The moment when Triple H revealed the new WWE Cruiserweight Title was one that was unforgettable, according to TJ Perkins.
That was beyond words how crazy that was. You could kind of tell, I don't know how the sound translated on the broadcast, but the building was literally shaking, and people were going nuts. I've never seen people go so nuts for a little bit of hardware, but it's a pretty prestigious thing." ESPN recently interviewed Perkins, who became the first-ever champion by winning the WWE Cruiserweight Classic earlier this month.
"That was beyond words how crazy that was," Perkins said during the interview. "You could kind of tell, I don't know how the sound translated on the broadcast, but the building was literally shaking, and people were going nuts. I've never seen people go so nuts for a little bit of hardware, but it's a pretty prestigious thing."
Perkins defeated Gran Metalik (also known as Mascara Dorada in CMLL) in the finals of the tournament. Last Sunday, at the Clash of Champions pay-per-view, he defeated Brian Kendrick in his first defense of the title.
"It's really exciting to be able to represent the cruiserweights and go to Monday Night Raw. I grew up watching Monday Night Raw, and it's really a big dream of mine to perform on that stage. The talent there is so incredible. I'm in good company, and I'm excited for it."
Perkins began training as a wrestler when he was just 14 years old. He has been a long-time fixture on the independent scene, appearing for promotions such as PWG and EVOLVE. He also had a stint in TNA under the masked gimmick of Manik, where he won the X Division Title. The broadcasts of the Cruiserweight Classic also addressed Perkins' background, which saw him endure being homeless for a time.
"Someone had said to me before I was going out for the finals, they said, 'You don't look nervous at all.' And I don't get nervous over things," he said in the ESPN interview. "The thing is, being homeless makes you nervous. Struggling like that, that hardship, that makes you nervous because you don't know if you're going to get over that. This? This is not hard. This is fun. I'm in heaven now."
