When Bron Breakker debuted in NXT 2.0 last year, it all looked so familiar. From her face to her ring to her way of speaking. Everyone knew that Breakker came from the legendary Steiner wrestling family.
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Rick Steiner’s son and nephew of Scott “Big Poppa Pump” Steiner has stormed the new iteration of NXT and looks set to take the company on its broad shoulders in 2022. It appeared in late 2021. , but failed in his NXT championship opportunity against Tommaso Ciampa at Halloween Havoc. But after an outstanding performance at WarGames that led Team 2.0 to victory, Breakker will have another chance to prove he is the future of the promotion when he faces Ciampa in New Year’s Evil.
Ahead of his rematch, Breakker spoke to Sporting News about his sudden rise, whether we’ll see his uncle and father by his side in a wrestling ring, and what it was like to make his TV debut as that zombie.
SN: What were you doing around this time last year?
Bron Breaker: I had just tried for WWE, and I want to say that was around this time that I got the phone call that I was one of the guys. One of those people who were selected and they were going to sign. I was getting ready and getting ready to go.
SN: When you look at last year, it must have moved a lot faster than you expected, right?
BB : You can never predict what’s going to happen here. It’s a crazy time, and it’s a great time to be a part of NXT. It has been incredible.
SN: Mid-2020, you were released by the Baltimore Ravens. Would you say it was a blessing in disguise, given this turn of events?
BB : I think so. I mean, it’s WWE; it’s always where I wanted to be. More than I even wanted to play in the NFL and keep playing football. I mean, I’ve always wanted to be in WWE my whole life. So deep down I knew that was what I wanted to do. This is where I wanted to be. It was only a matter of time before that happened.
SN: Was the transition from football to pro wrestling difficult, or did you find it natural given your family lineage and athletic background?
BB : The fight is tough and it’s tough. Some things came to me naturally. There are a lot of moves in the sport that both can transition into, such as footwork, speed, and explosiveness. There are a lot of similarities there that come to pro wrestling. I definitely ran into some issues along the way; I had to earn my stripes, man. I had to hit the ropes and get to work.
SN: How much fun are you having right now?
BB : It is the most beautiful moment of my life! It’s a dream come true.
SN: Is it still real to you, or are you still living a dream?
BB : I am becoming more and more comfortable as a sports facilitator. I think I’m kind of on the beat and understand it. I’m just figuring it out. Every time I go out I want to be more comfortable. I want to show that I belong. It was so much fun, it was surreal. It’s such an honor to work for WWE and be a part of NXT and all the great things that we have going on. You know, it’s amazing.
SN: Can you take me back to the day you found out that NXT was going to be NXT 2.0 and that you would have a major role in the next era?
BB : I showed up for work every day and wanted to be a good soldier. I treated it like football and other sports I was in before wrestling. When you show up at the building, you must be coachable and do as you are told. You have to be a good person and be a good representation of your team. So that’s all I was doing when I got the call. All I do now is want to be a great ambassador and representative for WWE.
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SN: You were thrown into the fire pretty quickly and worked with Tommaso Ciampa before, as well as competed in War Games, which ended up being Johnny Gargano’s last NXT game. Was it intimidating at all, or did you find yourself in your shoes?
BB : I can’t say enough good things about Ciampa, Gargano, LA Knight, Pete Dunne and everyone in our locker room. Everyone is a great performer and professional. These are great representations of the company, and it was a privilege for me to go and fight with these guys. It was a lot of fun, but also a hell of a learning experience for me.
SN: Your trajectory was tied to the back of a rocket, and you could tell it was in the same vein as someone like Brock Lesnar, who was a natural athlete who made a smooth transition to professional wrestling.
BB : I’m just taking it one day at a time, to be honest with you. Brock is the man. He has been the man for a long time. He did tons of great things in WWE and obviously went to the UFC to become the champion. If people say I’m in the same repertoire as him, that’s pretty cool. It is awesome. But I take it day by day and focus on the task at hand. I just try to improve myself every day.
SN: Your first real TV glimpse was as a zombie with Miz and Damian Priest’s match at WrestleMania Backlash in May. Did you have any idea that you would one day be a television regular?
BB : It was a fun experience. It was like my first taste of getting down to the main roster and seeing how they do things there. I have met some guys. It’s something that I look back on, and I had fun with a lot of the younger guys that I happened to have.
SN: When the switch to 2.0 happened, did you know that you would immediately be placed in a feud with Ciampa?
BB : I didn’t know anything. I had no idea what the plans were for me or anything like that.
SN: What should we expect from you in this rematch that we didn’t see the first time around?
BB : I think we’re going to see a more polished Bron Breakker this time around. I’m not going to make the same mistakes I made before. Kudos to him because he exposed me as being inexperienced, like he said he would. I know what he’s talking about and how tough he is. I know I’m up against the best in the business, and I’m up to the challenge. It will be an uphill battle. I’m not going to make the same mistakes I made the first time around, and it’s going to be a war.
SN: What would winning the NXT Championship mean to you?
BB : It means everything. It would be the greatest moment of my life to win this title, to access a management position to represent the company and a great honor for my career.
SN: Would you say that you are now more ready to be champion than you were the first time you faced Ciampa?
BB : Absoutely. It starts with practice; it starts with practice on the pitch, as we say in football. I have the best coaches in the world. We have the largest group of people in the performance centers to help us succeed and hone our craft. I’m just going to rely on my training.
SN: Did you tell your father and uncle about this opportunity?
BB : I have briefly here and there. They have high expectations for me, and I’ve always had high expectations for just being Rick Steiner’s son in all sports. I’ve always had this, so it’s really nothing new. I just have to live up to expectations and perform.
SN: I know you said Bron Breakker is the name you chose to establish your own legacy, but is there a possibility that we could see you, your dad, and your uncle sharing a ring with you? Is this something you think of because it’s the family heirloom?
BB : I have. It would be great for both of them to be a part of my career at some point. Who knows? I have no idea. But that would be a cool time for me because neither of them saw me wrestle in person. They watched it on TV. Maybe at the end of the day they can be a part of something with me. I do not know.
SN: What does 2022 have in store for you?
BB : It’s hard to say. It’s very unpredictable. But with any luck, become an NXT champion and start the year on a high note.
SN: We saw AJ Styles come from Raw and he’s now working with Grayson Waller. If you had the opportunity to work with someone on the list, who would it be?
BB : It’s Tommaso Ciampa. That’s who I want because I’ve got a score to settle at New Year’s Evil, and we’re going to war. It’s gonna be physical, we’re gonna fight each other, and I can’t wait to be.
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