
Karrion Kross Breaks Silence On WWE Departure
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
One day after his WWE contract officially expired, Karrion Kross has broken his silence on his departure from the company. In a candid and emotional video posted to his YouTube channel, the former NXT Champion confirmed his exit and shared his deep frustration with how his final year was handled.
Kross, along with his wife Scarlett, was moved to the alumni section of WWE.com on Sunday, August 10th. His new video, titled "My WWE Contract Ends Today," is his first public statement on the matter.
Karrion Kross Breaks Silence
In the video, Kross expressed a feeling of disappointment with his recent creative direction. He specifically addressed the organic groundswell of fan support he had been receiving.
"I was being told by certain people not to embrace it, and that felt wrong, because having a connection to the audience like this doesn't come around for everybody," Kross said. "I don't feel like we're collectively going in the direction that the audience would want us to go in, so that part doesn't feel good."
He added that his final contract negotiation with WWE was not a "real conversation" and left him "profoundly disappointed."
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: (L-R) Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux attend Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: (L-R) Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux attend Netflix's Debut of WWE Monday Night Raw at Intuit Dome on January 06, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (
Karrion Kross' Week of Chaos and Confusion
Kross's departure comes after a chaotic week of conflicting reports about his future. Initial reports stated his contract would expire without a new offer, which was followed by a contradictory report that a new deal had been made. Kross himself then denied the reports were entirely true in a podcast interview.
This public back-and-forth, culminating in the move to the alumni page and this new, emotional video, has left fans wondering what is real and what is part of a storyline.
The entire situation has drawn strong parallels to a recent storyline involving R-Truth. Earlier this year, WWE masterfully used legitimate-seeming news reports about R-Truth's contract not being renewed to create a "worked shoot" angle that culminated in his surprise, fan-demanded return.
More news: WWE Superstar Announces Retirement Match
Many fans are now speculating that Kross's departure could be a similar, more elaborate storyline. His emotional, fourth-wall-breaking video could be either a legitimate, bitter farewell or the most brilliant performance of his career, designed to build maximum anticipation for a shocking comeback.
In his video, Kross himself referenced a previous interview where he asked for it to be made clear that his intense character was a "work," only adding to the current mystery.
Whether this is a real departure or a masterful storyline, the wrestling world is now buzzing. All eyes will be on WWE programming to see if the "Tick Tock" for Karrion Kross has truly run out.
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