Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux will soon find themselves back on the free agency market. After an unremarkable stint with WWE, Kross and Scarlett are already looking ahead to the next chapter of their shared story.
The former NXT Champion resurfaced over the weekend with a new video titled, “Man from the Cemetary Town.” Kross narrates a video that exhibits more character development than we ever saw for him in WWE.
“It was never really very sunny when I was a kid, even in the summertime,” said Kross. “Where I grew up it was usually pretty dark, and very very cold. This is where I used to play. One time there was a man floating facedown in the creek. They found his body in the marsh, right before it washed out into the Hudson River. All the parents said it was a floating jacket, but I knew. Something was always wrong with this place.”
Killer Kross’ Next Move
Later in the video, Kross tells the viewer, “Wait for me, because I’m coming. Tick tock.”
“I heard you all the entire time. I heard your cries. I heard you banging on my tombstone, the noise kept me alive. But sometimes, you have to go back to where you came from to find out what you really are. We’ve been apart, but it’s almost time for us to be together again. Wait for me, because I’m coming. Tick tock.”
You can watch Karrion Kross’ “Man from the Cemetery Town” video here:
Scarlett getting back to work
Kross’ fiancée Scarlett Bordeaux is already booking appearances for conventions and virtual autograph signings. You can see the full schedule below:
December 3rd: Asylum Wrestling (Virtual Signing)
December 4th: MCW
December 7th: Highspots (Virtual Signing)
December 8th: WrestleFest (Virtual Signing)
December 11th: Glamour (New York – Signing)
December 12th: Glamour (New Jersey – Signing)
December 16th: Icons (Virtual Signing)
December 17th: Icons (Philadelphia – Convention)
February 6th: Celebfest (Baltimore – Convention)
Here’s my current signing schedule for December! Can’t wait to see you all! ????? pic.twitter.com/5fr3u0MTCc
With this latest round of releases, over 70 performers have been released by WWE this year. All of them are talented, but few of them can match the talent and box office potential of Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux.
Karrion Kross, accompanied by Scarlett, made his long awaited NXT debut on Wednesday night. Dubbed as the ‘Tandem of Terror’, the former Impact Wrestling star made an impressive entrance. The high production values suggest WWE is looking to invest big on their latest high-profile talent acquisition.
Kross went up against Leon Ruff who is an enhancement talent from WWE’s partners Evolve in a one on one match and he picked up an easy victory over his opponent.
The debuting star first hit two brutal looking Doomsday Saito suplexes to weaken his opponent and he then used the Jacket submission to make him tap.
You can check out footage of Karrion Kross’ debut below:
There is no word yet on what the company is planning for Karrion Kross but the previous reports have suggested that they have planned a big push for the monstrous athlete.
He has been seen in the background of a Johnny Gargano segment and Kross also attacked Tommaso Ciampa recently. So it’s likely that his first rivalry in the company will be against one of these two former tag team partners.
Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux are now members of the NXT roster. While Kross has not officially debuted with the company, he attacked Tommaso Ciampa in the back to close out the most recent edition of NXT. Based on new merchandise for the Superstar, it appears he will not be going by the name Killer Kross in NXT, however.
Posters and t-shirts for Kross are already available on WWEShop.com. They can be found at this link. The shirts feature the name “Karrion Kross” indicating that he will be moving forward without “Killer” as part of his name.
The word is a noun meaning “the decaying flesh of dead animals.” It is normally spelled with a “C” rather than a “K,” however.
Karrion Kross In NXT
Triple H recently spoke about Kross during an interview with SI.com. During the interview, Triple H noted that Kross was something special.
“The first time you see him, you know right away that he’s something special,” Triple H said about Kross. “It’s been a long path for him to get where he is. He is a unique talent that combines what he does in the ring with his charisma and his intelligence. I’m excited for him to be here.”
The arrival of Killer Kross in NXT appears imminent. Triple H was recently interviewed by SI.com and he commented on the potential of the 34-year-old from Las Vegas.
“The first time you see him, you know right away that he’s something special,” Triple H said about Kross. “It’s been a long path for him to get where he is. He is a unique talent that combines what he does in the ring with his charisma and his intelligence. I’m excited for him to be here.”
Kross debuted in Impact Wrestling in the summer of 2018. He would be with the promotion for a year until various conflicts arose between him and the company. He was finally released from his contract last December after not appearing on television for several months.
Recently, Kross performed for Major League Wrestling at a show in Philadelphia at the 2300 Arena. In storyline, he was attacked in the back by King Mo and Team Filthy.
A video teasing Kross’ arrival in NXT begins at the 4:21 mark of the below video:
Triple H’s full interview with SI.com can be read here.
WWE had been airing strange vignettes on NXT from the past few weeks. There was a lot of speculation that Killer Kross could be behind the promos and this doubt was confirmed during the latest episode of the show.
The final segment of this week’s episode of NXT saw Triple H
bringing both Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa face to face for a
confrontation and the Game then announced that in 2 weeks, he will find an
empty building for the two to fight in and end their feud.
However, as soon as he was finished, another ‘coming soon’ teaser appeared on the big screen at the entrance ramp, leaving the stars in the ring puzzled.
Killer Kross Finally Appears On NXT TV
The video featured the same images we have seen in previous videos over the weeks, but this time the newest WWE signee Kross also made an appearance.
The video had a promo as well. It was believed to be in the voice of Scarlett Bordeaux who was also recently signed by the company to the development brand.
