April 9, 2020 9:26 pm

Friday, Neil deGrasse Tyson Explores WWE, Esports, and Adapting to the Pandemic with Xavier Woods

On this week’s episode of StarTalk Sports Edition, Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice are catching up with a superstar. Xavier Woods (real name Austin Watson), one of the most popular wrestlers on the WWE circuit, joins us on the podcast to take us into the world of professional wrestling.

Xavier, making up one third of the record-breaking WWE Tag Team “The New Day”, is nothing short of a pop-culture icon. Alongside being one of the most popular professional wrestlers in WWE, he also hosts his own YouTube gaming channel, UpUpDownDown, which has amassed over 2 million subscribers. And, Xavier has a double bachelor’s degree in psychology and philosophy, a master’s degree in psychology, and is currently studying for his PhD in educational psychology.

You’ll hear how he came up with the stage name Xavier Woods. Find out why Xavier believes wrestling is one of the greatest examples of “group think” in the world today and how it shares similar DNA to Shakespeare-in-the-round. We discuss Xavier’s path to become a professional wrestler. You’ll also hear how he’s dealing with a long-term Achilles injury and charting his comeback.

We investigate how the current COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the sporting world, including WrestleMania 36 which was just performed behind closed doors. Xavier shares how is fellow wrestlers are dealing with the pandemic.

Then, we dive into the science behind the theatrics. We explore why the least experienced wrestler is the most dangerous. Xavier explains why, when you’re in the ring, your opponent’s safety is your biggest concern. Xavier also explains how years and years of training allow you to perform moves that won’t hurt your opponents.

Lastly, discover more about Xavier’s YouTube channel and how it came to be. We investigate Esports’ rising popularity and whether the pandemic will continue to enhance the profile. All that, plus, you’ll learn about The New Day: Feel the Power podcast hosted by all three members of The New Day. And, Xavier shares some advice for athletes and spectators on how to handle the current coronavirus situation.

You can find Wrestling the Pandemic, with WWE’s Xavier Woods  right here on our website, as well as on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you’re a StarTalk+ Patron or an All-Access subscriber, you can watch or listen to this episode ad-free.

That’s it for now. Keep Looking Up!
-Ian Mullen