James Storm On Why He Didn't Sign With WWE, WWE Signing TNA Stars, Bobby Roode's Success
Today, WrestlingINC.com president Raj Giri was on a media conference with Cowboy James Storm of Global Force Wrestling. Giri pointed out that in the past, TNA was criticized for "stealing" WWE talent, although there doesn't seem to be the same backslash for WWE signing former TNA stars. Storm's believes that this contradiction stems from the fans misunderstanding the reality of the business.
"I tell fans all the time; they don't get it. The talent looks at this as a business. So many fans look at it like, 'oh well, he's a sell-out,'" Storm responds. "It's not like that. We have to provide for our families so wherever we have to go to get work, that's what we're going to do. It seems to get over looked when the WWE picks up TNA guys, but as soon as TNA Impact picks up a WWE guy, 'oh, they're picking up a WWE guy, blah, blah, blah'. That's not really fair for the guy because he's just looking for a place to provide for his family."
In today's landscape, it's not uncommon to for a wrestler sign with a rival company. Storm himself took a small absence from TNA to consider a run in NXT in 2015. When asked his reasons for deciding against signing with the WWE's developmental program, Storm set the record straight.
"A lot of people say it was money, but it wasn't. It was a family thing," he admits. "Hunter told me they'd run 100-125 shows over the next two years. My wife wanted to have another kid, but she had to do shots, and I had to be at home a lot more. It was a decision: do I go and live this crazy of wrestling in the WWE or do I stay home and help my wife have another child that she wants? I decided that my family was what is really important to me."
James Storm has no regret in his voice, stating that he's happy everything worked out the way that it did and that he's thankful for the healthy, eight-month boy he has at home.
A TNA star that did migrate over to NXT was Bobby Roode, Storm's former Beer Money Inc. partner, who Storm still speaks to on occasion.
"I'll shoot him a text every now and then," Storm says. "I'll text him and say congratulations because that guy definitely has earned everything that he's got coming to him. He proved what he proved here, that he can get in the ring with anyone. I always say, if he can go on and make a living, which is what he's doing, the best to him. I wish him nothing but good luck."