Many people ask me about WWE and if I'd go to WWE in the future. They ask me if I'm going now. I will not go. I want to make New Japan Pro-Wrestling bigger.
I trained at All Pro Wrestling in the U.S. Later, I signed up with the New Japan Pro Wrestling. Then WWE noticed me.
Hopefully, when people watch 'Lucha Underground' and WWE, Ring of Honor, New Japan, AAA, and any other promotion out there, they fall in love with pro wrestling. Pro wrestling, as it affects pop culture, is bigger than any one promotion.
Actually, a person asked me if I was ever going to come back to WWE. I told them that if I came back, it probably wouldn't be as WWE Superstar, because the young guys are really what it's all about. Bringing me back as an announcer is a great position for me to actually go out and make the young guys bigger stars.
I've always said, just go ask my teammates if you want to know about me. Go ask the guys that I've played with. Don't ask or get information about me from people who are not in the locker room or not around me all of the time. Then you'll get legit answers.
I'm going to make an appearance in professional wrestling, but it won't be for the WWE. If I put wrestling boots and wrestling trunks on one last time - and I'm going to - it's going to be done by me and me only.
A good friend of mine, Maria Menounos, she's kind of like a mentor to me. She dabbled in WWE and pro wrestling, and she said 'This is the perfect opportunity for you.' Once I started doing my research about the competition and the company, I fell in love with WWE even more.
People ask me what my favorite WWE era is. It's now, because I'm living it.
The generally big places in the world, the big countries for pro wrestling or lucha libre are Mexico, U.S.A., Japan, and U.K. And now WWE is in all countries and it's different.
Wrestling in Japan, obviously, the fans are a little bit different - very quiet, very respectful in New Japan - but here in the WWE, these fans are going nuts.
I was going to go back to doing the indies more often and possibly working more of a full-time schedule in Japan. If I didn't get the chance to go to WWE, that would have been a bummer to me, but I was just going to continue to do the best I could and continue my legacy.
When I started wrestling, I never wanted to go to WWE. It was the Japanese life for me.
I was thinking, with the TV exposure I had with WWE - and it's kind of hard to explain to people sometimes how many countless hours you are on television when you've been on the road with WWE - I was thinking that was going to open doors, get me auditions, and get me into a lot of high profile roles.
"Please... don't ask me to go with you, because if you do, I'll go. Please don't ask me to tell Frank about us, because I'll do that, too. Please don't ask me to give up my responsibilities or break up my family"... "I love you, and if you love me, too, then you just can't ask me to do these things. Because I don't trust myself enough to say no."
I love WWE so much. There is no greater love than the WWE Universe. I know we are in a love-hate relationship, but at least they feel passionate about me. They love me one second, then boo me the next. That's what I love about the WWE Universe.
People ask me, 'Would you ever want to play professional golf?' And I'm like, 'No. No, no, no, no. Just because I can hit a good shot every now and then doesn't make me a pro.'
I wouldn't go to pro wrestling. It's not really my thing. I'm a fan, but I think every sport could take some notes from the WWE - how they've progressed and stayed relevant for such a long period of time.