When Austin Aries first made his NXT debut, fans were thrilled to see The Greatest Man That Ever Lived had finally arrived. However, Austin’s run with NXT came to an end last year when Shinsuke Nakamura broke his orbital bone during a match at a live event.
Aries later made his main roster debut as an announcer when he started to do commentary for cruiserweight matches on Raw and 205 Live, and he recently returned to the ring.
It turns out that Austin’s injury was in a sense a blessing in disguise because it helped him get called up to the main roster likely faster than he would have if wasn’t sidelined by a Kinshasa.
Last week Aries made his debut on 205 Live and this week he debuted on a show that even he admitted he wasn’t sure he would ever appear on.
Tonight is a night that I wasn't sure would ever arrive….but it has, and so have I. @WWE #RAW #EraOfAries
— Austin Healy Aries (@AustinAries) March 13, 2017
Austin Aries has been around for a long time, long enough to be considered a veteran and there are quite a few people that were happy to see him on Raw. One of those people is none other than Gabe Sapolsky who took to Twitter to congratulate Aries after he made his debut.
It's always the coolest to see someone who walked the long road make it to Raw. Congrats Austin Aries. #Great #earned
— Gabe Sapolsky (@BookItGabe) March 14, 2017
Aries of course thanked Gabe Sapolsky for all of the opportunities he’s given him over the years.
Thanks Gabe. Forever grateful to you for seeing something in me and giving me the opportunity to show it. https://t.co/oANRAziASF
— Austin Healy Aries (@AustinAries) March 14, 2017
Bubba Ray Dudley is someone who worked closely with Austin Aries in Impact Wrestling, and he knows a thing or two about what he can do. Bubba also reached out to Austin on Twitter to compliment him on his superior wrestling ability.
Thanks Bubba, means a lot coming from you. And, I had no choice when having to stand across the ring from you! https://t.co/9eCH5Ime3Z
— Austin Healy Aries (@AustinAries) March 14, 2017