Ricochet was interviewed backstage after winning the Intercontinental Championship from Sami Zayn, where he spoke about his long journey to get to this point.

“I started in 2003 and started doing this stuff, and then 19 years later, just to be where you started and see where it’s at now, it’s just so rewarding. Everyone can talk about how they’re the best and I’ve talked about it for a long time. And I actually thought I was the best for a long, long time, and now, this just proves it.”

“[The Intercontinental Championship], the US Championship, the NXT North American Championship all that is just proving my point of why not only I belong here, but I can thrive here and be somebody here. This proves just that, so the emotions you saw tonight are so real. And just all of that was because of this one moment, because of this. It’s just emotion, that’s what it was. Nothing else.”

Ricochet continued.

“The Intercontinental and United States Championships were both two of my favorite championships growing up just because the people that were in those divisions making those championships mean just as much as the World Heavyweight Championship, you know? Now, the Universal Championship. You know, I want to be that guy, I want to be that type of professional wrestler to make the Intercontinental Championship mean just as much as being the Universal Champion, as much as being the WWE Heavyweight Champion. I want this title to be , because it’s important to me, I want it to be important for everyone.”

Ricochet ended with:

“And just so everybody knows, if anybody wants an opportunity, and I mean anybody, just know that as much as Ricochet loves to fly, he also loves to fight. So that’s an open invitation.”

And another fun fact, Ricochet apparently lost a contact during that match and was wrestling with impaired vision.

Speaking of contacts. My right contact came out really early in last nights battle. So I had was half blind for 3/4 of it. 🤓 https://t.co/Rq1ZChGEr4

, I am the Champion. (@KingRicochet) March 5, 2022

The new Intercontinental Champion @KingRicochet reflects on capturing the #ICTitle and what the championship represents to him. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/0T6hu98BgR

, WWE (@WWE) March 5, 2022