“I have a message that is much bigger than my dreams in pro wrestling. Despite my best efforts, I will not be able to deliver this message while working with WWE. Therefore, I am requesting my release from WWE.” – these words, tweeted out by Mustafa Ali on January 16th, 2022, serve as a stark reminder of just how quickly things can change within the WWE Universe, especially in 2022, arguably the most volatile year in the promotion since… 1997?

While Ali's request wasn't taken to heart, with his contract very much still on WWE's books, things have taken a turn for the better in terms of the former leader of Retribution's television time. For one thing, Retribution hasn't returned even as most of its members have, with Mia Yim now a member of The OC, Mace now a Maximum Male Model, and T-Bar now going by the name (Donovan) Dijak back in NXT. Ali has also found himself a pretty consistent contributor to the weekly television schedule, with 16 different matches on either RAW or SmackDown and even a spot on a “Premium Live Event” thanks to his match for the United States Championship against Austin Theory at Hell in a Cell. While his current role on RAW, effectively serving as Bobby Lashley's punching bag, isn't the most graceful option for the 19-year-professional, Ali has sold his butt off every time he's been in a televised match and in the end, that's all that matters.

Considering where things began for Ali this year, one would assume he'd be happy with his spot in the mid-card, but ever the overachiever, the performer known on the indies as Prince Mustafa Ali wants more – he wants to win the WWE United States Championship to prove once and for all that he really belongs both in the company he initially asked to be released from and in the United States, period.

Mustafa Ali's WWE championship ambitions go far beyond television time.

Taking to Twitter ahead of RAW, Ali shot a video explaining why he wants to be the WWE United States Champion, and the motivations run far, far deeper than a simple bump in pay or TV time, as transcribed by Fightful.

“To me, it’s very easy to go into battle when you look behind you and there’s an army following you,” Ali said. “But lately for me, when I look back, I don’t see a lot of people following me. I understand why a lot of people have given up on me. Week after week, loss after loss, beatdown after beatdown, I get it. But all I can say is that I hope you don’t give up on me. I hope you don’t give up on my chase for the United States Championship, and here’s why.”

Why do I keep getting up? Why, after beatdown after beatdown, do I keep picking a fight? The reason why is I wanna take you all the way back to when I was in high school. On 9/11, the tragic events unfolded, and the teachers thought it would be best to let the students talk and express their emotions and how they feel. I remember raising my hand and saying, ‘I can’t believe this happened to us.’ Kid in front of me turns around, and he says, ‘Us? What are you talking about? Your people did this.’ I looked around the class, and I looked at the teacher, and I was hoping someone would say something to help me or defend me. No one said anything. Despite being born here in this country, despite being an American, despite being a former police officer, a guy that actually wanted to protect people, that was willing to put his life on the line, I’m not American enough. So the United States Championship, sure it means more TV time, it means more money. It means a lot of things to a lot of people, but to me, it means I belong, and that’s all I’ve been chasing for my entire life. I don’t know how I’m gonna become the United States Champion, I don’t know when I’m gonna become the United States Champion, but I know why I wanna become the United States Champion. Now you do, too.”

While the United States Championship picture is pretty crowded right now, with Theory currently holding the strap and both Lashley and Seth Rollins looking to take it back, if Ali can get back into the game and really make a run at the belt, he would make a fine champion, as it's clear his heart is in the right spot.