"I was so nervous" - AEW star tells Chris Jericho he was 'worried' before his debut
Jay Lethal, one of AEW's newest stars, made quite an impression when he debuted at the promotion's Full Gear pay-per-view. Lethal, who has also wrestled in IMPACT Wrestling, admitted that he was worried ahead of his appearance on the high-profile show.
As a 20-year veteran, Lethal has been involved in many memorable matches and moments throughout his impressive career. Early on, he became one of the most buzzworthy stars on the independent scene before he reached new heights with TNA/IMPACT Wrestling. There, he won the TNA X-Division Championship six times and worked with major stars like Ric Flair and AJ Styles.
During an appearance on Talk Is Jericho, Lethal looked back on his AEW debut and explained that he was worried the fans in attendance wouldn't be excited to see him. Despite his apprehension, the live crowd welcomed Lethal with a loud reaction, and he stated that this response meant a lot to him.
"I was a bit worried," said Lethal. "And I remember everyone was like, 'you've done this a bunch of times, why are you worried?' I was so nervous. I was like, 'Well, it's pay-per-view and this is like my debut....' I was like, if I'm lucky, when I go out there, I'll get the golf clap."
"When I went out there and [people went nuts for it], they did, and it just... when I got back in the locker room, my eyes were watery because that moment meant so much to me," Lethal continued.
.@TheLethalJay is here in #AEW! #AEWFullGear https://t.co/Ah2Swx4AAh
At AEW Full Gear, Lethal announced that he had signed with the promotion, and he challenged TNT Champion Sammy Guevara to a match.
Jay Lethal on not meeting Tony Khan when he signed with AEW
Tonight is an honor & a privilege. This opportunity proves to me that never compromising who you are, treating everyone along the way with respect, & always acting with integrity, no matter what is thrown your way, you will be rewarded. Let your light shine! #nextTNTchamp https://t.co/TUkg2qRvI8
During the same interview, Jay Lethal also revealed an interesting detail about his arrival in AEW. He described how he signed his contract before he spoke with company president Tony Khan.
"...I was worried that, through the dealings with the lawyers and stuff, I had never actually got to talk to Tony [Khan]," said Lethal. "So I kept thinking that it was going to be so weird to meet him. How did all this happen so quick? And I never even got to talk to him."
Lethal went on to note that Khan was "so cool" when they met, and the veteran wrestler made it clear that AEW immediately felt like home. The popular star later made his in-ring debut on the subsequent episode of AEW Dynamite, where Guevara defeated him in the main event.
If any quotes are used from this interview please add an H/T to Sportskeeda and credit Talk Is Jericho