WWE Superstar Bobby Lashey recently reflected on the beginning of his pro wrestling career during an interview with Sports Illustrated. Looking back at his time in WWE’s developmental promotion OVW back in 2004, Lashley recalled how he was once pitched with a Mr. T gimmick.

“I didn’t know this at the time, but Paul [Heyman] saw me–this big, jacked up dude–and didn’t know me. And none of the other writers knew who I was,” Lashley said. “They were just writing on what they thought they knew of me–that I should be like Mr. T and run around like, ‘I pity the fool!’ But that’s not me.”

Lashley revealed that it was Paul Heyman that took an interest in him during the early days of his WWE career. He continued, “and that’s why Paul wanted to sit down and talk. He knew he needed to write for this guy, but he didn’t know who I was, and he wasn’t going to just guess. So we just sat and talked forever, and he said, ‘I get this guy.’ And he got me over in a short amount of time.”

Lashley highlighted his background, noting how he is a “subtle” person. He referred to his background as one where you “shut up, you train, and you compete.”

“That’s what Paul saw, and everything he did from then on was highlighting who I was, not trying to put me in a box that didn’t fit. That’s why I was so excited when he came [as the Executive Director of Monday Night Raw], because I knew he gets me, could write for me, and put me in the right position and place on the show.”

During last night’s episode of Monday Night RAW, Bobby Lashley and Lana were finally able to tie the knot after last week’s interruption.