A lot of the ups and downs for me, especially the downs, I feel like it came in a lot of indirect ways because I didn't appreciate what I had. T. J. Perkins downfeelindirect Change image and share on social
Things will come and go, and your life will go on, but you don't want to get too ahead of yourself. T. J. Perkins aheadlifething Change image and share on social
Gran Metalik was a student in CMLL when I was there as a teenager, and I was in main events and big time matches, so I used to see him in the gym all the time. T. J. Perkins bigcmllevent Change image and share on social
Lucha libre culture was part of my wrestling upbringing. I'm Filipino, so it wasn't a part of my normal upbringing, but it's what gave me my start. I get a lot of my technical and high-flying wrestling from that. T. J. Perkins culturefilipinofly share on social
I sort of approach wrestling the way Johnny Depp approaches movies. I don't really care necessarily what I'm portraying. T. J. Perkins approachcaredepp Change image and share on social
I didn't want wrestling anymore; I wanted to not want it. But I couldn't get a job anywhere, which was part of the reason I was homeless. I couldn't get a job pumping gas. I couldn't get a job working at a warehouse, I couldn't get a job at Baskin Robbins, I couldn't get a job anywhere. T. J. Perkins anymorebaskinhomeless share on social
At the Cruiserweight Classic finale, I said... I don't know if people had looked it up, or if they had heard it before, but it was an old Zen proverb. 'Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, you chop wood, carry water.' It can be interpreted a lot of ways, but for the most part it's about staying in the moment. T. J. Perkins carrychopclassic share on social
I grew up watching Super J-Cup tournaments and things like that, and those were pretty cool. T. J. Perkins coolcupgrow Change image and share on social
I was an all-sport athlete growing up. My dad, I think, hoped I would go to college on a scholarship. T. J. Perkins athletecollegedad Change image and share on social