Taylor Rust has returned to Ring of Honor, as he defeated Jake Atlas in his first match back at ROH Death Before Dishonor.
During a recent appearance on the ROHStrong Podcast, Rust made it clear that he’s happy to be back, and he’s looking forward to showing the world what he can do.
“[I’m] glad to be back here in ROH, man,” said Rust. “It’s a great place to be. I’ve always been watching and making my mark here, man, is something I’ve always wanted to do for a long time.”
Later in the interview, Rust explained how WWE scooped him up during his brief run with ROH in 2020. He competed in the ROH Pure Championship Tournament and worked another taping for the “Week By Week” show, but then he left, hoping to fulfill his lifelong dream in WWE. Still, Rust recalled how emphasized to ROH officials that he would “love” to come back if his WWE journey didn’t pan out. Once WWE released Rust last month, he had the freedom to do just that.
“I signed my WWE contract that week actually, for the Pure Tournament. It was sent to me in my hotel there for ROH and I remember I signed it and sent it back out. So right after the match I remember I talked with the Powers That Be there in ROH and really quickly just like hey, what’s your status like, what are you doing? And I was just like I apologize, I just signed with WWE. But I let them know, I was reiterating again and again like hey, I love this place, I love ROH, if anything happens at all, like I will be in touch. I would love to be here more, working together more. So I’m really happy to be back, honestly, I really am.
While Rust stated that he’s glad to be back in ROH, he’s also determined to earn a contract so he can pay the bills without worryjng about the financial uncertainty that typically accompanies free agency.
“Now, not being under contact anymore, I’m in the state of free agent and I mean, I don’t have that 9-to-5 gig, I don’t have that guaranteed income coming in, and it’s very different of a feeling, I would say,” said Rust. “You know, I’m 34 years old, I’m not somebody who’s like, ‘Oh, I have a whole life ahead of me, I’m only 21.’
“My goal is obtain a contract. My goal is to get a signed deal in professional wrestling again, sooner than later. Because I mean, I’m an adult, I have bills, and I have life to take care of outside this business. And while I don’t mind free agency right now, I know after a year or so of free agency, maybe that uncertainty of the income will become quite annoying.”
It’s unclear whether that contract will come in ROH or elsewhere. For now, it seems like Rust will focus on enjoying his return to the company, regardless of what comes next.
The full episode is available here:
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