10 Things You Didn’t Know About TJ Perkins

10. Born And Raised In LA

If you saw Perkins in action in the Cruiserweight Classic, chances are you’ll have seen the colossal flag of the Philippines emblazoned on the TitanTron during his entrance, and you’ll likely have heard Mauro Ranallo refer to him as the 'Filipino Flyer'.

Which is why it may be a little odd to learn that Perkins was actually born and raised in the United States. Los Angeles, California to be exact.

Not that I’m calling him a fraud, of course, because he is indeed of Filipino descent. In fact, Perkins identifies with his roots so strongly that it was his decision to officially represent the Philippines at the recent Cruiserweight Classic.

He’s since stated in an interview on the TJR Podcast that his choice was based on “giving back to a culture that doesn’t have a lot of inspiration”. Fast forward to today, and with the WWE Cruiserweight Championship around his waist, I think it’s fair to say that he’s achieved just that.