On his size:
"So I was this size already in eighth grade. Basically the same height and obviously lighter because the amateur wrestling but yeah, I hit puberty really early, like third grade. It was bad. I got like the terrible acne under my eyes. I had to get popped every night."
On the nickname Dozer:
"Yeah, that nickname started because, with Tukey, it was funny because we first met in NXT he's like I know the side sweep. Like I didn't know anything about the side I just go straight forward. And I remember Dax Charles gave me the nickname but at first at first he was calling me the Bone Crusher, which was very annoying. So he had a big dip and he's just like, 'You know what I'm gonna call you? The Bulldozer. I like it.' So then it was easy to chant you know, especially at home meets, you know what I mean? It's always a big thing, the heavyweights go up there and it’s either a complete sh*tshow or it’s a battle. You never know."
On where Otis came from:
"I had three decisions. So I gave them a 12 [name] list. I was like, Man, this one sounds good. And they were like, No, this doesn’t sound good. And I was gonna be cannonball, but there was a previous cannonball before so I couldn’t do cannonball. So it was like, the list was Dozer, Terry Dukes, Otis Riker, was like the top three. And then I don't hear nothing for a while. Then we were actually in the ring at Full Sail and I get this rub on my calf and I think it's one of the referees. I'm just like, Hey, get off my ass. It’s Hunter, said hey, I want to talk to you. Pulls out this little piece of paper, what do you think about this? I'm like Otis “The Dozer” Dozovic. He goes eventually we'll call your Dozer but just because I want to give you a real name. So of course we tried to push on the Dozer and still just became Otis."
On early memories of watching wrestling:
"I remember my first time, I only remember because it was Raven. My dad was cutting up stuff for stew. It was such a random [selection], garlic, and stuff I had never heard of, chopping it up. I'm just watching Thunder and I just remember being like, I don't know, I just loved it ever since and I watched Raw. But I grew up kind of in that Attitude Era and WCW so watched WCW, the Cruiserweights, What's going on right here, then next thing you know, you got Sable? It's just like, oh my God, Sable."
On being a massive 2 Cool fan:
"I was the biggest 2 Cool guy. Oh, yeah. I remember meeting Scotty for the first time. He's working on an indie show in Proctor, Minnesota at the fairgrounds. And he must have thought I was working him. It wasn't like we snuck in. We just walked in. It was almost when they were building the ring and we were just walking in and 'Hey, Scott', and he goes 'Hey, what do you want to do tonight?' I'm like, 'Oh no, I'm just here to tell you I just won the Fargo national championship 2009 I did the worm on stage. I f*cking threw the f*cker, got him on his f*cking head.' Got the points. I remember the referee was gonna do some sh*t. Because you wasn't supposed to have your hand raised pretty soon after."
On learning to do the worm:
"I remember it was called the sock hop in Cooper Elementary School. And mom says get your ass out of the house. You watch too much horror, watching too much damn wrestling. Get out the house. I'm gonna take you to sock hop, apparently it’s a form of dancing. You get in there and it's typical. I'm not gonna dance with a girl. It's kind of like fifth grade. I'm like, Alright, so walk up to the DJ and said, 'Excuse me, sir. Do you have Batter Up by Nelly?' He’s like 'Yeah, but I wasn't planning on playing that.' [I said] Play it next. Walked away. Next thing at home was waiting for the song to play. But 10 More Polka songs came on finally. That goes up. All the dudes dance with their chicks, I just dropped down, did it, boom. Got that first reaction attention. I’ve never been a big attention guy but it's always been like, show some love to for your like craft and performing. So I drop down on there. Always been hooked [on wrestling] it’s a totally good addiction to have."
On Maxxine Dupri improving:
"It helps that her best friend is Chelsea too. And Chelsea's like, oh yeah, you're gonna do that, aren't ya? You know what I mean? Just that confidence builder. I love our whole women's division to be honest with you. I'm a big Zoey Stark guy, she’s a badass worker, we have a stud-ass Women's Division for sure."
