Although currently reigning as NXT Champion, Grayson Waller recently reflected on a difficult period in his career. After a challenging tenure on the main roster where he aligned with The New Day but struggled to make an impact following the dissolution of his tag team with Austin Theory, the young superstar found himself at a professional crossroads.
Following his championship victory, Waller sat down with Cheap Heat on SiriusXM to discuss the lowest point of his past year. He specifically cited being excluded from the company’s Australian broadcasts as a deeply frustrating experience. Highlights from the interview can be viewed below, courtesy of Fightful:
On His Lowest Point Over the Past Year:
“It was Australia. It was Australia. I’m the Aussie Icon. We got Rhea (Ripley) and Bronson (Reed) but no one reps Australia like I do. No one does media for Australia like I do. I’ve got the flag on all my gear. I love where I’m from… There was three shows in Australia: SmackDown, Raw and a PLE. ‘Sorry Grayson, we don’t have anything for you. There’s no story.’ Lad! I’m Australian! That is the story! I’m the Aussie Icon.”
On What Helped Him Bounce Back:
I think what raised me from that point is when I had a Main Event match with (Rey) Fenix… Fenix is very good at what he does. But I went out before that show, and anyone who was there that first night of SmackDown, I might have had the biggest reaction of the entire weekend. So you can say what you want but when I walked out there, it felt great to be like, ‘I told you.’
“If you put me in the places that I was supposed to be, this could have been huge so, I was a little upset that we had three shows and you didn’t have a spot for Grayson Waller but that’s okay because we’re going back and I’ve told myself the next time we’re in Australia, I’m gonna make sure that I’m on that card and I’m doing something big and that’s what I’m doing. I’m putting in the work and I’m making it happen.”
