Killer Kross, formerly often known as Karrion Kross, is certainly one of a handful of former WWE names who’ve had two separate runs with the promotion that each led to being released. Kross’ second run, while it has been criticized for the way he was utilized, was given way more praise than his first major roster run, which he reminisced about during an interview with D-Von Dudley.
Infamously, Kross’ gear was overhauled for the major roster, forcing him to don a helmet that fans have since ridiculed. But, for Kross, it’s funny to look back on the tenure.
“When I used to be still in ‘NXT’ and I used to be the champion, any individual who’s now not with the corporate, that lots of people weren’t keen on, sends me an email,” he recalled, jokingly suggesting that the person in query was John Laurinaitis. Kross claimed the e-mail included an image of the mask with gladiator-themed gear, with elements he wasn’t keen on.
“I asked him, I’m going, ‘what is the purpose of this?'” Kross recalled. “And he’s like, ‘Well, we are able to make Halloween costumes out of it, and you possibly can get a percentage of that.'”
Kross said that he wasn’t keen on his character being modified to show a profit. As for where the thought got here from, Kross claimed that Laurinaitis credited Vince McMahon for the direction.
“I’m going to [McMahon] and I say, ‘Tell me all the pieces you would like me to bring to life out of this.’ And he’s like – the way in which he did it – he was like: ‘I just want you to go on the market and I just want you to f***ing kill these guys!'” Kross claimed.
In line with Karrion Kross, the mask was all Vince McMahon’s idea until he denied it
Kross’ wife and valet, former WWE star Scarlett, added that it gave the impression of Vince McMahon wanted Karrion Kross’ character to take after Church of Devil founder Anton LaVey.
“He had all these crazy [ideas],” Kross recalled. “And I’m similar to, the stuff he’s giving me just isn’t really telling me anything concerning the character.”
Kross said that McMahon only focused on his in-ring presentation, calling Kross the “gladiator of misery.”
“‘You are going to conduct misery on these people! You are going to torture them!’ I used to be like, okay?” Kross said.
Scarlett then claimed that McMahon graphically described quartering by horse as what he wanted Kross to do to his opponents.
“I said ‘What the f*** is that?'” Kross exclaimed. “The writing team were like: ‘We want to get you out of this s***, we do not know what that is, we’re conversant in what you probably did on ‘NXT,’ we want to get you back to that.'”
Following this, Kross claimed the writing team tried to get the producers to steadily get him to ditch the mask, but McMahon suddenly pivoted and pretended as if he had never heard of the choice to place a mask on Kross before.
“They ask him again after the meeting: ‘Hey can we lose the mask?’ and he goes: ‘I’ve never seen it before! Yeah! We don’t desire him him wearing the mask! They can not see his god***n face; he’s a really emotive guy, he’s got good facial expressions, why would he wear a f***ing mask?'” Kross recalled.
Following this interaction, Kross claims it wasn’t long after that he and Bordeaux were first released from WWE. He also teased that he would in the future reveal more of the story.
Should you use any quotes from this text, please credit D-Von Dudley and supply a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.