Nick Wayne Considered Match Against Former AEW Star One Of His Hardest Tests

Nick Wayne, the youngest signed talent in All Elite Wrestling, is yet to debut for the company in an official capacity, but has been honing his craft on the independents at the young age of 17. This includes severa; matches that have impressed many and led to plenty of hype surrounding his eventual debut in AEW when he turns 18. In an interview with Wrestling Republic's Eric Novak on The All Real Wrestling Podcast, Wayne discussed two matches that were pivotal in his career and what they mean to him as he continues to grow as a competitor.

First, Wayne discusses his battle against former AEW star and independent workhorse Joey Janela. "That match was one of my hardest, and biggest tests in independent wrestling, in my career so far," Wayne said, complimenting Janela's abilities. "You know when you get in the ring with Joey, you know you're gonna be tested, you're gonna be pushed to your limits." The two wrestled in November 2021 at Defy Brutalist and was considered one of the best matches of 2021 for the organization. 

The 33-minute bout ended with Wayne defeating Janela and is considered a pivotal moment for Wayne's ascension on the independent circuit. Continuing on, Wayne then discusses his match with one-half of the current AEW Tag Team Champions, Swerve Strickland. "The one with Swerve was a very emotional one," Wayne admitted, mentioning how special it was to be Swerve's first opponent in Defy following his time with the WWE. Wayne concluded, "Just to be able to share the ring with those guys, they really pushed me to new limits and new heights ... I give them a lot of credit for helping me out in this business."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Wrestling Republic's Eric Novak on the "All Real Wrestling Podcast" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.