Oba Femi

24:10Steph McMahon:Because you guys are making it happen. You're making it in the moment. That's right. It's not anything static. It's not like, oh, I can tell you the ten ways to reveal my cards or whatever in a card trick. It's totally different. Now I know you're cracking jokes out there. You're making it even better. I'm going to be watching. Yeah, I don't know. Like, Oba is all mean and bad. I know, that's why I can't picture it. And then he says something under his breath to you. And then you can't laugh. They're laughing. Right. Yeah. That's the contrast, right? Yeah, that's the fun part. That's what pops them.

24:42Steph McMahon:Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Because it's unexpected. Yeah. So, growing up, you said WWE, well, you didn't say this, but you have said this, that WWE wasn't really available on television? Not live at the time. Not live. So, how were you able to watch and how were you exposed to it? How did you even start watching? I mean, it would come up on TV, but there'd be like, it'd be backdated, like two weeks later it comes out. And then it got to the point where the CDs would be released a day later. So when I was in my teenage years, I actually started watching WWE again in like 2011. I think this is like the summer of punk, if I'm not mistaken.

25:27And I would, you know, the shows would come out on Monday and I would watch on Tuesday when I could. So I built up like a nice little collection of CDs of just wrestling from everything from 2011 to like 2016, 2017 maybe. Yeah.

25:43Steph McMahon:But it wasn't airing on any major station or anything? No. No. Not live. That's for sure. Yeah. Definitely tape delay. Tape delay. And then, but at the time, was social media? Yeah. In 2011, right? Yeah. For me personally, no. No, okay. Yeah, at the time. So it wasn't spoiled for you then? No, not at all. So you were catching up pretty much as if it was live? Yes. Okay, okay. Who's your favorite at this time? At this time, your husband. Oh. Yeah, at this time, your husband. Of course, of course. He's my favorite too. I'll say that. I've watched his stuff. I've studied him. What is it about him?

26:26It was the way he worked. just the the intensity the precision like i i liked the way he worked in the ring he was like more of a complete uh superstar like he was good at everything like nothing was like lacking and i like and i like that you know you have your your promo guys and your body guys and your walk rate guys and all that stuff but like he was he was complete the total package the total package and I respected that. Yeah.

26:55Steph McMahon:Is there any, like, as I agree, I know. I'm watching her listening to you. Package in general. But he was also a bad guy. He was. Did that, how did you feel about that? Did you like that? He was a villain. Did you associate with that in any way? Or no, it was just his in-ring work that you liked the most. I liked villains. Yeah. I've always liked villains. Do you know why? Because without the villain, there is no hero. Without the figure that is bigger than a man, there's nothing to overcome. So I think the villain is maybe even more important than the hero in every story. A thousand percent agree with you.

27:41Steph McMahon:I've always loved the heels in any story, whether it's wrestling, whether it's the movies, the bigger the bad guy, the bigger the hero, right? Because if you're trying to overcome something and it's easy, then what kind of hero are you, right? But if you've got to fight from underneath and it's this, the bigger, bad, or more powerful persona or monster, whatever it is, like then you overcome. Yeah. And that's the human story, right? Of being the underdog. and, you know, all of us in life have things to overcome, you know, depending on what challenges you want to take on. And I think life, when you live long enough, knocks you around.

28:25Steph McMahon:You know, that's just the way it is. It's part of being human and it's a human experience. So I think it's very relatable when people have, you know, they want to watch that hero overcome because they associate themselves, whether or not they realize it. Of course, I always associated myself with the bad guy. I'm like all of this Spoken like a true heel It was much more fun Much more fun I mean when you do watch Star Wars You know Darth Vader's He's the best Like Darth Vader all the way I mean the Emperor was I didn't love the Emperor person Say no more He needs to watch Yes I will not say anymore I won't spoil anything Yes no spoiling Oba We are partners with Fanatics and they have this blind ranking that they want you to do.

29:16Okay.

29:17Steph McMahon:You have to rank one through five, the best big men in the history of WWE. But you don't know what name is coming next. So be careful how you rank them. It's tough. First up, Kane. Three. Next up is The Big Show. Four. The ultimate big man, Andre the Giant. Two. The one and the only, The Undertaker. One. And finally, Obafemi. No! No, what would you be used to me? No! No! Let's start again. Fanatics did it! Fanatics did it! I can't be five.

30:10Estia. Above one. Shift the list down. One, take out two. There we go. Sorry.

30:24So how do you, how did you start to draw?