The promo as seen below, is believed to be in Romanian and roughly translates to: “Only the man will win and if you lose, the weaker man is done. Now you’ll all see pain … there’s a very dangerous man coming. The clock ticks at midnight and the end is near.”
There is no word yet on when Killer Kross will make his NXT
debut or where the match between Ciampa and Gargano will be held but we’ll keep
you posted on the matter.
Killer Kross is speculated to be the wrestler WWE is teasing with the two vignettes aired during the February 26 episode of WWE NXT.
The cryptic videos show grim and apocalyptic imagery and were not posted online or acknowledged in any way by the company. The themes in the video match that of Killer Kross’ persona.
Dave Meltzer had suggested that Killer Kross could be the man behind the mysterious glitches seen on SmackDown. The imagery of clock and a letter had many fans speculate that Killer Kross and his girlfriend, Scarlett Bordeaux – who is signed to WWE as well – could be on their way to the main roster. It was also said that he would be given a “fast track” once he signs with the company, and is not expected to take the usual route of going through NXT before joining the main roster.
Killer Kross signed with WWE along with Timothy Thatcher on February 5. The company didn’t announce which brand Kross signed with, it was only reported that both the new signees have reported to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, to begin training.
Killer Kross has wrestled for promotions such as Lucha Underground and AAA in Mexico, as well as Impact Wrestling in 2018 where he rose to stardom. He decided to ask for his release from the company in May 2019, citing disagreement over the creative direction of his character and pay. His request was however denied by the company at the time.
Kross was finally released from Impact in December last year, effectively making him a free agent. It was reported that WWE had quite some interest in signing the 34-year-old, and he reportedly had a meeting with none other than WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Triple H.
The intentional glitches seen on SmackDown broadcast recently have been creating buzz among wrestling fans. People have been speculating names which can be behind it and the latest WWE signee Killer Kross is one of the top rumored stars for the spot.
While appearing on the Main Event podcast, reporter Dave Meltzer discussed these rumors and suggested that there could be something to the story of Kross being revealed as the mystery man behind the glitches.
It was previously reported that Killer Kross could be fast-tracked once he signs with the company and Meltzer noted that at the time of his signing, the word was that he was brought on for “something big”.
The former TNA star is not expected to take the usual route of going through NXT before joining Raw or SmackDown and WWE Officials are instead planning something significant for him on the main roster.
Though Meltzer put a stop to the rumors of Kross facing John
Cena at WrestleMania 36, saying that he specifically asked if this was the plan
and was told no.
WWE officially announced the signing of Killer Kross on February 5 but at the time, he wasn’t assigned any brand. The company had only confirmed that the former Lucha Underground star has reported to their Performance Center to begin his training.
All signs were pointing towards the same and now WWE has officially announced the signing of both Killer Kross and Timothy Thatcher.
The company announced the news on the latest episode of WWE Backstage and they later confirmed the same on their official website as well.
Though they have announced that the new recruits will be reporting to the performance centre so it’s not known which brand Kross and Thatcher will be joining and when.
Killer Kross who wrestled for promotions such as Lucha
Underground and AAA in Mexico joined Impact Wrestling in 2018 and rose to
stardom pretty quickly, before being released by the company in December last
year.
On the other hand, Thatcher is known for his work with
Evolve where he holds the record of being the longest-reigning Evolve Champion
at 596 days.
He has also wrestled for other notable indie promotions such
as Major League Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Combat Zone Wrestling
since his debut in 2005.
It’s worth mentioning here that recent reports had suggested that the former Impact star Killer Kross could be on ‘fast track’ once he signs with WWE.
While the exact meaning of this is unknown, it’s believed that he can receive a big push in NXT or be sent to the main roster directly.
All signs point towards Killer Kross joining WWE in near future and now a latest report has revealed what the company is planning for the former Impact Wrestling star after he joins the promotion.
Dave Meltzer talked about the heavyweight star on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio and reported that Kross would be given a “fast track” once he signs with the company.
It’s speculated that this can mean that he will be introduced on NXT TV with a push or Kross can even be sent to the main roster directly instead of the Black and Yellow brand.
Killer Kross recently pulled out of an indie date he was booked for in Australia in three weeks. It was previously said that he is not taking bookings around WrestleMania.
Now in an update, Meltzer is reporting that he is not taking bookings after 14th February and so it’s possible that he could be joining the WWE roster in less than three weeks.
Killer Kross On His Free Agency
Killer Kross recently had an interview with WrestlingInc, where among other things; he talked about his current situation as a free agent.
The former Impact star is drawing interest ‘across the board’ after his release from Impact Wrestling and he said that he is grateful for being in this situation:
“I’m definitely grateful for it. That would be the easiest
way to summarize it. A lot of it also feels surreal but also at the same time
this is something I’ve been working for since the beginning of my career to be
here with options,”
The reports of WWE’s interest in Killer Kross first came out earlier this month. It was revealed at the time that the company was making some strong play to sign him and he even had a scheduled meeting with Triple H.
While other companies are also interested in signing the
former Lucha Underground star, the belief is that he will end up with WWE.
Killer Kross has become one of the hottest free agents in pro wrestling after finally getting his release from Impact and he is said to be drawing interest from across the board.
During a recent interview with WrestlingInc, the former Lucha Underground star talked about a number of things and also revealed how it feels to be in this position.
