18 Ups & 15 Downs For WWE In 2023
10. Yeah!
Not even the most optimistic LA Knight fans could have predicted in January that the former Max Dupri would main event a PLE for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. After all, his first big feud in 2023 culminated in the godawful Mt. Dew Pitch Black match at the Royal Rumble against Bray Wyatt.
But Knight’s popularity continued to rise throughout the year, despite being left off numerous PLE cards, including WrestleMania 39. He fell short in the Money in the Bank ladder match, but he won the Slim Jim battle royal at SummerSlam, which in reality was meaningless but at the same time felt like a nod to fans that more was in store for the brash superstar.
An endorsement from John Cena proved to further cement the babyface Knight as a top-level star on SmackDown, and he found himself at Crown Jewel challenging Roman Reigns for the title. Like everyone else, LA came up short, but it’s been an incredible journey for the guy who was running a male model agency under a different character name a year earlier.
While it’s unlikely fans will see Knight with a world title around his waist anytime soon, his rising popularity and delivery in the elevated role has hopefully cemented him as a top contributor to WWE in 2024 and beyond.