Bron Breakker will wrestle Seth Rollins Tuesday night on NXT for the world heavyweight championship.
For the 25-year-old Bronson Rechsteiner—who is the son of Rick Steiner and nephew of Scott Steiner—wrestling Rollins is the single biggest moment of his three-year career in pro wrestling.
“This is my biggest opportunity in sports,” says Rechsteiner, who had a successful collegiate football career at Kennesaw State and briefly joined the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent before signing with WWE. “Seth Rollins is outstanding. He’s proven that for over 10 years. But I just don’t think he’s ever faced anyone who is as hungry as I am right now.”
The matchup is reminiscent of the CM Punk–Dean Ambrose bout from 2011 in FCW, which was the precursor to NXT. Punk was only a month away from a 434-day run with the world title, but his willingness to wrestle Ambrose (who is now known as Jon Moxley) was a monumental boost in Ambrose’s ascent to stardom in WWE. If all goes well tonight against Rollins, the same could be true for Rechsteiner.
Rechsteiner has come into his own as Breakker, especially more recently as a heel. His change to a physically dominant villain has added a new element to his work, allowing him to develop his own personality instead of constantly being compared to his famous uncle and father.
“I didn’t know how it would turn out,” says Rechsteiner. “For me, it was the great unknown. But I like putting myself in challenging positions. That’s how you grow.”
After holding the NXT title as a babyface for all but 27 days in 2022, Rechsteiner lost the belt to Carmelo Hayes at Stand & Deliver during WrestleMania weekend. In the ensuing months, he has relished the chance to break away from his colorful fan favorite character and instead embrace a much more rugged, tough representation.
“I knew how I wanted to be presented,” says Rechsteiner. “I looked at the landscape in NXT, and I brainstormed and wrote down ideas about ways to be different. All around, what I’m doing now is better for me. It’s a new challenge, and I’m having the time of my life.“
The match with Rollins is a litmus test for Rechsteiner. WWE officials—from Paul “Triple H” Levesque to Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels and Matt Bloom—are all high on his future. This is a chance to show he is ready in the present for different opportunities, including a call up to Raw. He passed his first exam two weeks ago, cutting a live television promo on short notice when he challenged Rollins.
“It was down to the last second,” says Rechsteiner, noting that there was very little time to prepare. “That only added to the excitement.”
Rechsteiner wore his sunglasses during part of that promo, which is something he is experimenting doing more often.
“I’m keeping it different every week,” says Rechsteiner. “I used to love that aspect when I watched. To me, you need to keep it fresh.”
The next piece of Rechsteiner’s exam will take place on Tuesday night in the ring with Rollins. This marks his chance to reach a whole new part of WWE’s global fan base. He has placed enormous pressure on his shoulders, planning to deliver the match of his life.
“This is the most focused I’ve ever been,” says Rechsteiner. “I’m going my own path, and I can’t wait for this match to take place.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
