TNA Reaction: Sit-Down w/ Fabian Aichner

Fabian Aichner sits down for an interview on the Busted Open podcast to discuss his wrestling career and recent transition to TNA Wrestling. He grew up in a village of 2,000 people in northern Italy near the Austrian border. At five years old, inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger, he decided he would do something special and move to the States. At 13, he discovered wrestling by watching SmackDown on Italian television and became determined to pursue the profession.

Aichner details his unconventional path to WWE. He drove four hours each way from Italy through Austria to Germany approximately 200 times to train under Alex Wright. He worked in England for promoter Brian Dixon, where wrestlers like Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, and Wade Barrett had started. He competed in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic tournament after breaking his shin and losing 30 pounds in three weeks to recover. Following a match against Jack Gallagher, he received a call before Christmas inviting him to WWE's hiring process, eventually relocating to the United States to begin his NXT career.

In WWE, Aichner was part of Imperium alongside Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser. He discusses the group's struggles during the crowded NXT 2.0 era but notes the reward of eventually reaching the main roster. He recalls specific moments like working with Kurt Angle, his childhood hero, during a Monday Night Raw 30-year anniversary special. He also discusses his Giovanni Vinci character, which came unexpectedly when Imperium was heading to the main roster. With guidance from Shawn Michaels, he developed a high-class Italian character inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger's Pumping Iron documentary, incorporating personal interests like skiing and Formula One racing.

After his WWE release, Aichner experienced an unexpected emotional journey. Sitting by his pool after a workout, he received the termination call. While he had some expectation, it affected him deeply. For the first time in 15 years of wrestling, he deliberately disconnected from the sport entirely, wanting to experience life without it. He describes this as fortunate, as it allowed him to understand what life would be like if his career had ended—what he calls "athletes die twice." During his hiatus, he enjoyed racing Lamborghinis and Ferraris in Las Vegas, taking trips, and exploring the landscape around Vegas.

After approximately six to seven months away, Aichner felt the itch to return to wrestling. He began conversations with various promotions and eventually developed a deal with TNA Wrestling, debuting in May. He describes TNA as very supportive and flexible, providing the best first day of work he's ever experienced. His match with Cedric Alexander in TNA, he says, was the best he's had so far and restored his love and fun in wrestling. His approach this time is to have fun rather than put excessive pressure on himself, which he feels has led to his best performances.

Looking ahead, Aichner is preparing for TNA Lockdown, his first-ever cage match, in a Lethal Lockdown match alongside Ricky Sosa, Casey Navarro, and Jada Stone against The System. He expresses enthusiasm for this new experience while continuing to celebrate new challenges at 15 years into his career. He also notes an increased enthusiasm for wrestling in Italy following WWE's recent tours there and expresses interest in wrestling in his home country with any promotion in the future.