Drew Galloway talks changes in TNA, his WWE push, TNA not being on his radar, his goals, more

Drew Galloway in TNA

I recently spoke with Drew Galloway, who made his TNA debut earlier this year. Below is the full interview:

You recently got back from Scotland. Who were you wrestling for, was it ICW?

That's who I came for initially. I had three days of tapings in Orlando, drove back to my place in Tampa, packed my bags and went to the airport. I went straight to Australia, did two shows and flew back. Spent about a day and a half in Tampa, flew to San Jose to do three shows for EVOLVE. After my third match I flew straight to Scotland for a show. The next day I got to the airport at 7 pm, the arena at 8 pm, had my match at 10 pm. Had a couple of days off, flew to London, then to Belfast, then to Scotland and that's been my last couple of weeks.

Would you say your schedule is busier now than with WWE? I know you arrange your own schedule, but it sounds like you're doing a lot of international travel.

Oh absolutely, it's crazy. It's a night and day difference. It's me that dictates it, but I want to be the busiest wrestler in the world and I am the busiest wrestler in the world. I'm proud of that fact. I push myself. I want to be like John Cena, who has the craziest schedule of all-time. I'm gonna do the 30 matches every single day. I simply want to be the best wrestler in the world.

You're the ICW Heavyweight champion, you hold titles in Dragon Gate and EVOLVE. What's it like having all these companies putting stock into you of late?

It's such an incredible feeling. People believing in me and giving me the platform to do what I love. I've always wanted to be a professional wrestler, nothing else. I've always been crazy about wrestling. I was training at 15, having matches at 16. It's awesome doing what I'm doing now.

You had a big push coming in to the WWE. Looking back do you wish you would have started lower on the ladder or did you like being thrust right into the limelight?

I wouldn't change a thing. Especially the situation I was in, it's all about timing. The situation I've been in the last 8 months, it's all about timing and people believing in me. Trent Baretta got injured and that's why I ended up winning the EVOLVE title. Different companies gave me a lot of opportunities. If we had waited a little bit longer, maybe Vince McMahon wouldn't have done the endorsement on TV. He's never done it before, he'll probably never do it again. Just to have that that barely at 24 was such an incredible thing. Looking back that will be one of the biggest things that ever happened to me because I'm the only guy that's happened to or will happen to. I wouldn't change a thing in that aspect. There are other things, but that's wrestling. Especially in that environment where things change week to week. Now I'm in charge of my own destiny. TNA is giving me such creative freedom is unbelievable. The belief they have in me to allow me to be Drew Galloway in the ring and on the mic. Happy days right now.

You recently started with TNA after being released from WWE for a while. How long did it take to negotiate that deal? Had that been on your radar?

The truth is it absolutely had not. I was looking to not be on American TV so soon. I was on there not even 8 months prior. I was establishing myself and getting a following, traveling the world and making money. I came back to Scotland on a Sunday and TNA was doing a show on the British tour. I got three missed calls from a number I didn't recognize and threw my phone away because I was sleeping. Finally Tommy Dreamer text me and said "You may want to answer your phone, TNA tried to call you." So I said yeah I'll call back. I spoke to a couple of the bosses and was initially apprehensive, but as soon as I spoke to them I knew it was the right decision to make. The opportunity to be a part of something on Destination America, the network is so behind the show. It's going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. The biggest thing for me it they were gonna let me be Drew, let me have a microphone and speak my mind. I could wrestle as myself and do my independent work that I've worked so hard on for the 8 months prior and that was really important to me. Things have just exploded and things are very exciting right now. I'm happier than I've ever been.

It seems like the past couple of months, TNA has been producing some of their best shows. What have been your thought of Impact lately as opposed to before, and words for lapsed fans?

I'm the biggest wrestling fan in the world, the biggest smart mark, the biggest geek. I've always been such a fan. Since the switch was made, a lot of changes have been made. A lot of cool camera angles, it looks very different. There's obviously been a much bigger focus on the in-ring wrestling. Most wrestling fans aren't excited to see a guy talking into a microphone, but that's part of it, part of the character. I love wrestling, and that's a big focus of the show. So many of the guys are talented in the ring and that was a deciding factor. For people that have been off the product?just give it a chance. [Last] Friday for instance, the new group The Rising, a couple of guys that are joining me in Eli Drake and Myka (Haku's son)... I'm not trying to be a leader, I'm just asking everyone to walk with me. If you want pro wrestling to grow or change, don't put it on a message board. Tell me, tell TNA. We're looking to make a difference. I'm fired up that they're giving me this opportunity, so let's make a change. I don't want to sound gimmicky, but let's stand up.

You see a lot of times in WWE, someone is gaining popularity, getting fans and they start to lose every week. When that process occurs, is that something you're told or do you just find out at TV that you're losing week after week?

