Bronson Reed is back with WWE after being released in 2021, but for a long time accepted that he would never be a WWE Superstar.
The Australian’s exit from the promotion in August of that year was certainly a shock to fans, given how he had been pushed as a future top star of the brand.
Reed had even received a couple of WWE Main Event appearances, which traditionally is how WWE tests the waters for a main roster call-up.
The Release
Reed was one of many WWE Superstars released by the company that year, all of which were explained at the time as down to ‘budget cuts.’
Speaking on After the Bell, Reed said he had mixed emotions over his release.
“To be honest, I think everyone that’s been through something like that takes it differently. I was surprised in the way that I did take it. I was more angry than anything. I wasn’t so much sad or anything like that. I just thought that I had so much potential because things were going my way.
I was the North American Champion, only just lost that championship [before my release] so to me I was just angry that I didn’t get to do more with the WWE, which then put a chip on my shoulder and I went out there and did whatever I could to be the best that I could be which obviously got me seen to come back. So in the end, I think it was a little gutwrenching at the time but it might have been beneficial for my career.”
Outside of WWE, Reed would work as JONAH in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he’d hold his own against established stars, including getting a victory over Kazuchika Okada.
Making it to WWE
For Reed, the journey to WWE would take him across the globe from his native Australia, where he gold as part of Melbourne Championship Wrestling.
On the show, Reed said that he came to terms with the idea that he would never make it to WWE not long into his wrestling career.
“I never even dreamt I could be in WWE. When I started training in Australia in 2007, there was no one from Australia in WWE. So my intention was to be as good a pro wrestler as I could be in my home country. In my hometown, then travel around the country, then hopefully get to Japan.”
“I never even dreamt I could be in WWE.”
Bronson Reed.
Not only is Reed in WWE, but he could be the next United States Champion, as he will be part of the U.S. Title Elimination Chamber match next week.
For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.
