James Storm On What Triple H Told Him When He Left NXT, When TNA Was At Its Best, Impact HOF Rumors

Josh Barnett of USA Today interviewed James Storm, who was promoting Sunday's Slammiversary pay-per-view. Below are some highlights:

Backstage changes in Impact Wrestling with Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantel back:

"I think it's very good and I'm not just saying that because of the new ownership. I always felt Impact Wrestling was the best when you had Dutch and Jeff. Even when had the crazy ideas of Vince Russo there, you always had Jeff and Dutch to pull him back from certain ideas that he was trying to throw out.

"They weren't afraid to think outside of the bubble. People might label them as Southern wrestling stuff, but they were willing to listen to guys' ideas and use them a lot of times. A lot of times people get in that position who wouldn't use the guys' ideas because it's not their ideas. Because if it works then it might make look bad in certain people's eyes. Jeff and Dutch aren't afraid to listen to guys and that makes them feel good and try harder."

His time in NXT:

"Everything is about timing. I didn't think it was the right time. I was treated with respect when I went down there, Hunter (WWE executive vice president Paul 'Triple' Levesque and I talked about things. He just said, 'At the end of the day, you have to do what's best for you. If things don't work out, you have my number. Give me a call.' It was great for him to say that to me. At the time, I don't think I was ready for it with some stuff with my family life and my personal life to take care of. He understood that. It had nothing to do with wrestling. But never say never is the wrestlers' motto that we live by. If it presented itself, I would talk it over my family again and see what we could do."

Rumors of him being inducted into the Impact HOF this year:

"I think everybody jumped the gun on it. ? I really wouldn't want to go into the Hall of Fame because I'm still wrestling. To me, if you go into the Hall of Fame, it means you're winding down or out of the business and I don't plan on doing either one. It was giving my point of view on the Hall of Fame, not saying that I'm being inducted into it. It would be a slap in the face if they announced it on Facebook and not on their TV program like they have everyone else."

Storm also discussed his experiences working with Vince Russo, his strap match at Slammiversary this Sunday, Bobby Roode's current success. You can read the full interview by clicking here.

Source: USA Today