TNA held a media conference call with Austin Aries on Thursday, June 28 to promote the TNA Destination X pay-per-view. The following are the highlights of the call.

-Aries was asked about changes between his first run and his current run. He said he was able to step back and learn from his first run with the company. He said the company is giving him a chance this time around and he's letting his work speak for itself.

-Aries was asked about auditioning for WWE Tough Enough. He said he was dealing with a talent agency and not with the company itself. He compared it to acting in that sometimes you get the part and sometimes you don't.

-A caller was asked what made him want to go back to TNA. He said you don't always get second chances and he wanted to take advantage of that. "It was a pay day and I didn't have anything going on that week, so I figured why not I've got nothing to lose," Aries said.

-Aries was asked whether he would prefer to work with X Division wrestlers or heavyweight wrestlers. He said he feels comfortable with anybody in the ring.

-Regarding Impact going live, Aries said he feels everyone amps it up an extra notch because the show is live. He said he hopes it continues beyond the summer.

-Aries was asked about wrestlers he would like to see join the roster. He mentioned Rhett Titus, Kenny King, and Grizzly Redwood. He noted that he trained Titus and Grizzly. He said they have something to offer in the ring and in the locker room.

-A caller asked if there's a moment that stands out most to him in his TNA run this far. He said the securing his contract during his second run was a big moment. He said there were no promises and he was able to step up.

-Aries was asked whether he feels it is important to showcase the X Division in pay-per-view and television main events more often or if he's comfortable with the current setup. He said there will always be some debate regarding whether the division is a top championship or a secondary championship. He feels the Destination X setup is a step in the right direction and he leaves those calls to the company's decision makers.

-Aries was asked if there's anyone in particular that he would like to see become the face of the X Division now that he's stepping aside. He said he felt Chris Sabin was ready to step up and resume his singles career if it wasn't for his injury. He feels Jesse Sorensen was also on the path before he suffered his neck injury. He teased that there will be new X Division talent and names from the past returning as they head into the pay-per-view. He said he hopes someone steps up like he did.

-It was noted that the X Division Title belt's prestige was raised during his reign. He was asked what the company can do to make sure the title remains as important. He said he feels the championship is only as important as the guy who holds it. He recalled joking recently that he rubs belt, they don't rub him. He said it's about having quality talent and competition. He said there have been injuries and departures, and the division became a little less competitive that he hoped it would be. He said there are efforts to restock it and so it's a matter of accumulating talent and letting the best guys get ahead. "I'm a big proponent of that," Aries said about giving guys the ball and seeing if they can carry it.

-A caller asked what changed about Ring of Honor that led to him being critical of it. He said that he didn't want to get into talking about other companies on a TNA conference call, but he noted that the people who had the original passion and energy are no longer there. He said that's what separated Ring of Honor from the pack previously and he doesn't know if that exists today.

-Aries was asked about TNA's shift to using elements of reality television. He said it's a slippery slope. He feels there are elements they can use and pull the curtain back a bit, but he said they should only want to pull the curtain back so much. "The bottom line is I don't think we want to put a product out there that looks over produced," Aries said. He said he wants to see guys sound like themselves and he feels they have the talent to pull that off.

-Aries was asked about being vilified at times during his career. He said it's nice to get a chance to show "some people and some places" what he can do when he's given the chance. He said his second run with the company has allowed him to prove some of the things he's said. "I've always been a polarizing figure," he said. "I have a strong personality." He said he's comfortable with who he is. "If you're not stirring the pot a little bit and you're not making people nervous, then you're not doing something right."

-Aries was asked which wrestlers influenced him. He noted that Jerry Lynn and Sean Waltman came out of the Twin Cities like he did and they were inspirations to a lot of the smaller guys. He also mentioned the Four Horsemen and the Midnight Express when he was younger, and Chris Jericho, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, and Chris Benoit as he got older. He said it was the guys who felt the most believable and had the most conviction in what they were doing.

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