Kross explained that being in his current spot in the pro
wrestling world makes him feel grateful and to be here with options is
something he has been working for since the beginning of his career:
“I’m definitely grateful for it. That would be the
easiest way to summarize it. A lot of it also feels surreal but also at the
same time this is something I’ve been working for since the beginning of my
career to be here with options,”
“It’s funny, you try to get to this situation and
there’s no playbook for it. You clock in every single day and do the absolute
best job you can in finding the best version of yourself. You have to take a
leap of faith and hope things land where you would like them to.
Killer Kross continued by saying that you have to take a
gamble because there are so many wrestlers out there. He then claimed that he
has a lot of mixed emotions but it’s all good.
Where Will Killer Kross End Up Next?
While Impact took their time in letting the heavyweight star
go, it appears that his release couldn’t have come at a better time for the
former AAA star.
Just recently he was announced for his MLW debut and it appears that WWE officials are also taking some serious interest in signing him to the promotion.
It was reported last week that he had a scheduled meeting with none other than Triple H and Kross was likely to end up with the company.
Where would you like to see Killer Kross land after his release from Impact Wrestling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Killer Kross has become one of the hottest free agents in
the wrestling world since his release from Impact Wrestling and latest reports
suggest that WWE is making a strong play to sign the former Lucha Underground
star.
According to reports from Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there was interest in him across the board after Kross became a free agent last year and WWE seems to be interested in signing him as well.
The company’s interest is evident from the fact that Kross has a scheduled meeting with none other than Triple H this week and the ‘betting line’ is that he will end up in WWE.
It’s worth mentioning here that his wife Scarlett Bordeaux who signed with WWE last year, recently hinted at the Heavyweight star possibly joining the company’s roster as well. She retweeted a photo of the two and teased a reunion.
Killer Kross wrestled for a number of promotions such as
Lucha Underground and AAA after making his debut in 2014 but he started getting
recognization in the US after joining Impact Wrestling in June 2014.
Though he decided to ask for his release from the company in May last year due to disagreement over the creative direction of his character and his pay. At the time, the company officials had decided not to grant his request.
Killer Kross was finally released from Impact when his original contract expired in December last year and the company chose not to roll it over for another year.
Killer Kross has applied to trademark his wrestling name. He’s wrestled in several promotions under the name, including with Impact Wrestling and AAA Lucha Libre in Mexico. Kross is scheduled to make his MLW debut on February 1st in Philadelphia.
Real name Kevin Kesar, the 34-year-old has also wrestled under the name Kevin Kross. He also wrestled as the White Rabbit briefly in Lucha Underground.
According to documents publicly available via the US Patents and Trademarks office, Kross applied to trademark the name “Killer Kross” for wrestling purposes on December 24th, 2019.
The documents filed state Kross may use the name for MMA events in addition to pro-wrestling.
“Entertainment services in the nature of live mixed martial arts (MMA) events; Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer.”
Kross has spent much of 2019 dealing with contractual issues relating to his former deal with Impact Wrestling. He was finally released from his deal last month. Shortly after his release, Kross was announced for MLW’s return to Philadelphia in February.
Killer Kross was released from Impact Wrestling just yesterday and now his first appearance outside of the company has been announced in form of an MLW show.
The company took on their Twitter today and announced that
Kross will be making his MLW debut during the Fightland event on February 1,
2020 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
Killer Kross has made appearances for promotions such as
Lucha Underground and AAA so far in his career but he is primarily known for
his stint with Impact Wrestling.
He made his debut for the company in June 2018. The promotion had pushed him as one of their top stars since then and he had challenged for the Impact World title a couple of times.
Killer Kross, however, asked for his release from the
company in May earlier this year and it was said that the heavyweight star was
unhappy with his current pay and the creative direction of his character.
At the time, Impact Officials decided against giving him a
release and the two sides continued negotiating a new deal as the expiry date
for his original contract in December came close.
Impact had the option to roll his contract over for another year but the officials decided not to do so and earlier this week, they released a short statement confirming his release.
Killer Kross is still officially a member of the Impact Wrestling roster, albeit not an active one. Kross sat down with journalist Chris Van Vliet recently and spoke about AEW, his influences in wrestling, and his love of horror films.
During the interview, Kross gave his thoughts on AEW.
“I watched the AEW show live in Vegas and I’m not saying this because I think I’m supposed to say it, in all sincerity, I was really blown away by it because there was just a different energy to the show, in a good way,” Kross said during the interview.
He continued to talk about the impact that the match between Cody vs Dustin had on the live crowd that night.
“There was like people literally weeping in the audience; Cody vs Dustin. You can’t orchestrate that, that’s not something you can preplan. Putting things together you can’t be like ‘and at this point the audience is going to cry.’ That was amazing to actually be around, I don’t think I’ve been at a wrestling event in the audience where that’s happened. It was just awesome.”
Killer Kross Interview Highlights
Kross also commented on the possibility that he could end up in AEW someday.
“I think with the direction that they’re going in with TNT and I think that with the flexibility that I’ve heard they are offering creatively, I definitely think there are some things that I could do there and creatively get out that it just might not fly elsewhere. But ultimately I’m not married to go in any specific direction for any company right now, it’s even difficult to think about, it’s stressful to think about just because of the other things that are associated with it.”
Kross also mentioned that he feels confident he’d be able to develop his character in other promotions as well.
“I’m in a place right now where I feel like it won’t really matter where I go, I’m going to be able to do what I’m doing in any way shape or form. I’ve hit a really cool peak creatively with things, I know how to lay things out differently so it will work on any platform. People haven’t seen me do that yet and there’s a reason why, because I’m saving it for perhaps a direction that I finally go in.”
