Aaron Mercer reflects on AEW experiences.
Aaron Mercer has become one of the top names on the Texas independent scene, and got a shot on AEW Dark: Elevation in March when AEW was in Texas. Mercer teamed with MASADA to take on The Gunns (Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn).
Speaking to Jeremy Lambert & Stephen Jensen on The Spotlight, Mercer discussed being backstage at AEW.
"It was cool. The first time...I did my EVOLVE tryout with Shawn Dean, who has a very prominent role in AEW. They were in San Antonio a couple of years ago, I was like, 'You guys are in my backyard. Can you hook me up?' 'Yeah, we'll bring you in. Might not be anything, but we'll get you in.' On that one, I just sat in catering, ate food, and enjoyed the show. There was crazy Texas talent. Moonshine Mantell, Fly Def, Will Allday. All these dudes chilling back there in catering. None of us got used, we're all just sitting at the table enjoying the show. Next time they came, they were in some place outside of Dallas and Shawn hit me up. 'We're going to bring you in again.' Wasn't expecting to do anything. Was in catering again with some of the other talent. Somebody came running up, 'your name is on the board.' 'What?' I went sprinting down the hall and they had that little board where they write all the matches and segments and Ass Boys vs. Aaron Mercer and MASADA. It was weird because me and MASADA were having a deathmatch the next month. It was weird we were teaming together. Somebody was like, 'Tony [Tony Khan] sees everything. He might have done that for a reason.' I was like, 'There is no way he saw a flyer from Laredo.' It was cool. The Gunns were only like eight months in. I was their vet, technically. They were super cool, easy to work with, I've been on a couple of shows with them at TWC. 'Hey, I don't know if ya'll remember me, ya'll squashed me in two minutes on AEW.' It was cool. I'm not the most extroverted person so I didn't go up and introduce myself to a bunch of people. I got to stand there while Moxley and MASADA talked to each other. Moxley is exactly how you think he would be," he said.
When asked if he received advice from anybody backstage, Mercer said he got advice from Ricky Starks, but he didn't exactly take it.
"I didn't go up and introduce myself and make connections like I should of because that's what Ricky Starks told me to do. He was like, 'Nobody ever remembers the extras so make sure they remember you. Go make connections.' I only talked to a few people. I could have said hi to Jamie Hayter, she was getting coffee next to me. I could have said hi to Bryan [Bryan Danielson]. For some reason me and Trent [Trent Beretta] always locked eyes every time I was there. 'Hey.' 'Hey.' He seems cool, but I'm awkward and in my own shell. That was the advice that I didn't implement," he said.
Mercer is currently sidelined as he recovers from a knee injury.
Fans can watch the full interview with Mercer in the video above. Fans can support Aaron while he is sidelined by clicking here.
