Royce Keys recalls independent wrestling roadtrips and grind

7 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 2

Keys said he and Jacob Fatu drove 10 hours each way for shows, survived a Reno blizzard in a six-person car and regularly trained in the Bay Area.
He credited West Coast Pro and Bay Area promotions with shaping both wrestlers, saying the sacrifices included sleeping on couches, eating cheap meals and traveling overnight before work.
Now a WWE SmackDown regular, Keys said there was never a Plan B, while Fatu is set to challenge Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship at Backlash.

Will a shared past of ramen and road trips unite two rising stars, or will WWE championship ambition turn them into rivals?

Beyond the success stories, what is the true cost of the 'no Plan B' dream for thousands of independent wrestlers?

As WWE builds a formal talent pipeline, is the grueling 'indie grind' that forged its current stars becoming obsolete?