AEW's Juice Robinson Recalls Deciding To Leave WWE Developmental System In 2014

There's an alternate universe out there where the Bang Bang Gang's Juice Robinson never becomes an AEW or New Japan star, and instead spent his days in WWE, where he wrestled as CJ Parker during the early days of "WWE NXT." Robinson would leave WWE in 2015 for NJPW, and during an appearance on "What Happened When," he explained he had been looking to leave as early as late 2014, and was motivated by him being around other "NXT" talents like Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, PAC, Seth Rollins, and Jon Moxley. With all of them having succeeded outside the WWE umbrella, Robinson felt it was necessary for him to get the same experience they had.

"At the time, I felt that I really just needed to go out and be a wrestler," Robinson said. "And I never really was. I went from making no money to being paid till I trained. And I just felt like I had enough experience, that I had been in the WWE Developmental system long enough to where I should just go out and try to do it on my own. And then I would just hear stories [about] how it was in England, Japan, Mexico. And I just wanted to wrestle. I was overtraining really, and I was kind of totally over it."

Robinson revealed he was helped by WWE Performance Center trainer Matt Bloom, whom he had a good relationship with. Having previously worked with NJPW, Bloom connected Robinson with the office, putting him on the path that led him to where he is today.

"He introduced me, they [NJPW] watched me, and they asked if I wanted to go there, and I was like 'Yeah!'" Robinson said. "So I kind of had that set up as I was leaving. And then I knew I was going to go to England, and I had some indies lined up and stuff. But yeah, I just wanted to get out of the system. I just felt like it was time to be free, you know?"

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "What Happened When" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription