Austin Aries Explains How He Could Have Brought More Value To WWE

From being part of "WWE NXT," to being a commentator and then competing on "WWE 205 Live," Austin Aries was able to cover a lot in his short stint in WWE. But, he admitted that he doesn't feel he ever truly got to be Austin Aries during that run. 

"I never got to be the heel Austin Aries that I think is where I have the most value," he told "Developmentally Speaking." "I was kind of pigeonholed because Neville was doing such an amazing job in his role that they needed a babyface against him. But I really felt if I had been given an opportunity to be what I had been all those years before I got there that there was a lot more value to be had with me in that." 

Aries' main storyline in WWE was against Neville, who was the Cruiserweight Champion at the time. The two men competed against each other for the title at WrestleMania 33, but Aries wasn't able to overcome the Englishman to dethrone him before the company released him. Being cut by WWE also meant he didn't get the heel run that he wanted. Aries believes that even though bad guys do sometimes win in life, his goal with that character in wrestling is to simply make fans think he's an a**hole. 

"Ultimately, it's always about the good guy persevering in the end, so the more dastardly I can be, the most I can make you believe that I'm a terrible human being, the higher I'm going to be able to take you when I finally get what I deserve," he explained.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Developmentally Speaking" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.