Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson on the Fight for Tag Team Wrestling in WWE
Q&A
Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson don’t just believe they are the “World’s Greatest Tag Team.” They now have a trophy to prove it, outlasting eight others in a tag team turmoil match at the Crown Jewel pay-per-view from Saudi Arabia.
Two thirds of The O.C. alongside AJ Styles, things are looking up for the Good Brothers on Raw. Yet Gallows and Anderson continue to have big goals for themselves, including in the video game world. “We want to be in WWE 2K30, 2K40, 2K50,” Anderson said at the WWE 2K20 launch event.
Anderson believes it’s a great period for the company with a clear brand and opportunity to lead the tag division on Monday nights.
“Now that you have two major networks, the competition feels a lot more legitimate because you have the FOX executives here and the USA executives over here,” Gallows added. “They have influence about what superstars go where. I think it’s nothing but healthy and good for the industry and for the people out there watching us.”
In the midst of all these recent developments and the release of WWE 2K20, Gallows and Anderson lent some time to reflect on it all.
Being a parent, what does it mean for you to be in a video game your kids can play?
Karl Anderson: It’s really cool. We came to WWE in 2016 … My kids being able to play as us and on a video game, it doesn’t get much cooler.
Luke Gallows: I don’t think there are a lot of dads in the schoolyard who the kids can go home and play as dad in the video game. It’s fun too because the kids can create themselves and beat us up. That’s always fun.
So then it becomes, “You’re grounded. You beat me.”
Gallows: Yes, exactly.
Anderson: I couldn’t imagine playing as my father in the video game. It just would have been trippy.
Who are some of your kids favorite characters to play?
Anderson: They still like going with AJ Styles and Finn Bálor. We all came in as a group and are all good friends. That’s their favorite guys. My seven-year-old likes Braun Strowman, maybe because of his size.
Gallows: My son’s favorite is Braun as well. He either plays as us or Braun.
This is such an exciting time. One of the criticisms WWE has had over the years is tag team wrestling — not enough focus on that. You guys have been passionate about bringing it back with you and The Revival. Do you think progress has been made in the past year?
Anderson: I think it’s always going to be a progression thing for tag teams because singles stars are such a priority. And I get it, too, because you need big singles stars. But we’re passionate about tag team wrestling, and I think there has been progress. I think there still needs to be more progress. We’re going to keep working toward it.
Gallows: I think we are going in the right direction. If you look at the tag team division of WWE, it’s stronger than ever. There has been a lot of great tag teams like the Usos, you have us, The Revival, AOP. I’m sure I’m leaving someone out.
Anderson: Heavy Machinery, Hawkins and Ryder.
Gallows: So there are a ton of good teams out there. Good depth in the roster. I think any time the tag teams are showcased, we’re going to step up and show out.
You’re bonded back with AJ Styles. What does that mean to you guys? It feels like you’re back on track, and now are able to support each other onscreen.
Anderson: I think we were off track for a long, long time. It’s good we are able to get back with AJ. Just because it’s just a story that our fans like to see. I think it was snatched away from us with a past Draft. It’s a story that needs to be told and finished. It has been fun.
Now with WWE on FOX, it seems this is such a big time for pro wrestling. It’s like we’re entering a pro wrestling boom period. Do you feel a renewed motivation to do well out there and entertain the masses knowing that there is another brand out there? But also streaming services. You have a lot to take people’s attention away from you guys.
Anderson: You know, we always felt, because we were in New Japan Pro Wrestling for so long, that it was an alternative to WWE. We’re always motivated. We were motivated then to let people know what Bullet Club was and can do. We proved that. The Bullet Club is still going on. The shirts are on every single television show in wrestling all over the world.
Gallows: I think it’s hard to argue the fact that the inception of Bullet Club and Bullet Club’s rise wasn’t at the very beginning of this movement for the professional wrestling industry. There is more wrestling on television right now than there has ever been in history. There are more contracted professional wrestlers earning a good living than there has ever been in history. Not only is it a great time for the fans and WWE Universe, but it’s a great time for us as performers too. I think everyone is highly motivated and going to bring their A-game. Not that they haven’t already, but going forward for sure.
Anderson: We’ve looked at ourselves as underdogs — people kind of swiping us under. That kind of got us to do what we did in New Japan. Coming here, it’s constantly an uphill battle for us. So, we’re always motivated.
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