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By the end of 2021, Karrion Kross will have made his main roster debut for WWE. Kross was a huge free agent signing for WWE last year. He had his first match at last year's In Your House, defeating Tommaso Ciampa.
It didn't take long before Kross was hoisting the NXT Championship. He won the title from Keith Lee last August but was forced to vacate it due to an injury suffered during the match.
Kross would return from a separated shoulder injury in December 2020 by attacking Damian Priest. Now that he was healthy, it was only a matter of time before he would target whoever was holding the NXT Championship. It happened to be Finn Balor and Kross dethroned Balor at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver.
The current Champ would defeat Balor once again before overcoming four other stars at In Your House. Shortly after In Your House, some reports suggested that Kross would be promoted later this summer. With the WWE Draft set to take place after SummerSlam, it is believed he could be a selection.
Those reports were confirmed even further as both Kross and Bronson Reed were present backstage at RAW and SmackDown last week. WWE officials want to get a glimpse of both men before potential call-ups.
Now that his main-roster arrival is on the horizon, which WWE stars would make sense as the first opponent for Kross? Facing the Fiend is obviously a feud that needs to happen, but it should not be his first main-roster encounter.
It all depends on whether he debuts in the mid-card or main event. If it's the usual route, then it could be one of many stars. If he targets a bigger name in WWE, then the appearance would instantly be more effective. Here are five WWE Superstars who could oppose Karrion Kross in the early stages of his main-roster tenure.
#5 Vanquishing a WWE veteran like Jeff Hardy would be a good first step
Jeff Hardy is still a beloved fan favorite to much of the WWE Universe. His willingness to sacrifice his body is respected by a portion of the fanbase. The one thing working against Hardy, however, is that he is towards the end of his career.
The years of damage in the ring are taking a toll on his body. He can still go in the ring but his best use in today's WWE is as a stepping stone for other performers. Even though it was more than a decade ago, commentators always reference that Hardy is a former WWE Champion.
That's perfectly fine, but those title wins were during his heydey. With a new crop of stars eager to make their mark in WWE, Hardy's main role should be putting over others.
He did that briefly with Cedric Alexander but Hardy got his win back on a recent episode of RAW. Whether it's on RAW or SmackDown, Hardy would be a good feud for a debuting heel from NXT.
If WWE officials want to ease Kross into things on the main roster, a definitive win over Hardy would be a good start. It could be similar to how Kross first targeted Tommaso Ciampa in NXT.
If and when Kross dispatches Hardy, the commentators can play up the fact that the new Superstar dominated a former multi-time Champion in WWE. Hardy wouldn't lose much by losing to a star like Kross due to his history in the company.
Hardy is in a strange spot in WWE - he's still respected by others but isn't a main event performer like he was 10 years ago. Kross could show Hardy Doomsday or perhaps Kross would force Hardy to change his persona.
#4 Shinsuke Nakamura is the new King of WWE
If WWE opted to have Karrion Kross face Shinsuke Nakamura, it would be an interesting feud on a few fronts. Kross and Nakamura are both noted strikers, meaning that it wouldn't be as easy to squash the King of Strong Style.
Nakamura is also an eccentric superstar as he has recently become embroiled in a feud with Baron Corbin over a crown. The King of Strong Style won that crown but it doesn't carry the same weight as holding a title. WWE will say otherwise, but not much has happened for Corbin since winning the last King of the Ring tournament.
Kross battling Nakamura would be a decent mid-card feud. Some stars are tested in the mid-card before they are given a shot at the main event. Depending on their feelings toward Kross, he may start with an appetizer opponent before moving on to bigger prey.
Since he has recently been flanked by Ric Boogs, Boogs could also be used in the angle. Attacking the axeman for Nakamura would give Kross two people to brutalize. Kross could also claim that Nakamura is simply not the king of anything, especially since Doomsday comes for everyone.
A lot depends on where WWE management wants Kross to start his main roster career. If he needs a few tune-up feuds in the mid-card, one could be with Nakamura.
It's also not known which brand of WWE Kross will join, so stars on both RAW and SmackDown should be wary. Another factor to consider is whether he will have Scarlett by his side. She is a huge part of his act and a proxy of sorts when he doesn't appear.
The two have appeared in dark matches separately over the last few weeks, with Scarlett showing up before the latest episode of SmackDown. Things will also change in the WWE Draft following SummerSlam. Nakamura may be the new King of WWE, but will it matter in a few months?
When Karrion Kross joins the main roster, RAW or SmackDown will be getting an intriguing new addition. His character is unique, especially if he is allowed to maintain a lot of what worked for his character in NXT. WWE desperately needs some new and different stars and Kross has been that in NXT.
#3 WWE wouldn't be the first meeting between Kross and John Morrison
The interesting thing about Karrion Kross and John Morrison in WWE is that they worked together while both were in IMPACT Wrestling. Morrison held the IMPACT World Championship while Kross attempted to pull him to the dark side.
