Darby Allin Hated Being Left Off AEW Full Gear, Says Proving People Wrong Drives Him

Darby Allin spoke with Sports Illustrated for a new interview discussing his in-ring persona, his drive to succeed in AEW and more. You can check out some highlights below:

On why he wears his facepaint: “I paint my face because 50 percent of me is dead inside. When I was five, my uncle was driving drunk. I was in the car with him. We crashed and he passed away … That’s why I have this ‘Nothing’s over ’til you’re underground’ tattoo on my chest. A lot of people think that’s why I’m straight edge, and to a degree it is. And it’s from watching close friends, some who were very talented in the world of skateboarding, blow their opportunities because of drugs or alcohol. I made a commitment to myself that, when I set out to do everything I wanted to do, I couldn’t blame it on drugs or alcohol.”

On not being on the card for AEW Full Gear: “I sat in the crowd, and that ate me alive. I sat there and watched the show, and I said to myself, ‘I’m going to put in as much work as I ever have, whether it’s video or matches, to be on the next pay-per-view.’ There were people that probably expected me to be off the pay-per-view. I’m here to prove people wrong. I’m not here to make friends and treat this as a clubhouse. People here are super supportive, and I appreciate that, but this isn’t friendship hour. For me, this is about proving people wrong and putting AEW on the map.”

On finding his motivation: “Proving people wrong, that’s what drives me. I’ve always believed I belonged in this spot. Others may have not—[due to my] size, [or lack of] years. This is my fifth year in wrestling, and a lot of people say, ‘Your time will come, your time will come.’ No motherf**ker, my time’s now. I feel it and I know it.”

On his in-ring persona: “The way I act in the ring, I feel like that inside every day, even when I’m not wrestling. In the ring, it’s like letting a caged animal be free. I was brought here to be myself and nothing else. Going in the ring, that’s my therapy. And if you want to see what I’m capable of next, just watch.”