I was tired of just kind of being on that express train, whatever you want to call it, so to speak. It just sort of shoots forward, and you have no creative autonomy, no control over your time, and there's not much time for side projects or family and friends.
— John Morrison
When you leave WWE, like, when I left, I was thinking, 'Maybe I'll take, like, a year off, and in that year, I'll probably do a Marvel movie, maybe a couple of movies. I don't know.' And, obviously, completely unrealistic.
When I get into 'Lucha Underground,' now it feels like I'm part of a collaboration. And I'm talking about storylines; I'm talking about how we can put matches together, where we're going to go, what's going to happen to 'Lucha Underground' as a promotion; what's going to happen with my character; and I was back in suddenly.
A lot of people ask me, like, how the characters are different between Nitro and Morrison and Mundo, and the biggest difference is just the names. Like, wrestlers are usually a version of yourself, and the versions of myself haven't really changed that much.
'Lucha Underground' is like a combination of Lucha Libre, American Pro Wrestling, and gridy action films. It's got a lot of things I like - action, wrestling, and really good storytelling.
The roster of 'Lucha Underground' would definitely be excited about a fifth season. Same thing with the producers and everybody.
With 'Lucha Underground,' it's really tight, and you don't need to fast-forward. Everything you're watching is important and entertaining.
If you can do a squat and a pushup, you can build up to becoming a fitness guru.
Life is a pretty awesome ride.
If the path is taking me to a world heavyweight championship, that's great, but all I really strive for and care about is putting on the best matches I possibly can.
Vampiro preys upon people's dreams and lies to people, but he doesn't keep track of his lies.
My dream mixed-tag match has always been against the 'Macho Man' Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth.
I'm as fast as a Corvette and as big as a Hummer.
Johnny Nitro was like Johnny Hollywood, Johnny Danger, Johnny Blaze... it's just an obvious stage, Hollywood name. But John Morrison is more like a real person.
If I had my career to do over again, I think I would wrestle under my real name, John Hennigan, because if there was some sort of brand test associated with professional wrestling, I would hardcore fail that test because I have so many names, it's confusing to me, even.
I don't own any of these names. I don't own Johnny World, Johnny Mundo, John Morrison, Johnny Nitro, Johnny Blaze or Johnny Impact. None of it.
I left for Fiji 36 hours after we wrapped 'Lucha Underground' season 4. The producers of 'Lucha Underground' had to bend over backwards to get me wrapped out of the season to leave for 'Survivor.'
The thing that I didn't take into consideration is that acting, like wrestling, is a skill.
I always liked 'Johnny Blaze,' but we announced it on TV, and it was under copyright by Marvel. Then I had 'Johnny Spade,' and that name sucked, then I had 'Johnny Nitro.' Johnny Nitro was one of my favourite names.
I can't tell you how many spot shows little Johnny Nitro, like, pulled the chair out in the arena in Shelbyville Fair and did a moonsault only to get chewed out by Rip Rogers and Jim Cornette about it. I mean, I did years of it.
What's cool about wrestling is that you do find yourself working with very talented and very versatile opponents.
As far as my overall grade or performance in WWE, I'd say I did the best I could at the time.
The secret of having a successful promotion is having an awesome promotion with wrestling matches that people like.
I know that there's pros and cons to everything.
Nothing's scarier than wrestling The Boogeyman.
I can always improve in the ring; I can improve on the mic. I can consistently keep improving.
I think the reason that I've been able to succeed is that I was a fan of sports entertainment when I was a kid - that's what I wanted to do.
I've been pushing and training for Lucha Underground and AAA, as well as parkour and stunt training for my movie, and I've blended those styles together for my wrestling.
Millions of wrestling fans know me as Johnny Mundo, the mayor of Slamtown.
Rick Rude is the reason I even got abs in the first place. I was just a fan of the way he did things. He was the kind of guy who would walk into a room and automatically take control.
Character is everything. The reason people watch sports entertainment is to see people who are larger than life, but at the same time, there's something real about them.
The Miz is someone who people are usually like, 'I can't believe how well he's doing. I can't believe this. I can't believe that.' But to me, he's someone who really always defined what it takes to becomes a successful public persona and in-ring entertainer, and to me, that's being authentic.
I really like binge-watching 'Survivor.' Watching week to week is exciting, but it's difficult because I just want to see what happens.
I guess when you play 'Survivor,' almost everyone gets got.
I was thinking, with the TV exposure I had with WWE - and it's kind of hard to explain to people sometimes how many countless hours you are on television when you've been on the road with WWE - I was thinking that was going to open doors, get me auditions, and get me into a lot of high profile roles.
Anyone that's been with WWE, there's frustrations of feeling like you can only do so much. The women are told not to punch or to kick, to do power bombs and the power moves, and none of that exists in 'Lucha Underground.'
I always try to associate Johnny Mundo, John Morrison, or whatever my name is with high quality.
I think that Rey Mysterio should come to 'Lucha Underground,' and I hope that he does.
Out Of Your Mind Fitness is designed to train the human body to move.
If all you are is a pro wrestler, on some level you eventually become, I feel like, a mindless drone. It's tough, man, if you're on the road and you're doing 200, 250 shows a year. It starts to take a toll on your personal life and who are you as a human.
If you've never been to a live wrestling show, you need to go to one. To understand 'Lucha Underground,' you need to watch it.
Everyone needs to move - if you're a pro athlete, a contortionist, a computer programmer, or just somebody who wants to play with their kids.
If your attitude is good and you want to have good matches and you want to be employed for the right reasons, then I think people start to see that and respect that and respect you as a person, and you can fit in anywhere.
Everyone knows some day I'm gonna beat the crap out of Seth Rollins - that would be awesome. I'd love to beat the crap out of him. I'd just love to have a great match with Seth Rollins.
I took Kira to a nice dinner at a place called Moonshadows in Malibu, which is by the ocean, and I organized it so a school of young dolphins swam by our table. I took her for a long walk on the beach after dinner, and I told her all the things I love about her. Then I asked her to marry me.
I've been champion of every organization that I've worked for. I'm something extraordinary.
I watch other wrestlers. I watch movies with Jackie Chan and Jet Li and Tony Jaa. Then there's breakdancing and Capoeira - just anything I see that looks awesome that I think I could adapt in the ring. Just your typical Kung Fu, breakdancing, Capoeira moves.
I knew I wanted to do a movie, an action movie, and when I left WWE in 2011, I didn't specifically know. I didn't leave to do 'Boone: The Bounty Hunter.'
I'd love to teach Roman Reigns how to work. Just kidding.
I've been a fan of 'Survivor' for a long time. I even applied for a season. I made a really stupid audition tape. For some reason, I thought if I spoke in a German accent, whoever was casting would think it was funny and put me on the show. But that didn't work!
