Former WWE Superstar Mansoor reflected on the start of his wrestling journey in wrestling and discussed his goals for the new year.
Mansoor posted a new video to his Twitter account, and you can check out some highlights below:
On his start in the wrestling business: “When I was 17, I told my father I wanted to be a professional wrestler. He just kind of laughed and said, ‘Mansoor, people like us, that’s not what we do.’ I asked him what he meant, and he told a story about when he was in college in Miami. He stumbled upon a professional wrestling show. A guy came out and they called him The Sheik. He was billed from Saudi Arabia, and he had the genie boots with the curled toes, the whole nine yards. He came out and he made mean faces, and everybody booed, and he got his ass kicked. My dad actually found him after the show, and he asked him, ‘What are you doing? Why are you making our people look bad?’ The wrestler looked at him and said, ‘Our people? Buddy, I’m Italian. I’m from Pensacola.’ For a long time, that’s what my dad thought professional wrestling was. Until four decades later, when his son had the match of his life against Claudio Castagnoli in front of 60,000 people in his hometown. I’ll never forget going up to him after the match and looking him in the eye, and him saying, ‘Mansoor, I understand.’ I have been chasing that feeling every single day.”
On his 2024 goals: “That is all I want out of this thing, to make people understand, not just the concept of professional wrestling but who I am. Because for the last five years, we have known a version of me, an abstract concept. But really, this is the first time we’re actually meeting. So allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mansoor, and you will know me by my works because in 2024, I prove I am the most capable, captivating, charismatic performer in all of professional wrestling. Many of you laugh, and many of you will scoff at that statement. I look forward to nothing more than coming to your town and making you understand. That is the goal. My father, my mother, my sisters, my brothers, my wife, my daughter, my family, my friends, professional wrestling fans, every single person in every single country on God’s green earth, you, me, we are all going to understand because in 2024, I take over the professional wrestling world, and the world will rejoice. Why? Because I’m a goddamn international hero.”
Happy New Year.
See you soon🌎 pic.twitter.com/gHH0fUC1Ru
— Mansoor (@suavemansoor) January 1, 2024
In a recent interview with Denise Salcedo on the “Instinct Culture” podcast, Mansoor stated that he is willing to work for AEW and hopes to prove himself to the wrestling industry in 2024.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On potentially working for AEW: “I love AEW. Primarily because I have a lot of really close friends who for whatever reason don’t work for WWE anymore, and their families are fed and taken care of because of AEW and Tony Khan and their team. So for that, I’ll always be eternally grateful, especially for the people who got let go during the pandemic. There are people who would’ve been deported. I mean, there are people who would’ve had to leave America if not for the fact that they got a work visa, in some cases [from] AEW, in some cases [from] Impact. So for that reason, I mean, I will always be gratuitous that those options exist and that AEW exists as that sort of alternative because it’s so incredibly important.”
On wanting to prove himself to wrestling fans: “I always kind of felt like, and I hate talking about myself in this way, but I do really feel like this run, on the indies, and wherever that takes me around the world, is going to be so instrumental in sort of creating a perception of me that I feel is more accurate to who I am. I feel like I haven’t had a performance that I can really, really, really be proud of in the ring since that Mustafa Ali match. And before that, it was Cesaro.
“It was so few and far between, but now I feel like ‘I’m going to go to every single town and every single country, and I’m going to shock people. I’m going to have Match of the Night everywhere I go.’ And people are going to laugh. They’re going to say ‘Mansoor? Yeah right.’ But you’re going to be surprised, I promised. You’re going to be super surprised. I am going out there like a man with a mission, 100%. And I hope I get to do that in AEW and Impact/TNA, all these companies that will have me, because I want to show as many people as possible what they’re missing.”
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Former WWE Superstar Mansoor recently shared his reflections on the start of his wrestling journey and discussed his goals for the new year. In a video posted on his Twitter account, Mansoor opened up about his passion for professional wrestling and his determination to make a mark in the industry.
Mansoor began by recounting a conversation he had with his father when he was 17 years old. He expressed his desire to become a professional wrestler, but his father initially laughed it off, believing that wrestling was not something their family pursued. Mansoor’s father shared a story from his college days when he encountered a wrestler called The Sheik, who was billed from Saudi Arabia. The Sheik’s portrayal of their people in a negative light left a lasting impression on Mansoor’s father. However, decades later, after witnessing Mansoor’s incredible match against Claudio Castagnoli in front of 60,000 people, Mansoor’s father finally understood and embraced his son’s passion for wrestling.
Looking ahead to 2024, Mansoor outlined his goals for the year. He expressed his desire to make people understand not just the concept of professional wrestling but also who he truly is. Mansoor emphasized that he wants to introduce himself to the world and prove that he is the most capable, captivating, and charismatic performer in all of professional wrestling. While some may doubt his abilities, Mansoor eagerly anticipates the opportunity to visit different towns and countries, surprising people with his talent and leaving a lasting impression. He envisions taking over the professional wrestling world and becoming an international hero.
In a recent interview with Denise Salcedo on the “Instinct Culture” podcast, Mansoor also expressed his admiration for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and his willingness to work for the company. He acknowledged the positive impact AEW has had on wrestlers who were released from WWE during the pandemic, providing them with opportunities to continue their careers and support their families. Mansoor expressed gratitude for the existence of AEW as an alternative in the wrestling industry.
Furthermore, Mansoor discussed his desire to prove himself to wrestling fans. He acknowledged that he hasn’t had many performances in the ring that he can be truly proud of since his matches with Mustafa Ali and Cesaro. However, he is determined to change that by delivering exceptional performances wherever he goes. Mansoor aims to shock people with his skills and hopes to showcase his abilities in companies like AEW and Impact Wrestling. He wants to demonstrate to as many people as possible what they have been missing.
Mansoor’s passion for professional wrestling and his drive to succeed are evident in his words. He is determined to make a name for himself and leave a lasting impact on the wrestling world. Fans can look forward to witnessing Mansoor’s journey unfold as he continues to pursue his dreams in 2024 and beyond.