3 Reasons Tony Khan signing Karrion Kross to AEW would be a bad idea

Although AEW has been very successful at raising the stock of their homegrown talent, the company has also platformed and elevated a number of names who once plied their trade in WWE. Prominent wrestlers like Jon Moxley, Swerve Strickland, Toni Storm, and Mercedes Mone have become some of the Tony Khan-led promotion's strongest standard-bearers over the years.

Although the All Elite roster is currently stacked, fans on social media have been speculating that the company might sign Karrion Kross. The former NXT Champion's contract status with the sports entertainment juggernaut has sparked considerable speculation about whether he will remain in WWE or potentially join All Elite Wrestling.

While Kross would no doubt be a big-time signing for AEW on the basis of name-value, let us explore three reasons why it may be ill-advised for Tony Khan to do so.

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#1. Karrion Kross' in-ring style may not be a fit for AEW

All Elite Wrestling brands itself as the promotion "where the best wrestle." The company's roster more than lives up to the hype, with top stars like Swerve Strickland, Will Ospreay, Hangman Page, Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, MJF, Ricochet, The Young Bucks, FTR, Toni Storm, Mercedes Mone, Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale, and others impressing viewers with their in-ring skills and performances each week. This also includes newer acquisitions such as Mike Bailey, Kevin Knight, and Thekla.

WWE, of course, boasts some of the best wrestlers from around the world, including stars like Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, CM Punk, Penta, Gunther, IYO SKY, Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, and many others. Despite his sudden rise in popularity and being a prominent television figure, Karrion Kross has never quite been identified as one of the best bell-to-bell competitors at the Stamford-based company; his strengths seem to find expression more in his character work.

Kross' in-ring style probably wouldn't stand out in AEW, and since the quality of a talent's work in the squared circle is a huge factor in their potential success in the company, The Herald of Doomsday might not be a good fit for All Elite Wrestling.

#2. Karrion Kross' character might be more intriguing in WWE

Karrion Kross' rise over the past few months is undoubtedly due to his consistent character work on television. His anti-hero persona drives him to confront and taunt his locker-room peers about their actions, hypocrisies, and flaws. The Devil of Monterrey is an outspoken figure who goes up against babyface rivals with full conviction in his beliefs, despite being a heel, which has increasingly garnered him the approval of live audiences.

Kross' feuds with the likes of Drew McIntyre, AJ Styles, and, more recently, Sami Zayn show that the 40-year-old star has a solid understanding of his character, which arguably fits better with WWE's programming environment than with AEW's. The Stamford-based company specializes in producing long-running character sagas on weekly television, which seems to be the kind of setting where Kross shines brightest.

AEW, of course, has its share of unique pro wrestling characters. Although Tony Khan could certainly make compelling TV with Kross, the latter might be more at home with WWE's style of episodic storytelling, which emphasizes promos and moments.

#3. AEW should consider signing fewer ex-WWE names

As mentioned earlier, AEW has signed a large number of former WWE talents since its inception. Two of the company's first World Champions, Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley, were well-known ex-WWE names. Many of the promotion's top stars today, including Swerve Strickland, Mercedes Mone, Toni Storm, Ricochet, and The Hurt Syndicate, previously honed their skills in the World Wrestling Entertainment.

AEW's current roster is arguably in the best shape it has been in for quite some time. Even so, there are wrestlers who are either sidelined with injuries or have been on hiatus for months. While grabbing talented competitors whom WWE released is tempting, Tony Khan should ideally focus on the players already populating the All Elite locker room and concentrate on showcasing his stars to the best of his ability.

Following this line of thinking, even though he would be a huge get, TK should not seriously consider offering Karrion Kross an AEW deal at this time.

About the author

Anurag is an AEW writer for Sportskeeda Wrestling. He holds a BA and MA degree in English along with a TEFL certification to teach English. Before Sportskeeda, he worked as a Content and Correspondence writer at Nayabad Titas, a theater group. He has also worked as a English language tutor.

To ensure complete accuracy, he uses internet resources, social media platforms, and especially pieces composed by his peers to find solid, verified information that he presents as objectively as possible. Thanks to his academic background, he can research different subjects thoroughly.

Anurag's interest in wrestling began as a child. He watched RAW and Smackdown frequently from age 10 or 11 and was officially hooked by the YES Movement story in WWE heading into WrestleMania 30.

As a lifelong wrestling fan and lover of stories, Anurag would read news, articles, and other content about the talent and events he enjoyed watching. His understanding of the business continued to grow with time, and his interest in the art and sport of wrestling led him to pursue a career as a writer.

Apart from writing, he loves to read books, watch movies and television programs, play and listen to music, and write poetry and fiction.

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Edited by Neda Ali