Morrison might currently be a heel, but he's on his own due to an injury The Miz suffered at WrestleMania Backlash. Despite how it might be received by some fans, the Johnny Drip Drip persona is hilarious.
Like The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Hardy, and others, Morrison is a trusted WWE veteran. Those stars are traditionally used as the first opponents for NXT stars debuting on the main roster.
Morrison is so physically gifted that his selling makes anyone look great. Factor in that they already have a brief history and Kross could certainly ease himself into RAW or SmackDown against Morrison.
While it was slightly unexpected, Morrison defeated Randy Orton to qualify for Money in the Bank. Some outside distractions helped Morrison notch the win, but Johnny Drip Drip will likely only provide several high-flying spots in the upcoming ladder match. With The Miz winning the briefcase from Otis last year, it's unlikely the duo will carry the briefcase again in 2021.
During his time in NXT, Kross has worked well with stars that are smaller in stature. That was apparent in both of his matches with Finn Balor and the recent fatal five-way at TakeOver: In Your House. It's similar to how Brock Lesnar meshes better with smaller stars like Daniel Bryan, Ricochet, and Finn Balor.
Morrison might be separated from The Miz during the WWE Draft. If that happens, he could try to forge his own path away from his tag team partner. Morrison also hasn't operated away from the A-Lister during his return to the WWE. The knee injury has slightly changed that for both performers. It may be time, however, to break them up.
While he'd almost certainly lose a feud with Kross, Morrison would certainly look good in defeat. WWE needs Kross to look imposing as quickly as possible since it is running out of legitimate main-event stars. Morrison would certainly make Kross look like a true threat to anyone in WWE.
#2 Cesaro would be a tough test for anyone in WWE
A large portion of WWE fans got what they wanted when Cesaro faced Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania Backlash. Cesaro received his first major title shot in WWE. Reigns, however, revealed that he has had 39 such shots at major championships in WWE.
The Swiss Superman has long been one of the best in-ring technicians in all of wrestling. He's been a mid-card staple for the duration of his WWE career, having won the United States Title and several Tag Team Championships.
Some thought that with the shot at Reigns, Cesaro would finally become a constant main-event player. Unfortunately, his major title shot was a one-off as he went right back into his feud with Seth Rollins in the upper mid-card. He fell to Rollins at Hell in a Cell and again in a mixed tag team match on SmackDown.
Cesaro felt that he never received the constant push because his reliability in the ring led to him being overlooked by WWE management. While it is disappointing for both the Swiss Superman and the Cesaro Section, he always delivers when he is in the ring.
That reliability is why he may oppose Karrion Kross as one of his first main-roster opponents. Kross was a big signing for WWE last year and they'll want a return on that investment. Cesaro is also one of the most physical stars in all of WWE so he won't be a pushover.
Cesaro and Kross both rely on strikes, so it could be a case of the Swiss Superman looking impressive in defeat. Anything can happen following the WWE Draft, so it shouldn't be a surprise if Cesaro fights Kross on RAW or SmackDown.
Dispatching someone like Akira Tozawa or Shelton Benjamin wouldn't have the same impact of beating Cesaro. Cesaro has a similar aura to Daniel Bryan due to each man being overlooked during their time in WWE.
In order to make a memorable WWE debut, attacking someone like the Swiss Superman would get instant heat for Kross.
#1 AJ Styles would present a main-event feud for Kross on WWE's main roster
During the last few WWE Drafts, AJ Styles has often been the Superstar to switch spots with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Reigns and Rollins are two of the biggest stars in the industry. Being treated like he is on their level is a huge sign of how he is viewed by WWE management.
Styles hasn't held a major WWE title since 2018, but he is still a perennial challenger for either the Universal or WWE Championship. Since he is such a trusted veteran, his latest task has been to make Omos look passable in the ring. He did his job as he and Omos defeated the New Day for the RAW Tag Team titles at WrestleMania 37.
The Phenomenal One has several strengths including athleticism, a varied style, and good selling ability. Not every WWE star is blessed with the ability to sell a foe's offense.
Styles, however, is one of the best in WWE. Selling in feuds makes the action more believable. If someone doesn't sell an opponent's offense, then it takes some fans out of the match.
If WWE wants to push Kross as a serious threat right upon his debut, then pitting him against a veteran main-eventer is the way to go. If it isn't someone like Randy Orton, then Styles should oppose Kross.
It would be a sign of how WWE wants to book the NXT Champion as not every performer that debuts starts in the main event. Once Styles and Omos drop their titles, the partnership will likely dissolve. The draft could also force the duo to split up.
Kross was misused in IMPACT and is a big star in NXT, but he won't be a WWE/Universal Champion right away. He'll likely have to dispatch a few fan favorites at different levels to earn a title shot. Styles could be one of those performers, especially if he fails to win Money in the Bank.
