What’s the story?
Rich Swann was recently interviewed by Citypaper.com. During the interview, the flamboyant cruiserweight spoke about his childhood, his abusive father and how wrestling helped him overcome the odds in his life.
In case you didn’t know...
Rich Swann paid his dues working in several independent wrestling promotions including CZW and PWG. Swann signed a WWE developmental contract in 2015 and worked several matches in NXT.
His real calling came when WWE announced the Cruiserweight Classic in 2016. Swann progressed to the quarterfinals of the tournament where he was eliminated by the eventual winner, T.J. Perkins.
The heart of the matter
Swann acknowledged that his father was an alcoholic and added that his family life would often be marred by domestic violence. Swann also recalled an incident that took place when he was 12 and said that his mother drove his father out of the house.
His father would be murdered shortly after by his girlfriend. Swann lived with family friends in Arizona as his mother's health waned. Speaking on the tragedies of his life, Swann said:
“Those are the things that happen in life. All that matters is how you handle certain situations and how you can pick yourself up from it, you know?”
Swann mentioned that he would spend time wrestling around with his friends imitating guys like Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerro, Chris Jericho, and Dean Malenko.
What’s next?
Rich Swann is set to team up with three-time Women's Champion Sasha Banks to take on the team of Noam Dar and Alicia Fox in a mixed tag match at Extreme Rules. The rivalry has been simmering for a while now, and the two teams will take it out in the ring this Sunday at The Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD.
Author's take
These trials and tribulations show that Swann has been through a lot in life to get to where he is at the moment. He has won the Cruiserweight Championship in the past and is a staple of the division. Given that he devoted his time to wrestling, the business has repaid him with fame and a notable stint in the WWE.
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