"Instead of trying to fit into a mold, I decided to break it and make my own"

[Aaron Rourke makes his way to the ring one week after winning the WWE EVOLVE Title from Jackson Drake on EVOLVE #52.]

Aaron Rourke: Guys, you know it's crazy to me to be standing out here in front of you as your new EVOLVE Champion. [Crowd chants 'Dime Piece'] Thank you. You all know me as this confident Dime Piece who isn't afraid to be himself but I remember a time when I wasn't so confident when I wasn't the Dime Piece. I remember being that kid who was made fun of and ridiculed and teased just because I wanted to bring my action figures to school because I didn't feel like playing football, oh jeez. And you know the words these people threw at me and the words they said to me. They were mean, they were venomous and to be honest they just made me hate who I was. [A fan yells 'They suck!'] Yeah, I know. But this, wrestling, has always been my escape. This is everything I wanted to do since I was five years old. To be like the heroes I saw on my screen. One of those being, I think you may know him, the legendary Ric Flair, who inspired me to dress in this robe because he was never apologetic for who he was. And without doing him some disrespect, he would style and profile. Woo! That was a good one, right? And of course we can't leave out my favorite wrestler, his daughter the Queen, the 14-time Women's Champion Charlotte Flair. Her elegance, the way she carries herself, her passion for this business is something we should all be inspired by and it inspires me truly. So hey, Queen. I know you got fourteen titles but I just got on board with one myself. And I'll be chasing your titles my entire career because I have the confidence to do that. And I got the confidence because I earned it despite what people have said to me my entire career. 'You can never do this. You really think you could be in the ring with some of the greatest stars of all time? Someone like you can't be in the ring because you're just too different.' [The crowd chants 'Yes you can!'] Yeah so- instead of trying to fit into a mold, I decided to break it and make my own. Because as champion, I want to set the example. I want to show people it does not matter who you are, where you come from, how old you are, whatever walk of life you have walked: you can be successful. I want people to break away from limitations because I'm the proof that you can be you and be successful. So please, if you take anything away from this, don't be anyone else but yourself because you are good enough and you are great. Clock that. As champion, I want to be like the heroes I watched on my screen growing up. I want everyone here and watching at home to see this. Take a gander, look at the material. [Aaron walks around the ring] And I want them to say 'He's different, he's outlandish, he's charismatic but damn that's why we love him.' Because being unapologetic is what's gotten me here: to the ID Program, to EVOLVE and to winning this title. And to everyone at here watching at home on Tubi, I have to tell you from the bottom of my heart. Your love and support has meant the most to me my entire time here truly. You didn't have to love me, you didn't have to cheer for me but you did and I can't thank you guys enough really. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I love you guys and I'm honored- no, I'm privileged to be your champion. [The crowd chants 'You deserve it!'] I love that. It is a new era here in EVOLVE so everyone please sit back and enjoy the show that is The Dime Piece, your new EVOLVE Champion, Aaron Rourke! Clock that, baby!