Austin Aries Talks About Leaving WWE, What Inspired Him To Become A Vegan

Austin Aries wants you to eat better. 

Aries released a book called Food Fight: My Plant Based Journey From The Bingo Halls To The Big Time back in June. He talked to the Orlando Sentinel about the book. He says it's about fixing people's problems in their lives, primarily when it comes to their eating habits.

I’ve been blessed for 17 years to have a job where I make people forget their problems for a little while,” he said. “But now, how much cooler is it to help people fix problems in their lives, like how we take care of ourselves and how we eat? … If I can have an impact on changing their lives by planting the seeds of change in their head, that’s so fulfilling.

Aries' decision to go vegan came from after hearing about animal mistreatment. As he went further into the process, he felt that the more he cut meat from his diet, the better he felt health wise, and eventually went on to drop all animal byproducts from his diet.

“I’m not going to shove anybody in the deep end before they know how to swim,” he said. “I’m confident that if you keep an open mind and dip your feet in the water, you’ll say, ‘That feels nice.’ Maybe you’ll get in a little more and think, ‘That feels real nice.’ And soon maybe you’ll be swimming on your own.”

He also spoke about his sudden departure from the WWE earlier this year. He compares his WWE run to signing with a major label and being told not to do this or that. He feels now that he's gone from the WWE, he can do wrestling the way that he wants it, with no one to tell him how to do pro wrestling. 

"You can have a favorite band, but when they sign with a major label … maybe a new producer says, 'You can't do that, take this down a notch.'" he says. "And you'll keep listening, but you'll always think their first album was their best album,” said Aries, 39. “Just like music, I consider wrestling to be an art form, and I have a vision of what that art should look like. Now I'm allowed the freedom to make it all my own again, and I'm excited to have that back."

Aries left the WWE earlier this year, reportedly unhappy with the direction he was going after his feud with Neville over the cruiserweight title.