[ad_1]
Apollo Crews spoke with Justin Barrasso about Illustrated sports ahead of his next WWE Intercontinental Championship match against Big E next Sunday Expressway PPV. Crews opened up about his recent character change, wanting to level up to Roman Reigns and struggling to make it into the main roster.
Working in India for about five years before joining WWE, Crews recalled how his incredible in-ring abilities carried him very far in his professional wrestling career. Once he went through NXT, he realized that it would take more if he was to become a bigger player on the WWE Main List.
“It was so different in India,” recalls Crews. “I did these awesome and awesome things in the ring, and my job carried me. At the time, I thought it would get me where I wanted. I came to NXT and was lucky enough to be myself. Then I struggled to find myself in a new environment [on RAW and SmackDown]. This is how it has always been for me. I am naturally shy and it takes some time to familiarize myself with a new situation. It got me to be a generic guy so people weren’t sure about me. I noticed it when we were doing concerts. People weren’t connecting with me, so I really worked to establish that connection and the fan reaction.
Crews now finds that connection as his new WWE character taps into his Nigerian heritage, all the while turning on heels and searching for a title.
“This is the right time in my career for character exploration,” Crews said. “Five years ago, as a performer, I couldn’t have done that, with the character or the accent, or whatever. Now I can. And watch the reactions. People hate him, people love him. It’s pretty cool. I don’t want anyone in the middle.
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has also been at the center of the Crews’ preoccupations as he one day seeks to rise to the level of Reigns in WWE.
“Roman does it all so well,” Crews said. “I watched and learned from him. He is the best. Everyone wants to be in their place, so watching him has taught me a lot. I want to be that person capable of captivating an audience, with undeniable grandeur. That’s Roman’s level, and that’s what I’m working towards.
WWE Expressway airs next Sunday on the WWE Network and Peacock at 7 p.m. ET.
[ad_2]
Source link