A guy like AJ Styles is obviously a great talent and he's going to go out there and put on a performance that's befitting of a man who is the World Champion.
I've worked my entire career to try to broaden the perception of the WWE. A lot of folks think because we're so entertaining and oftentimes have such wild and well-defined characters that it's all we are. It has kind of been my life's work to tell the public that's not true.
That feeling is one of the things that keep me going. On July 6, 1998, I became the WCW heavyweight champion of the world!
WWE dropped the ball with 'Tough Enough.'
When I went to WCW, I was never supposed to go in there as Terra Ryzing.
My dad is to professional wrestling what Babe Ruth was to baseball - he's an icon. Working with him and having him around as I try to get this new character over with the fans has been a major help.
WWE didn't want RVD to get over when I was there. They tried so much to... to... not get me... to... to... keep me from that. They didn't understand why the fans liked me, because I don't fit the cookie cutter formula, because I am a non-conformist.
When I get into 'Lucha Underground,' now it feels like I'm part of a collaboration. And I'm talking about storylines; I'm talking about how we can put matches together, where we're going to go, what's going to happen to 'Lucha Underground' as a promotion; what's going to happen with my character; and I was back in suddenly.
When I came into WWE after Monday Night Wars, it wasn't my greatest time in the business... but they kept bringing me back.
When I made my debut, I had that weird one-off at 'Battleground' where I was, like, Sasha's partner. And that was an amazing night.
When I was contacted about coming back to Impact they were obviously at a stage when they were really rebooting as a company.
Just the extent of the reach that the WWE Universe has around the world is incredible.
I'm going to be an ambassador for WWE.
I think the wrestling world needs TNA. I think the wrestlers need TNA. I think the fans need TNA.
WWE was looking for an opponent for The Undertaker. They needed someone for an upcoming pay-per-view. I was supposed to be just one and done.
Back in the day, when I was getting into the business, you could watch Pro Wrestling Noah. You could watch Ring Of Honor Wrestling, and a lot of people would say, 'the best wrestling in the world is actually at Ring Of Honor.'
I want to be World Heavyweight Champion, but unfortunately, that didn't happen.
I hope Seth Rollins becomes the safest, best wrestler in the world. And I wish him all the luck in the world.
The first wrestling event I ever went to was PCW Ultra in L.A., and it was insane. They had RVD wrestling, Shane Strickland, Penta, and all these incredible indie wrestlers.
Getting to work with The Undertaker right off the bat was a tremendous opportunity. It was an opportunity to be a career-maker, and fortunately, I was able to take advantage of that.
Who would have ever thought that, within a couple months of getting into the WWE, that I'd be wrestling in the main event for the world championship? Then, nine months after getting here, actually being the world champion.
Man, it was a great ride back in the day. Obviously, I started out in WCW, and I was a good mechanic back in the day. Got fired from that gig, made a turn for ECW.
In the case of Sadie Gibbs, fans were going, 'Have you seen Sadie Gibbs?' I'm like, 'Who the hell is Sadie Gibbs?' I looked into her work, and went, 'Wow, this is why these people are so into her.' She's very talented.
I really do like seeing Bobby Lashley get the torch and exactly seeing what he can do with it.
This is the deal: You win the Royal Rumble match, you go to main event WrestleMania. That's the process.
