Stu Bennett on Wrestling Continuing Through the COVID-19 Pandemic, Doesn’t Begrudge AEW & WWE for Having to Fulfill Their TV Obligations

During a recent exclusive interview with the 411 Wrestling Interviews Podcast, former WWE Superstar Stu Bennett, aka Wade Barrett & Bad News Barrett, spoke to us about about pro wrestling during the global coronavirus pandemic and how it’s being handled by various promotions. He also addressed if he would be willing to work under such circumstances. Below are some highlights and audio for the interview:

Bennett on ideally how everyone should be locked down now: “Yeah, ideal world scenario, everybody should be locked down, not traveling in planes, not being in close contact with each other. That is a ideal-world scenario, and I think the company that I’m working with in the wrestling world [NWA] were very quick to shut everything down and say, ‘Until it’s clear, until it’s safe, we’re having no fans gathering. We’re having no wrestlers traveling or getting together on any shows.’ It’s that simple. But you have to balance that with the fact that companies like AEW and WWE have these massive TV contracts they’d be in breach of if they don’t produce their content. So, I absolutely understand both sides of the argument.”

Stu Bennett on wrestlers or promotions not having the luxury to be on hiatus right now: “As a human being, I am very happy that I have not been put on an airplane for the last four months. I’ve very happy I don’t have to continue doing that, but I’m also in a privileged position where I have funds[?] to tide me over through this period. There are people who don’t have that, and there are companies who are obligated to fulfill pre-existing agreements. So, it’s a really difficult situation. I’m not going to condemn that are carrying on running their shows. I hope every measure possible is being taken to limit the spread of this disease and limit the chance of getting it, but there is inherent risk to it. So, getting away from that, and that’s the nature of the beast unfortunately.”

In the full interview, Stu Bennett talks about his new film I Am Vengeance: Retaliation which releases on Friday, starring in the film alongside Vinnie Jones, his future in the wrestling industry, Drew McIntyre being the first British WWE Champion, WWE and AEW running shows during the current pandemic, the effect of NXT UK on the British wrestling scene, working with CM Punk on Ultimate Beastmaster and more.

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0:00: Intro
1:52: On starring in his own action franchise in the I Am Vengeance series and being able to show off more of his character
3:55: On working with a bigger cast this time around and seeing his character in a team environment
5:20: On acting opposite Vinnie Jones and growing up a fan of Jones as an athlete and an actor, how their fight scenes went
8:02: On working with Phoebe Robinson-Galvin and Katrina Durden in action sequences
9:40: On Drew McIntyre being the first British WWE Champion
10:40: On if he ever sees himself making a return to wrestling full-time or part-time
12:01: On whether he still follows the current wrestling industry, WWE and AEW running shows during the pandemic
14:50: On NXT UK having a negative effect on the British wrestling scene as a whole
16:13: On working with CM Punk on Netflix’s Ultimate Beastmaster
18:19: Outro

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