"I recognized the talent right away" – WWE legend predicted LA Knight's success (Exclusive)
LA Knight has appeared in segments with several high-profile names over the last two years, including WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. In an exclusive interview, The Million Dollar Man gave his thoughts on his entertaining NXT storyline with Knight and Cameron Grimes.
In 2021, DiBiase Sr. returned to WWE television for a short run on the NXT brand. The 69-year-old initially sided with Knight before forming an alliance with Grimes. The storyline revolved around The Million Dollar Championship, a title made famous by DiBiase Sr. in the late 1980s.
Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter and Dr. Chris Featherstone recently caught up with DiBiase Sr. at WrestleCon. The WWE legend said he predicted Knight's main roster success two years ago:
"I had a great time," DiBiase Sr. stated. "That whole thing was not supposed to last as long as it did. It was getting over so well, they just kept going for another week and another week. Obviously, I recognized the talent right away. I wasn't around him [LA Knight] enough to become buddy buddy, but enough to know that [he would go far]. I didn't say it to him, but in my own head I said, 'It won't be long before he goes up and they start using him,' and obviously they have." [1:11 – 1:47]
Knight debuted on the main roster under the name Max Dupri in May 2022. Five months later, he nixed the modeling agency character and reverted back to the LA Knight persona that worked so well in NXT.
Watch the video above to hear more from DiBiase Sr. on the difference between professional wrestling and sports entertainment. He also explained why he never won the WWE Championship.
LA Knight faced The Miz at WWE Payback 2023
One of the biggest moments of LA Knight's main roster career so far took place at WWE Payback on September 2. Guest host John Cena surprisingly served as the special referee as The Megastar defeated The Miz via pinfall.
Following the 16-minute contest, Cena raised Knight's arm inside the ring before shaking his hand on the stage area. The two also exchanged serious glances on multiple occasions, prompting speculation that they could face each other further down the line.
Cena is scheduled to appear on every SmackDown episode between September 15 and October 27. Knight, one of the top babyfaces on the blue brand right now, is also expected to appear regularly on the show in the coming weeks.
Would you like to see John Cena vs. LA Knight? Let us know in the comments section below.
Thanks to www.wrestlecon.com for allowing Sportskeeda to get these exclusive interviews.
Please credit Sportskeeda WrestleBinge and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.