Fabian Aichner says working in WWE felt like “walking on eggshells,” his most pointed public assessment yet of the culture he left behind. The former two-time NXT Tag Team Champion drew a sharp contrast between that environment and his current run in TNA Wrestling, which he described as far more relaxed.
Aichner, who arrived in TNA earlier this year, made the comments in a recent interview with PWMania. While he has already discussed the transition on the record, this is the first time he has framed his WWE tenure in such candid terms.
The wrestler made clear his time in NXT was a building block rather than a regret, but said the day-to-day mindset there weighed on him.
“It feels more relaxing. I feel like that’s why I can enjoy it more. Every time you have fun doing something, it’s going to resonate. NXT was a huge first step. My goal was always to move to the States, make a living with wrestling, and then get signed. But at the same time, it was a little bit like walking on eggshells there. At the same time, I was eight years younger than I am now. So, I bring eight years of experience to TNA. I feel like I’ve seen some things, and I know how to handle situations,” Aichner said.
Crediting Experience For A Fresh Start
Aichner pointed to more than a decade in the business as the reason he can now have more fun in the ring. That added confidence, he said, lets him showcase more of his abilities on TNA TV.
He cast his new home as a clean slate, with new talent and a new environment to build around.
“Being able to do that in TNA now, with a more relaxed mindset, just to go out there, have fun, and apply all the knowledge that I’ve learned over the last eight years, it’s a good time. It’s the perfect platform for me to showcase what I can do, on a new platform, with new talent, in a new environment. Just reset, restart, and I’m really looking forward to the future. I have a really good feeling about it,” Aichner said.
The comments go further than his earlier, more guarded remarks when he first broke his silence on the WWE release. They follow his surprise TNA debut after roughly a year away from television.