Xavier Woods goes into detail about UpUpDownDown.
Former 5-time WWE Tag Team Champion and New Day member Xavier Woods is not only popular on-screen but he is a staple in the gaming community as well. Woods has established his UpUpDownDown YouTube gaming channel and is currently sitting at 1.8 million subscribers. Woods has even broken the Guinness World Record for "Most Suscribed-to Celebrity Gaming Channel".
Woods spoke about how much creative control he has over U.U.D.D. when he sat down with Zack Ryder and Matt Hardy for an episode of 'Table For 3' and during an interview with 'spin.ph', Woods stated that he has about 92% of creative control over UpUpDownDown but is grateful for the help that WWE gives him.
"WWE has a say, obviously. It’s within the WWE umbrella. It is its own thing though. So, I would say I have 92% creative control." Woods shared. "I am lucky enough to now have a team of editors and producers. We’ve gone from me and two other guys to now me and six other people. So, it’s creating jobs within the company. There isn’t much they take out. The biggest thing is just cursing and that’s because people get heated. If you watch RAW or SmackDown, obviously those shows are going on TV. So there’s perfect light, perfect sound—it is a pristine product. It is fantastic. I try to make UpUpDownDown the complete opposite because, to me, it’s got more of a grassroots feel to it. It’s me doing it. I bring my studio with me everywhere I go. It’s a briefcase with my laptop, my DSLR, a microphone, my mouse, and rechargeable batteries. I could set up right here and film an episode if I wanted to, and that’s how I like to keep it, small and compact, so I can do it anywhere in the world. That lack of production helps me create more content." Woods explained.
Woods went on to discuss if playing video games backstage helps build chemistry between co-workers and he shared that it has boosted the morale backstage. Woods added that even if two people have an issue with one another, it does not get physical and instead the game provides a way for two individuals to talk trash to one another if needed.
"For us, it’s upped morale by a hundred percent. There are guys who might not have been as close to each other and now, they’ve got a tight-knit battle they’ll want to get to when they get to the arena. So it helps in that respect, and honestly, that boosts everyone up so once we’re in the ring, performing, we’re a lot more comfortable with each other." Woods explained. "It’s very healthy for the locker room, I think. Even if guys have a problem with each other, it doesn’t get physical. We’re all performers and professionals. If there’s an actual problem between guys and girls, once you’ve passed through the curtain, we’re working and we all have the same goal. But, when stuff does happen in the Lab, that’s when promos occur, and honestly, I feel like everybody’s promo game has been going a little higher just because you have to be able to talk trash while you’re in there."
To check out the full interview with the founder of UpUpDownDown, click here, and during a recent podcast appearance, Xavier told the story of when he bet his career against Vince McMahon and to read Fightful's published article about that story, click here.
