Beer Money (James Storm and Bobby Roode) recently spoke with Royal Ramblings of the Huffington Post during the recent TNA UK tour. Here are the highlights.
James, you’ve said you talked business with Triple H. AJ Styles debuted in WWE with no mention of TNA. If his advice to you was to go back to TNA does that indicate a higher degree of respect for TNA than some interpret to be the case?
JS: You know, we talked. It’s really hard for any company in the world to compete with WWE. It’s so big and it’s been around for a long time. TNA is still really a new company, it’s only been around 13-14 years. He understood that I have a family to provide for. For me it was the right decision both for my career and for my family.
Big Dick from Lucha Underground suggested WWE was trying to buy up the whole roster there. With Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, AJ Styles etc going over to NXT do you think WWE is pursuing the same strategy with TNA?
JS: For me, it only makes smart business. If they’re able to do it because they have the financial backing then so be it. However, it’s also big props to the guys that don’t go. A lot of people are always hating on the guys that don’t go or leave or something. It’s like you don’t have to wrestle in WWE to be successful. A lot of people can’t live with that.
BR: the one thing that you learn in this business is that perception is reality. What you see on TV or what you read about the business isn’t always true. As James said, you don’t have to go to WWe to make money or to be happy. I’ve been in TNA for nearly fifteen years. I’m very happy, financially I’m doing well and it’s been very successful. In this business were all one big happy dysfunctional family. It doesn’t matter which company you work for, everyone wishes everyone else the best. Nobody ever wants to see a company fold. I don’t know why some fans want to see the company do badly. On social media, people are bashing TNA. Why? If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. When I was a kid, I would have wanted wrestling on every singly night. It didn’t matter what it was.
JS: If the company does go out of business, WWE might not pick up your favourite wrestler you were watching on the other company. Now you don’t get to see the guy you wanted to see.
You can read the entire interview here.
