A recently released NXT star has revealed that he was encouraged to train for Olympic try-outs while with WWE.

Before the beginning of his pro-wrestling career, Arturo Ruas was an accomplished amateur wrestler. In the 2011 Pan American Games, Ruas finished in fourth place.

Speaking with Wrestling Inc, Ruas revealed that he was training for try-outs for the 2016 Olympic Games, despite holding a WWE contract. Recalling the situation, Ruas said:

“In Brazil, the sport managers, even for wrestling that time, they weren’t able to feed the sport with sponsors and money, and I wasn’t training as I should have been training. I could go to the Olympic Games, and I could win or not, but what next? And I had some plans in my head, but I was finished. I needed something bigger than to just retire, and that’s why when WWE came in, I just felt that it was God’s plan. God knows everything.

“I was training with the Nogueira brothers from UFC, Rodrigo and Rogério, and we were talking about going to UFC after the Olympic Games. And I was like, ‘Hey guys, do you think you can get me a contract?’ because I was training with them, and they told me, ‘Yeah, Let’s see. If you really want it, we can make it happen.’ And when WWE came in, and I am a big fan of of wrestling, I felt WWE was more in my heart. I love UFC. I train in MMA. But I kind of just felt my heart was more in pro wrestling.”

“When I moved to Orlando, I kept training for the Olympic Games. I did the trial because at that time, you had to do all the trails. Because the Olympic Games were in Brazil, all the spots, all the weight classes were already kind of filled. On the last trial, they kind of changed the rules, and that wasn’t being applied.

“That was kind of part of my deal coming in. They knew about my situation, and they allowed me to compete. I was the Performance Center in October 2015. In 2016, in January, was the circuit. I had to go to Brazil to win the trials in Brazil. I had to compete in the circuit, and I did it. WWE were just waiting for me to be there, and everything changed and it didn’t happen.”

Ruas was released by WWE two weeks ago. Following his departure, Ruas confirmed that there were plans for him to join the Diamond Mine faction.

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• Arturo Ruas
• olympics
• nxt
• wwe

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