44 Quotes by Rich Swann

Bobby Lashley was the first and to have the opportunity to challenge for the championship when it is even rare to see an African American even headline a pay-per-view; it makes my heart soar. I'm able to be in this position to make everyone who supported me proud.

One thing my mother told was to go for what you believe and do something that will allow you to inspire others.

Wrestlers were my role models. And now to think that I am that person to somebody, that brings me joy.

I think the WWE has really rounded my skills as a sports-entertainer. It's been a great experience.

Guys like Rey Mysterio Jr., Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, guys like that, they've inspired me. They made me want to do this. Those guys were three of the top cruiserweights that you can name.

I've never had to make weight for any sport before. Because, get this, I was not allowed to do any sports in school because I was a professional athlete. I was doing wrestling at the age of 15, so the school districts and the board of directors said that because I was a professional athlete that I couldn't do anything.

When you set a goal in your mind of what you want to be and you actually achieve that, it's a feeling that's very hard to describe.

To actually be able to live out my dream and be in the WWE, be in the cruiserweight division, have the opportunity bring it to the forefront and show the WWE universe what we're about, there's no better feeling in the world.

But I love Baltimore to death. That's my city. It's diverse and growing up there, it was just fun. Personally, I had trials and tribulations with my parents and everything like that, but that's nothing on the city.