Xavier Woods wants fans to know that while wrestling might be fake, what wrestlers do is far different from what you see in movies.
While recovering from an Achilles injury, Woods visited the NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis. Catching up with ESPN, Woods was asked about any potential crossover between hockey and wrestling fans.
"Oh definitely. Everybody has some tie to wrestling, either it was their grandpa taking them to matches or their stepmom being really into it. Everyone has some sort of wrestling story, and when they understand what wrestling is, they have a different appreciation for it."
He continued, "Look, it's 2020. We get it. Wrestling is what wrestling is. And then we'll hear people saying they just watch UFC and not the 'fake stuff.' Well, the dragons on "Game of Thrones" are not actually dragons. And in shows that are in television, you have months or years to write a script, the actors then get those scripts. They go over their lines. They shoot the scenes 30 times. And then they make their best cuts from all of these, and produce their 12-episode shows. Our show is on 52 weeks a year. We don't get scripts days in advance; we find out what we're doing at like 5 p.m., and then go and perform it at 8 p.m. It could change in the ring. It can change during a live shot, in front of a live audience. We have to tell a story through words and through physicality as well. Once people get that, they realize, 'Oh, this is difficult. I should really appreciate it.'"
Woods has been active while being away from the ring. Along with his NHL All-Star Game appearance, he's continued to host streams on UpUpDownDown and will host the Crunchyroll Anime Awards on Feb. 15.
It is unknown when Xavier will return to the ring.
