Wow, these last couple months have been one giant rollercoaster ride.  First off, I’d like to thank all of the people who have supported me since I left the WWE two months ago.   You guys have been great and have come out in droves to the independent shows.  You’ve been nothing but awesome and I appreciate it.  And even though I will only be able to do a couple more independents before I start full time with WWE, I urge anyone who loves wrestling to continue to seek out independent shows in your area.  My goal when I left WWE was to bring new fans to the independent scene, where you not only get a unique intimate experience, but you also get to see the superstars of the future.  Guys like Evan Bourne, C.M. Punk, Kaval and I all honed our skills in the underground wrestling scene, as well as internationally.  Two shows I’d especially like to encourage local fans to go to would be the New York Wrestling Connection (www.nycwrestling.com) show in Deer Park, NY on August 28th, and the Millenium Wrestling Federation (www.bostonwrestling.com) show on September 18th in Melrose, MA.  I am no longer able to appear on those shows and both promotions have been incredibly understanding. They both also put on incredible shows.  My friend Eddie Edwards will be at the Melrose show and he’s one of the best around.  You’ll also get to see John Cena’s dad, John Cena, Sr.!  Go out, show your support, and I’m betting you’ll have a great time.  I still have a couple more independent shows so check my website and twitter for updates.

Even though I love the independent scene, being the surprise 7th member of Team WWE at SummerSlam was by far the biggest opportunity of my career.  Coming out in the Staples Center and walking past The Miz to go fight with Nexus was an amazing experience and something I’ll never forget.  And though I always feel I can do better, I was thrilled to be able to tap out two Nexus members before I was eliminated. 

But speaking of the submission I used at SummerSlam, on the WWE Universe Facebook page they are asking for ideas as to what to call it.  Its actually an omoplata with a crossface, but I’ve mostly just called it the LeBell Lock.  Neil Melanson, my friend and one of the best grappling coaches in the country, taught me the move and he learned it from the legendary “Judo” Gene LeBell.  I’ve never met Mr. LeBell, but he is one of the grappling greats and if you ever get a chance to pick up his autobiography its a fascinating read.  That said, I’d prefer to just keep calling it the Lebell Lock, as I like the link to wrestling’s past… but I’m not genius at marketing so we’ll see how it goes!

I know I still have a long way to go to reach my dream and I still have many naysayers (mainly The Miz and Michael Cole, but there are others), but I’m thankful for all of you who have had my back during an uncertain period in my life.  The WWE Universe is unreal and I will work my hardest to try to entertain some of the most loyal people on the planet.  See you at the arenas!