After getting "Bull-Fit," Bull Dempsey returns home to Brooklyn to face Elias Samson. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

Bull Dempsey went through a bit of a rough patch in recent months. After running out of breath during a bout with Tyler Breeze, NXT General Manager William Regal gave the 300-pounder two options: get in shape or get out of NXT. The ultimatum forced Dempsey to put down the potato chips and get into the gym.

Cameras caught Dempsey getting “Bull-Fit” at the WWE Performance Center in the week’s leading up to NXT’s invasion of Brooklyn, N.Y. The fruits of his hard work paid off, as he defeated “The Drifter” Elias Samson in impressive fashion as his hometown chanted his name. WWE.com caught up with The New York Nightmare after his big win to talk about his new outlook and his successful return home.

Bull's biggest influences |  Photos: Dempsey's junkyard workout

WWE.COM: How are you feeling after the victory?

BULL DEMPSEY: I’m exhilarated. It was special. Up to this point, it’s definitely the greatest night of my life.

WWE.COM: It had been a while since we saw you in the ring, after William Regal told you to get in shape. What was going through your mind when Regal gave you an ultimatum?

DEMPSEY: It was shape up or ship out. So, I got Bull-Fit.

WWE.COM: What exactly is Bull-Fit?

DEMPSEY: It’s about hard work and not being afraid to be yourself. The hardest thing to do is be yourself in front of people. If you can do that, there’s no obstacle you can’t overcome.

WWE.COM: In the early Bull-Fit videos we saw on NXT, it seemed like you were trying to be silly, with garish workout gear. What made you get serious about your fitness?

DEMPSEY: Knowing how big of a night this was. It’s a historic night for NXT, and I wanted to make sure it was a historic night for Bull Dempsey.

WWE.COM: What did it mean for you to come home to Brooklyn?

DEMPSEY: We live in a world where people always want to tell you how you should look, feel, dress and act. I grew up on these streets. Brooklyn is the place that taught me not to care what people think, not to care what they say, not to care about their judgments. This place taught me to accept who you are and be yourself. Brooklyn’s the best place in the world. What a place for Bull-Fit to be born!

WWE.COM: When you first walked out there and the sold-out crowd was chanting for you, what was going through your mind?

DEMPSEY: It was a rush. No matter what, going in front of a hometown crowd can be nerve-wracking, because you don’t know if they’ll accept you. But, I know how Brooklynites are, and how New Yorkers are. Everybody around here loves a good hometown story. I had some faith in my people that they would show up for me, and they did. It was amazing. I can’t wait to come back.

WWE.COM: With Day 1 of Bull-Fit in the books, what’s next for you?

DEMPSEY: Bigger and better things. At one point, when I first came here, I promised I was going to be NXT Champion. After what people saw in Brooklyn, the sky’s the limit.