I've done stuff in the past and followed in the footsteps of my heroes, and each time, it felt a little bit surreal.

I didn't want wrestling anymore; I wanted to not want it. But I couldn't get a job anywhere, which was part of the reason I was homeless. I couldn't get a job pumping gas. I couldn't get a job working at a warehouse, I couldn't get a job at Baskin Robbins, I couldn't get a job anywhere.

When I was maybe 22, 23 years old or so, I was sort of floating in between New Japan, Ring of Honor, TNA - not really committed to one place.

It's really exciting to be able to represent the cruiserweights and go to Monday Night Raw. I grew up watching Monday Night Raw, and it's really a big dream of mine to perform on that stage.

At 9, I think I had really gotten into tennis. I liked writing short stories; I loved solving math problems. I was learning a little piano, and I was collecting Garbage Pail Kids cards.

You can't explain the feeling of singing hit songs to an audience - it's like being a genuine sports star at the peak of their powers.

Survival is the main objective. There are going to be some awful days, I know that from my background in the sport.

It's cool to be a Laker: that's basketball royalty, in a sense. The best franchise in basketball, so to be drafted by them is pretty cool, pretty special.