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Drew Galloway: ‘Roman Reigns Is Going To Be One Of The Biggest Stars Ever’

By Mark Suleymanov
Published on: 16:28 PST, Jun 13, 2016

Ever since leaving the WWE in 2014, Drew Galloway has become one of the hottest commodities in professional wrestling. Despite losing the TNA World Heavyweight championship to Bobby Lashley at Slammiversary, the formerly known “Chosen One” now chooses where he makes an impact.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated to promote last weekend’s TNA pay-per-view, Galloway answered five questions about the wrestling world. Despite being a big name in various companies, Galloway still keeps tabs on his former employer, WWE, and their direction moving forward.

One polarizing figure — that fans have yet to completely get behind — draws high praise for the Sinister Scotsman.

“I travel all the time, but I try to watch as much as I can,” Galloway said about keeping up with the WWE product.

“Roman [Reigns] is such a talented guy. People can see that he’s been protected a lot, which is understandable. If I was in a position of power, I’d put him in the exact same spot. But it takes years to truly get over and get the fans fully behind you.”

Reigns, currently in his third reign as WWE World Heavyweight champion, is a focal point of WWE. In recent months, he has battled WWE newcomer AJ Styles in two well-received main events on PPV. Now, he’s days away from defending his title again former Shield partner, Seth Rollins. However, the term mixed reaction has become synonymous with the Samoan Superman.

Since debuting with The Shield in late 2012, Reigns has gone through several career phases. From the powerhouse of the stable, to the lone wolf with a “One versus all” mentality, to being “the guy” in WWE. Galloway, who wrestled as Drew McIntyre from 2009-2014 in WWE, says that it will take some more time for Reigns to gain the fans’ support.

Once he does, Galloway believes Reigns will cement his name in the annals of WWE history.

“People have to come on this journey with you, and they’ve been with me the whole time. I won the IC title, they saw 3MB, and it really does take a long time for people to get to know you. Truly getting over is a lot different than just getting a reaction, and time is what it takes. I understand that now. A couple years from now, or after he comes back from an injury, Reigns is going to be one of the biggest stars ever.”

As for Galloway, his reputation has skyrocketed since leaving WWE. Holding titles in several promotions, including TNA, EVOLVE, ICW, and more. That’s led to several legends, such as WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart, praising Galloway’s work.

“Bret Hart was my hero growing up,” Galloway said. “It’s so bizarre to hear your hero say kind things about you, it’s just crazy. Hulk Hogan was the larger than life character that everybody loved, but there was just something about Bret Hart. He had the jacket and the glasses, but I was just obsessed with watching his matches.”

Hart has been critical of certain performers, most recently criticizing Rollins for injuring John Cena and later himself. However, Galloway is luckier in drawing praise from the wrestling legend and appreciates both the compliments and being in a position to establish himself.

“As I grew up, I began to realize I enjoyed the matches so much because Bret told such a captivating story in the ring with his moves. He wasn’t phony, and I immediately recognized that. He told compelling stories in the wrestling, and that’s the most genuine thing in this business. Guys like Bret Hart, William Regal, and Fit Finlay–those are three guys from over the years that have influenced me and I really respect.”

[Featured Photo via Impact Wrestling]

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