Lio Rush’s new ‘Craved for Blood’ single captures his time away from WWE

After making music during his time away from the company, NXT's Lio Rush is ready to show that WWE's Cruiserweight division is special.

Lio Rush relishes the opportunity to make you think.

Whether it is a standing moonsault side slam from the top rope or a split-legged frog splash, Rush places meaning behind every move in the ring. And he is seeking to accomplish the same with his music.

Rush was away from WWE programming for six months following last year’s WrestleMania. During that time, the aspiring musician’s newest single, Craved for Blood, was created.

“Craved for Blood began during my time away from the WWE when my mind was in a tenuous space, all over the place, and that’s the vibe that created the song,” said the 25-year-old Lionel Green, who is known more intimately throughout wrestling as Lio Rush. “I went through a negative place, and I worked to harness that and put it in the song.”

The lyrics and music video captured Rush’s frustrations, both personally and professionally, as he contemplated his return to WWE.

“The entire song is a code that people have to crack,” said Rush, whose new music website launched today. “A line that means a lot to me is, ‘These tricky minds deep inside, we all think alike.’ Every job has its stresses, and the entertainment field is stressful. People need to find a release. A creative outlet for me outside of wrestling is my music.

Never one to shy away from sharing his vision, Rush admitted that his outspokenness does not always work in his favor. But there is authenticity in working to be oneself in a world that demands conformity, and Rush poured his creative energy into his new song.

“This music video is my escape, it’s me escaping,” said Rush. “People will hold you down in life if you let them.

“I’m passionate, I care, I’m outspoken. There are a lot of people who feel the same way, but not a lot are willing to speak up. I don’t want to steal CM Punk’s catchphrase, but I am willing to stand up and be a voice for the voiceless. I speak up when I feel like something is wrong.”

After a six-month sabbatical, Rush returned to NXT this past September with a surprise appearance and victory over Oney Lorcan to become the No. 1 contender for the Cruiserweight title. He then stamped his name on the NXT-AEW competition on October 9 when he defeated Drew Gulak for the title

“That moment was pretty special,” said Rush. “My first run in NXT was so short, I only had a few matches. Some people were surprised I am a wrestler after they were only used to seeing me beside Bobby Lashley as a manager on Monday Night Raw. People know I can talk on the mic, but I want to show the world I can do it all. It’s special to be back wrestling, and I want to show I am one of the best wrestlers in the world.”

Rush displays a remarkable blend of athleticism and creativity, just unveiling a bottom rope springboard-into-a-stunner in a 205 Live match two weeks ago against Tony Nese. After establishing himself as Lashley’s mouthpiece, Rush is now showing a different side of his persona as a babyface.

“My goal is to create a bigger name for myself,” said Rush. “I want to continue to show I’m a hard worker, I’m ready for whatever, I’m prepared for anything that comes my way.”

In addition to creating more music, the next goal for Rush is to show WWE that an added emphasis on the Cruiserweight division will enhance the overall product.

“I’m grateful for WWE for the opportunity to do what I love to do,” said Rush. “There are areas I wish I could do better or get more of, but that just means I’ll keep working. I’m not afraid of hard work.

Rush will always be linked to Lashley after their successful run together. When asked this past December about his time working with Rush, Lashley told Sports Illustrated, “I thought Lio was amazing. Part of the reason why me and Lio were taken apart was because it was working out too well. We weren’t bad guys. People liked what we were doing, and we started having a lot of fun with it. I don’t know why it was pulled, it was pulled for whatever reason.”

The respect between the two, Rush confirmed, is mutual.

“I have a lot of respect for Bobby, and that grew even more over the time I spent working with him,” said Rush. “We didn’t realize we’d have such a natural chemistry together, but we found that out very quickly. It caught on, and our success was really unexpected. It almost happened too fast.

“We tried to make the most of it we could, and people liked it. It was almost as if we weren’t the bad guys. The skits and promos were really entertaining. I would work with him again. There is a lot more we can do together. Bobby is such a talented guy.”

Rush was scheduled to travel to Germany this past weekend for wXw’s famed 16 Carat Gold Tournament, but he was officially pulled last week.

“I worked for wXw a few years ago, and I had so much fun,” said Rush. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t travel for the show. A lot of factors caused that, and traveling is complicated right now. It’s unfortunate it happened, but hopefully someday soon I can go back to wXw. They’re family over there.”

In addition to his pursuit of a second run with the Cruiserweight title, Rush is eager to share his song. “Craved for Blood” is more than a title, it captures the essence of his persona.

“It felt natural,” said Rush. “There was a flow when I started writing, and there weren’t too many sessions to lay it down. I put a lot of faith in my videographer, Xavier, and I loved what he did. That song is me.”

Rush expressed his thanks for everyone who continues to invest in a 5-foot-6 kid with big dreams from Lanham, Md.

“I’m extremely grateful for everyone’s support,” said Rush. “I’ve been through so much. I started at the bottom, and now I’ve gone state to state, country to country. I want to be there to support the people who support me, too. It’s so cool to see people care about what I do, and I hear them when they say they want more. I am grateful that so many people are invested in what I do inside of the ring and outside of the ring.

“That’s something special about WWE–the platform, globally and locally. It’s really special, and I’m grateful for our fans. The reaction I got a couple weeks ago in Boston was amazing. I’ve worked so hard to grow my fan base, and it means the world that people care about me the way they do.”

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.