The full interview with Chris Van Vliet can be viewed in the player below:
There have been reports about Killer Kross and Impact Wrestling being at odds. Now, Kross has spoken out on his issues with Impact as he did so during an interview with Brian Fritz of Sporting News.
Kross asked for his release from the promotion in front of the public. He also asked for the release of his partner Scarlett Bordeaux, which Impact granted hers. Since then, she has been spotted at the WWE Performance Center where she received a tryout.
He noted that the issues began last year regarding merchandising and can’t go into much detail but noted that he hopes they can be resolved as quickly as possible.
“I’ve actually made it abundantly clear that I have not been interested in going into litigation. I’m not interested in going down that road. I’ve been trying for many, many, many months. I’ve been exhausting all options on how to fix this situation. There’s an attorney involved and we’re not suing anyone.”
Kross noted that he has nothing to worry about in this situation as he’s not in the wrong and is just trying to hollow his lane. He has everything documented and done nothing wrong.
He wishes he would be met with that by Impact because he thinks there’s only one right thing to do here and it’s not being done.
Kross was asked why he thinks his girlfriend and others were released but not him. This is something hard for him to say because he doesn’t want to say anything bad about Impact. He stated that people are looking into this and they’re reading between the lines.
“Just looking at it, what do people think? It’s difficult for me to address.”
Dave Meltzer has reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the conflict between the two sides might be impacting Kross’ bookings with AAA as well.
According to the report, Kross was offered a guaranteed contract of $40,000 a year for limited dates and he would be able to take other bookings as well.
Killer Kross and Impact Wrestling continue to be at odds with one another regarding the contract Kross publicly asked to be released from this spring. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the conflict between the two sides has continued and might be impacting Kross’ bookings with AAA as well.
The report noted that Kross was offered a guaranteed deal of $40,000 a year for limited dates and he would be able to take other bookings as well. The stalemate between the two sides is that Kross feels he could be making more money working elsewhere and Impact feels he should live up to the deal he signed.
“(Kross’) belief is right now he could make far more outside and wants to leave. Impact’s view is that he signed a deal and should live up to the deal,” wrote Dave Meltzer.
The conflict is a little trickier than just Kross’ situation, however. Kross went public asking for a release and while he didn’t obtain one for himself, his partner Scarlett Bordeaux was granted one. Bordeaux has since been spotted receiving a tryout at the WWE Performance Center.
Killer Kross and Upcoming AAA/Impact Show At Hulu Theatre
According to a report from PW Insider, Kross refused to blade at this summer’s Slammiversary PPV in a First Blood match as there were no outside medical personnel or pre-match testing. They used stage blood in the match as a result.
While Kross was never officially scheduled for the AAA show at Hulu Theatre later this month, there is now the belief that with Impact co-promoting the show Kross will not be booked despite being with AAA. Meltzer is reporting that Kross was at one time pencilled in to be on the show although it had not been publicly announced.
“It’s not clear if he’ll be off the card but he absolutely was scheduled to be one of Cain Velasquez’s opponents so if he’s not on the card, that’s the story, and if he is, AAA booked him anyway,” wrote Dave Meltzer.
Jon Moxley painted a bleak picture about his experience working for WWE during his appearance on Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast. More recently Moxley has said it felt like Vince McMahon was hovering over him while he was in the ring. He also says his WWE career was in the toilet by the end of his run.
So, how does this affect the perception of other wrestlers who have dreamed of wrestling for WWE? Impact Wrestling star Killer Kross recently spoke with WrestlingInc and commented on whether or not Moxley bashing WWE has affected his desire to work for them.
“No, it doesn’t, because I have to walk my own path, take on opportunities in life and roll the dice to see if you can succeed,” he said. “I 100% believe, and I’m not saying this from an egocentric place. I believe any company that I work in no matter what the circumstances are, I’m going to excel, I think that any door that I’m going to walk through, I’m going to have enough in my hands that I’m going to be able to get what I personally need out of it which is a sense of fulfillment.”
Kross continued by saying he’d still consider working with WWE (or any other company) because he likes the idea of being challenged and working through all different types of conditions.
Other topics discussed include Kross’ issues with Impact management and how long he expects to continue working for them. You can listen to his comments below.
Impact Wrestling 6/28 was filmed inside New York’s Melrose Ballroom. It featured the continued build to Slammiversary on July 7th from Dallas.
Here are 7 takeaways from Impact Wrestling 6/28:
Brian Cage Goes Against Doctors Orders…
Impact’s doctor attempted to tell Cage he was not medically cleared this week but this led to Cage giving him an F-5. Elgin then attacked Cage from behind. The challenger at Slammiversary delivered two Elgin Bombs to the champion before pulling out a table.
Elgin then power-bombed Cage from the ring down through a table on the floor below. Don Callis attempted to stop Elgin but ended up taking a beating himself as a result. Elgin was going to deliver an Elgin bomb to Callis but Brian Cage got up and made the save to close the show.
Sami Callihan Takes A Bat To Tessa Blanchard
After beating Fallah Bah this week, Sami Callihan wanted to show Tessa Blanchard that he’ll treat her as an equal.
After calling her out to the ring, Callihan kicked Blanchard right in the face but this didn’t keep the former Knockouts champion down. Tessa would get up and take the fight to Callihan, resulting in OVE coming out to pry her off him. With Blanchard restrained, Callihan hit her in the midsection with a baseball bat and then gave her a piledriver.
