Apollo Crews Reflects On WWE Career Ahead Of NXT Title Match

Apollo Crews has endured a rather unconventional path in WWE.

After being signed to the company in late 2014, Crews made his first televised appearance the following May on an episode of WWE's developmental show "NXT." Less than one year later, he catapulted to the main roster, debuting on "Raw" before moving to "SmackDown" during the 2016 WWE Draft.

"I got called up to the main roster pretty quick and didn't really have a chance to experience being champion before I got up there," Crews told Wrestling Inc. Senior News Editor Nick Hausman.

Crews was then "lucky enough" to win the United States Championship and Intercontinental Championship in the years that followed, claiming the latter at WrestleMania 37. After dropping the Intercontinental Championship in August 2021 though, Crews' primetime television appearances became more rare, as he often appeared on "Main Event" instead.

This past June, the former champion returned to "NXT" in hopes of "re-change[ing] the direction of my career," with the "opportunity to start over."

Crews quickly soared in "NXT," defeating notable names like Grayson Waller, Roderick Strong, and J.D. DMcDonagh before turning his full attention to the "NXT" Champion, Bron Breakker.

On December 10 at the "NXT" Deadline premium live event, Crews will vie for Breakker's championship. Crews admitted he doesn't "really feel any pressure," but knows he has to "perform at a certain level" to acquire the gold.

"The fact that I have an opportunity to come out here and accomplish something that I haven't accomplished before ... that's exactly what I came back to do. Winning the 'NXT' title, I feel like it's one of those things that's- I missed out on the first time around."

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