Given how tightly scripted the WWE product is these days, any moment that feels like a slight deviation from the script is one destined to delight and/or confound audiences. The stranger the deviation, the larger the response — which is why people are still talking about Johnny Knockout’s dynamite pre-match promo from Raw the other week. I mean, when was the last time you heard someone on WWE programming (or any TV show, for that matter) utter the phrase, “I like big, sweaty men,” especially while being approached by the biggest, sweatiest man in Braun Strowman?
The RCWR Show recently caught up with Mr. Knockout, who had this to say about his 15 seconds of fame:
“It was definitely unexpected. I didn’t think social media was going to go nuts over it. I’m not the biggest social media guy, in fact when I heard about it was through my Instagram… Somebody on one of my Instagram posts wrote; “Dude you’re trending!” […] And then I saw these posts with the hashtag then the #BigSweatyMen, I’m like wow this is the thing! I was like this is something I need to capitalize on so I opened the Twitter, I opened back up my Facebook and I started from scratch. The reactions has been pretty good. I just did what I thought was right at the moment like I always do and it worked out so I’m happy about that.”
So that begs the question: Was Johnny Knockout fed that line, or did he come up with it all by himself?
“I would say that I went out there and I said what I felt. I said what was on my mind in the moment and I just went with it. I mean who doesn’t love a big sweaty man, am I right? I mean when we workout and we get all big and working out, you sweat it up! We’re hot, we’re putting out some hard work man. Women, I mean come on you know many women have come up to me and said, ‘I love big sweaty men too?’ I’m like, ‘Good, high five!'”
There you have it: All it takes to speak your mind on WWE programming is a willingness to get pulverized by a 6-foot, 8-inch, 385 lb. behemoth. Simple!
(transcription h/t Wrestling Inc.)