30:31Steph McMahon:And was that an outlet for you when you were feeling the pressure at home and you were retreating, was that an outlet for your emotion? What do you love about art? I hate to say it, but I've definitely fallen out of love with art. Out of love? It's not the same. Like, it's something I did out of obligation for many years. Oh, so it wasn't a love or a passion. It was obligation. It was a love. It was a passion. And then I was put in a box. I was told, Isaac, you're going to be an artist. He's going to be an artist. He's a good artist. He's very artistic. He expresses himself that way. So your teachers were saying this?

31:22Everyone from my teachers to my parents to my friends, everyone said that. So even when I wasn't as passionate about it, everyone else was pushing so hard that I felt obligated to do it. That's how I felt about it for a long time. As far as the inception, I don't know how I started drawing. My mom would tell me stories about how I would say, Mommy, draw this. Mommy, draw that. Draw a car. Draw a dog. Draw a cat. My mom would draw these things. And then after a while, I would start to draw. And then one very interesting thing that I noticed is that because Nigerian parents are very much perfectionists, I became a perfectionist myself.

32:01So when I would draw and I wouldn't get it, I would get mad.

32:03Steph McMahon:and, you know, frustrated, like tear the paper, throw it away, you know, whatever. That makes it not fun. That did make it very much not fun. I grew out of that, you know, after a while, I started to learn that, like, some of the mistakes are part of the art. Right, right. You compromise, you pivot, you know, you make it work. So I learned that later, but, like, I definitely became, like, this, like, perfectionist. I still carry, like, traits of that to this day. Like, when I see someone doing something, I'm like, he's not doing it well. when I struggle not to be like hey leave it like just let me do it or like tell them how to do it but like you're not everyone's coach you're not anybody's dad right so you have to just like just relax live with it you know so I have one piece of art that I'm curious about it's the well not the Bray Wyatt but that's very cool um do you want to say anything about the Bray Wyatt one I loved Bray.

32:58Yeah. I really, I loved the original Wyatt family.

33:02Steph McMahon:Yeah. Yeah. I just felt so passionate about that. The NXT. The NXT version. Yeah. Like when they first like got to the main roster. I remember there was one line that they hit. I actually used that line in a promo a few years ago. He said, you can send anybody after us, but like don't send anyone that you want back. And I was like, this is the greatest bar ever. What a bar. What a mic drop. So I loved Bray. I loved watching Bray. Yeah. Bray was amazing. Very different. I was about to go out and work, which was not my strong suit. And I was always so nervous before a match because, like, I hated to make— I would never want to make our business look bad.

33:48Steph McMahon:You know, that was always my biggest concern. Because I'm not—you know, I don't have the chops that everybody else has. And I was so nervous. I just, I always get really, really nervous. But it was Bray who had just come back and he was standing at the curtain. And he could tell. He knew what I was going through just by looking at me. And he just kind of gave me a little look. And he gave me the knuckles. And I was like, all right, I'm going to be okay. He was amazing. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And generational. I agree. You know, there's something that generational talent, whatever it is in the business, you just have this strange kinship, you know, that's just sort of unspoken because we've all grown up in this environment in some form or fashion and it helps shape you, you know.

34:40Steph McMahon:But there's this one drawing that you did with the one with the clock tower. Oh, yeah. The one with Big Ben on the old man's back. Yes. I couldn't tell if it was an old man or what. because of the end of that post i think the way that the old man has like dripping almost you'll see that like or torn tattered clothing or i'm not this is like everyone's favorite i don't i don't know why it's so fascinating um i don't i don't know why every everyone says they love this one this one took me maybe an hour it's usually the best ones seriously like the best music people The performers will say this wasn't even on the record at the time.

35:24Steph McMahon:Yeah. And then I added it last minute because we had to fill time. But what were you thinking about? Why did you draw it, especially if it was recent and you don't like drawing anymore? So I was still in school. I studied art in school, in college. So this was one of my projects or whatever. uh i think the idea was to illustrate that you know time is undefeated you know by looking at this picture you can assume that at some point this man was once whole and healthy and he held the clock straight you know high up and over time you know he deteriorates and he's not the same anymore now it starts to lean and and you can also assume that you know in the near future he's gonna get crushed yeah he's getting folded at some point so i just i just want i think it does a really good job of telling you what was and showing you what is yet to come i think that's what's so special everyone loves this one this is everyone's favorite art piece of mine really yes what's your favorite art piece i don't have one i have uh maybe maybe i would say it's maybe the few I did of my mom.

36:40I've drawn my mom quite the number of times. I've seen one of them. I love my mom so much. Yeah. Oh, that's so great.

36:47Steph McMahon:This one. I love this one too, because you could really feel her energy, I think. Yeah. But obviously I haven't seen all the ones that you've drawn, but is this like not one of your favorites or is it? No, it's up there. Yeah. It's up there. You know, considering my skill level and how old I was and where I was in life, like I appreciate this one a lot. And how old were you when you drew this? I was definitely a teenager, that's for sure. Maybe 14, 15. I'm not sure. Right around then, but you were living at home. I was in Nigeria for sure. 2015. 15? That was probably 17. It's amazing. She looks so alive.

