunglasses and even a wrestling singlet among others. They are the only thing I like to wear in my free time because they are crazy comfortable and look amazing!

WWE UNIVERSE: What is something that was tough to go through growing up but looking back made you a better person?

MOJO: One of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do was when I made the decision to transfer colleges to go from a small college football team, where I had it all, to risk everything for a chance at something great at a large college team. When I was at the Division 3 Christopher Newport University, I had a full academic scholarship to be a starter and a captain on the football team while being an Officer in the Leadership Program, Honors Program and the Executive Board of the Business School. My life was on a track, but I gave up everything to have a chance at something greater. I walked on at the University of Maryland as a non-scholarship, fifth-string scout team player who had to pay out-of- state tuition at $40,000 per year just to have a chance at the highest level of competition. It was one of the most difficult transitions I have ever experienced, but in the end paid off as I earned my scholarship and place on the team and eventually earned my MBA and my way into the NFL. I consider this decision as the springboard for big endeavors in my life and it taught me to always bet on myself, never listen to the odds and to never stop grinding. I stay hyped.

WWE UNIVERSE: Is there something about your diet that keeps you so energized?

MOJO: Nope. I actually personally refuse to consume energy drinks, sodas, coffee, or anything of the kind because I pride myself on staying hyped naturally.

WWE UNIVERSE: If you could wrestle any Superstar from the past, who would it be?

MOJO: Without a doubt, The Ultimate Warrior. It would have been an honor and a privilege to have learned first-hand from one of the greatest Superstars of all time and the most energetic Superstar of all time. I have studied him tirelessly, so being able to step into the ring with him would have been out of this world.

WWE UNIVERSE: What kind of impact did The Ultimate Warrior have on you?

MOJO: The Ultimate Warrior has always had a huge impact on me. He was always one of my favorites as a child because of the way he looked and the way he acted. The intensity he brought to the ring every single match was absolutely unreal and I can appreciate everything he stood for even more now as an adult and an NXT Superstar. His match against Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI is one of my all-time favorite matches and being able to be at my first WrestleMania this year when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame was such a cool thing. His spirit will run on forever.

WWE UNIVERSE: What made you want to be a WWE Superstar?

MOJO: Being a WWE Superstar is the first thing I ever wanted to do. I was a huge fan as a kid and have always been amazed by the spectacle that is WWE. Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan were some of my childhood heroes along with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Goldberg. I remember dressing up as my favorite Superstars when I was a kid. I loved watching every single week with my dad and my brother. When an opportunity to join WWE arose, I left everything I had ever known to be here and it was the easiest decision I have ever made.

WWE UNIVERSE: I want to be a Superstar one day, do you have any advice on how to become one?

MOJO: Absolutely. Stay hyped every minute of every day. There are millions of people in the world that try every day to become a WWE Superstar, so you have to find something that will give you your competitive advantage to get your chance. Stay in the gym, stay in the ring and train as hard as you possibly can. Stay healthy, stay safe and watch all the film you can. Take chances, give it everything you have and leave no stone unturned. But have fun in the process! Embrace the grind and love it because if you don’t, you will never make it.

WWE UNIVERSE: Do you like hip-hop music?

MOJO: Yes, I do. I love all kinds of music but one of my all-time favorite songs is "All of the Lights" by Kanye West. I sing that song in my head sometimes before I come running out of the curtain before a match.  Actually, I sing it all the time at the WWE Performance Center.

Watch Mojo Rawley on  WWE NXT on WWE Network Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET. Follow Mojo Rawley on Twitter  @MojoRawleyWWE and get more NXT coverage on the official NXT Facebook page.

WWE Shows Latest Results

View all Shows