Watch: Drake Maverick Sets Record With Longest WWE 24/7 Championship Reign

WWE 24/7 Champion Drake Maverick managed to escape WWE’s live event in Petersburg, Virginia with his championship reign still intact. And as a result, he’ll enter the Extreme Rules pay-per-view as the longest reigning 24/7 Champion in the title’s short history at 13 days.

Maverick won the title back on the July 1 episode of Monday Night Raw when he nailed R-Truth from behind with a suitcase and pinned him backstage. Truth previously held the record for longest reign at 12 days and came close to winning the title again on Saturday, but was stopped when Andrade broke up a pinfall in the ring.

While Truth no longer holds the record for longest reign, he still has the records for most reigns (eight) and most combined days with the title (40).

Maverick appeared on Busted Open Radio this week and spoke about his thoughts on his career in WWE thus far (h/t Wrestling Inc).

“I’m blessed every day. For somebody who is of smaller stature than everyone else in the industry, you have to make sure you stand out, as every performer does,” Maverick said. “But I truly believe that trying to find what makes you different [is key]. I know a lot of people that get into this industry that don’t embrace the fact that they’re small. That, to me, is what makes me special. I am just proud to be in this industry. I am obviously proud to represent the United Kingdom, but I am just proud to be in this industry. The changes that have been made over the last few years and everything that they do for the athletes here in the WWE – I am a very proud man, and I am very proud to work for the company that I do, and I am very proud to work in the industry.”

Maverick, who previously wrestled and had an on-camera role with Impact Wrestling, didn’t feel he could make the jump to WWE until he saw other Impact stars like Bobby Roode, Samoa Joe and Eric Young all get signed.

“I found that it was attainable when I saw the people I was working with at Impact [moving to WWE]. It seemed like there was a time that WWE wasn’t looking at TNA talent, but then Samoa Joe left the company and went to NXT,” he said. “Bobby Roode left the company and went to NXT. Eric Young is another example; and that is when you were like, okay, there may be an opportunity down the road. I’m one of the fortunate ones in the world because there aren’t many spots in this industry full time. So, again, I’m just blessed.”