5 Things You Likely Didn't Know About Apollo Crews

On this past week's edition of Monday Night Raw Apollo Crews stepped up and the viewing audience took notice. The former Uhaa Nation not only stepped in the ring with the likes of Andrade, Angel Garza, and Austin Theory but he later challenged for the WWE United States Championship. Despite not walking away successfully from the match he certainly was put in a prominent position to succeed.

An injury towards the end prevented him from not only winning the championship but even finishing the match. The result was heartbreaking but a statement was made. What isn't typically talked about when it comes to Apollo Crews? Here are a few things that fans may not likely know about the man from Stone Mount Georgia.

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#5 Was inspired by Attitude Era Superstars

Apollo Crews' interest in wrestling began long before he ever stepped into a ring. Before WWE's PG era, Crews found that it was during the Attitude Era where he became most interested. His favourites at that time included the likes of Kurt Angle, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Triple H. During a time when WWE was in the midst of a rivalry with WCW, Crews recalls just how WWE Superstars were larger than life. He described the fans'0 connection to Austin as follows:

"He was the guy coming to work and beating up on his boss, which everybody who works a regular job can relate to. What people loved about him so much is the fact that he was doing what they just dreamed of doing. The Rock was just always entertaining. Guys like those are the ones who really got me motivated to do what I do."

#4 Original Ring Name came from A High School Coach

While Apollo Crews is his current name, it isn't what he originally competed as. Born of Nigerian descent, Crews' birth name is Sesugh Uhaa. As the story unfolds it would be a portion of his name and the influence of a high-school coach that would help create the name Uhaa Nation. He explains how the name was created and that it was a transition from weight training to wrestling in high school when it all came about. Here is his quote below and the interview in its entirety here.

High school, weight lifting in high school, I had the strongest lifts in the whole school, in squat, power clean, and bench press individually, and total, I was the strongest kid in the school since like my sophomore year, my weight lifting coach said: "You are as strong as a single Nation...you are your own nation...you are Uhaa Nation..." Uhaa is my actual last name. At first I didn’t like him calling me Uhaa Nation, then the whole high school started calling me Uhaa Nation, and it grew on me.

#3 Ties to the Military

Crews' ties to the military are apparent in a couple of different ways. Fans of the WWE Network series Breaking Ground will recall Apollo Crews connecting with his sister who was stationed in the US military.

Another connection Crews shares with the military is that he attended a military high school. Being a part of the military school ensures that discipline takes centre stage in an individual. By seeing the shape that Crews is able to maintain himself in, it is evident that discipline is demonstrated in his daily routine.

As a WWE Superstar, Crews would commit himself to his craft as evident in his years of training before signing with the WWE's NXT brand. As a current member of the RAW roster, Crews has taken that military disciple with him both as an individual and in his ambition to achieve great things inside the ring. The qualities that the military instills in an individual cannot be ignored.

#2 Has Two Children Under Three Years of Age

At 32 years of age, Crews is just hitting his stride in the ring. Often the demands of competing in the ring also pull talent away from those most important to them. In the case of Apollo Crews, he much like anyone else has a family that they are often away from them. For Crews, his heartstrings are pulled from two rather important people in his life. They are his daughter, Sade who will be three in June and his son, Kai who turned one this past February.

Much like any parent, not seeing them is difficult when we add to the fact that they are under the age of three. Always being on the road makes it difficult for him attend crucial milestones in their lives as well. Crews is a committed father and husband. We applaud Crews as he continues to pursue his dream of championship Gold while still being present as both a provider and a parent.

#1 Trained by Mr. Hughes

Before anyone can achieve success in WWE, they need to undergo proper training. While Apollo Crews has a background in soccer and gymnastics, it was under a former WWE Superstar where he cut his teeth. Curtis Hughes, better knowns as Mr. Hughes, trained Crews when he was 21 years of age at the World Wrestling Alliance 4 promotion's training facility in his hometown.

If anyone can attest to what it takes to earn a contract and be in WWE it would be Mr. Hughes. Hughes' wrestling career saw him have stops in WCW, ECW and the WWF/E. During his time in the ring, he was a 'bodyguard' often acting as silent muscle for the likes of former ECW Champion Shane Douglas and WWE Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho. He even had a short-lived feud with The Undertaker during his career in the WWE.