A former WWE star has admitted that there were positives and negatives when it comes to one of their biggest accolades.
While many wrestlers found their way into the industry via the independents or a family connection, Maven’s journey into the sports entertainment world was much more unique. Winning the first-ever Tough Enough competition, the former Hardcore Champion was fast-tracked to the main roster and was a part of the company for a number of years.
Looking back at the achievement on his YouTube channel, the former Hardcore Champion stated that although he was grateful for Tough Enough as it led to his WWE career, he would continually be known as “The Tough Enough Kid”:
“Now this next one is more personal in nature to me, and that is being called the ‘Tough Enough Kid.’ Now, for those of you who are unaware, in 2001 the WWE had a reality show contest called Tough Enough. I won the first one, and that gave me my WWE career. While I’m forever grateful for that opportunity, I mean, I am and will always be the fan who was able to live their dream, but I always wanted the opportunity to be able to graduate, to move past just being the ‘Tough Enough Kid.’
Continuing, Maven added that although members of the roster and those in production saw him as more than the Tough Enough winner, it’s still brought up more than 20 years later:
“It’s weird. It’s not even backstage. It’s not even with the boys. After time passed and after I earned some of my stripes, I noticed the guys in the locker room, they no longer viewed me as the ‘Tough Enough Kid.’ Even the production staff no longer viewed me as just the ‘Tough Enough Kid.’
They allowed me the opportunity to earn some of their respect, but with interviews I do, and still do to this day, I’m forever known as ‘Tough Enough Kid.’ I know what you’re saying, ‘Maven, you ungrateful piece of –‘ Imagine if I linked your lifelong success with the first thing you did after you graduated. Is that something that you would want to have hanging over you? I don’t think so.”
Former WWE Star Addresses Potential Comeback
At the start of the year, the pro wrestling promotion officially kicked off the Netflix era in style with some of the biggest names of the past and present in attendance along with many notable alumni. Ahead of the show, a former Women’s Champion explained why a return to WWE looks unlikely at this time.
In other news, a WCW alumni is hoping for a WWE return and Hall of Fame induction.
H/t to Fightful.