‘I Iove being hated’: Aussie wrestler Grayson Waller is no fake

Aussie WWE star Grayson Waller has spilled the beans on his real personality after the wrestler went viral for a live TV outburst.

Grayson Waller is no fake.

The Australian wrestler made headlines last week when he took issue with Sunrise host Matt Doran challenging him and US wrestler LA Knight to show off his signature moves on a crew member.

“I don’t think you understand – if I come over there right now, we’re going to have the police here, cos I’m not going to give you some fake punch. I’m going to punch you straight in the jaw,” Waller said, as Doran struggled to contain him while the crew member quickly scampered away.

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To the average viewer, it was a shocking outburst – but as the clip circulated online, wrestling fans were quick to praise Waller.

They insisted his trash talk had actually diffused the situation, and was a better option than potentially hurting one of the TV show’s staff members.

It’s no secret WWE storylines are scripted but Waller was making the point that the physicality of the sport is very real.

You don’t body slam or jump from the ropes and intentionally collide with an opponent — check out this Logan Paul move — if you’re not willing to put your body on the line.

Waller will be one of the stars of the show at the WWE Elimination Chamber in Perth next month, featuring wrestlers from the WWE’s Raw and SmackDown brands.

“I’m a bit nervous about it in a way,” Waller told news.com.au.

“Reason being I’ve showed in the past when these big shows happen and I have my moments I’m going to do whatever it takes to go viral.

Grayson Waller doesn’t appreciate people belittling WWE. Photo: Channel 7.

“I’ve jumped off cages, jumped off ladders. I’ve done some pretty silly things. I’m a bit nervous to see what I’ll do in front of 40,000 people, my friends, my family in Perth. There’s almost nothing I won’t do to make sure people are talking about me.”

Waller, whose real name is Matt Farrelly, grew up in Bankstown and was a school teacher before making the leap from the domestic wrestling scene to the big time in America.

He’s one of a handful of Aussie WWE stars including Royal Rumble winner Rhea Ripley and former NRL player Daniel Vidot.

Nothing will kill a WWE storyline faster than a bland personality and Waller has made himself a ‘heel’, or villain — earning him plenty of fans along with a few critics.

“I’m honest,” he said. “I like to push buttons.”

“For me personally, it’s worked really well for my career. The reason I’m at where I’m at is because I’m not scared. I’m going to say exactly what I think. For some people they don’t like that. I understand that.

Grayson Waller is. Picture by Max Mason-Hubers

“I do get under people’s skin and sometimes it’s a cold reception in the locker room and that’s OK, I’m fine with that.

“I’m not in the WWE to make friends. I’m in the WWE to make money and make myself the biggest person that the company has. I have no problems offending people and getting under people’s skin.

“That’s part of the fun. I enjoy it. I love being hated. I don’t being liked if that makes sense. It’s much more fun to be hated.

“This show, it might be a different reception being an Aussie boy, I’m interested to see how they act.”

The Aussie wrestler loves to be hated. Photo: Supplied.

Waller appears on the SmackDown brand and is currently in a tag team with Austin Theory called A-Town-Down Under.

But he’s perhaps best known for doing shoeys and hosting the Grayson Waller Effect — an interview segment where he’s given free rein to rip into WWE’s biggest names on TV.

“I’ve always enjoyed the entertainment side of wrestling,” Waller explained.

“I love fighting and I love getting hit and I love hitting people.

“But there’s something to the entertainment side that works really well with me. Getting to have the talk show is always a lot of fun and I’ve had some huge guests on the show. People like Shawn Michaels, Cody Rhodes, the biggest names have been on my show.

“Getting to interact with them and have some fun and say some really mean things about them. That’s my favourite part. I get to say some really mean things and try and get under their skin.”

UFC 293 in Sydney was a mega event and it will be no different for the WWE Elimination Chamber in Perth, which will set up WWE’s storylines for the entire year of shows.

There is a large contingent of diehard wrestling fans in Australia and Perth’s Optus Stadium could explode if Logan Paul and legend CM Punk enter the ring.

“WWE is great on TV but being there live is a completely different experience,” Waller said.

“Feeling that crowd, the chants. I’ve had a lot of friends that aren’t wrestling fans that come to a show and have the best time.

“This show Elimination Chamber is hands down the biggest show in Australian wrestling history. This show is basically going to set up WrestleMania, which is the biggest show in WWE.

“There’s so much happening. We’ve already Logan Paul, CM Punk, so many big names are going to be at this show. I’m very excited.”

Elimination Chamber: Perth is on February 24 at Optus Stadium. Tickets are still available via Ticketmaster.

Originally published as ‘I Iove being hated’: Aussie wrestler Grayson Waller is no fake