TNA Star Manik, real name TJ Perkins gave a very blunt assessment on his ask.FM of some comments made by The Wrestling Observer?s Dave Melzer claiming TNA is a ?career killer?. Fans have been asking Perkins of what his opinion is of TNA being considered a career killing company for wrestlers. His perspective and brutal honesty completely shatters the notion of TNA being a career killing company:
I think these ppl will look at success differently later in life. Money isn?t everything, but quality of life is. Many of my heroes have less than me now, I wouldn?t trade my life or career for theirs. I?m willing to bet they would trade ?relevance? or ?trendiness? for more tangible things for them and their family.
There is some sentimental goals in success. Bucket lists so to speak.My bucket list when I started back in 1998 was this: New Japan, WWF, WCW, ECW, CMLL, Triple A
By my 21st birthday my resume looked like this: New Japan, WWE, TNA, ROH, CMLL, Triple A, Europe, Canada, Domestic Indys?
I had some other goals too like wrestling in famous venues like Tokyo Dome, Korakuen Hall, Sumo Hall, Arena Mexico, Arena Coliseo, Grand Olympic Auditorium, Cow Palace, etc?I also did all that before I turned 21 as well and set a few age records that still stand I believe. I even wrestled in a Super Jr tournament and a couple IWGP jr title matches which were impossible goals to me when I was 13 and just breaking in.
I?ve met all my heroes, Tiger mask, Shawn Michaels, The Guerrero?s etc and they?ve all thought the world of my work and my wrestling IQ which is the highest compliment I could be so lucky to ever have. However, at a certain point you learn what?s most important. I made awesome money when I was younger. Getting handed 1k in cash and a first class plane ticket to Tokyo at 18? That?s still crazy to me.
But I thought the same as others. I didn?t care about the money and just wanted to keep doing new things and eventually that lead to me not prioritizing my career like an adult and I ended up homeless. It?s not like I wasn?t already successful and making good money, I was. But I was a kid mentally and didn?t understand what a career was.
Now, it?s better. I?m smarter, wiser. I could go back to any of those places. No bridges were burned and I moved on by choice. So I picked a place I really liked and I love my job. I don?t care who irrationally loves it or who irrationally hates it?I like it. I can take care of myself and my loved ones. That?s what matters.
You can?t take bucket list stuff with you, you can?t take 5 star matches with you. Someday when my future kid needs a car or something do you think the fact that I was New Japan?s youngest gaijin ever will help me get better credit or a loan? Do you think a grocery store accepts Super jr matches and 5 star Arena Mexico sellouts as currency?
In 2009 my parents split up and went bankrupt and I was homeless in Florida and collecting coins in Walmart parking lot at midnight so I could eat. So I know from experience that stuff doesn?t matter.
It?s all about perspective.
What ppl REALLY mean is whether or not they like something then that should be the only measure of success. I?ll give you an example.
Eddy Guerrero at 30 was a cruiserweight in WCW. Wrestling since his teens his resume looked like this: Regional promotions, CMLL, Triple A, ECW, WCW.
We would consider that successful.
I just turned 30 and i?m an X Division guy in TNA. Wrestling since I was 13 my resume looks like this: Regional promotions, CMLL, Triple A, ROH, TNA, WWE, Europe, Canada.
Pretty much identical.
It?s just that we live in an age of elitism and entitlement and ppl don?t want their opinions overruled. If they like something it can?t be argued against and if they dislike something it can?t be argued for.
Basically what ppl WANT is for success to be measured by favoritism.
But ppl are missing the point. These are careers and lives. Success is measured by prosperity which is measured by quality of life and almost directly linked to finance and family. Even if it is measured by sentimental things, then I?m still a good measure because I did 99% of everything before I even turned 21, including going to TNA.
The bottom line is it?s not about trendiness or relevance.
Ask yourself, what?s important?
Eating at the cool kids table?
Or simply eating at all?