Killer Kross, a former NXT Champion, has finally answered a persistent question from wrestling fans. He stated that the controversial nature of his WWE departure was indeed “one big work”—but with a unique twist. The former Karrion Kross addressed the topic in his new documentary, My Life After WWE, which premiered on his YouTube channel.
The question of whether his exit was a fabricated storyline for a surprise return was a significant point of discussion among fans when his contract expired. Kross was direct when answering the question, asking, “Is this all a big work? Is that what you’re asking me? Is this a work? Is this a big, elaborate, intricate work? Where I come back and I say, ‘Surprise!’”.
He continued with his surprising answer, confirming the initial premise in a way few expected. “The answer to that question is – in a sense, yes. This was all one big work,” Kross stated. He quickly clarified the true meaning behind the statement: “The worst part about it though, is that it’s not the work everybody thought it was. Because I was the one getting worked”.
Kross on Loyalty and Creative Control in WWE
Kross later discussed his feelings of creative autonomy during his tenure, denying the perception that he ever felt like a “puppet” in WWE. He noted that when a talent is working at the “highest level,” a certain level of submission to the company’s creative direction is expected. “Because you know when you’re getting involved at the highest level that you’re definitely not gonna be writing the show. You’re definitely not gonna be booking the matches,” Kross explained.
He added that gaining any measure of control is considered a privilege to be earned, emphasizing the importance of a key company value. “You’ll have very little say over what’s going on, and when you do have any sort of say over what you’re doing and what’s going on, it’s quite a privilege. It’s something to be earned. Trust is a very big thing, loyalty’s a very big thing. More on that later,” he said.
Kross believes most wrestlers attempt to maintain a degree of control to avoid career setbacks. “I always made sure that I had at least one hand on the wheel, whether they realized it or not. I think to some degree everyone does that,” he stated. He clarified that this wasn’t done “in a manipulative way,” but rather as a defensive measure: “it’s just in a way where it’s like, I’ve been in the situation where I’ve let my hands off the wheel and somebody drove the car off a cliff. So we’re not doing that again”.
Contract Discussions and His Book
The former champion detailed a crucial aspect of his contract negotiations that focused on his personal worth and his book, of which the company was receiving a cut of the profits. Kross revealed that WWE told him his book was irrelevant to discussions over how much he was worth.
He stressed that rejecting his story meant rejecting his value as a performer and as a person. “When you tell that kid that his story doesn’t matter and you’re taking money from him, and you’re telling him that subject is irrelevant to the conversation, there’s no deal to be made, there’s nothing to agree to,” Kross noted. This conversation ultimately led to the contract offer being pulled. “So they said they would rescind their offer in 24 hours,” he recalled. Kross concluded by stressing the importance of his life experiences, stating, “My story, my life story, is not irrelevant”.
Killer Kross’s Career After WWE
Since his WWE contract expired, Killer Kross has wasted no time returning to the independent circuit. He immediately appeared at GCW’s Homecoming event on August 23, where he returned to his aggressive “Killer Kross” persona. He has also been focusing on his career outside of wrestling, with his short film titled Blue Evening receiving multiple nominations at the Burbank International Film Festival.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Karrion Kross’ YouTube channel with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription. You can watch Killer Kross’s documentary titled My Life After WWE on his YouTube channel.