That isn't something you're privy to, it happens behind closed doors and plans change. Different stories and different shows, and you never really know what's going on is the reality. It's unfortunate, but that's the truth of the matter. You're a part of the machine, and it's a ready-made machine, you're just part of that. Unfortunately, you have to go with the flow, you don't have that unlimited creative freedom. That's a big thing for me right now. I've had goals and thankfully people believing in me and giving me opportunities. WWE provided me 8 years and without that I wouldn't have gotten these opportunities and I'm thankful for that. Now I'm just a kid who loves wrestling, being able to express his creative freedom at 29 years old.

Have you seen a change in the fan base overseas to where it is now, since when you started?

It's night and day. The UK right now is crazy, it's TNA's biggest market currently. Just like soccer or football crowds, we're crazy. Those fans want wrestling. There was no wrestling in Scotland when I started, there was nothing going on. Finally myself and a few others got the Scottish wrestling scene going and things started picking up all over the place. We got to a point where things were getting popular, especially me and Sheamus. We were in the big feud in Europe. I come back now there's so many places and so much buzz. Sell outs all over the place, left and right. ICW in Scotland is unbelievable, BBC has done two documentaries on the promotion. It's thriving and TNA is currently the biggest thing over there.

Do you think TNA is ahead of the curve with the influx of European talent?

There's a few in WWE, but now, yeah. Especially with the British Boot Camp show. A lot of the guys are getting opportunities. There's a lot of guys here that are passionate and driven. There's so much talent here, it's unbelievable, and that's all across the world. I've been working with EVOLVE and Dragon Gate, and they have some of the best in-ring competitors in the world. If people get the opportunity the cream will rise to the top, I truly believe that. Keep working, and keep the faith, and things are starting to happen for me. I never lost the faith, I always believed in myself. I get myself fired up talking about wrestling because I genuinely love it so much.

I know it costs a lot more to do TV overseas, but would you like to see TNA become more UK-centric?

I'd like to see 2-3 tours maximum. I wouldn't want to oversaturate the market. You don't want to overdo it. Just a couple of things a year to keep the fans excited. Once a year, they're rabid. They deserve at least a couple a year.

How do you compare the two experiences of taping in Orlando to the UK?

For myself, I started on the UK tour, the people were receptive to everything I did. I was speaking as a wrestling fan and people were getting on board with it. I wondered how things would be when I got to the Impact Zone, and I got there and the people were responsive as soon as I started speaking my mind as a wrestling fan. It's exciting, I love the Impact Zone. I was very nervous, but once I got out there, I loved it. I love passionate wrestling fans, and TNA is drawing them right now. I know it's at Universal Studios, but the majority of that crowd are professional wrestling fans. You feel it as soon as you walk out there.

What changes would you like to see in pro wrestling, or things that were done back in the day that you'd see brought back, or things in MMA you'd like to see brought over?

There's a few things coming your way pretty soon that are going to be exciting. The obvious thing for me is simply just fans. When they respond to somebody, maybe give that person an opportunity, because the fans dictate the wrestling. We're doing it for the fans, and our own dreams as well. It's blatant, the fans tell you who they want. If the fans are receptive to a character give them what they want, and of course have wrestling on the wrestling shows. There's a lot of cool things and cool ideas I have in store, but I don't want to spoil it. Just give it a chance. There's such a wealth of talent. If you weren't a fan in the past, you'll be a fan now.

You were busted open by the Beat Down Crew a few weeks ago. How personal does something like that make the feud?

It makes it very personal. The very first night I was there in Glasgow and tore Low Ki apart really good. Like I say, in Glasgow we don't do drive by chair shots or drive by pipe shots, we do drive by stabbings. I drew the first blood and it was a blood feud from the beginning. Things have picked up since then and it's turned in to a bit of a war. I've wrestled Kenny King, and will have a war with MVP, but the big match fans want is myself and Low Ki, and whatever you've seen on TV, the reaction is genuine.

What are your goals in TNA?

As we've said, I have 5 titles on three continents. Each of them are defended in different countries and I've made them into world titles by defending them in multiple countries. The ultimate goal is the TNA World Title, ideally wrestling Kurt Angle. I watched him when I was younger, he's intensity personified and a wrestling machine. I want to tangle with Kurt Angle. If I could win the world title and keep up the schedule I've been doing, I want to be a traveling world champion like Ric Flair. The TNA World Title would be my ultimate goal.

Do you have any final words for the fans?

Everyone, give TNA a shot. If you do, I guarantee professional wrestling and quality programming the way we wanted it growing up. You can check me out on Twitter (@GallowaySpeaks) and see if I'll be in your country, and with my schedule, it's very likely that I will over the next couple of weeks. Also, check out The Rising shirts on TNAShop.com. Thank you to everyone for believing in me.