NORFOLK, Va. - A local kid from Virginia Beach, all Richardson knew was wrestling. In his sophomore and junior years of high school at Cox, Richardson captured two state championships before traveling to New Jersey to wrestle for the infamous Blair Academy, where he became runner-up in the National Prep Tournament. Richardson was a well-sought out recruit in 2011, his future path would not be like any other, though. Plagued with injuries dating back to his youth wresting days, Richardson would go years wrestling in pain and unhappy.
The pain was a common issue for Richardson for as long as he could remember and was becoming unbearable.