Montel Vontavious Porter
I do remember watching the cartoon, 'Rambo,' and I had some of the action figures.
On a personal note, I used to work for years out on South Beach, running security in nightclubs and doing bodyguard work.
It's mind-numbing sometimes how quickly celebrity can take off.
One of the things we pride ourselves on as WWE Superstars is connecting with the audience.
I remember when Michael Jackson as an act, as a talent, was untouchable and was in a realm all his own.
I've actually had tailors tell me they've had young men saying they want to get a suit like The Hurt Business.
There's a lot to be said for men of color to be presented successfully. That's something beautiful - when you're a kid to see somebody that looks like you presented that way.
Those who have read the book and followed my tumultuous life understand that in many ways my life parallels 'the Count of Monte Cristo' - the only difference is his friends sent him away and he did nothing.
I have the all-seeing eye of Horus on the back of my arm, which is a symbol of protection; it watches my back.
Matt Hardy is a tag team wrestler. He's one of the greatest tag team wresters in the history of tag team wrestling.
Fortunately, my talent is on loan from God. You see, I'm half-man, half-amazing, which is what allowed me to become United States Champion in less than a year after joining WWE.
The truth of the matter is that I'm naturally gifted.
I don't have to work hard at anything.
I have a gym in my house where I work out.
That roar of the crowd motivates you. And sometimes when you are in a fight, and the pain is kicking in, you hear the crowd chanting your name, it helps you to push through. Fighting in empty stands is more demanding.
I have kept no secret about my time growing up in Miami, U.S.A., and landing in trouble and going to prison for sometime. I talk about that a lot and I use that to encourage young people to not make the mistakes that I did, or, if you have made some bad decisions, it is not the end of your life. I hold myself as an example.
My signature move is the ballin' elbow, because I'm a baller.
At 16, I was facing 11 life felonies.
Crime does pay, it pays well. But what they don't tell you is you have to pay it all back with interest.
Sometimes that's all the kids need, just one person to look at them and say, 'man he's just like me. If he can do it, I can do it.' And that means a lot to me.
I think reading is important. Not just for children, but for adults across the board.
If you read a lot, the more you learn about people and places.
I don't want to see a kid get hurt trying to imitate me or trying to do something he or she has seen one of my peers do.
Kids naturally want to play and be physical.
I have never in my life been the type to give things away. Sorry, just not my style.
I have always dreamed of being an IWGP Champion.
Everyone who knows me knows of my love for the Japanese culture, and my desire to represent in The Land of The Rising Sun.
For those that don't know, a Ronin is a Japanese word for masterless samurai and in the wrestling industry that is how I see myself.
As WWE superstars we have the unique ability to encourage young people who may be following the wrong path to change their lives for the better.
I always tell young, up and coming professional wrestlers, when you're trying to play a character that's not really you, it's going to be difficult and fans can register that. Sometimes it's not even consciously, it's subconsciously they pick up on it.
The Lashley that you see on the screen is Lashley when he's his own personality turned way up. MVP is me, with my volume, my personality volume on 11. If you look, that's the reason that we work so well.
Historically all of the greats, Stone Cold Steve Austin, that's Steve with the volume turned way up to his personality, Dwayne Johnson is The Rock, he just turns his volume on his personality way up.
In terms of adjustments, I'm just adjusting to life after wrestling while I can still wrestle. I will still wrestle periodically for the most part, I enjoy stepping into a Paul Heyman type role.
I never really saw myself as a producer but there were times when I thought after my in-ring career perhaps I could go into being a commentator or coming back as a general manager.
I had every intention of retiring. While I've had the honor and the pleasure of being in a few WrestleManias, I never thought I'd be in a WrestleMania again.
To go from being at the Performance Centre, essentially working in an empty warehouse, to go from that to the ThunderDome to actually being in front of a crowd at WrestleMania, is almost indescribable.
AJ Styles has proven time and time again that he is phenomenal, and sleeping on AJ Styles is a bad move.
To borrow a very popular phrase, I'm a Paul Heyman guy.
I am a Bianca Belair fan and I'll have everybody know behind the scenes I was actually talking to Bianca Belair a bit about potentially adding her to an organization, a faction that I used to be a part of.
Brock Lesnar is soft, I'm going to say it, he's soft.
Bobby Lashley is on the road every week, he's in the gym everyday. Sometimes I literally argue with Bobby about taking time off, I say dude, you need recovery and Bobby says 'I do active recovery.'
Leaving the sports entertainment style of WWE to go to the hard hitting and strong style of New Japan was a very easy transition for me because it was what I always wanted to do.
I will say this: love Vince McMahon or hate Vince McMahon, no matter what you feel about him, he has always treated me well.
I don't have any disparaging words about WWE.
When I go to Canada, there's all kinds of legal paperwork that has to be done. There's a special permit.
When you are the WWE Champion, you have an X right on your forehead.
When you go to work, you do what your bosses tell you to do. If your bosses tell you to do something a certain way, you do it. If you get to a point where you don't want to do it anymore, you either: do what they tell you to do or leave, which was part of the reason why I decided to go to New Japan.
In the case of the WWE: great product and powerful company, and they gave me the opportunity to do all that I have done so far for which I will be forever grateful.
I just want to be the best every time I go out and I want to work with the best and I want everyone around me to want to be the best.