Abyss is now a crafty veteran of professional wrestling, but his run with Impact Wrestling wasn't always that way.

As he heads into the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame this year, Abyss spoke to Fightful.com and looked back on his first ever TNA match in 2002. In a battle royal that featured over a dozen wrestlers with WCW and WWE experience, only Abyss (then known as Justice) and Gran Apolo were the only two competitors without that experience.

"That brings me down memory lane. I was just thinking about that yesterday. July 19, 2002. I remember that date like it's my birthday, it's ingrained in my head. I got booked on that thing at the last minute. Bob Ryder -- I had never spoken to him before -- he called me the week before and they had about two or three slots in the Gauntlet for the Gold that Ken Shamrock ended up winning. Ryder called me and offered me the spot. I did cartwheels across my front lawn. I was the most excited I've been in my entire life. It was my first opportunity to be on a national platform on television. It was nerve wracking, I was nobody. At that time, they were inundated with WCW talent. It was something I'll never forget," Abyss said.

Abyss would disappear for several months before re-emerging on the scene, leading his 15-plus year run with TNA Impact Wrestling that eventually gave way to his Hall of Fame induction this year.

You can see Abyss' comments in the video player above, and you can see a full shoot interview we did with him at this link.