Ryback left WWE back in 2016 and while he's since shown up on the independent circuit, he's yet to sign with a company despite being in demand immediately after he decided to leave the company.
When All Elite Wrestling was launched, rumours immediately started swirling that he was in talks to join the newly launched promotion. When I had the chance to talk to Ryback, I made sure to ask him about that and he confirmed that while he's interested, he's currently hard at work on getting back to 100% after a nasty series of injuries sustained in WWE put him on the shelf for most of 2017/18.
"Right now, my main priority is just getting healthy. I just had another shoulder scope yesterday which was my second one in two years. I've had ten stem cells procedures and I've got the eleventh coming up on February 11th. That, right now, is my main focus. I want to get as strong and healthy as possible and that will take a few months and then I can evaluate where I am physically and decide what route I want to go with wrestling. I have no doubt that no matter what I choose, it will be the right decision. After leaving WWE, I was hurt first and foremost and I've essentially saved my career and been blessed by the technology that we have with stem cells where I've avoided having five discs fused and a shoulder replacement. I was in a bad way so it looks like I'm going to have a second chance to actually have a new body and do what a lot of performers wouldn't have had the opportunity to do. Where that's at, I don't know, and it honestly hasn't crossed my mind yet because I need to get to a certain level health wise before I know I can push myself at a high level again."
As for whether or not he has any interest in returning to WWE somewhere down the line, Ryback admitted to moving on from his anger towards the company and now feels like it's a possibility one day.
"I've said it before that anything is possible and I was really, really, really angry for a period of time and rightfully so, and no wrestling fan will truly ever understand based off my particular circumstances that I've openly discussed on my podcast, especially early on in the archives of the show, with my ankle injury and things of that nature. At the same time, holding on to anger doesn't get you anywhere and I have my fan mail account where I get fan mail from kids and adults to this day and I understand how important it is to them and I'm very thankful that people care enough about me where they would want to see me return. It would have to be the right situation. And again, having a business now and things of that nature, returning to TV would only enhance everything I'm doing even further. So from that perspective, it would be a good move. I have to make sure my health is first and foremost and it's not going to be something I go back into and, you know, a year from now I'm in the same position (which I don't think would be the case because my disc has been regrown and there are no symptoms and I'm pain free). But like I said, I'm not holding on to anger and I've learned a lot of valuable lessons from the way everything has worked out. I would just make sure that the communication was the top priority from the very beginning. Getting healthy first is the goal. Once I'm healthy, then I will I will see what the options are going to be."
The landscape in WWE is obviously very crowded these days but Superstars are leaving left, right, and centre, especially now it's become apparent that All Elite Wrestling can provide them with a better schedule and a solid payday! For now, it would definitely be more interesting seeing what Ryback could do in AEW but you never know what might happen in WWE so he could pop up there again soon.
You can find our full interview with "The Big Guy" by clicking here.