Kevin Steen Discusses WWE Performance Center, Sami Zayn, Daniel Bryan

WWE has not been shy about its investment into the future, especially with NXT Superstar Kevin Steen. Steen took time to speak with the Miami Herald about NXT and other wrestling-related themes. Below are some of the highlights.

On what it’s been like training in NXT thus far:

“It’s been pretty good, I used to train for wrestling all the time before I came here, so it’s not too big of a difference. Obviously, some things are different. The Performance Center is a professional wrestler’s dream, you get in there and there’s seven different rings. I was lucky if I had one decent ring to train in for 14 years before that, so that’s definitely good. There’s a strength and conditioning room, a strength and conditioning coach that we all have access to, and the coaches, there’s so much knowledge there. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen, so I’m really honored, I really appreciate the luck I have, because I feel lucky to be there. So so far, so good.”

Regarding his relationship with Sami Zayn:

“We actually really haven’t been in contact all that much, he’s been traveling with the main roster for a couple months now. I really haven’t had the chance to see him or talk to him. Although we’ve known each other for many, many years, I don’t want to say we’re not close, but we’re not as close as people might think because we’ve been through a lot, in and out of the ring.”

“He was a huge part of my career, I was a huge part of his too whether or not he’d like to admit it, and it’s actually really inspiring to see him here and see all the success, all the things he’s accomplished thus far. It keeps getting bigger and better for him. Until we get in the ring together, because things might take a drastic turn, who knows.”

On realizing the former independent stars are starting to make it:

“I remember a specific moment last year with Daniel Bryan, it was after ‘SummerSlam,’ he beat John Cena for the belt, for the title, Triple H took it away from him. Randy Orton ended up as champion. But they had ‘RAW’ in Toronto not long after that, and ‘RAW’ opened with Edge, the ‘Cutting Edge’ segment with Daniel Bryan. And I remember watching in my living room, they weren’t chanting ‘Yes!’ they were chanting ‘Daniel Bryan!’ and I got teary eyed, because I know what Bryan’s been through, I was there for some of it, for some of the work he put in to get there. That particular moment, I remember, I was so proud.”

More from the interview can be found here.

Editor’s Note

Good stuff here from Steen. Very excited to see him in NXT.

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