Killer Kross vs Eddie Edwards – 1st Blood Match At Slammiversary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dzLLkdTVkM
Eddie Edwards went to church this week to deal with all of his violent tendencies. The pastor he was talking to suddenly turned into Killer Kross, however. Edwards then left and told Kross he would be waiting for him outside the church. Kross decided to hang out in the church awhile and told a pastor he would like to confess to a long list of sins.
It was later announced that Kross and Edwards will face each other in a first blood match at Slammiversary.
Rascalz Beat LAX In 6-Man Action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVqVl4wRkO0
The Rascalz pulled off a bit of an upset this week when they defeated Santana, Ortiz, and Laredo Kid in 6-man action. The team would later debate which two of them will face LAX at Slammiversary, leading to a match between the 3 of them next week.
Rascalz Triple Threat To Determine Who Goes To Slammiversary
The Rascalz will compete in a 3-way match NEXT WEEK with the loser not competing against LAX for the Tag Titles at Slammiversary!
After defeating LAX and Laredo Kid in 6-man action, the 3 members of the Rascalz debated who should represent their team at Slammiversary. They eventually decided to face each other in a triple threat match next week with the losing wrestler being excluded from their team at Slammiversary.
There Are No Alliances In Monster’s Ball
A tag team match between Su Yung & Havok vs Rosemary & Taya Valkyrie was thrown out this week due to excessive use of weapons. That won’t be the case at Slammiverssary when all four competitors meet each other in a Monster’s Ball match for the Knockouts title.
Father James Mitchell again seemed to have problems getting his Yung and Havok to work together. He had to stop the two from fighting each other to end the segment.
The North Are Ready For LAX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiG2_XCw-NE
Before LAX defend their tag team titles against The Rascalz in Dallas at Slammiversary, they will have to contend with Josh Alexander and Ethan Page. The North will challenge for the tag team championships at Bash At The Brewery on July 5th. They defeated the Deaners to open up last night’s show and will head into their title match on a winning streak.
Quick Results:
The North defeated the Deaners
Su Yung & Havok vs Rosemary & Taya Valkyrie – No Contest
Sami Callihan defeated Fallah Bah
The Rascalz defeated LAX & Laredo Kid
Next Week:
NEXT WEEK at 10p.m. ET on @PursuitChannel & @Twitch:
Scarlett Bordeaux is no longer with Impact Wrestling. The promotion confirmed today that they have released the 28-year-old Chicago-native from her contract.
A brief statement by Impact reads, “IMPACT Wrestling confirms that it has released Scarlett Bordeaux from her commitments to IMPACT. We wish her every success in her future endeavors.”
Bordeaux commented on her release as well. She wrote on Twitter that she “couldn’t be more excited to just be a free agent for a while.” She is now taking independent bookings. Here are some of her upcoming dates:
A few appearances in the next couple of weeks! The Smokeshow might be coming to a town near you!????? ?? June 22- Signing??? Huntington Park, CA??? June 23- @WrestleCircus Texas??? June 28-@FtcWrestling Ohio?????? July 5- Natural Born Killers?? @fswvegaspic.twitter.com/znt9uBFgHG
— Scarlett Bordeaux (@Lady_Scarlett13) June 18, 2019
Scarlett Bordeaux & Killer Kross Situation With Impact Wrestling
Last month, Bordeaux was reported to have requested her release from Impact, something her partner Killer Kross is also reported to have done.
Kross spoke to the Wrestling Perspectives podcast last week and stressed that Kross and Bordeaux are not happy with how they had been financially compensated by the company. It was noted that Bordeaux lives with her Mother in Chicago and works a side-job to make ends meet.
Kross went into further details regarding his own situation:
“I personally really don’t really need much,” Kross said. “But it’s just different when you have people to take care of, circumstances change in life. You can’t anticipate it. […] Being told to go get another job by your job, that’s f****d up. You’re struggling to make ends meet taking care of people, and the job that you can barely afford to have tells you to go get another job so you can keep that job. It’s like working at a corporation being told to go work at McDonald’s. It’s a weird feeling.”
Kross has mentioned in other interviews that he enjoys the creative freedom Impact has given him, however.
Kross and Bordeaux recently teamed together on AAA’s big Verano De Escandalo card over the weekend. Unfortunately, there was an incident involving a fan grabbing Bordeaux during the match.
It is NEVER okay to touch a performer without their consent. I didn’t realize what happened until I watched the footage afterwards being so in the moment after a dive with my back turned otherwise I would have reacted much differently. Thnx to @LadyShaniAAA for having my back https://t.co/2YKT64sKIj
— Scarlett Bordeaux (@Lady_Scarlett13) June 16, 2019
Impact Wrestling presented a show from the Melrose Ballroom last night on Twitch, Pursuit, and their international broadcast partners. The episode was filmed on June 6th, 2019.
Here are 9 Takeaways from Impact Wrestling:
Michael Elgin Sends Willie Mack To The Hospital
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbDL4RyoC1k
Elgin defeated Willie Mack in the main event last night but that was not where the action stopped. Elgin looked to continue the beatdown after the match but was stopped by Rich Swann. This brought out Johnny Impact, who will challenge Swann for the X-Division title at Slammivesary.
