Love 'Em or Hate 'Em | IMPACT WRESTLING | SPIKE

Alex Shelley

I started wrestling for TNA in 2004. Aside from a brief hiatus where I went to Japan for the better part of a half year, I've been with the company ever since. I've seen a large number of people come and go, but more importantly, I recently realized that I've been with TNA longer than I was in high school. To me, that's nuts. I'm going to be 27 years old in a couple of weeks, and it hasn't really hit me how quickly time flies, especially when you're having fun.

Really though, I've been lucky to have a great core group of friends in the wrestling business. This blog details how long I've known some of these guys. To a reader who's totally unfamiliar with our product, this may be the most blasé posting I could make.

But to those who actually DO follow wrestling, it may make you realize that when people say wrestlers are like family, it's in part due to the fact that we've known each other as long as we have. Sharing hotel rooms, having adventures overseas, drinking, eating, laughing, etc.

Chris Sabin, AJ Styles, Bobby Roode, Eric Young - 8 years. Frankie Kazarian, Homicide, Samoa Joe, Desmond Wolfe, Jay Lethal, Amazing Red, Hernandez - 7 years. Doug Williams, Brian Kendrick, Abyss - 6 years.

Just looking at that alone, it's a pretty significant chunk of the TNA roster. I'd like to think this amount of time allows me to know everyone's weaknesses in the ring, and also in their hearts.

But seriously, you're only as old as you feel.