LA Knight reveals why he regrets not returning to WWE sooner
LA Knight has revealed that he regrets not returning to WWE sooner than he did in 2021.
The veteran has always had the talent to be a star in WWE, but he certainly took an interesting road to get there. He spent some time with the promotion in 2013-2014 before returning to the independent circuit. The 41-year-old made a name for himself performing as Eli Drake in TNA Wrestling before returning to WWE in 2021.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet on the Insight podcast, LA Knight disclosed that he regretted not returning to WWE before 2021. He noted that he overstayed bad booking and misuse in TNA, and added that he wasn't booked properly as champion.
"Yeah, (I regret) a lot of it. I had overstayed my welcome. You know what, it wasn't overstayed my welcome (in TNA). I had overstayed bad booking, I had overstayed misuse, and I had overstayed multiple regime changes where I was. So with that being the case, man it was just like, start, stop. And then when they did throw me the bone and gave me the title, it was like they still didn't really feature me as the main event. And I'm like, 'What is this?'. It was like a consolation prize or something," said LA Knight. [From 40:28 - 41:07]
WWE star LA Knight on realizing he had to leave TNA Wrestling
LA Knight revealed that he knew he had to exit TNA Wrestling after not being featured in the main event while he was Impact World Champion.
During his conversation with Chris Van Vliet on the Insight podcast, LA Knight shared that the only reason he stayed in TNA Wrestling for as long as he did was because he was tired of being broke. He added that he viewed returning to WWE as a risk based on his prior experiences with the company.
"At that point I was like, 'Alright, I have to leave. I have to go'. But the only reason I was staying was because I had been broke for so damn long, and I am now making good money for the first time. I had never seen money like this before, and so it was like, I can't pass this up. I need this for at least two or three years before I can go and take the risk, in my mind from my first time around, that is going back to WWE. And for what I was promised, it was not, 'Hey, you are going straight to NXT TV'. It was we are going to bring you to the PC and you prove yourself, and that is because I left with heat the first time," he said. [From 41:09 - 41:41]
LA Knight has now become one of the biggest stars on WWE's main roster. The Megastar will be competing in the Fatal 4-Way for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Royal Rumble 2024.
Would you like to see LA Knight capture a singles title in 2024? Sound off in the comments section below.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Insight podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.