After Johnny disposed of Swann, Elgin turned his attention to him. Rather than continue his fragile alliance with Impact, Elgin delivered a belly to back suplex to the former champion and then put on his sunglasses to end the show. A few chants for “Big Mike” could be heard after he took out Johnny.
Moose and Rob Van Dam Rivalry Heats Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKtoGBTOPcI
The show opened up this week with the North defeating the ECW Originals, Sabu and RVD. The match was not without controversy, however, as RVD’s Slammiversary opponent Moose interfered. Moose tossed RVD off the top turnbuckle, allowing the North to eventually gain the upper-hand on Sabu and get the win.
Tommy Dreamer would come out and throw Moose back in the ring, however, allowing RVD and Sabu to pick up a measure of revenge. RVD attempted to hit a Coast 2 Coast but Moose slipped out of the ring before he could.
LAX and the Rascalz Will Rematch At Slammiversary
LAX will defend the Tag Team Championships against The Rascalz on July 7th at Slammiversary!#SLAMM17
Following last week’s controversial finish to their tag title match, LAX and the Rascalz ended up in a backstage brawl this week. LAX got the upper-hand during the melee but then told the Rascalz they would give them a rematch at Slammiversary.
Scarlett Bordeaux and Taya Valkyrie Don’t Get Along Too Well
Taya Valkyrie was a guest on Scarlett Bordeaux’s “Smoke Show” this week. Bordeaux said that Taya has to defend the title next week against Su Yung. This did not go over well with Taya. She stormed off the set after learning the news.
The North Earn Tag Title Shot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm4LMVaRi_c
Shortly after the the North defeated RVD & Sabu, Josh Matthews mentioned on commentary that the win earns them the right to challenge LAX for the tag titles at Bash at the Brewery next month.
It's official! @OfficialEGO & @Walking_Weapon will challenge @SantanaLAX & @Ortiz5150 for the Tag Team Championships at our next @IMPACTPlusApp Special, Bash at the Brewery! #IMPACT
Havok won a squash match this week. James Mitchell cut a promo after the match stating that Havok will be the next Knockouts champion. He also promised that Havok would use Rosemary’s “broken carcass” as a launch pad to the title. Later in the show, Rosemary stated that she wants to return the Knockouts title to “the Hive.” It looks like Taya has two dark and menacing challengers lurking.
Eddie Edwards Rescues The Sandman From Killer Kross
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJDfSyWFCxg
Killer Kross defeated the Sandman this week by choking out the ECW legend. He kept the hold on after the bell, however, leading Eddie Edwards to make the save. A match between the two hasn’t been made official for Slammiversary but it feels as though that’s where things are headed.
Kiera Hogan Costs Jordynne Grace Match Against Madison Rayne
Kiera Hogan joined the commentary booth for a match between Madison Rayne and Jordynne Grace. In the closing moments of the match, Grace was climbing the turnbuckle when she was distracted by Hogan’s disingenuous cheering on the outside. The distraction allowed Rayne to hit Cross Rayne and get the win.
A Jordynne Grace vs Kiera Hogan rivalry looks to be brewing and Hogan looks to be turning heel.
The Desi Hit Squad Defeat the Deaners
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L6dHqZ2aK4
The Desi Hit Squad picked up a win over the Deaners this week. The blue-collar Deaners were distracted with the Great Gama Singh on the outside, who appeared to be faking a heart attack.
Quick Results:
Josh Alexander & Ethan Page (the North) defeated Rob Van Dam & Sabu
Impact wrestler, Killer Kross, has divulged more information as to why he asked the company for his release. The promotion allegedly denied his request, suggesting that he instead get a second job to subsidise his earnings.
Appearing on the Wrestling Perspective podcast, Kross confirmed the reports.
“Being Told To Go Get Another Job By Your Job, That’s F***** Up”
Kross initially attempted to negotiate a new six-figure deal for himself, but Impact countered with a restructured three-year contract that was well below what Kross was asking for.
“I personally really don’t really need much,” he said. “But it’s just different when you have people to take care of, circumstances change in life. You can’t anticipate it. […] Being told to go get another job by your job, that’s f****d up. You’re struggling to make ends meet taking care of people, and the job that you can barely afford to have tells you to go get another job so you can keep that job. It’s like working at a corporation being told to go work at McDonald’s. It’s a weird feeling.”
“[…] I found out how much people are being paid, and I wanted to be paid on the same scale as that,” he said.
“I wasn’t asking for anything that was honestly unreasonable. In all sincerity. And I’m not gonna bullsh*t you guys. I really wasn’t. That’s ok if the company does not agree that I am worth that. I will not take offense to that. That’s ok. It’s not my company. I’m just an employee. And I’m not saying that because I think I’m supposed to say that. But if they really feel that way after one year, if they feel that I’m not worth what I’m asking…professionally, kindfully, please…let me go somewhere else, and I will prove it to everyone that I can draw what I’m asking for.”
At the time of writing, Killer Kross is still an active member of Impact Wrestling’s roster.
Killer Kross was reported to have asked Impact Wrestling for his release recently. According to a report from PW Insider, Kross asked Impact for a release after the two sides were not able to agree on a new contract for the 33-year-old.
According to Kross, however, he’s happy with Impact Wrestling and there were inaccuracies in the reports stating he requested his release. He recently took part in an interview with MultiMedia Mouth where he addressed the reports.
“I’ve chosen not to talk about it and the reason being is because there are inaccuracies that are in that article,” Kross said. “Quite frankly, I’m very f***ing angry that that article has surfaced and that’s all I’m allowed to say about that. I’m not happy about it.”
