“Some people supported me. Others didn’t understand and thought I was being stupid. All the responses I got motivated me, whether it was hate, love or uncertainty. The hardest thing was finding a school close by for me. The rest was history. Once I decided it was something I wanted to do, I was dedicated to do everything it took to make it.”

“The whole Ring of Honor staff has helped me. I’ve learned the importance of being patient. When you start out, you have this line of thinking that you should be wrestling in the best promotions from the jump. It’s not always like that. I had to be patient and keep working. Then once that time came, I got to work for companies like Dragon Gate USA and Ring of Honor…. I have my friends I talk to in the industry to get insight with Apollo Crews being one and Ricochet being another. Even some guys on the roster in ROH I talk to for advice. That’s the great thing about ROH is we are all there to help each other out.”

“He is actually a good buddy of mine now. It is awesome feeling knowing you have a legend and WWE Hall of Famer on your side. His charisma was off the chain. He had this swagger about him. That’s something I try to emulate and make my own. His charisma and swagger is on another level. The best advice he told me was make everything you do in the ring mean something. You just don’t do it to do it. I always remember that when I go out there.”

“Japan was awesome. They treated me well. It was one of those things going there I didn’t know how they were going to take to me, but they accepted me pretty well. It was a little bit of a culture shock. But as far as wrestling, when you do it in a different country you acclimate quickly so it doesn’t mess up what you have to do in the ring. Then it got better when I wrestled Okada, which was my favorite moment so far.”

• PHOTOS: Dancing With The Stars Contestant & UFC Fighter Paige VanZant!