Omos discusses how he was recruited to WWE.
After already spending five years in WWE, the sky is still the limit for Omos, who is still only 28 years old. Alongside one reign with the Raw Tag Team Championships, Omos has already had high profile matchups against the likes of Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley.
While speaking to Fightful in a recent interview, Omos went into detail about how he was recruited to WWE and how it took a few years for him to be on board with the idea.
"It all happened when I was in college at the University of South Florida. I was almost done and I had one of the kids on the football team invite me to a breakfast. As a college student, anybody invites you to breakfast, you go. So he told me he was going to be with this WWE guy. I didn’t care much about it because I was so ingrained in playing basketball and going pro in basketball. So I go for this breakfast and who is actually sitting there? Steve Keirn. I remember the first time meeting him and I saw his eyes light up. He shifted his focus from the kid to me and said how I’d do so well in this business. At that point in time, I was playing ball. Didn’t care. Then I remember in 2014, I tried to go for a tryout. I was in Baltimore, trying to go to Morgan State and then that fell through due to the NCAA rules and regulations, I couldn’t go to that tryout. I put it on hold, tried to go overseas. I was supposed to go to China, but I couldn’t do that because of immigration issues. I was stuck here. NBA couldn’t do anything, and then my buddy was like, ‘Hey, reach out to the WWE again.’ Which I did. This was when Canyon Ceman was still Head of Talent Relations. I reached out to him and set everything up within a week. Because of him I was at the PC doing a tryout."
Omos also went on to discuss WWE's Next In Line program and how it's a great fallback for collegiate athletes.
"To be honest, I don’t think those kids understand the opportunity that’s been put in front of them. For me, because I’ve been through the whole college process, [doing that open ten], playing college basketball, having to abide by NCAA rules and what you can and cannot do, which prevented me from doing a tryout in WWE in 2014. So seeing that those kids have an opportunity and a direct line to WWE is amazing for them to have that. ‘Cause so many times you think you’re gonna go pro in soccer, football and sometimes that falls through. This is an extremely viable option which a lot of kids don’t know that they have. Which I didn’t know I had back then. I’m happy that they have that opportunity, and this access and communication with WWE back and forth."
Back in November 2022, Omos went to Nigeria, his home, for the first time in 14 years. In Omos' interview with Fightful, he discussed the trip back home.
"It was amazing. I hadn’t been home in 14 years and going back home, with the WWE after everything that I’ve accomplished in my short time the company, and getting to see my family, everybody seeing me. It was an extremely happy time to see my family and for them to see me in person. It didn’t hit me until I got back and I saw the photos. That’s when all the emotions came down on me. It was an amazing trip nonetheless."
Fans can see Fightful's full interview with Omos linked above. In recent weeks, Fightful has released interviews with Sami Zayn, Mia Yim, Tom Lawlor, Taya Valkyrie, etc. To see all of those interviews, visit our YouTube channel.
