I'm finally noticed, after years of training in OMEGA with Matt and Jeff Hardy, Shannon Moore and Shane Helms, as well as a few years in FCW and Ring Of Honor. I was contacted by Mr McMahon and Triple H, they wanted me to appear on the return of NXT Rookies and Pros as the rookie of former tag team champion, Shield member Seth Rollins. I had befriended twins from Florida in FCW, named Calum and Harry Griffin. They were both contacted by Mr McMahon and Triple H to be the rookies of the United States champion and the former tag team champion, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. They thought it would be a good idea having Shield mentoring friends. Every week we got a schedule e-mailed to us, it told you the challenges and what would be required of those challenges and the match schedule, who was competing against who and what people wanted to see in the match. It was a great system. I remember that it was Shield's rookies versus Goldust, Cody Rhodes and CM Punk's rookies after the obstacle course. I trained hard for the course, I ran, I lifted, I pulled, I pushed and I did mini obstacle courses. The workouts paid off as I came second and gained 6 points. The way the challenges worked was that if you came first: 8 points, second: 6 points, third: 4 points and fourth: 2 points. You had to get thirty points for immunity, but fifteen points to sabotage another person, such as in the obstacle course, making them run twice. It also depended on the challenge, by the time there were five people left, the points system was eliminated and immunity was gained by winning a challenge that offered immunity. It felt amazing, walking out every Wednesday with men I've watched and mimicked to get a standing ovation. I was always amazed, stunned and lost for words. I loved every second of it, I didn't want it to end. I made it to the final three after several weeks of hard fought battles, hard training for the challenges and hard work and determination. I was approached backstage by Mr McMahon.
"Rusty, I've been watching you closely for your time on NXT and in FCW, I must say that you've impressed me as much as the other wrestlers. I would like to inform you that at the end of NXT I will be forced to give a contract to the most impressive, fan attracting rookie in the competition. I've seen you train, I've seen you wrestle, I've seen you on the mic and I know that if the fans don't choose you, I will. I will give you a four year contract with my company." He shook my hand and walked in the opposite direction. I was completely stunned. Next week was the final episode of Season 5 and two of us would be eliminated, one would get a contract. I had to tell Shield, they've had my back the whole way, taught me the things I need to know, told me the good, the bad and the ugly and given me a few tips on how to survive. When I raced down the hall I heard noises coming from Shield's locker room, I thought nothing of it and burst in to find...