The WWE career of the former NXT Champion has been a strange one. Kross made his shocking return to the company on August 5, 2022, by attacking Drew McIntyre. There was also some tease that Kross would go after the WWE Undisputed Universal Champion down the line as Scarlett Bordeaux left a giant hourglass in the ring. 

Unfortunately, that never happened. In fact, Kross is nowhere near ready to challenge for ANY title within the company. Despite a hot return that sparked some buzz, creative has faltered in booking the former NXT Champion properly. However, it isn’t just creative’s booking of his character, as Kross has had plenty of opportunities to showcase that he’s an elite athlete beyond the cool presentation and it just hasn’t worked. 

There have been some rumors that WWE plans on giving Kross a renewed push, but in truth, Karrion Kross is a damaged wrestler who would benefit from returning to NXT. 

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Kross Had Some Serious Hype Around His Name Before Jumping To WWE

When Kross came into the company in 2020, there was so much buzz surrounding him thanks to his time on the independent circuit. Most notably in Impact Wrestling, Kross was always presented well as a character. He was mainly known for playing the intelligent psychopath/serial killer and there are plenty of moments where Kross showcased how much of a star he truly was. 

However, whenever it came down to the in-ring aspect, it was sort of lacking in that department. Kross was NEVER a bad wrestler. His in-ring style is unique as he emulates a lot of realistic fighting styles inside of the ring. However, that hasn’t particularly translated into strong matches once the bell rings. Kross’s character and look are what got him into the WWE. Though the former NXT Champion was going down to developmental, he would’ve surely improved working with some of the best names in the business. 

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Karrion Kross’s First WWE Tenure Wasn’t The Most Memorable

Kross did get better as time rolled on in NXT. However, this was the time when the black-and-gold brand was an extension of an independent show. Guys like Johnny Gargano, Adam Cole, and Keith Lee were just some of the names that helped make NXT a hot product at this time. Triple H did an excellent job with Kross’s presentation and her was caring on his end when it came to the in-ring aspect. 

Kross’s reliance on suplexes and strikes does fit his character, but the problem was that his style was different from most of the NXT roster. Kross is like Shayna Baszler in some ways. Both are truly talented wrestlers, but their slow and methodical approach inside the ring didn’t grab fan’s attention. Kross had good matches during his time as NXT Champion, but many would consider them lackluster because they weren’t on the main event level of guys like Andrade, Keith Lee, Adam Cole, or Johnny Gargano.

Still, Kross had a bright future in the company because his style was perfect for the main roster. Given his size, Kross seemed like the type of guy Vince McMahon would love. Then his loss to Jeff Hardy happened. Kross was the undefeated NXT Champion. Hardy wasn’t doing much on the main roster at this time. Jeff Hardy beating the undefeated NXT Champion buried Kross and the NXT brand itself. 

It told audiences that the developmental brand isn’t even close to the same level as RAW and Smackdown as the undefeated NXT Champion couldn’t even beat a midcarder. WWE continued to try and push Kross, but without his cool presentation down in NXT, he felt like just another guy on the roster. That lost didn’t his momentum, but the bland presentation kept it down even further.

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Karrion Kross Still Feels Like Another Guy On The Roster

That’s the biggest issue with Kross’s latest tenure. He still feels like another guy on the roster. His return drew some buzz, but his feud with Drew McIntyre was ultimately bland. Even worse, WWE didn’t present Kross as the killer that Triple H originally built in NXT during 2020. 

Kross became another tall man who would squash smaller opponents, but get bested by better wrestlers. His push just hasn’t been consistent as it was evident that Triple H didn’t have much of a plan for Kross following his feud with McIntyre. It didn’t help that Kross just wasn’t delivering memorable matches once the bell rang. The magic he has in his presentation just doesn’t translate inside of the ring. 

Kross desperately needs a revamp. His current character is as cold as ice and it would be best for the company to abandon it. That’s where NXT comes in. Kross needs NXT because he has to find a new character that best suits not just his outside presentation, but his in-ring style as well. All the mystique is lost because he consistently loses on television.

More importantly, there’s no direction for Kross in general. Characters work best when there’s a purpose and drive for everything they do. However, that’s all lost in translation when said character consistently fails at the goal they’re trying to accomplish. Kross doesn’t feel like a threat. And he’s no longer intimidating because he’s always conquered by the hero. If the 38-year-old has any chance of reaching the main event status then he needs a serious overall that highlights his charisma as a star and showcases how good he is inside the squared circle.