37:23She is. That is my mother. She's very alive.

37:28Steph McMahon:What's one of the best lessons she's ever taught you? She taught me how to love. She taught me how to love. she taught me what genuine love feels like and she didn't do this like intentionally she didn't list out the steps she loved you she just loved me and like now to this day like even with like relationships and stuff like that like i know when someone really loves me yeah that's one thing she taught me when someone is halfway in i can tell because my mom showed me love oh that's so beautiful 100 i love that i love that and i think she would love that as a mother you know that's That's like the greatest thing that you could hear your child say is that you taught me how to love.

38:08Steph McMahon:You did. That you felt it the whole time. To feel loved your whole life. That's beautiful. That's beautiful. Thank you. So in artwork and what you just described with the tower and the old man, it's storytelling. Yes. so I'm curious if you recognize a tie for your and by the way my and I hate to keep throwing my husband out there I mean I don't really but he was he was an artist as well uh he went to school for graphic design he never finished school but he was he was a really good and still is a really good artist he's my uncle all my kids yeah yeah helped all my kids with their art projects with everything I, you don't want me helping because it's just not going to come out very well.

38:55Steph McMahon:But he was amazing in the things that he did. But he is a student, right? He studies everything. He studies human nature, psychology. And I mean, from observing, right? And asking questions and learning from all different kinds of people all over the world. And you seem very much that way. You know, you're constantly learning, you're observing body language, you want to know the whys of things. And I find in art, it tells a story which directly relates to wrestling. Yes. And I'm curious your perspective on that. And do you think that there's a natural bridge there, you know, that maybe one drew you to the other?

39:47I can't I can't say there's definitely a bridge that you know that lends itself to me crossing over but I can definitely see the parallels you know just like I said earlier I would be drawing as a child and it would go one way and then I would get frustrated and you know rip it up and then I learned that like you have to pivot same thing same thing here like you know you know people get injured people don't make it you know think things happen and you have to pivot too the story has to change so i think i see the parallels i see the beauty and the mistakes you know plans that we didn't have leading up to mania all of a sudden we have them now you know it's the same thing in art the exact same thing so there's a lot of parallels can you be a perfectionist in wwe you can but i don't think that's going to work i just don't i don't think you'll be very frustrated you will be very frustrated and i i think i i learned that lesson quickly uh there was like so i here in nxt when i was in developmental uh i'll come up with these matches and come up with these elaborate finishes and stuff like that and sean will always change it sean marcus will always change the fin and i'm just like and he used to like you know eat at me at first but i'm like why he knows where we're going right after this i don't know where we're going after that so he like you kind of have to just like lend yourself as a tool to make the art

41:12Steph McMahon:come to life and be okay with where it goes and you're putting a lot of trust in him i guess right yeah but that's reassuring trust he's sean michaels you know if there's anyone who's going to tell me what to do please it's him but like you know you just have to you have to square with that in your in yourself you know in your own mind and be like i'm willing and able to take this where it needs to or has to go. Were there other lessons there in addition to knowing where you were going, right? Which is something you didn't necessarily know or were privy to. But was there a pattern that you noticed that you kept trying to do that you kept running into the same wall?

41:54Like, was there one particular thing?

41:57Steph McMahon:Were you trying to be too elaborate? Were you, was there something that you found yourself doing that just didn't work? No, I can't say I tried the same thing over and over. I mean, I'm one of those people who like, okay, depending on the situation, I know which route to take. Whether that's the best route or not, I don't know. But it's my route, right? And at the end of the day, I'm like, okay, whatever I have in mind, I have to put that to the side. It's what Sean wants, to give him what he wants. And I will give him what he wants. So I learned quickly. You know, that's part of being like a student of the game, you know, like sometimes I would ask him what he's looking for and then go draft something.

42:39And then he still doesn't like it. And that's that's fine, too. Yeah. But at least that's part of the learning process, you know, like seeing where he his mind is at, you know, what direction he's trying to go and, you know, learning from him. Because I don't know how to book wrestling. I'm not a booker, but like it's it's it's an important skill to learn. I feel like a lot of guys, they're just like, you know, make me champion, you know, do this for me, do that for me. But they don't even understand like the patterns and the way in which, you know, the booking works.

