"Did they ever once show his resiliency?" - WWE Hall of Famer questions the saturation of Karrion Kross' character
Mark Henry had a few choice words for the recent developments in Karrion Kross' career, prior to his WWE release.
Karrion Kross was given a brand new gladiator gimmick which hindered his growth as a WWE superstar and a professional wrestler. He was recently released along with his fiancee Scarlett Bordeaux and multiple other superstars on November 4.
During an episode of Busted Open Radio, The Hall of Famer, gave his two cents on the anticlimatic end to a great run. He questioned the decision made by WWE to give the Herald of Doomsday such a horrific persona:
“He’s basically like taking something that he heard overnight and within a week transitioning and trying to make it mainstream in the world of wrestling. It did not work. What he had before in NXT everybody loved, we loved it. We talked about him, how great their entrance was, how cool his finish was, the fact that he could absorb so much punishment and still get the job done," stated Henry.
The WWE Hall of Famer further questioned the motive behind the character change:
"Did they ever once show his resiliency in a match with one of the people that he wrestled on Raw or SmackDown? No. Not one time did he weather the storm, took a real good a**-whooping, and then made that comeback and made the crowd happy, and there you go, Karrion Kross. Not once.” Henry opined.
Karrion Kross was a behemoth in NXT
Kross honed his skills in other promotions like IMPACT Wrestling, Lucha Underground, and Major League Wrestling. Kross dominated other competitors during his time in NXT.
Fans were clamoring for his intense persona, which was only amplified by his manager Scarlett Bordeaux, who was released alongside Kross. The "Fall and Pray" gimmick, coupled with an impressive entrance, only added to the mysterious aura of Karrion Kross in the black and gold brand.
He won the NXT Championship twice, defeating elite wrestlers like Keith Lee, Finn Balor, Pete Dunne and others. His only loss came at the hands of Samoa Joe at NXT TakeOver 36.
Kross was seen as an overwhelming force capable of turning the trajectory of professional wrestling. Regardless of his achievements, he could only enjoy a short career in WWE. He is almost certain to make good on his potential wherever he is to end up next.