Sami Callihan recently spoke with Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard blog about his time in NXT as Solomon Crowe, why he asked for his release, if he’d ever want to return and much more.
When asked why he asked for his NXT release when the brand has been getting so popular, Callihan said he has no hard feelings towards anyone there and he hopes to return one day. For various reasons (including injuries), he wasn’t utilized as much as he wanted to be. At 28 years old, he wants to go full force with his career and that wasn’t happening in NXT.
“I’m one of the only guys ever to walk up to WWE and quit, but I didn’t do it to be a badass. I needed to roll the dice, and it may pay off one day and it may not. But no matter where I am, whether it’s WWE or someplace else, I’m still a professional wrestler. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters to me.”
He said that NXT officials knew he was miserable at the end of his run there. He knows he still could have made good money without having to work that much, but to him its about the quality of life. He saw Triple H backstage at Evolve during Royal Rumble weekend and said Triple H told him, “Man, I know how good you are, and to quit the top company in the world takes balls. You left on good terms and did it professionally, so if a spot opens, it’s yours.”
He loves being a pro wrestler and will make the most of his journey whether that takes him to WrestleMania, the Tokyo Dome or somewhere else. Callihan wresetles Mike Bailey tonight on iPPV in Voorhees, New Jersey at CZW 17.
SATURDAY, see former @WWENXT star & CZW legend @TheSamiCallihan vs. the returning @SpeedballBailey in Voorhees, NJ pic.twitter.com/vLcYgAmx7S
— CZW Wrestling (@combatzone) February 12, 2016