43:08Steph McMahon:The why. The why. So I just lent myself to Sean and I let him take me where I needed to be. What is the importance of the why, do you think, in life in general? Importance of why? Of learning the why. I think the why makes us, you know, look further, look into the past, look into the future. Why is definitely important. Sometimes you have to just not answer the question. Sometimes you should be okay with because. And that's the hardest thing. Why? Because. Because I said so. That's actually something my dad actually taught me. He didn't like to explain himself. he wasn't he wasn't the best communicator on the planet so so a lot of this like daddy where are we going to you shut up my friend we're going we're going like okay i guess we're going and uh he he made me okay with that so like because i have that respect for my dad that's why when i came to nxt i was able to see these coaches like you know matt bloom and sean and Even like, even Iva, who was like a coach for me, you know, for a while, I was able to see them as that, you know, authority figure that I have to listen to.

44:29And if they said something, I don't need to really know why, because it's fine for me sometimes.

44:37Steph McMahon:So what do you think? Are you, one day, do you hope to have kids? Yes. So what do you think are some of the most important lessons you would want to teach them? i mean a lot of times i i feel like people try to create this contrast of giving their children things that they didn't have i'm going to try my best to simulate a lot of the things that i did have i did have strict parents i did have rules and guidelines i had a regiment and my children will have a regiment for sure as far as things that i i maybe didn't have i would try to make my children understand that they are people too uh because i remember a lot of times when i was a kid i'd have something going on in school but i would never bring it to my parents because like to them it was just like you're in school that's child's play you're in middle school who cares like like they treated it like it wasn't my life but at that time i'm 13 that's all you know that's all i know yeah that's your world i don't have the the fashionable trousers that people where to school like it was important to me you know right and like I'm going to see it from that perspective you know when my when my children bring me things I'm like it might not be important to me but it's their life it's important to them important to them yeah and if I if I have to stare them and make them understand that maybe it's not priority right now sure but as far as the level of importance to them I will address it so you remember how it felt yes I do yeah I do being And again, not that your parents meant anything bad by it.

46:15Steph McMahon:It's just they were dealing with other real life stuff, right? And to them, yeah, your pants don't matter. By the time you, you know, you'll learn what really, really matters. But as a child, you remember how that felt. And that's so interesting because I've had moments like that too when I was growing up. And I was told certain things and I was like, you know what? I understand where they're coming from, but I am not going to repeat that. I'm going to handle this particular situation differently. And I think that's very interesting, especially when you bring it from the child's perspective. And I find life is all about perspective at different points in time.

47:02Even when you're talking about staying calm and making it,

47:06Steph McMahon:thinking of it as practice, right? Like that's a perspective and that's not a perspective everybody's able to have, but it's what helps you and what helps you stay calm in the moment and what will help guide you through your life, right? That's one of those key lessons because there's still so much life for you to experience and so much for you to do. So what do you want to do? i mean i don't know i mean i want to wrestle yes i want to be remembered in wrestling i remember watching wrestling and feeling strongly about you know whether it was this superstar or this storyline i was invested to a very high degree and i want people to watch my walk and feel the exact same way i basically want to give people back the experience i got from watching wrestling.

48:03That's my big thing. Yeah. And that's one of the pros of being a fan coming into the sports. Like, you know what you want to give back. Right. And since like, it's funny, but since day one that I walked into NXT, I knew that, okay, I want to sound real. I want to be real. I want to make people feel things. I want to give and then take it away. And, you know, I want them to go on that ride, you know, with me. That's what I want to do in wrestling. I mean, championships, and conquest is going to come, you know, the ruler is the ruler. But I think that's my big takeaway. I think that's like when I'm done, I want people to feel about Femi.

48:43Steph McMahon:So I always quote Maya Angelou because she, and I butcher the quote a little bit, but people will never remember what you said. They'll never remember what you did. They will always remember how you made them feel. And if you can make people feel, you know, that's the genuine connection. That is what people take away because they had some type of emotional reaction to the story you were telling or the character you were being or what you said, the one line, you know, whatever that is because you made them feel something and that's what's going to connect them to you. Can we talk about how amazing my sleeping patterns have been lately?

49:24Steph McMahon:What? I love my mattress from Brooklyn Bedding. I found myself sinking in just enough. It feels like I finally found a bed that can meet my sleep needs. Brooklyn Bedding knows sleep isn't one size fits all. That's why they offer mattresses for everybody, every sleep style, even in hard to find sizes. Brooklyn Bedding also offers a 120 night comfort trial. Love it or they'll help you return it or swap it hassle free. Go to brooklynbedding.com and use my promo code Steph at checkout to get 30 % off site wide. This offer is not available anywhere else. That's brooklynbedding.com and promo code S-T-E-P-H for 30 % off site-wide.

