Backstage details on T-BAR getting reprimanded by WWE official
Lio Rush told several stories about his WWE career during a recent interview with Boston Wrestling MWF’s Dan Mirade. One of his most interesting comments came when he recalled the time that T-BAR landed himself in trouble in NXT.
Before joining WWE, the man now known as T-BAR performed as Donovan Dijak (later changed to Dominik Dijakovic). His ‘Feast Your Eyes’ phrase became a big part of his gimmick, while it was also the name of his finisher. On one occasion, Rush said NXT coach Terry Taylor reprimanded the RETRIBUTION member for using the phrase at a live event.
“I’ll never forget seeing Dijak get sh***ed on by Terry Taylor at an NXT house show. I was just kind of dying laughing. Dijak, because he was in the same class as me, on these house shows Dijak would do his ‘Feast Your Eyes’ thing. Terry Taylor, he was like, ‘What is this? What is this ‘Feast Your Eyes’ thing?’ And Dijak was just like, ‘That’s my gimmick.’ Terry Taylor was just like, ‘Not here it’s not.’”
Rush said he could not understand why WWE would sign wrestlers and discourage them from using the same gimmick that made them popular.
“You signed all of these guys from the indies. I mean, Terry Taylor didn’t, but just the thought process of they sign these guys for who they were and what got them over. And then when you get to WWE, don’t do it. It’s weird, it’s very weird. I don’t get it.”
Please credit Boston Wrestling MWF and give a H/T to SK Wrestling for the transcription if you use these quotes.
T-BAR’s current WWE role
After three years in NXT, Dominik Dijakovic was repackaged as T-BAR following his call-up to WWE’s main roster. He joined forces with Mustafa Ali, MACE, RECKONING, and SLAPACK as part of the RETRIBUTION faction.
T-BAR’s first WWE main-roster match saw him team with MACE and SLAPJACK in a losing effort against The Hurt Business in September. RETRIBUTION went on to lose another two matches against the same faction on RAW in October.
Since then, the four male members of RETRIBUTION (Ali, MACE, SLAPJACK, and T-BAR) have won their first match on RAW. The victory came one week before Survivor Series against Team RAW members Braun Strowman, Keith Lee, Riddle, and Sheamus.
T-BAR has not competed in a singles match since leaving NXT.