The following was released to WrestleZone:
Two-time Ring of Honor World Champion, former Impact World champion and recently-released WWE superstar Austin Aries joined Arm Drag Takedown with Pollo Del Mar. During an extensive interview on the podcast, he discussed everything from new book Food Fight: My Plant-Powered Journey from Bingo Halls to The Big Time to his return to the indie scene
Highlights Include:On the Ease of His Vegan Diet:“It has become such a big industry now. There’s a lot money being pumped into [vegan products] and it’s growing. There’s nothing I’d usually eat as a carnivore I can’t eat or be replicated on a plant-based diet, whether it’s bacon, burgers, Mac & Cheese, Pizza. If you can name it, I’ve had a plant-based version of it, and it’s been delicious, and it’s been better for me.”On His Time with WWE:“It was a great experience. I believe everything happens for a reason, and that ended up being a great vehicle for me in a number of areas. I’m grateful for my time there. It provided me a great opportunity to check off the last couple things from my career people would kind of use against me and say, ‘Well, you’ve never been to the Big Time. You’ve never been to the big dance.’ When the opportunity did present itself, I had to take it. It was the one thing I really hadn’t done.”On Cody Rhodes“I have the utmost respect for him and his talent. He’s one of those guys, once he was able to go out there and be himself and do what’s coming from his heart, you see the results. There are a lot of guys out there like that.”On Possibly Facing Cody for the ROH Title“If he can hold onto that thing long enough to where I can get myself in there. That’s obviously a big target around his waist and one obviously I’ve carried a couple times, so I know the pressure associated with it. He’s done a great job so far. I’d love the opportunity. I’d love the opportunity whether it’s for the Ring of Honor Title or not, just to get in there with him. He’s one of those guys I haven’t had a chance to get in there and tangle with. Yeah, I’d love that opportunity, no matter where it is, but if it’s for the Ring of Honor Championship, all the better. It just raises the stakes.”On His Financial Success Since Leaving WWE“Within the next 30 days really, I’m going to crush any month I had with the WWE. It’s not even going to be close. I’m going to do it in 12 dates rather than the 20 I’d normally be wrestling. Is that going to be there forever? Is that going to be there for everybody? Not necessarily. Do I owe a lot of that to the fact I was just wrestling with WWE? Absolutely. That’s not lost on me.”Over 70 minutes, Aries and podcast hostess Pollo Del Mar, a journalist for Huffington Post and San Francisco-based indie wrestling personality, discuss the current thriving independent wrestling scene, his future career goals, his thoughts on Impact Wrestling and why he should not have dropped the Impact World title to Jeff Hardy when he did.Each episode of Arm Drag Takedown with Pollo Del Mar podcast includes pro wrestling recaps, news, opinion and celebrity interviews. Austin Aries is the latest in a list of guests including Impact Wrestling Knockouts Gail Kim and Sienna, ROH TV champion Kenny King, former WWE World champion Jack Swagger and ROH star Flip Gordon.Follow on Twitter: @ADTwithPDM
