Tyson Dupont says WWE NXT’s crossover with TNA gave him and Tyriek Igwe their first pay-per-view appearances. On Developmentally Speaking with Bryan Asbury, he recalled how the opportunity brought them into a new locker room and put them in front of a different audience.
Dupont said he and Igwe had seen other NXT talent make the trip before their turn came. The chance to work in TNA meant more matches, more eyes on their team and a welcome from the people they met there.
“Hell yeah. I was fired up just to get more opportunities, to get eyes on us and more opportunities to get reps. We were fired up because, at the time, months prior, other talents were going over, which we’re aware of, and we’re like, ‘Man, I can’t wait until it’s our turn.’ When our turn came, it felt good. I’m not going to lie to you, it felt amazing. The locker room over there was great. Everyone was nice and very respectful and welcoming, and we just went out there, did what was asked of us. Our first ever pay-per-view was with TNA, or two pay-per-views. Just made the best of every opportunity that was ever given to us and just took it and ran with it. Sometimes that’s all you can do. Just be ready. You never know when you’re going to get that call.”
One of those appearances was a six-man match at TNA Sacrifice, where Dupont and Igwe teamed with Wes Lee against The Rascalz and Ace Austin. Their later TNA World Tag Team Title match against the Hardys at Final Resolution left Dupont with a particularly memorable moment.
“I would say maybe the six-man at Sacrifice, the TNA, with us versus The Rascalz, with Ace Austin. And then I would say the most special moment was probably taking the Swanton Bomb from Jeff Hardy for the tag titles and having my first cage match as well. That was dope. Overall, they all played a very significant role. They’re all very special to me. I feel like every moment was its own special moment.”
Dupont also compared the response in TNA with the crowds he knew from NXT. The size and familiarity of the audience changed, he said, but he felt a reaction from both.
“I would say a little bit. Obviously, the TV crowd and a crowd that’s never seen you before is a little different. They get comfortable with you. They’re aware of who you are. I would say some of the biggest crowds we’ve been in front of were in a TNA arena just because we were at a pay-per-view, and for our TV crowd I think it’s only like 400 people that we have weekly. Some of our biggest live events for us were like 700, I think, I believe, at St. Pete’s. But I would say the love was the same, though. I felt the excitement from both crowds, and it was kind of cool to see the reaction we got from a TNA crowd from not being in front of them regularly. We definitely felt the love and the hate sometimes when we came back as a heel, so it was definitely fun times.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Developmentally Speaking with Bryan Asbury, with a h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.
