From the day he stepped into a WWE ring, it was clear that Karrion Kross would be a great player. Everything from his appearance, his entry, to his overall performance in the ring, said the sky was the limit.
In just his seventh game with the company, Karrion Kross defeated Keith Lee at the NXT TakeOver: XXX to win the NXT Championship. If it weren’t for the shoulder injury he suffered in that match, Karrion Kross might as well still take the top prize from the Black and Gold brand.
With the exception of getting hurt, Karrion Kross told SK Wrestling this week that the start of his WWE tenure is exactly what he predicted when he signed with the company. Karrion Kross says he has a lot of contribution to his presentation and that WWE just helped him expand and evolve as an artist:
“I’ve never worked anywhere before in my life where I learned something, literally every time I go to work … I feel like I’ve improved ten times over here and the whole process was absolutely incredible. Really, it’s going to sound crazy, but … any person who has been through an injury, you grow personally from that. You grow psychologically from that. And I feel stronger mentally and physically now, after that, than a year ago. “
It took Karrion Kross just three months to recover from that shoulder injury, after some doctors thought he would be in action for up to a year. He’s just a special athlete and a special artist. Karrion Kross believes he was born to compete in a fighting ring, although (comparatively speaking) he waited until later in life to start training.
Karrion Kross’ passion for professional wrestling started at a young age, but his career started late.
Despite his passion for the industry, Karrion Kross did not start training to become a professional fighter until he was 27. This is much later in life compared to other Superstars, but it turned out to be the right time for Karrion Kross for a number of reasons. He told SK Wrestling why he waited so long to tie up a pair of boots.
“I’ve been a fan of wrestling, literally, all my life. I think my first love for anything was professional wrestling and sports entertainment. I was mesmerized by watching this on television as a child … Watching Macho Man, Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, the whole spectacle of it was, there was something magnetic about it. I’ve always been interested in doing this. I’ve always wanted to do this, but the reason I didn’t do this before is to be completely transparent with you, I just had great ways of working ( (laughs). I was financially comfortable. “
When he was in his early 20s, Karrion Kross found himself in the enviable position of no longer having to chase a paycheck. He also realized that he was not satisfied with his work and that no amount of money would change that.
It was at this point in his life that Karrion Kross decided to pursue his dream of being a professional fighter, instead of pursuing a career he was not passionate about.
“I went to a professional wrestling school and thought, ‘I’m going to do this.’ And it was so funny. I will never forget that. The first time I stepped into a ring, I knew. It was the first day, I knew. I was like, ‘I should always be here.’ But I am happy that I did not do this before because this business, at the highest professional level, requires a certain maturity and a certain personal development as an adult to participate and be successful. I don’t think I would have had that before I was 27. I was very wild. “
Diving a little deeper into his wild side, it seems that young Karrion Kross could not be stuck in a place for long.
“I was a free soul. I liked to do a lot of crazy things. I just loved taking and leaving and traveling and doing all kinds of things. When I got into it, it was the perfect time to do it because I was able to use all my energy and focus and put it in one direction. And it’s been amazing. It’s been excellent. The results I got from being totally absorbed by it were excellent. “
After the 2021 Men’s Royal Rumble match ended, much of the wrestling world began to focus on the age of the field. It did seem to bother some fans that 28 of the 30 participants were over 30 years old. It especially bothered some people that Edge, a 47-year-old WWE Hall of Fame, won the match.
Yes, this year’s Royal Rumble fight had its fair share of older artists, including Edge, a comeback from Christian, Kane, Carlito, Hurricane Helms and Rey Mysterio. However, after further analysis, many of those older guys are some of the newest stars on the WWE list. Damian Priest and Matt Riddle are over 35 years old.
Karrion Kross himself is 35, but in his mind it doesn’t matter how old you are. If you can still go, you can still go.
“Does it hurt your body? Of course it costs. For sure. But if you’re good at it, you love it, you have fun and take care of yourself … I mean, there are guys who have had very, very long careers. There people who can stand the test of time by doing this. “
There may be no better example of standing the test of time than Bobby Lashley. The 44-year-old has never been better than he is now and is about to win his first WWE championship.
Karrion Kross may well be a WWE multi-champion when his career is over, whether that day is five or 15 years from now. For now, he’s focused on Finn Balor and regaining the NXT championship he never lost.