WWE and AEW on numerous occasions have fought to sign the same talent. Both companies boast of great offers to any talent that is willing to sign with them.
Wardlow spoke to AEW Unrestricted, where he revealed that Kurt Angle tried to make him sign a contract with WWE. While he ultimately went for AEW, he did have a WWE tryout.
He accepted AEW’s offer when he learned of what the company had planned for him.
“I know people know that I did have a tryout, and I smoked that tryout. I was literally the only dude there in a suit. It was mind blowing. Dudes are there in shorts and t-shirts. That’s because they’re not recruiting wrestlers. They’re recruiting ex-NFL athletes or college wrestlers, people that have never watched wrestling [and] don’t care about wrestling.”
“The comments these people were making made me sick to my stomach that they were there getting an opportunity. Of course, my roommate, he’s like, ‘Man, I’ve never even watched wrestling. I don’t even like it.’ I’m just like, ‘Get out of my room. Why are you here?’ And that was his second tryout. These people are getting multiple chances.”
“So I smoked that tryout. I’m like, ‘I have this in the bag’, so much so I literally sold my motorcycle [and] sold my house, literally got rid of everything because I’m like, ‘I’m going to put everything into moving into Florida.’ So when the email came in that I was not, I remember I actually had to pull over on the side of the road because I just couldn’t believe it, and then I started training personally with Kurt Angle when he was getting ready to make his comeback for his final couple matches.”
“And me and Kurt clicked in the ring really well, and him and I talked a lot. And he expressed that he had a conversation with a certain somebody there about bringing me in, and he’s like, ‘It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.’”
“Lord knows I am not the most patient person at all. That’s always been a battle. So when the opportunity came with AEW, and I heard what the plans were and I heard the vision and the passion behind it, I knew there was nothing for me to wait for it. This is what it is, and I’m very happy I didn’t say no and wait and wait and wait. God knows I could still be waiting at this point. Who knows? I most definitely where I’m supposed to be.”
Wardlow is currently a member of the Inner Circle but it is unknown how long he will remain a member judging from the group’s current storyline.
We will have to see what else is in store for the wrestler.
h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.
