Before Jack Perry signed with AEW in 2019, he didn’t have any exposure to performing on national TV, making it a difficult transition from wrestling on the independent wrestling scene to becoming a television star at 21 years of age. In addition to being one of the youngest wrestlers in the company, Perry was immediately booked against some of the most seasoned veterans in the business, a task that the former AEW National Champion was intimated by, but ready for.
During a recent appearance on “Talk Is Jericho,” Perry reflected on wrestling on live television for the first time after competing on the indie circuit for his whole career, explaining that he just wanted to keep up with all the experienced talent in AEW.
“Yeah, it was cool. It was daunting. I think the first two years for me were honestly just wanting to prove that I could hang with all these people, like you and Kenny [Omega] and the [Young] Bucks. Especially Kenny and the Bucks, that’s what I was into wrestling-wise at that time. Then all of a sudden, it’s all these guys on a more indie level, but that I’ve been a big fan of. All of a sudden, I’m just thrown in there … I never thought about working the cameras or anything like that, because to me, I was like, I’m in here with ‘Hangman’ Adam Page on my second AEW match. I gotta just hang and bang with him. So a lot of it was just wanting to prove we belong here.”
Today, Perry is recognized as one of the “four pillars” of AEW alongside MJF, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara, who are viewed as the homegrown, young stars that were positioned as the company’s future.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Talk Is Jericho” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
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