50:11Steph McMahon:Support our show and let them know we sent you after checkout. brooklynbedding.com, promo code Steph. So you're a very well-educated man. Who are, like, are there, like, I love Maya Angelou and she's such a beautiful teacher and there's a few others that I follow and learn from. Are there any standout philosophers, teachers, books, quotes, things that you hang on to that you use for motivation or otherwise? I typically tend to pull from everywhere and then I try my best to filter what's for me and what's not for me. I can't tell you like there's one person that said this and I live by what they said.

51:03I always, I pull this. There's always a lesson everywhere, everywhere. Even your kids can teach you lessons. Absolutely. So all the time. You just have to pull and filter. That's how I live my life. If there's a lesson there, I learn it and I keep going. If there's another lesson and it's not for me, then it's not for me, I drop it. And then sometimes too, like it's not for you now.

51:28Steph McMahon:Right. It might be for you later. I mean, if I was to say anyone, Terry Taylor is one. Yes. He and I, when I was in NXT, we always disagreed on a lot of things. But Terry doesn't actually know that he's actually, like, very inspirational to me. Terry is a very smart, intelligent man, great storyteller. So you get lost in his words a lot of times. Like Terry, Terry taught me, this is one small one, very minute. Terry taught me the word minutia. He was, he was talking, he was like, oh, we're going to do this. You can't get lost in the minutia. I was like, what was that? He was like, minutia. It's the detail, the nuance.

52:13And I was like, wow. You know, like, so Terry is one. Terry is one. Let me throw his name out there. That's pretty cool. Yeah. Yeah.

52:21Steph McMahon:Shout out to Terry Taylor. Shout out to Terry Taylor. Yes, yes, absolutely. Your entrance at the Royal Rumble. Yeah. What was going through your mind? How are you feeling? Oh, man. I was really hoping the Saudi crowd would be on board with the chants. And, you know, shout out to Saudi. They were. They were there. I felt the energy, you know. Long ramps or bigger steps. Much bigger steps. More shoulders, you know, in there than usual. But, yeah. And where does this strut come from? I mean, it's kind of like a twist on, you know, Ric Flair. Oh, okay. It's kind of what you feel. It's a different one.

52:59I've made it more modern. There's more arm action, more shoulders.

53:03Steph McMahon:I've seen people doing it online. It's catching fire right now. It is. I really should start a TikTok because it's going crazy. Oh, yes. How about you do that like now, like today or whenever this comes out? So, I mean, a lot of people ask me how I do the strut. It's just, there's a lot of shoulder motion. It's all in the shoulders. People think it's just arms. No, no, no. It's shoulders. Actually the shoulders. It's the shoulders. Yeah. Yeah. Good tip. Good tip. And a little bounce in the knee. A little bounce in the knee. Long ramps, you have to do long strides to get where you're going quicker.

53:36But yeah. Very awesome entrance.

53:39Steph McMahon:Yeah, it was incredible. And an incredible performance too. Thank you. Yeah, absolutely. And I know the beads are important to you, right? because they're a tribute to your culture in Nigeria. Yep. And do you wear a lot of different kinds of beads? Yeah, I've accumulated quite the collection of beads ever since I started wrestling. I have about maybe 15 different colors, you know. Are we going to be matching beads to gear? That's always the goal. But sometimes, you know, I just try something different. Do they get bigger with each show? Those were some big beads. I'm just saying. I think those ones are definitely the biggest ones I own right now.

54:21Steph McMahon:Okay. But I could do it to where it gets ridiculous and it's just like maybe three big beads around my face. Who knows? We'll see. We'll see. Still to come. Still to come. My pastor, he was a very respectable man. His name is Femi Paul. He said a lot of wise things to me. you know he uh when tensions were building between like me and my dad he would always like step in and be like he's your father he loves you he was he was a very good guardian to me matter of fact my entire like church community you know they came together to raise money too when i was coming over to the states which shout out to grace assembly but uh yeah that community and femi paul as our leader of you know our christian father he he helped me a lot he said a lot of wise things to me that stuck with me you know what's one of them he told me never to disrespect my parents you know that's that's a big one um a lot of people say things out of anger and you know resentment frustration and he always you know he made he made that a point because like parents are the ones who are going to bless you when you go you know into the world and i do believe that my life is my life is what it is i strongly believe because my parents pray and they put positivity into my life, blessings into my life.

55:40So I'm going to do well. So yeah, Femi Paul was a huge inspiration for me.

55:46Steph McMahon:Anything else that sticks with you?

