Leo Burke was an unbelievable trainer. Him and Tom Prichard. Tom Prichard was not a big guy. And I learned a lot from him.
If you're in the WWE, it's like show business boot camp. You learn a little bit about everything as far as show business is involved.
I grew up learning from guys like Ron Simmons and Owen Hart. They were like mentors to me, so I was able to embrace what they taught me, and I think I did alright.
I'd love to teach Roman Reigns how to work. Just kidding.
I would hope to end my career here if it came down to it and take other roles with 'Lucha Underground.' I see a lot of the style I was raised on here, and I think I can help out with the young upcoming talent and hope to be around here as long as it lasts.
Jake Roberts has a hard enough time being Jake Roberts. The truth is a brutal thing, I just hope that the kids take the time to learn about each of the wrestlers in the game, and if the kids can learn from our mistakes, that would make me a happy man.
I used to be weak - as did all British fighters - with wrestling, because we don't have high school wrestling or college wrestling here.
It's two guys in particular. Norman Smiley, he got his hands on me the day I walked in the door - started teaching me the fundamentals and teaching me things that I use - but Billy Gunn, that guy has helped me evolve more than anyone.
I always mention Bobby Roode. We just click on a lot of different levels. We grew up appreciating the same type of wrestler and same type of wrestling. We are similar students to the game.
Steve Corino was a guy I met before I got into Ring of Honor. I got to work with Steve, and he kind of took me under his wing and really helped me.
Here are the five guys I learned the business from: Barry Windham, Ricky Steamboat, Arn Anderson, Larry Zbyszko, and Bobby Eaton. Those guys taught me how to do everything in the ring. I learned so much from each of them.
I don't think I'd be in WWE, and I wouldn't be in NXT, if it wasn't for my time in EVOLVE and Dragon Gate USA and things like that.
And what this ECW is doing is educating you people once again that there IS wrestling, spelt W-R-E-S-T-L-I-N-G, out there.
Lance Storm taught me everything that I know.
I was told I have to work 10 years to get a doctorate. Well, I have worked all that time to become a doctor in professional wrestling. So to speak, I have a Ph.D. in professional wrestling.
How does Vince McMahon feel about Rusev Day? He's supportive; he's trying to teach me a lot.
I knew nothing about wrestling! Sometimes that's a great thing, and sometimes that really annoys people in this industry but that's the truth. I had no clue how to wrestle. I had to learn everything, absolutely everything. To start from the bottom.
My experience here at the WWE Performance Center has been amazing. I'm just looking forward to being here and learning as much as I can the time that I'm here. I've been a fan of the sport since I was a little kid, and now I get to participate in it.
When I started in the business, getting in the ring, most nights I'd look across at a 15-20 year veteran. And every night, he would take me to school.
As soon as I found out there was a school you could go to to become a WWE superstar, I was immediately hooked.
Now I think a lot of wrestlers want to get signed so that way they can be with a company where they can learn, but they're really kind of looking for a contract, and I do think that makes sense.
I see it as my responsibility to start trying to help wrestling because if I don't do something, wrestling is going to die - like, wrestling as we know it.
Even when you come towards the end of your career, I mean professional wrestling covers such a vast ball of knowledge it is impossible to obtain everything.
Guys like myself and Arn Anderson, we're always trying to pass knowledge along.
He mighta spent a couple years under the arena training young wrestlers.
