Tanner Talks WWE Tough Enough Frustration, Lita Working with Him, Forming a Bond with Josh, More

– Tanner Saraceno, who as noted was eliminated from WWE Tough Enough last night, recently spoke with Scott Fishman of Channel Guide Magazine. The full interview is at this link. Below are highlights:

His elimination:

“It’s definitely frustrating with the hard work I put in. I was 185 pounds, and I was at my fighting weight. When I started I realized I’m probably too small for cameras, so I started working immediately by putting some size on me. I wanted to be able to perform with bigger guys as well. I put in a lot of work. I put in about 17 pounds the nine weeks I was here to better work with bigger guys and look better on camera. I watched tons of video and matches of how the guys perform and the small things they do that I would maybe be able to make my own. I watched video after video of promos. I feel like I put in a lot of work, and I don’t feel like I was rewarded for it yet. So it’s definitely something I’m going to have to keep working, which I had to do my whole life. I don’t usually get things the first time around. I’m stubborn enough where I eventually get there.”

His MMA training helping and wrestling not being fake:

“I was a few steps ahead of everyone here when it came to that. There was nothing they gave me I couldn’t do. So my MMA background fit in there. I could definitely see some crossover between the two worlds. That being said they are two different sports. These people in WWE, these superstars are freak athletes. Between what they do to their bodies, how they look and what they are doing day after day. It is definitely something to respect what they put their bodies through. I can assure you it’s not the f-word (fake). Having been in there and taking some bumps, we haven’t done nearly as much of what goes on in a full match. If you wake up sore, I can assure you it’s real. And we haven’t even done nearly what it takes to be at the superstar level yet. So I have a ton of respect for the superstars and their dedication to look the way they do and perform the way they do.”

Being grateful for the coaches:

“A lot of my problems for me were showing my personality, so Lita took some extra time out. I reached out to her to find out how I could show my personality more. She definitely took some extra time and had regular talks with me off-camera to help connect with me and help me understand what I need to be doing. She helped me out a lot. Billy [Gunn] put in a lot of work with me as well. I have nothing but respect for the coaches. Even for Booker T. with him saying negative things toward me and telling me what I’m not doing right. I take that as him trying to make me better. Coaches can’t always say you are doing good. They have to point out what you’re doing bad.”

Forming a bond with Josh:

“I definitely made a strong connection with Josh. A lot of people were comparing us a lot because we looked similar. Whenever me and him went out in public people thought we were brothers. I’m actually a little bit older than him by I think three weeks. I always call him my little brother, and people always got a kick out of that. We actually convinced quite a few people that he was my little brother.”

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