WWE's Karrion Kross Responds To Critics Of His NXT Title Push

Karrion Kross answers critics ahead of TakeOver: Stand & Deliver match with Finn Balor.

Karrion Kross
WWE

Karrion Kross has responded to critics claiming he has been pushed to the top of WWE NXT too soon after coming into the company, doing so in a new interview with DAZN's Steven Muehlhausen.

The former NXT Champion said the following when asked for his thoughts on the idea that he was moved towards the NXT Title too quickly after debuting, and again since returning from injury:-

For starters, I don't pay any attention to that. But for the sake of entertaining the notion, first of all, I got really thick skin except when you start trashing Demolition Man. Bro, don't think I forgot. Okay, first of all, it's on my mind. I approach it from two different things, two different ways. Number one, everybody wants to see you do well until they feel like you're doing better than they'd like you to do. That's life in general. On that notion, people always say they want change. People like to see change and all things, right? But they want to see change on their terms. Too bad. Look at it like this. This is a success story if you really think about it. If you remove me from it and just look at a person not Karrion Kross. A person coming in and finding success like this. This can happen to other people.

Kross signed with WWE in February 2020. He worked his first match on the 6 May 2020 episode of NXT, squashing Leon Ruff, before defeating Tommaso Ciampa at TakeOver: In Your House. He was crowned NXT Champion less than four months after debuting upon beating Keith Lee at TakeOver: XXX that August, but was forced to relinquish the belt after suffering a separated shoulder.

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Returning to the ring in December 2020, Karrion is now booked to face NXT Champion Finn Balor for the gold on the second night of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver on 8 April.

the match makes perfect storyline sense, given Kross never truly lost the NXT Title. Good to see the big man taking on a measured, considered approach in addressing the criticism too.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.