Since joining WWE in 2011, Corey Graves has seen dozens, if not hundreds, of young Superstars make their way to the Performance Center in the hopes of becoming the next big thing.

Unfortunately, it rarely happens that way, as the roads out of Orlando are built on tears and broken dreams of 20-somethings who thought they would eventually become World Champions. But still, when a performer is able to reach that level, overcome the odds, and establish themselves as one of the very best professional wrestlers in the world today, it's a special thing, with very little in terms of connective tissue to form a road map for future Superstars.

Discussing this very topic on The Kurt Angle Show, Graves discussed the path that took Seth Rollins from the NXT Champion to the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and the one key factor that has made him the person he is today.

“It's not necessarily unique to Seth, because I could give you the same answer regarding a lot of guys who I've come up with: It's maturity. When you come into this game, into the business at first, especially on independents, it's you versus the world. You have to have a chip on your shoulder, or you're not going to succeed. I think a lot of us carried that to FCW and into NXT, and I think that's why NXT became as red hot as it did at the time, because you had a bunch of guys who were stuck in the warehouse in Tampa who didn't think anyone was paying attention,” Corey Graves said via Wrestling Inc.

“He doesn't overstep his boundaries, and he won't give you advice if you don't ask for it, but it's one of those deals where you go, ‘I should probably ask that guy. He's done a few things in the game, maybe he knows.'”

While Rollins may still present himself as a brash, flashy persona who wears fantastical outfits and yells on the microphone more often than not, his storytelling has featured far more maturity as of late, with the very mortality of his 20-year professional career the subject of borderline every story he's been a part of since winning the World Heavyweight Championship back in May. While 2015 Seth Rollins likely could have operated within a similar storyline, this new, roadworn persona fits in so much better and makes for a much more compelling performer in the long run.

Corey Graves reveals Vince McMahon's disdain for “Happy Holidays.”

Elsewhere in his appearance on The Kurt Angle Show, Corey Graves was asked about working commentary and how things could change in an instant should Vince McMahon, aka the “voice of God,” make an appearance in his ear to provide some on-the-fly change or worse, to chew the team out for saying something incorrect.

Sharing a story from his memory, Graves recalls calling an episode of RAW on Christmas night, where he and Michael Cole received some less-than-ideal feedback from their boss for the use of a more inclusive term to share holiday cheer.

“The first time I ever got ‘Vince'd,' it was Chicago, Christmas night, we did Monday Night RAW live. This was probably four or five years ago. The RAW commentary desk was on top of the stage by the entrance way, and we would stand up and turn around and do these reverse on-cameras so that the ring and the crowd was in the back,” Corey Graves said via Fightful. “It was a cool setup. Michael Cole and I were discussing beforehand. He said, ‘I'm going to do Welcome To Monday Night RAW. Happy Holidays, everybody. You can say Merry Christmas, here's what we have on tap.' Okay, great, we'll throw into some graphics. Cole goes, ‘Welcome everyone to Monday Night RAW. Happy Holidays, everybody!' With the speed of lightning, the boss was on the all-call button, which means everybody listening can hear. ‘I SAID MERRY CHRISTMAS! NOT HAPPY HOLIDAYS!' Meanwhile, I'm going, ‘I was gonna say….' I'm getting yelled at on camera. I'm like a deer in headlights. I'm going, this is it, I'm getting fired on Christmas night. Of course, we get done, he comes on and goes, ‘Aha, that was good. Thanks guys.' I was terrified. My heart skips a few beats. Somewhere down the line, when I write a book one day, I'll tell a few other stories that are a little more lighthearted, but definitely not for public consumption. Some of the things that came through the headset over the years.”

Should WWE fans be surprised to hear that Mr. McMahon chewed out Cole and Graves on Christmas night? No, considering everything fans now know and have long known about the former WWE CEO, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise at all.