Karrion Kross‘ tenure with WWE officially ended recently, as both he and Scarlett were released after their contracts expired. In a candid YouTube video, Kross explained the circumstances surrounding his departure, providing clarity to fans who had sought answers about his future with the company. Despite his desire to continue working with WWE, the renewal of his contract did not materialize.
Karrion Kross Expressed Desire to Remain but Faced Communication Issues
Earlier this year in January, Kross had reached out to WWE to renegotiate his contract, hoping to stay with the promotion. However, he described a frustrating lack of meaningful communication from WWE management during this process, which greatly affected him.
“August 10th, it’s up. That’s another situation where it’s like, on top of everything else that’s going on, that’s confusing and stressful because I expressed interest to renegotiate in early January with WWE. I think it’s crazy, it’s preposterous for anyone to think that I wouldn’t want to be here or go somewhere else. It’s nothing against anywhere else, but I’m fully committed. I’m here,” said Karrion Kross.
Kross revealed that until very recently, he had almost zero dialogue about his contract status, which left him unsettled and disappointed rather than simply angry.
“Many months have gone by, and we never had a single conversation about it until recently, and I don’t even feel like the conversation I had recently was an actual serious one. The conversation made me really angry because I didn’t feel like it was a real conversation. Someone had contacted me, and we briefly discussed, it was a very short conversation, and the conversation was done. There wasn’t really anything that was discussed of real substance. It didn’t make me angry or upset, it just profoundly disappointed me because I think about this business probably differently than the person I was speaking to because of the nature of what I do.”
Reportedly, Triple H is the key decision-maker when it comes to talent retention or release decisions within WWE, adding further weight to Kross’ claims about his experiences during contract negotiations.
Being Asked to Limit His Performance Left Karrion Kross Conflicted
Kross also shared the difficult creative restrictions he faced while under contract, revealing that WWE officials instructed him not to perform to his fullest potential. He expressed confusion about being held back when he believed he was part of a team working towards shared success.
“It’s probably the hardest part of the gig when you know you can give more and they tell you, ‘Don’t home run. Hit that to the outfield and run to second. Make sure you stop on second. Do not run home.’ One day, you don’t get the home run, but you run far enough to get past second, and you do run home. You’re on the court playing basketball. They tell you to pass, but you have a three-point shot right there. We’re all on the same team and trying to win the game. You shoot and get the three points. They’re mad at you. Why? Why are they mad about the extra three points?”
This metaphor highlights the frustration Kross felt, as he was pushed to hold back moments that could elevate both himself and the company, despite his willingness to contribute more.
The End of an Era: What Karrion Kross’ Departure Means for WWE
The departure of Karrion Kross and Scarlett marks another notable change in WWE’s talent roster. Kross’ open discussion about his experience sheds light on the challenges some wrestlers face behind the scenes, especially regarding creative restrictions and communication barriers during contract negotiations.
Given Kross’ evident commitment and disappointment, this situation may influence future dealings between WWE management and their talent, potentially encouraging more transparent and communicative approaches. For fans, it marks the end of Kross’ current chapter within WWE, sparking curiosity about where his career will head next.
