Gunner Talks Leaving TNA, Being Underutilized and Working For WWE

Former TNA star Gunner recently spoke with The News Hub about various topics related to his wrestling career including his time in TNA and what is ahead for him. Below are a few highlights from the piece.

Gunner talked about how his TNA departure came about:

“I really enjoyed working for the company. I’ve been with them since 09’, Terry Taylor helped me get my foot in the door with me and Murphy and working the security deal. I will definitely miss the guys that I worked with. I think it goes the same way and that they will miss me. I talked with a handful of them. I really think it was best. After six years, there were times where I felt I was underutilized. Even though I worked with James Storm and I did the main event with Magnus, even after the Sam Shaw stuff I was put on the backburner for some odd reason and didn’t do anything wrong. After six years, I was to the point where I was stressed out a lot. I’m 33 you know and I don’t want my youth soaked up. I feel like I have something more to offer to somebody whether Impact calls me back in a couple months or WWE or Ring of Honor whoever it is, I know that me as a person I have a lot to offer. I think it was what was best for business.”

He elaborated on how he felt he wasn’t used to his potential:

“I felt that I was underutilized many times and I felt like after the James Storm feud. James was already established. Gunner who just established himself in all these high caliber matches just got voted for one of the top matches of 2014. Here is a guy that was finally getting noticed and the fans were finally getting behind me. He wasn’t just some security guy anymore. He wasn’t just some guy coming out mad all the time. They got behind the military thing. They got behind they got behind the modern day Viking gimmick and I felt like I was underutilized. For some reason, I don’t know the curtain got jerked out from under me. There were many times where I felt very disappointed.”

Gunner also noted he’s still trying for a WWE tryout:

“I think it is more of a hearsay rumor [about 30 year olds not wanted in the WWE]. I think everyone goes through a developmental tryout now and I think that’s fair. They want condition. They want a different athlete now. Wrestling is totally different from what it was back in the 80s and 90s when I was growing up. Its guys are balls to the wall now. So now you have guys working 15 and 20 minute matches and stuff like that it’s not just body slams anymore its everything. I think it’s awesome that wrestling is getting more into the athletic look. I’m 240 [lbs.], I’d be happy at 225 if I got a job with WWE if they said hey, we want you to get ripped. I think 33 is a good age. They are looking for stars and they are building their own stars which I love. They are taking their young talent and not taking guys that were formally with another company and putting them in the spotlight and putting their young talent on the back burner. I don’t want to drop any names but we know what’s happening over there. So I look forward to the opportunity to it as well.”

More from the extensive interview can be found here.

Editor’s Note

I’ve always been a Gunner fan, so I hope he gets tot he point he wants to.