WWE Planned On Having Karrion Kross Lose To Jeff Hardy AGAIN This Week
As if the NXT Champion hadn't suffered enough from his first Raw loss...
Karrion Kross mounted a disappointing WWE Raw debut last week, losing to Jeff Hardy in under two minutes after entering the ring without manager Scarlett.
Fightful Select are now reporting that Kross was originally being lined up for another loss to Hardy on this week's Raw, until the veteran's positive COVID-19 test forced WWE to switch gears. The NXT Champion ended up defeating his old black-and-gold rival Keith Lee instead.
While the report doesn't mention any specific creative notes regarding Kross vs. Hardy II, it reiterates that several roster and creative team members were baffled by this and the first loss.
One of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling Podcast's Andrew Zarian's WWE sources stated earlier this week that the first Hardy defeat was part of a bigger plan for Kross. The NXT Champion had hinted at a feud in his post-match promo, claiming Jeff had made the worst mistake of his life after pinning him with feet on the ropes.
It was reported shortly after Raw that NXT personnel were left "shocked and frustrated" by Kross vs. Hardy I, with one source claiming that it felt like a message was being sent.