What am I?
A natural question.
The Answer:
I’m the C H A N G E you asked for.
So different that you can barely identify what I actually am when watching.
— Kevin Robert Kesar (@realKILLERkross) June 2, 2019
Killer Kross On Impact Wrestling
“My end game to be completely honest with you is to be financially secure enough to take care of my family,” Kross said. “Wherever that can happen is where I belong.”
Kross also spoke about what he enjoys about being with Impact Wrestling during the interview.
“I’ve been very very happy being at Impact Wrestling,” Kross said. “I’ve been very vocal about that over the last year, I’ve been having a blast! I have a lot of freedoms there that probably wouldn’t be afforded anywhere else.”
Kross continued to say he’s been dying to get to wrestle in Japan and thinks the country is ready for its next big heavyweight Gaijin star.
Kross recently dropped a street fight to Eddie Edwards on Impact Wrestling this Friday.
Killer Kross has asked for his release from Impact Wrestling due to unhappiness over creative and pay.
On Monday, Pwinsider.com reported that Kross has been unhappy with the current multi-year deal he signed with the company since a year ago and requested a raise in pay that is based on what his market value could be outside of Impact.
While the major issue has been on the money side, he did raise some concerns about how he is being used from a creative standpoint. He reportedly pushed for a six-figure guaranteed deal that would bring him far more than he was currently making working for Impact.
The promotion countered with an offer for a new, restructured three-year deal but that money offered was well below the six-figure per year deal. His current deal calls for him to be paid by each date he works but he wanted a more guaranteed deal that would pay him a base salary.
Kross turned down the new deal and asked for his release a week ago in order to explore his options elsewhere. It was noted that after he had a tryout with WWE in the past, the company is interested in him.
Kross’ request for a release has not been granted and that Impact has no current plans to offer him a release. He signed with Impact in 2018. Relations between the two sides remain professional.
Last night, Impact Wrestling presented their first show from their Las Vegas tapings held earlier this week. The show aired live on Twitch and Pursuit. The Lucha Bros faced LAX in the main event.
Here are 8 takeaways from Impact Wrestling 2/22:
Lucha Bros Defeated LAX – LAX Unmasked Lucha Bros
Pentagon Jr. and Fenix defeated LAX in what was supposed to be the final chapter of their rivalry. The 3-match series ends 2-1 in favor of the Lucha Bros.
After the match, Konnan congratulated the Lucha Bros and asked LAX to do the same. LAX was hesitant to do so but ultimately put out their hands to shake with their rivals. Perhaps remembering how LAX treated them after their first match, the Lucha Bros got up in LAX’s faces instead of shaking hands. LAX then attacked and would unmask both of the Lucha Bros, much to Konnan’s dismay. The show closed with LAX holding up Pentagon and Fenix’s masks.
Brian Cage & Johnny Impact Agree To Takeout Moose & Killer Kross
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3–BI4F2rd8
To kick things off last night, Johnny Impact announced he had defeated Cage, Kross, and Moose so he planned to move on to new competition. This didn’t sit well with Moose or Kross who both came out to confront Impact. A #1 contenders match between Moose and Kross was organized but resulted in a no-contest due to outside interference.
Later in the show, Impact presented Cage with a contract. The contract stated that if Cage helps Impact takeout Kross and Moose then Cage gets the next shot at his world title.
Tessa Blanchard Denied Title Match With Taya Valkyrie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiAuSpt9c1Q
We saw Tessa Blanchard in a backstage segment this week. She was storming out of management’s office, irate that she was denied another title match against Taya Valkyrie. Blanchard vowed she would get another shot at Taya one-way or another, however.
Later in the show, Blanchard would interrupt a match between Alisha Edwards and Delilah Doom and take out both Knockouts in an effort to make herself heard. Delilah Doom would later challenge Blanchard to a match next week.
A Dark War Is Coming
Rosemary has been haunting Dark Allie as of late. This week in a backstage segment, Father James Mitchell confronted Rosemary, claiming he is the one who owns Dark Allie. Rosemary asked Mitchell if they could cut a deal for Allie. Mitchell said he wants to bring Rosemary back to the underworld in exchange for Allie. Finally, the two sides decided to assemble their dark armies and battle it out in the ring. If Mitchell’s side wins, they get Rosemary. If Rosemary’s side win, she gets Allie.
Eddie Edwards Beats Eli Drake With A Wrestling Move
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULXcx7wQhYQ
Eddie Edwards didn’t need hardcore wrestling to beat Eli Drake. He attempted to use his kendo stick in the match but ultimately won with a roll-up pin on Drake, who had previously tried to use the kendo stick as well. Will this mark the return of the old Eddie Edwards?
Rich Swann Calls Sami Callihan “Family”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-XJ3ewVtZ4
Sami Callihan visited Rich Swann in the hospital this week. Callihan again tried to plead with Swann that Callihan is family and the only one really looking out for him. The nurses tried to get Callihan to leave, telling him only family is allowed to visit. Swann told the nurses that Callihan is family. Callihan then left an OVE shirt on Swann’s hospital bed as he left.
The Great Gama Singh Outsmoked The Rascalz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FU523INeQw
Impact Wrestling held their most recent tapings in Las Vegas. Then they head to Windsor in March followed by Toronto in April. What do all of these places have in common? Legal marijuana! While this should lead to the Rascalz advantage, they got outsmoked by the Great Gama Singh before their match with the Desi Hit Squad this week. Despite this, the Rascalz were still able to pull off the victory as they continue to rise up the rankings in Impact Wrestling.
