University of Minnesota Athletics
The Rallis Regimen
2/19/2020 1:33:00 PM | Football
The Rallis brothers - Mike and Nick - took different paths in their careers, but both have found success
Riddick Moss stood in front of 15,000 people and for one second took a step back to enjoy the moment he had worked so hard to reach. The WWE star had worked his way up the ranks for five and a half years and was finally making his Monday Night RAW debut.
Across the country, Gopher fans quickly started to recognize the trending star. Moss is former Gopher linebacker, Mike Rallis.
Rallis played linebacker at Minnesota from 2008-2012. Known for his long flowing hair and easy-to-get-along-with demeanor, Rallis was one of the defenses top contributors in his junior and senior seasons. He spent a minicamp with the Miami Dolphins after graduation, but after it didn't work out, he signed a contract with WWE in 2013 after a successful tryout.
"It's a very interesting business," Rallis said. "Everyone has a different story and a different path. It's not a linear path."
The path Rallis took saw him compete in the NXT, a brand of WWE that's original purpose was to serve as a farm system for WWE's main roster, for more than five years. During that span, he tore his Achilles tendon, a setback that only helped him grow his legacy.
Rallis recovered and came back from injury in just six months. Followers on social media quickly gravitated to his, "Riddick Regimen" which he credited for his fast recovery.
"It encompasses many things but at the end of the day it is a mentality and a way of life," Rallis explained.
With focus on his training, diet, sleep and stress management, the Riddick Regimen took off and Rallis was back in the ring faster than anyone expected. During his recovery process, Rallis found himself back home for a few months. He grew up in Edina, Minn., and was a Gopher for five years but after a coaching change, Rallis didn't know anybody inside the football building anymore. That didn't stop head coach P.J. Fleck from opening the doors to an alum.
"Opened the doors and let me come in even though there was nobody I played with, nobody I was coached by left there," Rallis said.
Minnesota Assistant Athletic Trainer Joe Wisniewski worked with Rallis throughout his time back in Minnesota.
"He was really good to me," Rallis said. "He did such a good job helping me rehab and I will always be appreciative of that."
As the Riddick Moss persona began to grow, Rallis had to learn how to navigate that through social media, an important tool in the WWE profession. Riddick Moss was the sixth top trending topic in the entire world during his RAW debut.
"Naturally, Mike Rallis is someone who likes to keep to himself, work hard and let his hard work show," Rallis explained. "The football player in me never wanted to make a bulletin board material statement."
Bulletin board material drives the WWE. Something Rallis now plays right into as Riddick Moss.
"In today's day and age especially, social media plays a very important role. WWE has a massive social media following," Rallis said. "That's something I have to consciously make an effort to do with Riddick Moss. I need to make posts, post pictures, make statements."
Mike's younger brother and former teammate, Nick, doesn't see many differences between the brother he grew up with and the WWE persona he embraces in the WWE ring.
"That's who he is, so it's not weird at all," Nick said. "That's him. He has the Riddick Regimen. Well that all started with the Rallis Regimen and that was our lifestyle."
Mike echoed those thoughts.
"The thing I have discovered over the six years or so I have been on social media. It's a huge learning process but what I fall back to is being who I am to my core," Mike said. "If I am authentic to Mike Rallis who is Riddick Moss and blend them together, I think that's what people enjoy. That's what people gravitate toward."
The Rallis Regimen connected Mike and Nick together as they grew up avid football fans. Mike was dedicated to watching football film when he was in college and made a process for breaking it down that he shared with his teammates and brother. Nick was even more consumed by watching film. A trait he has had since he was young.
"Back then film was on DVDs. I pushed my brother to get his hands on them and bring them home," Nick said. "I would study them hard. Your only limitation in this sport is the amount of work you put in."
Mike and Nick were able to spend one football season together during Mike's redshirt senior season.
"We were always that distance apart where we didn't get to play on the same teams," Nick Rallis said. "This was the one opportunity. The big thing for me was being able to follow him with every aspect of playing football at that level and studying opponent's film. I still carry things I learned from him to this day."
That's a big compliment from Nick considering he is quickly carving his path in the coaching profession these days. After spending some time at Wake Forest after graduation, Nick was hired as a Minnesota Vikings quality control coach in 2018. He has his hands in everything. He helps prepare players for the upcoming opponent by breaking down film and pulling opponents tendencies by scouting various aspects of how they play.
"I'm so proud of Nick," Mike said. "I've heard what Nick's teammates say about him. He was a total coach on the field."
Mike said that Nick had a chance to find a path in the WWE profession as well, but knew Nick would make a great coach if that's what he decided to do.
"I think that's what his passion is," Mike said. "I knew when he got into coaching that was going to do great. He is a natural with it. Not only his work ethic, but also he has knack for the Xs and Os, for teaching and for preparing. It's a pleasure to sit back and watch him grow as a coach."
Both Rallis brothers are thriving in their careers and are thankful for their time at the University of Minnesota. Both carry master's degrees from their time here, something Mike advertises hard as Riddick Moss.
"I think that's a notch on my belt," Mike explained, who is the current holder of the WWE 24/7 Championship belt. "My degrees were marketing and entrepreneurial management. That applies to what I'm doing now so much. I really am my own business out there."
Nick thought about venturing out and starting his own business as well. It was talks with former coaches and teammates that made him realize the impact he could have as a coach. Now he is making that impact on his hometown team.
"I grew up in the 90s watching (Randy) Moss and (Cris) Carter," Nick said. "Being able to be a part of that now as we go forward and make our own history is rewarding."
As far as the other hometown football team, both Rallis brothers are excited about the future back in Dinkytown.
