Mustafa Ali: “TNA was the right fit for me”
Mustafa Ali has officially signed with TNA and believes he is exactly what the company needs. “TNA was the right fit for me, and I was the right fit for TNA,” he said, emphasizing the importance of timing in the wrestling industry. He elaborated, “As you know, in wrestling in general and the industry of entertainment, sometimes it’s right place, right time, but it’s got to be for both parties.”
Ali expressed his excitement for the current state of the industry, noting how opportunities have expanded beyond just wrestlers. “I absolutely love what the industry is today. I love that one roster has several options, several big-time options to go make big-time money, and not just the wrestlers. I’m talking about medical staff, producers, people behind the scenes, even people that cover the industry.” He also emphasized personal accountability, saying, “There’s so much to do that, if you’re not successful somewhere, it’s really on you.”
Discussing his creative freedom, Ali explained why TNA felt like the right choice. “I felt like TNA was going to provide me with a platform to creatively really expand. Some of these other organizations, I don’t want to say ‘bottleneck,’ but there’s a certain process there.” He praised the company’s efficiency in decision-making, recalling his past experience with them: “The one thing that I really enjoyed about my previous stint at TNA is that if I wanted an answer, if I wanted to do something, if I needed a ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ I knew who to talk to and I would get that answer within minutes.”
Ali also highlighted the flexibility TNA offers compared to other promotions, where wrestlers often remain in fixed roles. “This is actually an opportunity that most wrestlers don’t get in other organizations. Not that they’re typecast, but once you’re, like you said, you’re a heavyweight champion, you’re usually in that picture, or you’re a tag team wrestler, you’re in that picture.” He believes TNA allows for greater career evolution, stating, “I think with TNA, you know, a few months you might be doing something, and then six months down the road, you could be in the main event scene.”
Source: The Takedown on SI
