The newest generation of WWE Superstars, and potential candidates for superstardom, has never been more impressive. With the WWEID program, WWE NIL, and the expanded partnership with TNA, WWE has positioned itself to keep the future of its company and its legacy intact with an endless supply of talent.

One of the newest additions to this expansive world is LFG, a new television program on A&E that premieres Sunday, February 16th, which consists of 16 participants vying for an opportunity to secure a WWE contract. In an exclusive conversation with ScreenRant, LFG mentor and WWE Hall of Famer Bubba Ray Dudley spoke about the show, the participants, and how good of hands WWE's future is in.

I've done just about everything that you can do in the professional wrestling and sports entertainment industry, and I didn't think that there was anything left that would actually get me excited. LFG has me excited. From day one, it was a fun, interesting process. If you took Bubba Ray Dudley's name and Mickie James' name and Booker T's name and The Undertaker's name, and you threw it on paper, you'd say to yourself, 'How are these four going to get along? How will the camaraderie be? How will the communication be? Will they gel well together?'

Bubba Ray Is Excited To Mentor The Next Generation

Four Legends In One Room Together For The First Time

Along with three of the other top talents of their generation, Bubba Ray Dudley knows that the combination of talents can sound confusing, but he said the connections they made immediately were perfect, and that LFG takes you on a ride to show you what the process is like becoming a WWE Superstar; the good, the bad, and the ugly.

From day one, it's been absolutely great to see the four of us, the four legends from LFG, come together with the 16 future greats and how this whole process works and taking you step by step from day one. the day we meet these future greats. It's going to be a fun show.

If you've seen any of the clips, I know the first clip that got released has everybody talking. Because the first clip, you see one of my future greats, the problem child of the entire show, BJ Ray, be extremely disrespectful to me, extremely disrespectful to The Undertaker. That's going to set the tone for the entire series. Very much looking forward to it. I don't watch my stuff back. I'm excited to watch this back.

Bubba Ray isn't known for his tact and understanding in the wrestling world, especially when it comes to his in-ring promo work, and the clip of the disagreement has invoked a significant response on social media questioning BJ Ray's respect for the Legends and the business itself. While the remainder of the clip, including The Undertaker's response to BJ Ray, remains to be seen ahead of the premiere, Bubba Ray loves the heat and the problems that come with it.

"Get Over," Bubba Ray Says

Nothing Else Matters

In the history of trash-talking performers, Bubba Ray Dudley has his jersey safely hung in the rafters of one of the all-time microphone scorchers, and whether it was positive or negative, his ability to speak on the microphone allowed him to get over with the crowd. When asked what the best piece of advice was that he was given on his way up, his answer was simple: just get over.

Get over. Okay, bye. Have a nice day. See you later. Get over. There's all these rules, things to do, things to not do in the world of pro wrestling. But if you get over, everything will work itself out. That's the same advice that I have ed down to students in my wrestling school. I've been training up and coming wrestlers now for about 15 years. This is something that I've ed down to the future greats on LFG. Get over.

No matter what you do, go out there and grab their interest. Command their interest. Do something where they have to look at you, where they have to listen to you. Do something where they can't take their eyes off of you, no matter what it is. You don't have to be the best professional wrestler in the professional wrestling and sports entertainment business to get over. It's personality. As a matter of fact, a lot of the men and women at the top of our game really were more about their ability to get over than actually wrestle matches. Getting over is the most important thing to me.

In the early days of ECW, where television time was limited and everyone had something to prove, Bubba Ray made his mark as one of the most aggressive performers to touch a mic. It was this ability to get over so definitively that allowed The Dudley Boyz to attract the attention of WWE, where they became one of the most decorated tag teams in professional wrestling history.

When asked about WWEID, which WWE uses to identify and train up-and-coming wrestlers both still on the independent scene or at designated wrestling schools, Bubba Ray believes that WWEID, coupled with LFG, proves that no one is cultivating, and securing, the future of the business quite like WWE.

When it comes to cultivating new talent, I don't believe any wrestling company in the world is doing it better than, or even close to, the WWE. I almost feel like this has become Major League Baseball, where we have A-ball, double A-ball, triple A-ball, major league. The ID program allows the WWE to search out raw talent right off of an independent show, right out of a wrestling school and say, 'Okay, we see something.' We see one thing in this talent that we believe we can develop.

They have a certain look, they have a certain movement, they have a certain 'it' factor. We like the way they wrestle, we like the promo. One thing, 'we'd like to bring you in, we'd like to cultivate you, we'd like to develop you, we'd like to see if there's anything there.' Then move them up. The new relationship that WWE and NXT has with TNA, another territory where talent can go work. Obviously, NXT being the Triple A of the system, Raw and SmackDown being the major league. No matter where you're looking in the WWE, they're cultivating talent, they're honing talent, they're training talent, and they're developing the talent the way they want to from day one.

Wrestling, specifically WWE, is in a boom period not seen since the Attitude Era, while being more financially successful than it ever has been. WWE sees value in protecting its brand, legacy, and future, and these programs will ensure that they are finding and producing the next Roman Reigns or John Cena while providing invaluable training from Legends, Hall of Famers, and masters of the craft.

Bubba Ray Wants You To Respect The Business

What They Do Is So Much Harder Than It Looks

As most of the current WWE Superstars, Legends, and Hall of Famers will tell you, wrestling isn't ballet, certainly not for the weak, and it will take a heavy toll on your body and mind. When asked about what he wanted viewers to take away from LFG, Bubba Ray said he wants the viewers to respect what the performers do by putting their bodies on the line for their entertainment.

Respect for how difficult what we do truly is. It's very easy to watch Raw, SmackDown, NXT, a PLE, and go, 'I can do that.' No, you can't. It's a very, very tough industry, and it's a tough industry from day one. I think people are going to get a better appreciation for that after they watch LFG. I think they'll also have more respect and appreciation for the WWE's process, and how they bring talent along, and how they treat talent, and how they're very fair with talent, and give talent every opportunity to succeed. Listen, when you see the PC, when you have the coaches and the trainers that are available to you and at your disposal down here, if you can't make it in some way, shape, or form with everything the WWE has to offer, you're probably the problem, not them.

LFG airs its premiere episode Sunday, February 16th at 8pm ET/5pm PT on A&E. Check your local listings for the start time in your area.