Many fans know about Adam Pearce for his work with WWE, as he is a producer/on-air authority figure.
However, some may forget that he had a long and successful in-ring career before getting to WWE. Pearce wrestled for promotions including ROH, NWA, and PWG during his pro wrestling career which spanned from 1996-2014.
While with the NWA, he was a 5-time World Heavyweight Champion and a one-time PWG Champion. The WWE Raw GM recently appeared on Insight With Chris Van Vliet for a new interview. Here are the highlights:
On the possible possible match with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis: “There is something there. There is a lot of errant opportunity between Mr. Aldis and I. Here’s the thing: you have to want that. I don’t think he wants that. No, that’d be fun. Neither one of us, Nick and I, are ever going to angle for a position in the spotlight like that. I think we’re both content, happy, and honored to have the positions we have currently in WWE. There is only one general manager for the show. It’s highly important. It has been the pinnacle of my professional performing career and I hope that continues into the future. As I’ve said 100 times privately and publicly, I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty either. If the situation calls for it, I’m sure Nick would be down for it. I think there is a whole litany of NWA fans who have played that ‘What If?’ game. Our names are always connected when people talk about that, especially in the modern era. What would happen? It’d be fun for a lot of different groups of wrestling fans.”
On whether it was hard for him to end his in-ring career: “No. It was time, and I think wrestling fans really have a hard time when I say it, and I say it with conviction cuz it’s true. I was 36, my babies were new to this world, and I had an opportunity to turn the page and I thought it would be ridiculous of me and very selfish not to at least explore it. You don’t know what’s going to happen. I had worked a long time and amassed a lot of tools not to put those tools to good use. I had been prepared along the way. Like I said, Ring of Honor, Cary Silkin owned the company at the time before it went through its transitions gave me the opportunity to to succeed and fail on the fly booking a touring schedule and writing and producing television for a bunch of guys in that locker room from 07, 08, 09, 2010, Ring of Honor. You look at that locker room bunch of those Brothers I work with today. Still, we all cut our teeth at the same time, so it was a very special time and a very special crew.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Chris Van Vliet with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