"When they beat Wisconsin, there was a tear that came to my eye and I will leave it at that. That one meant a lot to me," Mike said. "In my heart of hearts, I will always be a Golden Gopher."
And to everyone back home, Riddick Moss will always be Mike Rallis, the Golden Gopher.
Across the country, Gopher fans quickly started to recognize the trending star. Moss is former Gopher linebacker, Mike Rallis.
Rallis played linebacker at Minnesota from 2008-2012. Known for his long flowing hair and easy-to-get-along-with demeanor, Rallis was one of the defenses top contributors in his junior and senior seasons. He spent a minicamp with the Miami Dolphins after graduation, but after it didn't work out, he signed a contract with WWE in 2013 after a successful tryout.
"It's a very interesting business," Rallis said. "Everyone has a different story and a different path. It's not a linear path."
The path Rallis took saw him compete in the NXT, a brand of WWE that's original purpose was to serve as a farm system for WWE's main roster, for more than five years. During that span, he tore his Achilles tendon, a setback that only helped him grow his legacy.
Rallis recovered and came back from injury in just six months. Followers on social media quickly gravitated to his, "Riddick Regimen" which he credited for his fast recovery.
"It encompasses many things but at the end of the day it is a mentality and a way of life," Rallis explained.
With focus on his training, diet, sleep and stress management, the Riddick Regimen took off and Rallis was back in the ring faster than anyone expected. During his recovery process, Rallis found himself back home for a few months. He grew up in Edina, Minn., and was a Gopher for five years but after a coaching change, Rallis didn't know anybody inside the football building anymore. That didn't stop head coach P.J. Fleck from opening the doors to an alum.
"Opened the doors and let me come in even though there was nobody I played with, nobody I was coached by left there," Rallis said.
Minnesota Assistant Athletic Trainer Joe Wisniewski worked with Rallis throughout his time back in Minnesota.
"He was really good to me," Rallis said. "He did such a good job helping me rehab and I will always be appreciative of that."
As the Riddick Moss persona began to grow, Rallis had to learn how to navigate that through social media, an important tool in the WWE profession. Riddick Moss was the sixth top trending topic in the entire world during his RAW debut.
"Naturally, Mike Rallis is someone who likes to keep to himself, work hard and let his hard work show," Rallis explained. "The football player in me never wanted to make a bulletin board material statement."
Bulletin board material drives the WWE. Something Rallis now plays right into as Riddick Moss.
"In today's day and age especially, social media plays a very important role. WWE has a massive social media following," Rallis said. "That's something I have to consciously make an effort to do with Riddick Moss. I need to make posts, post pictures, make statements."
Mike's younger brother and former teammate, Nick, doesn't see many differences between the brother he grew up with and the WWE persona he embraces in the WWE ring.
"That's who he is, so it's not weird at all," Nick said. "That's him. He has the Riddick Regimen. Well that all started with the Rallis Regimen and that was our lifestyle."
Mike echoed those thoughts.
"The thing I have discovered over the six years or so I have been on social media. It's a huge learning process but what I fall back to is being who I am to my core," Mike said. "If I am authentic to Mike Rallis who is Riddick Moss and blend them together, I think that's what people enjoy. That's what people gravitate toward."
The Rallis Regimen connected Mike and Nick together as they grew up avid football fans. Mike was dedicated to watching football film when he was in college and made a process for breaking it down that he shared with his teammates and brother. Nick was even more consumed by watching film. A trait he has had since he was young.
"Back then film was on DVDs. I pushed my brother to get his hands on them and bring them home," Nick said. "I would study them hard. Your only limitation in this sport is the amount of work you put in."
Mike and Nick were able to spend one football season together during Mike's redshirt senior season.
"We were always that distance apart where we didn't get to play on the same teams," Nick Rallis said. "This was the one opportunity. The big thing for me was being able to follow him with every aspect of playing football at that level and studying opponent's film. I still carry things I learned from him to this day."
That's a big compliment from Nick considering he is quickly carving his path in the coaching profession these days. After spending some time at Wake Forest after graduation, Nick was hired as a Minnesota Vikings quality control coach in 2018. He has his hands in everything. He helps prepare players for the upcoming opponent by breaking down film and pulling opponents tendencies by scouting various aspects of how they play.
"I'm so proud of Nick," Mike said. "I've heard what Nick's teammates say about him. He was a total coach on the field."
Mike said that Nick had a chance to find a path in the WWE profession as well, but knew Nick would make a great coach if that's what he decided to do.
"I think that's what his passion is," Mike said. "I knew when he got into coaching that was going to do great. He is a natural with it. Not only his work ethic, but also he has knack for the Xs and Os, for teaching and for preparing. It's a pleasure to sit back and watch him grow as a coach."
Both Rallis brothers are thriving in their careers and are thankful for their time at the University of Minnesota. Both carry master's degrees from their time here, something Mike advertises hard as Riddick Moss.
"I think that's a notch on my belt," Mike explained, who is the current holder of the WWE 24/7 Championship belt. "My degrees were marketing and entrepreneurial management. That applies to what I'm doing now so much. I really am my own business out there."
Nick thought about venturing out and starting his own business as well. It was talks with former coaches and teammates that made him realize the impact he could have as a coach. Now he is making that impact on his hometown team.
"I grew up in the 90s watching (Randy) Moss and (Cris) Carter," Nick said. "Being able to be a part of that now as we go forward and make our own history is rewarding."
As far as the other hometown football team, both Rallis brothers are excited about the future back in Dinkytown.
"When they beat Wisconsin, there was a tear that came to my eye and I will leave it at that. That one meant a lot to me," Mike said. "In my heart of hearts, I will always be a Golden Gopher."
And to everyone back home, Riddick Moss will always be Mike Rallis, the Golden Gopher.
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