CALL it cockiness, arrogance or comfort.

It was all those things.

There was times he feared his WWE dream was over.

Quite simply, Buddy Murphy got ahead of himself.

His success in the WWE came fast. Too fast and he paid the price.

It almost cost him his career.

In a fluid industry where the flavour of the week can fast become so irrelevant they can’t even get on the show, the WWE is not a world that favours complacency.

Yet, the 29-year-old from Melbourne became just that.

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As the first Australian to win a WWE championship as a Tag Team Champion in NXT, it was almost too easy.

But in a blink of an eye, he went from having a major storyline on TV to struggling to get booked for the NXT live events in front of a couple of hundred people.

“Sitting on the sidelines for that long, it got under my skin a lot because I had so much to offer,” Murphy told Foxsports.com.au.

“I felt like the world hadn’t even seen a glimpse of what I’m able to do.

“Being in a tag team, it’s on myself but we were the champs and we won the championships early in our careers and that kind of got to our heads a little bit.

Murphy, left, with his tag team partner Wesley Blake, as NXT Tag Team champions. Source: Supplied

“We went out there and win, lose or draw we didn’t care and once we lost them and couldn’t get a win, we slowly got pushed down the ladder. Where do you go from there? I didn’t have anything to grab onto.

“It’s a tough time. I was working my butt off on those live events. I was stealing the show every night but the stage is a lot smaller.

“There was a time I put a deadline on myself and it was WrestleMania

“I needed to do something because I felt like I was a diamond in the rough that had all the potential in the world but didn’t get to use it.

“Maybe I was thinking, this isn’t for me? A lot of things were going through my head. I had a little deadline to make stuff happen and 205 was my out and how I was going to showcase to the world who I am and what I am.”

Murphy signed with the WWE developmental territory in 2013 but it wasn’t until February this year he left developmental for his shot at the big time.

Murphy made the move to 205 Live, a competition designed for the cruiserweights sitting 205 pounds (93 kilograms) and under.

“Dropping 25 pounds was something I was unsure about,” he said.

Buddy Murphy before his move to 205 Live. Source: Supplied

“It seemed like a pointless adventure in a way. I was sitting in the dark in NXT. I’d lost the championships, our team disbanded, the last time I was on television was when NXT was in Melbourne (mid last year), that was the last time I was seen. I was doing NXT live events and I was stealing the show every night. I felt like I was under-utilised and overlooked. Once that tournament was announced, I thought what better platform?

“I saw that as the opportunity. I was lucky enough to steal one of the 16-man slots.”

Normally sitting around 225 pounds, Murphy had to cut weight.

But hard work paid dividends.

With a competition created to crown a new champion, Murphy snared a place in the 16 man tournament.

Adopting the moniker of ‘best kept secret’, Murphy has let his performance do the talking.

Murphy has been praised for his improved in-ring ability. Source: Supplied

The most challenging part has been around his diet.

To keep his weight low, Murphy has overhauled the way he eats and trains but it’s a small sacrifice to make in order to live out his dream.

“I do about 2200 calories a day which is super low,” he said.

“I do cardio morning and night and intermediate fasting. I do three diets in one. I do fasted cardio and making sure I’m burning off a lot more calories than I’m taking in.

“There was one point where I dropped down to 197 and that wasn’t the plan. That got to me. I was very lethargic.

“It’s about being at my elite and peaking at the right time.

“You just have to be strict.

“It’s easy to go to McDonalds and buy a burger but if I have to eat out, I’ll eat at Denny’s or IHop. I’ll get plain egg whites and vegetables. It’s not fun.

“When I’m at home in Florida I cook all my meals and bring them with me and I eat plain ground turkey and broccoli. If you have that goal in mind, you have to do what it takes.”