The former Disco Inferno competed in the early days of TNA wrestling and was recently hired back to the promotion by Don Callis. His hiring occurred on an episode of Konnan’s “Keepin’ it 100” podcast.
Gilbertti showed up for work but was given faulty directions to the management office and ended up locked out of the building.
Quick Results:
Moose vs Killer Kross – no contest
The Rascalz defeated the Desi Hit Squad
Eddie Edwards defeated Eli Drake
Alisha Edwards vs Delilah Doom – No Contest (Blanchard interfered)
Impact Tag Team Championships
The Lucha Bros (c) defeated LAX
Next week:
Delilah Doom vs Tessa Blanchard
Jake Crist vs Willie Mack
Johnny Impact & Brian Cage vs Moose & Killer Kross
Impact Wrestling presented “UnCaged” a special taped show from Mexico City, Mexico. The Knockouts and Impact World Championship were on the line last night. Team AAA would also face Team Impact in a 4-on-4 elimination tag match.
Here are 7 Takeaways from Impact Wrestling 2/15:
Johnny Impact Retained The Impact World Championship
Johnny Impact escaped from Mexico still the Impact World Championship. Much like when he left Nashville with the title, however, he still has Brian Cage gunning for him.
This match was changed from a one-on-one match between Impact and Cage after Moose & Killer Kross defeated them both in a tag match recently. The finish of the match came when Cage hit Kross with Drill Claw and Impact hit Starship Pain on Moose. Impact was able to pin Moose quicker than Cage could do the same to Killer Kross, so Johnny retains.
Between how things ended at Homecoming in Nashville and UnCaged in Mexico City, Brian Cage likely still feels entitled to a one-on-one rematch with the champ.
Taya Valkyrie Retained Her Championship Against Tessa Blanchard In A Mexico City Street Fight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcsazvgXu5Y
Taya Valkyrie successfully defended her Knockouts Championship against Tessa Blanchard in a street fight this week. The gives Taya a 3-1 lead in the series between the two, albeit one victory came via DQ and her second was largely due to Gail Kim.
This week, Valkyrie picked up the victory with a double foot-stomp through the table after a 20-minute fight to start this week’s show.
As for Blanchard, she’s lost 3 straight to Valkyrie. She might need to string together a few wins before getting another shot at the title.
Tessa Blanchard Pays Homage To 4 Horsemen/ Taya Valkyrie To Perros Del Mal
Tessa Blanchard paid homage to Tully Blanchard in her street fight with Taya Valkyrie this week. Blanchard wore her father’s old 4 Horsemen shirt from back in the day. She also flashed the four-finger hand-signal to the camera. It was her first match back from suspension as well.
In similar fashion, Valkyrie wore a “Perros Del Mal” t-shirt, the faction she had previously been aligned with while in AAA. Blanchard would disrespect the shirt later in the match by spitting on it.
Team AAA Wins The World Cup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXMz1lN7WO0
The luchadors of AAA picked up the victory over Team Impact last night. The hometown favorites won largely because Team Impact imploded. Eddie Edwards caused Eli Drake to get eliminated early and then Drake came back to cause Edwards’ elimination to end the match as well.
With Edwards and Psycho Clown as the final two left in the match, Eli Drake returned to the ring area and clocked Edwards with a kendo stick. Psycho Clown rolled up Edwards and got the win for his team.
It was later announced that Edwards will face Drake next week from Las Vegas.
Rich Swann Turned Down His Last Chance To Join OVE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDcqqTQvUjo
It was slipped in without much fanfare but Josh Mathews revealed more about why Callihan wants Swann to join OVE. He said that Swann told him that Callihan wants him in OVE because he has a good credit score and can help rent cars for the faction.
Regardless of the reasons why, Callihan gave Swann his “last chance” to join OVE this week. Swann opted to throw the shirt back in Callihan’s face, kickstarting a fight between the two. The X-Division champ initially got the upper-hand in the skirmish but a thumb to the eyes would reverse the momentum. Callihan then gave Swann a piledriver on the stage area before throwing him off the stage and through a table.
LAX Vs Lucha Bros Rematch – Win, Lose, Or Draw It’s Over
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvbBParC1_8
LAX was shown with Konnan in a backstage segment this week. He told Santana & Ortiz he would go get a rematch for the titles but win, lose, or draw, the next match ends the rivalry between the two teams.
Willie Mack Defeated “All Ego” Ethan Page
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc8MujYyc5I
Ethan Page has lost his mentor. Matt Sydal’s contract with the company ran up and now Page has been left alone to fend for himself in the X-Division. He was in tough this week against the NWA’s National Champion, Willie Mack. Ultimately, Mack would hit the Stunner for the win.
Quick Results:
Knockouts Championship Street Fight
Taya Valkyrie (c) defeated Tessa Blanchard
Willie Mack defeated Ethan Page
2019 World Cup
Team AAA defeated Team Impact
Puma King eliminated Eli Drake
Fallah Bah eliminated Vikingo
Aerostar eliminated Fallah Bah
Eddie Edwards eliminated Aerostar
Sami Callihan defeated Puma King
Psycho Clown defeated Sami Callihan
Psycho Clown defeated Eddie Edwards
Impact World Championship Fatal 4-Way
Johnny Impact (c) defeated Moose vs Killer Kross vs Brian Cage