Getting success early in wrestling can be both a blessing and a curse for wrestlers. While some wrestlers like Randy Orton are able to convert the early opportunity into a legendary career, there are many others who are not able to take full advantage of it. A lot of such talents end up getting released and spend the rest of their careers chasing another shot at proving themselves. Former WWE star Chris Masters seems to be on the second list who has been chasing that opportunity so long that he is not sure if it's worth it anymore.
The Masterpiece was asked about a potential return to WWE during a recent interview with Rewind Relive Recap podcast. Masters, who first signed with WWE in 2003 at the age of 20 talked about how he's been trying to get back to a bigger platform for a while. However the 42-year-old is now at a point where he is not sure if he'll ever get that opportunity again:
I'd like to, man, I've tried to work for that. I was with NWA for a minute, and that gave me kind of a good, at least, platform to show what I can do. But it's tough, man, because I look around the landscape now and I just, I don't know where that opportunity is going to come from. It might not be in the cards.
It doesn't mean I'm gonna walk away from wrestling. It's just one of those things where wrestling can be...the career of a wrestler goes through a lot where, in terms of, it's a love-hate relationship. You love it sometimes, but sometimes you don't feel like it's loving you back. I've definitely fallen back in love with wrestling,
But I've gotten to the point to now where I just don't feel like it's loving me back. I definitely feel like my ability is better than it's ever been. If given the opportunity, I could do something. But the question is [if] that opportunity's going to come and if it is, who's it going to come from? I just, I don't know,
This Can't Be It: Chris Masters
Chris Masters last wrestled under a WWE banner in 2011. Since then, he's had runs with TNA and NWA while also maintaining his presence in the independent scene. Though despite his love for the business, the heavyweight star finds himself at a crossroads, thinking about alternate career paths which may be more financially rewarding:
No, yeah. I'm at a crossroads myself, personally. I've been on the indie scene for so long that, it's gone to the point where I need something more. Because this can't just be it. If this was just going to be it, then I have to pivot, or I have to, at least, do something else in addition to, if nothing else. It's one of those things where you just never know what kind of surprises or what's going to happen.
But at the same time, I don't want to be 5-6-7, years from now, that guy who was like, kind of hoping for that next shot, but just never got it. Since then has just been dithering on the independent scene. And don't get me wrong, the independent scene has been a lot of fun. But shoot, you're gonna want something more,
Because you can't, even with the independent scene you can only work about once or twice a week most times. So there's just a lack of fulfilment and there's not enough physical reimbursement, I mean, money just straight up. You're not...You're definitely not planning your retirement just on the independent wrestling scene.
The wrestling veteran was also asked about a potential Royal Rumble spot. He revealed that he's actually sent feelers in hopes of getting back after seeing a lot of his friends getting the opportunity in the last 3-4 years. He theorized, however, that the powers may be might not be sure about bringing him in, thinking that nobody would remember his earlier run.
The Quotes in this article have been edited for clarity