David Otunga Explains Unlikely Road To WWE

Throughout the 2010s, David Otunga built himself a respectable resume in the professional wrestling world, both as in-ring performer and broadcaster in WWE. Back in early 2008, however, Otunga found himself immersed in two other industries — law and reality television.

Backed by a Harvard law degree, Otunga appeared as "Punk" on VH1's "I Love New York 2," which saw 20 men competing for the heart of Tiffany "New York" Pollard. Otunga placed third on the series, then returned to his regular job at a prestigious law firm. It was there that Otunga was hit with a sudden realization.

In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Otunga explained how that epiphany eventually led him to the steps of WWE. "It was one night, nobody knew who I was, and when that show premiered, literally the next day, I'm walking down the street and people were yelling, 'Hey, Punk! Are you Punk? Punk!' This was insane, but anyway, it really opened my eyes to just the power of TV and especially reality TV at that time," he said. "'I started thinking and it was like, well, I've got my toe in the door. I need to strike while the iron is hot. I need to see what I can do and try to get things shaken now.

"I made the biggest decision of my life, and I remember it was a Sunday. I was in my mom's kitchen at her kitchen table talking to her and just laying all this out to her and telling her I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I mean, I know what I wanted to do, but I don't know how to get there. I remember my mom told me that I needed to quit the law firm because it was holding me back."

With his mother's encouragement, Otunga recalled speaking with his senior partner the following day to relay his decision to quit from the law firm and pursue work in entertainment, specifically pro wrestling. Shortly after, Otunga faced some financial instability due to the loss of his big legal work checks. Still, he moved forward in pursuit of joining WWE as an in-ring performer.

"I think I Googled it, like 'How do you become a pro wrestler? How does one get into WWE?' Because back then there was no such thing as developmental or NXT. That didn't exist," Otunga said. "It was very secretive how you even get into professional wrestling. How would somebody even start? Whatever source I found said that you have to have wrestled for a minimum of five years for WWE to even consider hiring you. Well, I had no experience at all, so I started looking around to find wrestling schools because I figured, well, I want to go to a school and learn. If I put my time in now, I'll be able to make it. Hopefully, I can make it sooner than five years."

Motivated to make his wrestling dream come true, Otunga located and reached out to a training school in California, though initially to no avail. Two or three months later, he finally received a call back with an offer to potentially compete on "Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling." 

Otunga, seeing this as a chance to catapult his wrestling career, eagerly agreed to it. A couple days after, the man — working for the aforementioned training school and as a producer for the CMT series — then called Otunga back with some bittersweet news: Otunga's spot on the show had since been filled by actor Frank Stallone, but a pathway to WWE could open in its place.

"[The producer] says to me, 'Hey, have you ever thought about trying out for WWE?'" Otunga recalled. "I'm like, 'What? Yes. That's why I wanted to do your show. That's what I'm trying to do.' And he's like, 'Oh, you don't need this show for that. I can get you an audition with them.' I'm like, 'Well, wait a minute. You know I don't have any wrestling experience.' And he's like, 'Oh, don't worry about it. They'll be interested in you. With your look, your physique, Harvard Law School, they'll be interested.'"

While initially skeptical at the time of their call, pleasant reality soon hit Otunga as he flew out to Houston, Texas to meet with former WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis at a "WWE SmackDown" taping. Amidst their conversation, Laurinaitis offered the aspiring wrestler a chance to partake in a week-long tryout, which then led Otunga to Florida Championship Wrestling in Tampa.

At the time, FCW served as the developmental territory for WWE, with Dr. Tom Prichard, Steve Keirn, and Dusty Rhodes acting as coaches. With them and others watching on, Otunga evidently excelled in his tryout as he inked a developmental deal with WWE two weeks later. By 2010, Otunga ascended to WWE's main roster as a member of the Nexus and a WWE Tag Team Champion.

"It was one of those things that seemed like it was impossible, but I knew where I wanted to go," he said. "I just had no idea how I would get there."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit David Otunga with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.