Long before he became a beloved figure on NXT, Andre Chance — formerly known as Andre Chase — was essentially told his face would never appear on WWE television. The veteran recently opened up about that sobering early chapter of his WWE career in striking detail.
Appearing on Duke Hanson’s Between Two Jobs podcast, Chance described how a WWE official hammered home the same message over and over during the phone call where he agreed to sign: he wasn’t going to be a TV star. He wasn’t even going to be on TV at all. His role was to work with the next generation of talents — a group that included Bron Breakker, Trick Williams, Tony D’Angelo, the Creed Brothers, and Carmelo Hayes — helping them develop before they hit the main stage.
“If he said it once on this phone call, he said it 100 times,” Chance recalled. “He said, ‘I just need you to know, you’re not gonna be a TV star. You’re not gonna be on TV at all actually. You are just here to train and work with this next group of guys.'” The message was reinforced again when he reported to the Performance Center, with coaches reiterating that his work would be confined to PC Live events.
That all changed on one particular PC Live when Shawn Michaels happened to wander over and watch Chance work a match against Julius Creed — only Creed’s third or fourth match at the time. The two put on a strong performance, and Michaels took notice. When feedback was given afterward, Michaels simply asked why Chance wasn’t on TV. Within a week, Chance was booked on 205 Live.
“It only takes that one — literally, your life can change in one match,” Chance said.
It’s a remarkable origin story for a performer who went on to build one of NXT’s most enduring characters. Chance had previously noted that WWE initially approached him about a pure coaching role, and he accepted a lower salary specifically to sign as an active wrestler instead — a gamble that, as his own account makes clear, required patience, belief, and a fortunate set of eyes landing on the right match at the right time.
Source: WrestleTalk
