Drake Maverick On His Second Chance In WWE, Says He Framed His Release Papers
Last week, the pressure was on for Drake Maverick, as he faced El Hijo del Fantasma for the interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship. This was his last chance to make a name for himself in WWE, or so he thought. Though Fantasma walked out the new champion, Maverick didn't leave Full Sail University empty-handed, either. Before NXT concluded its weekly show, Triple H walked out and offered Maverick a new contract. Maverick, who was put through an emotional rollercoaster since April, was overcome with joy after finding out that he was going to be given a second chance to stay with the company.
One week later, Maverick is still filled with happiness and content, which he showed during his interview on WWE's The Bump. For Maverick, this was a dream come true.
"I think I can only go back to what I said immediately after it. There aren't too many people that feel like they've lost everything twice in a matter of a few months," Maverick began. "After that three count, I thought I lost everything. I am an emotional guy. Those emotions came out again. You see me at one moment looking up and above. I had a very special friend named Dave that sadly is no longer with us. He passed from CF. He was always a big supporter of my dream to become a WWE Superstar. I just wish that he was there with me at that moment. He was there with me that whole run. I looked up and said to him, 'I did it, man.'"
Maverick continued, "I didn't expect Triple H to bump into me. I didn't even look at what he had in his hands. I thought he was being gracious enough to say, 'Tremendous effort, well done.' To be handed that [new contract], it was a dream come true."
As a kid, Maverick idolized NXT creators and owners, Triple H and Shawn Michaels. To be able to work with his idols is something that Maverick says he'll cherish for the rest of his career.
"Growing up, I was a DX fan," Maverick admitted. "I was the kid at school who would do the crotch shot, and tell my teacher to, 'Suck it,' every day. That means the world [to me] from a professional standpoint. I'm ready to go to work. It's an exciting time, it really is!"
Before he concluded his interview, Maverick stated that he didn't throw away his released papers that were given to him back in April. Instead, he decided to frame them, as a reminder that if he doesn't work towards his dreams, they won't come true.
"I got my release papers framed on my wall," Maverick announced. "Above it, it says, 'Dreams Don't Work Unless You Do.' I stand by that because, unless I put in the work, everything that I want out of my career isn't going to come for me. I got to go get it. I really believe in that. [My release papers] are a reminder, every day."
You can watch Drake Maverick's full interview here. If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit WWE's The Bump with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.