I've always been fanatical about wrestling from a young age, growing up in Newcastle, and I have been fortunate to start training, get opportunities, and meet the right people at the right time.

There are so many role models who I watched and idolised growing up, mainly guys with a similar athletic style to myself. I loved Dynamite Kid, Eddie Guerrero, and Rey Mysterio, as well as Japanese juniors like Jushin Liger, Ultimo Dragon, and Tiger Mask.

Growing up, my wildest dream was always to be part of the WWE, and I'd been in NXT by that time for two and a half years, so I felt very, very ready to go.

It was set to be my first WrestleMania, which is obviously a lifetime goal. To have that taken away from me right on the approach - we were something like three weeks out - was devastating. It certainly changed me as a person, that process.

My father, Oliver Hynes, was an educator. He was originally just a teacher, a very good one, but then he was promoted to be in charge of education for the entire area. He was always an inspirational teacher. He was my big personal supporter, always coming here for the Tony Awards. My mother, Carmel, was a homemaker.

But the best revenge for naysayers is living well. And living well is doing your job and taking care of your family.

I'd rather people talked about the 1,000 most successful French Internet companies instead of the 5 or 10 faces we already know - including mine.

One thing that's likely: How you look as you age is hereditary. Some of my family members, for example, look younger than their real age. And people have mistaken me for 30, even 25.