WWE NXT Superstar Apollo Crews talks about NXT's upcoming show in Asbury Park, his road to being signed, and being part of the hottest show in wrestling today.
The last time World Wrestling Entertainment came to Asbury Park, in 1992, the late "Macho Man" Randy Savage teamed up with Sgt. Slaughter to defeat "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and The Mountie in the main event. Current WWE star Apollo Crews would have been barely out of diapers.
On Friday, the long Asbury hiatus will end, as WWE returns to Convention Hall. Headlining the show will be the performers from the WWE's NXT brand, many of whom are currently battling it out to become the "next big thing" for the organization.
Crews is one such comer. At 6'1", 240 lbs. the 28 year old looks as though he were carved out of the mountains surrounding his hometown of Stone Mountain, Georgia.
However, once he steps in the ring, the soft-spoken juggernaut defies all expectations, flying through the aerial with the grace and agility of a man half his size.
"Not a lot of people are sure of what I'm capable of," Crews told NJ Advance Media. "So, it's cool to be able to do things like [a standing backflip] and shock people."
It's this hybrid type of wrestler -- one that can work many styles and against a variety of opponents -- that has become the blueprint of NXT's success. The promotion, which started out as television series on Hulu and then the WWE Network, and is now a full-blown touring company, has helped revitalize wrestling for a new generation.
The unprecedented popularity of NXT is not lost on Crews.
"I look back at the Attitude Era, which was historical for me, but I look at NXT and I see I'm a part of history," says Crews.
"I can look back and tell my kids, and my grandkids that I was a part of NXT when it was growing."
The road to being part of wrestling history started for Crews at a very young age when he first saw The Ultimate Warrior perform on television. In his early twenties, Crews trained under former WWE performer Mr. Hughes. From there he went from wrestling for $5 in front of 15 people in Ringgold, GA to eventually making a name for himself as "Uhaa Nation" in major U.S. promotions such as Evolve, and Japanese companies like Dragon Gate.
His reputation as one of the top independent wrestlers in the states attracted the WWE, and he was signed in late 2014.
Crews credits the "coaches" at the WWE Performance Center, the NXT training facility, on helping him become the Apollo Crews that wrestles weekly on WWE Network.
Apollo Crews nails Johnny Gargano with a dropkick at an NXT television taping -- Crews' physique combined with his aerial grace has made him a fan favorite in NXT. "The coaches have so much knowledge, and experience. They open your eyes to doing things in a different way," says Crews. "They're available to us 24/7 and they love what they do. They're always honest with us, and answer all our questions. It's a great environment to be in."
While Crews still trains daily at the Performance Center, his hard work paid off as he made his WWE debut at NXT's biggest show to date -- at a live, televised event at The Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Crews' excitement could not be contained, and caused him to pull a big 'no-no' in his first seconds on screen.
"People still make fun of me about it," says Crews. "I had rehearsed my entrance backstage, but I remember coming out and the first thing I did was cuss."
The on-air faux pas didn't derail Crews' performance -- he wowed audiences by defeating veteran Tye Dillinger with his signature standing moonsault.
WWE's NXT promotion has become one of the hottest shows in wrestling. It takes over Convention Hall in Asbury on Friday. It's moments like these that inspire Crews to put his body on the line everyday in the ring.
"The feeling of going out and entertaining the crowd, having them chanting your name ... all eyes are on you that one moment is a feeling unmatched by anything I've ever done in life," says Crews.
Crews went on to comment that this passion for entertaining audiences is shared by every competitor on the roster. He says it's what makes NXT live shows like the one coming to Asbury on Friday so special.
"The roster from top to bottom is talented," says Crews. "We want to challenge and outdo each other in a friendly and competitive way [every show.]"
Crews also added, "[The audience] is going to have so much fun, and they're going to want more. The environment is going to be through the roof."
Bill Bodkin can be reached at bodkinwrites@gmail.com. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.