55:53The one thing that has stuck with me, no one particularly said this, but just like looking back on my life, I can say like, dream big. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid to dream big because if you look at me eight years ago i was in nigeria it didn't feel like i could be a wwe superstar but i always wanted more out of life i didn't know for sure that i was going to be in the wwe but i was like okay i'm throwing now there's no reason why i can't get a scholarship to the u.s i'm in the u.s now i'm in middle tennessee there's no reason why i can't be in alabama in the sec you know i'm in the sec there's no reason why i can't win the secs win the secs there's no reason why i can't place at nationals places at national there's no reason why i can't be a wwe superstar does the tryout becomes a superstar there's no reason i can't be nxt champion becomes that so you just have to keep becoming more like never settle like never never be content with who you are there's this people i always say this people give this advice be yourself.

56:57That's fine. You can be yourself and you'll be okay where you're at. Sometimes if you want to be more, you have to evolve. So don't stop dreaming big and always evolve.

57:10Steph McMahon:I love that philosophy. And I think when you're saying be true to yourself, evolving is a part of that, right? Because you always want to grow. You never want to be stuck. You want to continue to become the best person you can possibly be. Or at least some people feel that way. But I agree with that mindset completely. I don't think you ever want to be just stuck. Yeah, no. Yeah. It's just that would not be any fun. And then where's the adventure? It's just comfort. Yeah. Perceived comfort. It's perceived comfort. But comfort's going to, I mean, things are going to change. If there's one thing you can guarantee in life, it's that.

57:52Change. change will happen just when you think you're at your most comfortable then something's going to

57:59Steph McMahon:flip so you have to be prepared for it you know embrace change which is not easy no you know but if you have a growth mindset i think that it's helpful it's that perspective again like okay something's going to happen all right so it happened now how am i going to continue forward and what am I going to do next? This isn't about hype or luck. It's about optimization. Living stronger, thinking clearer, and performing better every day. At Game Day Men's Health, that's the standard. Game Day Men's Health helps men improve testosterone, energy, and sexual performance with real testing and face-to-face visits.

58:42Steph McMahon:They help men reach their full potential with science-backed care from testosterone optimization and peptide therapy to ED and performance support with personalized treatment plans. With over 400 clinics across North America, they've got you covered. No long waits, no online guesswork. When life demands you be at your best, every day is game day. Learn more or book your visit at gamedaymenshealth.com. We'd like to do a quick burnout check-in presented by Game Day Men's Health. Okay. Do you ever feel like you're running on empty? And if so, what is your reset strategy? Give yourself an off day.

59:27Give yourself an off day. Detox. Come back to it later.

59:31Steph McMahon:Recovery is important. Very. How do you keep your mental and physical stamina where it needs to be? Learn to push yourself past your limits. Learn to operate at like a 90, even though the world requires you to be at a 70. So the 70 is a piece of cake, if that makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. Ooh, I love that. That goes back to your whole practice, how you want to play. Yeah. I mean, it makes a lot of sense. Game Day Men's Health believes burnout is not a badge of honor. It's a signal. Their in-person personalized treatments like testosterone optimization, peptide treatments, and NAD plus therapy may help men stay focused, energized, and sharp for whatever life throws at them.

1:00:14Steph McMahon:With over 400 clinics nationwide, learn more about booking your free blood work and consultation. Go to gamedaymenshealth.com. Your timeline, you just made it sound so easy. I know that it wasn't. Can I do this? I did it. And so then I did this. I'm going to become champion. Like just, it's so impressive. It is very impressive. Thank you. I don't think your average person can do that. Or maybe they can if they truly believe it and work hard enough at it. But I don't think everybody has that kind of mindset to be able to persevere, you know, like that. And clearly it's from a loving family. Your mom taught you love, right?

1:01:03Steph McMahon:It's from a community that supported you and taught you so many lessons about respect, about what's possible. Who taught you to dream big? Who did teach you to dream big? I just recognized the pattern of everyone who was successful. They weren't afraid to dream wild. Like who? Name one. Elon. Yeah. Joe Rogan. Whoever. But I mean, are these people that you were following that helped? Yes. Yeah. Those are a couple of good ones. I listened to a lot of Joe Rogan when I was in college. Yeah. A lot of Joe Rogan. And, you know, he just, he had this mindset of like, go out there, go and do it. Yes. Yeah.

1:01:51David Goggins. Like, his story is incredible. Like, just from being like a plumber, just a regular average guy to becoming who he is today. Like, it's insane. So just if you look back at who he was and who he is now, it's like, how do you even dream that big? Where do you start? Right. You start.

1:02:12Steph McMahon:You just start. You just start. And you keep pushing the goalposts? Yes. So once you, you know, there's all these different theories on happiness, right? That once you achieve your goal, that's not actually what makes you happy. It's the pursuit of happiness. The journey. Yeah, it's the journey. there's this woman Diana Nyad who swam and you know I know I quote a lot of the same stuff but it works every time she swam from Cuba to Florida and she started trying in her 20s she didn't accomplish the task until she was in her 60s crazy and she'd given up in the middle you know it's not like she'd continued to try but what made her go back when she was in her 60s to do this.

