In an interview with Vince Russo’s The Brand podcast, Drew Galloway spoke about his role in TNA, his thoughts on John Cena and more. Here are highlights:

On getting released in his prime at twenty-nine: “When I left initially, people hadn’t been aware of what I can do in the ring because they hadn’t seen me in the ring for a few years. It took a couple of guys speaking on my behalf, for example; Trent Barreta, Gabe Sapolsky, who runs Evolve, hey Drew, we are a company that wants to show what you and do in the ring. If that is ok with you, we would like for you to be part of Evolve. Gabe thought, ok, former WWE guy; don’t know much about him; can only bring a few people in, and then he was bringing me in. Barreta got injured; Gabe saw my return to Scotland, which went viral on the internet at ICW and saw my promo. He said, I think I know where you are going with this, how would you like to win the title on your first night in and win the title against Chris Hero, which I did, and the relationship has evolved since then. It was a case of people seeing what I can do, just being myself. It was just to show what I can do, and that is so cool.”

On his connection to TNA: “I was back home in Scotland and had a show on Sunday. TNA was there on a Thursday and Friday, I believe it was. I had a few missed calls from a Nashville number. I was laying in my bed in Scotland, and I thought, I don’t know anyone in Tennessee so I ignored the calls. When you are waking up from a show on Sunday, you’re not thinking that TNA is going to call you. All I thought was I can’t think of any of the boys are from there, and if they were, they could have left a voicemail, that was all I was thinking. I wasn’t really thinking; it was in the early morning in Scotland, so, eventually Tommy Dreamer texted me saying, hey Drew, if you don’t mind, answer your phone, TNA would like to talk to you. So I was like, ok Tommy, I will speak with them, but I have no intention of being on television, it’s been about 6-7 months. I was back on the Indy’s. Things were going really well, I reinvented myself and started to become a name on the Indy’s, which was my goal, to stay out of the TV light and the spotlight, and reinvent myself in the underground; I know this business, so this is what I wanted to do. I said that I will speak to Tommy. He knew me from my time in WWE; he said that he will not take no for an answer, he wants to give me a shot, and I will let you be yourself; I asked if it was ok that I can be Drew Galloway, he said, yes you can. I said that I did not want to be scripted word for word on television, and everything I said he stuck by and said that they wanted me to debut in Manchester [England] on a Friday I think it was, I said ok, if you are really going to listen to my opinion, have me debut as a babyface, so he spoke with whoever he was going to speak to and that was when it began. The contract was signed that day and the agreement was also that I was allowed to finish my independent bookings, which is what I ever wanted. Now is the perfect scenario; I get to be Drew Galloway and have built me up in such a way on television, and they stuck to their word by allowing me to work with all the independent companies to help their companies grow and grow, I have an ICW show in November, which is looking to draw 13,000 this year, there will be another show that will host 4,000 and another 30,000, so it’s really cool to allow me to do these other projects. Right now, it is such a unique time for wrestling, and a unique time for me. I appreciate everything they have done for me.”

On being the guy in TNA: “When it came to other companies, I saw it as a big responsibility because I already saw myself as being “the guy” before I got to TNA. I saw the difference what I was making when I was there. I saw the difference in the guys stepping their game up and speaking to them about the way television is, especially in the UK market, I saw myself with these responsibilities, and I know I was ready for that responsibility for a long time. I couldn’t in WWE, and TNA I am very fortunate enough for them to believe in me and say, ok this is what you have always wanted, we believe in you, let’s see what you can do. I will always give 150%, always trying to knock it out of the park, and my promos–I have made it a point to work on my game because I was always a wrestler, brawler and fighter–a realistic guy in the ring, but I worked hard to put myself across in a compelling manner, to make myself understood. I worked hard on my game in every single part of my areas, taking interviews, just everything I can possibly think of that John Cena does. It’s like, ok John Cena does this, he has no time, I can beat Cena, and that has always been my goal. He is the guy I look at as the standard bearer; for being the man. I say to myself, if John Cena is willing to do it, to travel to all these places then I am willing to do it; I will top John Cena, even if I am not in the WWE.”

On the influence of Kurt Angle: “Kurt was the man. Nobody like Kurt Angle. I can say that he is the fastest guy to jump from one sport from amateur wrestling to the main spotlight. Nobody evolved the way he did. Aside the fact that he is so believable, so good in the ring, there is nobody like a Kurt Angle. Aside from all of that, he is the most passionate-driven guy ever. No matter how many people think I work hard and am passionate and push myself, there is nobody like Kurt Angle. He inspired me to push harder; before he left the company, he made sure that I got over on him as the top guy of the company. He said that he didn’t want me to pin him, he wanted me to tap out, and I was in shock, like what is going on here, I couldn’t fathom it. Kurt was telling me I had to step up and be the man around here when he is gone. I can’t stick my head around it, but I know that I am ready to take on the responsibilities.”