Bronson Reed Reflects On His Time In NJPW And WWE NXT

Bronson Reed vows to not let any opportunities escape him during his second run in WWE.

After more than a year away from the company, Reed made his official return to WWE on the December 19 edition of "Raw," Now, the "colossal" competitor is one of Austin Theory's challengers at Elimination Chamber, and he has a chance to truly make his mark and capture the WWE United States Championship.

When WWE's "After The Bell" inquired about his mindset heading into the match, Reed pointed out a key difference in his approach to bigger opportunities compared to his first go around in WWE. "I think now more than ever, I have the big chip on my shoulder. I did spend that little time away, and if anything, it's just hardened me as a competitor," he said.

Following Reed's release from the company in August 2021, he ventured into New Japan Pro-Wrestling under the name of JONAH. He'd spent nearly a year performing there, wrestling his final NJPW match on October 10 against Kazuchika Okada at NJPW Declaration of Power. During his time in Japan, Reed received a chance to not only "really test" his wrestling skills, but also his "will" in the sport. "It kept me grounded in that," he explained. "I love professional wrestling and I always want to be that, and I wound up back here with the WWE, so I'm not going to let any opportunity pass me by."

Outside of Japan, Reed explored the landscapes of Impact Wrestling and the independent scene, where he admits he was "fortunate enough to walk into matches straight away" due to the previous exposure from "NXT."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "After the Bell" with an h/t to Wrestling INC.