1:03:00Steph McMahon:And I heard her speak. She wrote a book. I read the book, but I heard her speak. And what she said is, it's not about who you become once you reach your destination. It's who you become along the way. And I thought that was so powerful and so perfect because it's true. And the decisions you make, the reactions you have in the moment to things, you know, how you handle extreme situations, whatever they are. Viviting. Yeah. That's your character that defines who you are and who you ultimately become. That's deep. It is deep. Yeah. But you seem kind of like a deep guy. I do. Yeah. I'm a thinker for sure.

1:03:47I'm feeling you a little bit. I'm definitely a thinker. Yeah. Whether good or bad, you know. Right, right. Definitely a thinker.

1:03:54Steph McMahon:That's good, though, I think. I think so. And you're creatively minded as well as practically minded, which those two don't always go hand in hand. Yeah. But I don't know how I became this way, but I have. And sometimes it's not too good because, like, ignorance is bliss. It really is. It sure is, I know, yeah. Because sometimes when you start asking why and you start finding these answers, you're like, oh. Yeah, they're not pretty sometimes. They're not always, you know, the best to look at. So sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. Sometimes you know too much. Sometimes you read the language and you're like, ah.

1:04:32Steph McMahon:Yeah, that's why the because I said so. Yeah, it's helpful. It's better sometimes. Very helpful. Yeah. Because it is. It just is. It is. Yeah, so good or bad, this is who I am. This is a loaded statement. But I once asked my dad a question and he looked at me and he said, I want you to rethink if you really want to know the answer to that question because I will tell you and I'm not sure that you want to know the answer and it's really not, it wasn't a big deal it's not anything related to anything that's happening but it was like it was, yeah yeah well, so I learned that lesson super young and the answer is yes But no, but it was just interesting because there was something that had happened and he he said, you can't be afraid of the answer if you really want to know.

1:05:34Steph McMahon:And I didn't ask again. I realized, you know what? I'm good right now. I don't think maybe I'm not ready for that. What was the question? I know. That's what I'm wondering. It was a very minor thing. It wasn't like a big, huge thing. But, yeah, but it was an interesting answer, you know. Very. Yeah. And, you know, it just makes you think, right? Because sometimes you don't want to know the answer because the answer can be really disappointing or something you don't understand as well and you come to understand it later in life. but if you want to know, you can't be afraid of what the answer is.

1:06:19True. Yeah.

1:06:22Steph McMahon:I know, it's very deep, very deep. It is. I didn't think that we were going to get deep in this environment because it's like not an intimate setting. Oh, no. The lights are purple. Yes. The atmosphere is deep. We were ready to get deep. It is. The second we started. Come on. He's like, really? Let's be real. We're sitting on top of each other over here. Yeah. Yeah, with my chair that now doesn't rock, thank goodness. Yeah. Because it was laying back and I can't do that. Don't scare me, you know? Yeah? Yeah. You don't want to topple. 300 pounds. Yeah. Not good. But you know how to roll. Thankfully.

1:06:56Steph McMahon:You can take a bump. I don't want to. Not right now. Not right now. WWE World returns to Las Vegas this April 16th through the 20th. and it's the can't-miss destination during WrestleMania week. WWE World brings the WWE universe closer than ever to the superstars, legends, and iconic moments that define WWE. With immersive exhibits, exclusive merchandise, and experiences you won't find anywhere else. See superstars like Drew McIntyre, Liv Morgan, Jey Uso, Dominik Mysterio, Tiffany Stratton, and many more. with even more appearances still to come. Tickets are on sale now at www.world.com. Save 10 % with promo code YOURSTORY10.

1:07:49Steph McMahon:So what are some of the things that interest you for your future? Like where do you want to see yourself when you're 50? What are you... I want to be a father when I'm 50. um i want to be i know a lot of guys say like oh i should be done by 50 but like i don't know yeah who knows but for now i'll go with the trend i would like to be done by 50 wrestling i see myself giving back at that point in my life in whatever capacity even if it's like throwing short put like i still have a lot of knowledge yes that i acquired over the years i can still give that to somebody and uh hopefully it's it's wrestling too like hopefully i've done a lot of things i've i've i've done it all so i have things in the vaults to give back and you know train someone else and you know watch them become something too and uh i don't know i don't know i'm still i'm halfway there yeah i know it's hard to say i just didn't know if you had you know visions of where you see yourself?

1:08:56I'm kind of a close proximity vision guy.

