Ali had an exhibition match on SmackDown Live before the WWE Officials decide to call him up and make him a full-time roster member for the Blue Brand.
And if we believe the former 205 Live Star then one half of the current SmackDown Tag Team Champion Daniel Bryan played a big part in his call up to one of the WWE two top shows.
Ali was recently interviewed by TalkSport where he talked about his SmackDown debut match with Bryan and how it led to him joining the brand full time. Talking about the former WWE Champion’s involvement in the whole thing, he said that if Bryan wasn’t involved, he wouldn’t be where he is right now:
“As far as Daniel’s involvement in it, I’ve heard a bunch of different stories, but I refuse to believe anything other than Bryan saw I was capable of doing or he wanted to give back because Bryan himself is a guy who struggled at cruiserweight just like we did,” Ali continued. “You know, smaller guys, work-rate guys, guys that might not get the best story or chance to show personality and he saw whatever he saw and I was fortunate enough to work him. I would directly say if Daniel Bryan wasn’t involved I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now.”
Apart from this Ali also talked about him missing the Elimination Chamber match which led to Kofi Kingston becoming the WWE Champion and claimed that the injury that caused him to pull out of the bout was not Randy Orton’s fault.
