New TNA signee Fabian Aichner opened up about how he landed in the promotion, the guidance he received from a former WWE coach, and the period when he nearly stepped away from wrestling altogether, in a new interview with PWMania.com’s Scott Mitchell.
Aichner revealed that before finding his way to TNA, he had reached a point of burnout, leading him to question his future in the business.
“I took a little bit of time away. I felt a little burnt out mentally and physically. At the start, I really didn’t want to know about wrestling, to be very honest, for the first time in my life,” Aichner said. He explained that the break gave him a new perspective. “Life feels very different if there’s no wrestling involved. Instead of going from one show to the next show, preparing constantly for a bigger event.” Ultimately, he never considered walking away for good. “I knew I was just going to take a pause. Never thought about completely stopping. As the months went by, I just felt that itch coming back more.”
When he was ready to return, a familiar face pointed him toward TNA. Aichner credited his former WWE Performance Center coach Matt Bloom with planting the seed.
“One of my former coaches, Matt Bloom, from the PC, he asked how I was doing. I told him, ‘Everything’s good, just looking for new opportunities,'” Aichner recalled. “He suggested TNA for me. So I started talking to them, seemed great. Good energy, good vibe.” A friend in Germany echoed the recommendation, and Aichner began watching the product.
For Aichner, the pieces kept lining up. “I felt like I kept getting signs for TNA,” he said. “The more I saw the shows and the more I saw the product on TV and on screen, I could see myself being in there.” He added that the process was smooth from the start. “As soon as I started talking to the officials there, it was a very good relationship. I didn’t feel like I had to really fight, and there was mutual respect there. The first couple of tapings confirmed that it was the right spot. I’m happy there now.”
Aichner is set to compete at TNA Slammiversary this Sunday, taking part in the Ultimate X match for the X Division Championship held by Cedric Alexander. In the interview, he also touched on TNA’s move to AMC Network and his goals for the future.