1:09:00Steph McMahon:Which is great. You live in the moment day by day, girl. I think about evolving, but I don't think about evolving to this set point in the future. I just think about getting better than I am now. So I can't really tell you what I want from when I'm 50. That's very fair. Why do you say that? Day by day? Yeah. You said you're a day-by-day girl. There's a lot going on. Anything you care to share? No, no. I just mean like I think similar mindset to him, like thinking about 20 years from now, 15, even 10. It feels daunting. Yeah. It can be. And then I think back to like being more present and trying so hard to live in the now as a mom, as a friend, as a wife.

1:09:49Steph McMahon:Like, it's almost easier to appreciate each day and not think, because then I also will be so overwhelmed thinking about even two years from now, five years. Yeah, it makes sense. Not small-minded because I want so much, but like, let's just. No, and I think that's actually a beautiful way to be because who knows what the future holds? Right. And who knows what's going to happen tomorrow? So, you know, the old proverbial, you can get hit by a bus. So, you know, you have to live in the moment. Yeah. And I'm going to try to pull up. Remember that I had this tweet that I sent you the other day about the woman and her husband had just passed.

1:10:37Steph McMahon:If I can find it in our chain. Oh, yeah. Which is like. I know. It's probably in the links. Let's see. Yeah. So this is. And again, I won't read the whole thread, but it's a hundred and two year old woman. who had been married for 78 years, was asked on her deathbed what she wished she had done differently. And she talks about her husband mostly. I wish I had kissed him more and criticized him less. I wish I had asked him more questions. I wished I had danced with him more even when I was tired. I wish I had forgiven faster. I wish I had told him more often what I loved about him. I wish I had worried less about the laundry and more about the laughter.

1:11:20Steph McMahon:I wish I had been more present when he was dying. And then her final words for her daughter. Don't wait. Don't wait until it's almost over to start living. Don't wait until you're too tired to dance. Don't wait until you've run out of time to ask the questions. Do it now. Kiss him now. Laugh with him now. forgive now tell him now wow poor guy right she sounds like maybe she had it rough

1:12:00Steph McMahon:died of stress wow yeah well but it's relatable right like like i how many times have i been i have to finish this task whatever it is before i can go sit on the sofa for a minute or whatever it is, it's like you get swept up in all the minutiae that you think is important that ultimately isn't because that's not what matters. When you said what your mom, how she made you feel loved, I thought back to we had just shared this, like you as a parent are so busy doing so much to make everything, you're packing the lunches and you're like, you're not as present as you could be. So for you to walk away from a childhood and say like you felt that love, it's what all moms strive for just to tie it all back together.

1:12:50Yeah.

1:12:50Steph McMahon:Shout out to your mom. Shout out. Yeah. Shout out to Maria Odubisson. There we go. So just sort of to end things on a high note, is there like a great story of you and your mom that you remember? like you were trying to accomplish something and she stepped in it seems like you're that you you're remembering a moment i'm remembering a few they weren't quite as soft and loving um so fun fun fact uh me and my mom would always like read things together you know how like you're helping your your son through whatever and i just remember falling asleep during one of our reading sessions and uh she she lets me like doze off almost like 70 percent and then she screams out read and i remember like waking up and like panicking and i'm going to the farmer said this and to tie that all back together i used the exact same line this past uh friday on smackdown You did.

1:14:00I did. You did. That was from my mom. Oh, how cool is that?

1:14:03Steph McMahon:Oh, I love that. That's a mom exclusive. That's a different kind of full circle moment. Yeah. Read. Read. Read. And then the truth came out. And then you punished him for it. I did. You did. You laid the smack down or so they say. Yes. Well, Oba, this has been an awesome interview. Thank you very, very much. I wish you all the success in the world however you define success the things that you want to accomplish I think you have so much to give and so much to to experience yourself and to give back and I have no doubt that you're going to do that because of what's in your heart and who you are and it's been a real privilege to have this opportunity to interview you today thank you very much thank you for having me great experience Yay.

1:14:55Steph McMahon:Good, even though I sleep.

1:15:00To the me I used to be, before texting 988. When another argument with mom felt like the end of the world, and school got too stressful, I felt alone. But when I texted 988, a real person texted back. Someone listened without judgment. I'm still here, and I'm stronger than I thought. We hear you. Call, text, or chat 988. It's free, confidential, and here for you 24-7. Brought to you by the New York State Office of Mental Health. With CarGurus Discover, you can skip the filters and describe what you're looking for in your own words.

1:15:35Steph McMahon:Simply type what you want and CarGurus Discover instantly surfaces real listings that match your exact needs. It's no wonder CarGurus is the number one most visited car shopping site according to SimilarWeb's estimated traffic data. Buy or sell your next car today with CarGurus at CarGurus.com. Go to CarGurus.com to make sure your big deal is the best deal. That's C-A-R-G-U-R-U-S.com. CarGurus.com.