On Mandy Rose pitching the romance storyline:
"She was definitely the ignition for sure. Because you can it pitch all day long. But again, like with Mandy, she's like, I’ll talk to Vince. Like, okay. Because I was just kidding around, I would see a bikini post on her IG and I would be like you look good, babe. And then it became this thing and last year on Google, it said is Otis married [to Mandy Rose]? It was just one post. And I'm sitting there going, Oh I can get some more leverage here. So I kept posting it just for laughs. And she's awesome. The girls, they're a blessing too. Because again, they're like, it's HR but we know you mean well. So yeah, but she talked to Vince came out and then we started rocking and rolling there. So I mean, but she definitely was like, Hey, we gotta do this."
On the storyline playing out:
"It’s one of those things where I’m gonna kiss the world champion bikini model. Behave yourself. Every day was a test. We could never do a pre-shot. It was always live because somebody would mess up, and she's just like, just got to be ready. I'm sweating terribly because I got to get a hold of a cake. And the box was so uncertain that I was like this thing falls during a live shot I don't know what to do, but I don't know. It was just like, you couldn't find a grip on it. And of course, Ziggy, you know, top the cake, man. I love Ziggy man. It's pretty crazy Ziggy gets in the picture. And like, it was his first singles match in the warehouse as WrestleMania was my first singles too. So it was like, it was bittersweet because I respected Dolph off a lot and it's like damn, I wish it was better. Just that time but you know, times being the times."
On saving Mandy Rose from the Royal Rumble elimination:
"We're doing the curtain business, but my boots, you could barely see them. Literally someone goes, That's Otis! I’m like F*ck sake! Guess I’ll spread out now they know it's me. We got under the ring, and I remember Nick who was always under the ring, crew guy. I go, Hey, do you know where should I roll? What side? He goes, they didn't tell you? I go No, I'll just assume. So I just kind of kept just weaselling around that ring. It was cool because you watch it back, the crowd sees me but no one really knows happening until she finally stands up and then finally we get the big [cheer]. I felt so bad for her landing on me too. I'm so sweaty. She is just beautiful and just barely breaking a sweat. She's standing on me. Hey, you got it babe. I missed Sonya DeVille. So did that spot too. So I was like, ah, catching two buff ladies. Yeah."
On winning Money in the Bank:
"I don't think there was a plan. It was kind of a shock because the whole day was like, we couldn't get up on the roof for the longest time because of COVID stuff. It was like just sitting sitting sitting, do one thing and shoot it. So you were basically just sitting there in your gear. They were kind of bullsh*tting all the boys and kind of calling stuff when they give you more of a spectacular [spot], get it approved. Gets it approved. So it's just like a long day that finally Jamie [Noble] was like 'You thinking King Kong up in there?' I’m like King Kong? He goes yeah, come with me. Jamie is all fired up. He walks up just climbing this ladder with his cowboy boots. I'm like, Man, I'm not going up there. I hate heights. That's why I go on the second rope. He's like get your ass up here! And it was a long way down, it’s headquarters. So we got out there and he goes I’m gonna take a picture of you. Take your shirt off and roar! I go okay, like King Kong and really roar. I'm like, okay, I’m roaring, been sitting for 14 hours. Then they said you’re gonna win it. I'm like, Oh, okay. And then. Yeah, from there, but I think everything was always like, again, it was who's healthy, who's not. So that could have been a factor there with testing for COVID and all that. So there were a bunch of changes going on."
On his WWE goals:
"Definitely a singles match at WrestleMania. I mean, everyone talks about the title. For me it's basically, probably a big match with Gable hopefully would be cool."
On Bray Wyatt:
"I always wanted to work with Windham, definitely. That's going to be a fantasy of mine when I get to heaven basically, because like I always knew me and him could tear the house down. Two big guys, our styles aren't exactly similar but he's way more agile. The guy was phenomenal so yeah RIP Bray. But that and work with certain guys too, newer guys coming in. But yeah, then obviously having that big, big title would be nice, but I for me this is doing what I do, this basically been like a blessing for me. And selfishly I'm doing it for myself because it's that much of a love for me."
What is Otis grateful for:
"Jesus, my family and friends and the boys."
