The Forbidden Lore Of WWE’s LA Knight
It was remarkable that Billy Corgan’s rebooted outfit was able to develop a following and enter the news and review cycle parallel to the launch of AEW Dynamite - but then, NWA Power actually boasted the one thing AEW omitted far too often over the first few months: promos. Unscripted, characterful, down-the-lens fire was the nu-NWA’s unique selling point, and Drake was magnificent, competing with Eddie Kingston and Ricky Starks as the best guy on the mic.
In his best work, a jubilant and very possibly intoxicated Drake misspoke and said he wore the “shoes of a champion”. He corrected himself with a self-deprecating laugh before proceeding with his tidal wave of “Yeah!”s. The man seemed like he’d be incredible at telling stories with a beer and a captive audience in the palm of his hand. His matches were never going to trouble any …Of The Year charts, but in a few short years, that would not be an issue.
If Drake was a punchline in certain circles, he either didn’t know, or it didn’t bother him: the guy oozed an unbelievable level of swagger on what quickly became an improbable cult hit. Meanwhile, AEW Dynamite battered NXT in the Wednesday Night War. AEW had supplanted NXT as the hardcore wrestling fan’s cool promotion of choice. NXT’s old USP was effectively dead, and while it took a while for Paul Levesque to realise it, he eventually did. Prior to the full-blown 2.0 rebrand, NXT experimented with lighter fare - a much-needed contrast to the ultra-intense, off-putting house melodrama.
Johnny Gargano became an endearing, dorkier heel. Triple H trialled supernatural schlock via the Tian Sha stable. And, on February 14, LA Knight debuted. Initially, this scanned as, yes, a joke. Comments along the lines of “they must be scraping the barrel for free agents” met the angle. From Ricochet to Eli Drake?!
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