5 possible directions for Karrion Kross after WWE Royal Rumble 2023

WWE Superstar Karrion Kross was one of Triple H's key acquisitions back in 2022. Following a loss to Rey Mysterio on SmackDown, Kross participated in the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble, lasting less than five minutes in the match before being eliminated by Drew McIntyre.

What's next for the former NXT Champion following the January Premium Live Event?

Kross was reintroduced to the WWE Universe as a top star. Could he finally live up to his potential in 2023? The Devil of Monterrey will presumably be returning to television soon following two significant defeats. Maybe he'll turn things around for the better after the men's Rumble. Without further ado, here are five possible directions for the 37-year-old wrestler after this year's Royal Rumble.

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#5. Bray Wyatt vs Karrion Kross at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 and/or WrestleMania 39

It seems like it's only a matter of time before Bray Wyatt and Uncle Howdy cross paths with Karrion Kross and Scarlett. Kross and Bray are both dark characters who might mesh well in a match at either WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles or at WWE Elimination Chamber in Montreal.

On a recent episode of K100, Kross' trainer Disco Inferno liked the idea of his former student facing The Eater of Worlds at the grand spectacle in April. Disco said that both wrestlers are good at cutting short in-character promos and vignettes and that both men could cut good promos at each other.

Check out the entire video down below:

Konnan, on the other hand, appeared concerned that the match between Wyatt and Kross wouldn't be good. Konnan didn't enjoy Bray's recent work, more specifically the Pitch Black match against LA Knight. K-Dogg doesn't have confidence in a match between Kross and Wyatt at 'Mania, but he was interested in seeing Bray battle The Undertaker again at The Show of Shows.

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#4. Kross continues his feud with Rey Mysterio

Rey Mysterio was reportedly banged up following his match against Karrion Kross on SmackDown. Per an initial report from The Wrestling Observer, Rey was pulled from the Rumble after getting injured in his recent bout against Kross.

During the Men's Rumble, Rey Mysterio didn't make his entrance when his number was called. Dominik was the next entrant called, coming out with Rey's mask, which suggests that he and The Judgment Day were the reason why Rey didn't make his entrance. But what if Kross was the real reason why the Master of 619 couldn't make it to the match? Perhaps the former NXT Champion was the one who took out Mysterio, allowing Dominik to pick up the scraps.

Kross likely won't take a loss against Rey lying down. When the Masked Superstar returns to SmackDown, Karrion and Scarlett likely won't be far behind. Karrion will look to avenge this loss, challenging Rey to another match. This time, maybe the former NXT star will come out victorious against the former WWE Champion.

Kross vs Rey reportedly drew the highest-rated segment on an episode of SmackDown that had the highest key demo rating in almost three years. WWE might want to run that match back at least once.

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#3. Karrion Kross fights Drew McIntyre and Sheamus

Drew McIntyre eliminated Karrion Kross from the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble match. Kross might have a problem with the Scotsman as a result of this elimination. And since Sheamus is a good friend of Drew and loves to fight, Kross may end up battling the Irishman as well if he targets The Celtic Warrior's friend.

It's quite possible that The Herald of Doomsday will end up battling both Sheamus and McIntyre in separate singles matches in 2023. But facing both men in a handicap match could be too big a challenge for someone even as imposing as Karrion Kross.

Kross will be outnumbered against Drew and Sheamus, so he'll likely need backup not only to even the odds but to tip the scales in his favor. Maybe he can work out a deal with NXT's Schism or RAW's The Judgment Day to do his dirty work on the blue brand and take out his enemies.

McIntyre and Kross feuded in 2022, but they could possibly reignite this rivalry for a few weeks on the blue brand in 2023.

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#2. Kross and Scarlett form an alliance with Monday Night RAW's Judgment Day

Karrion Kross and The Judgment Day both have the same enemy in the form of Rey Mysterio. Kross, however, is a member of the SmackDown roster while every member of The Judgment Day is a resident of the red brand. But that doesn't mean it's impossible for Kross and Scarlett to join forces with the evil faction.

At this point, The Judgment Day is working just fine with four members, with the group arguably at its peak when it comes to putting out quality entertainment. Similarly, Kross is working just fine without a faction by his side and doesn't need to latch onto a stable to get noticed by the WWE Universe. Both of these points would make for a great argument on not recruiting Kross into The Judgment Day.

Kross and Scarlett could still form some type of alliance with the stable without becoming full-fledged members. All of them want to inflict pain on Rey Mysterio and they could certainly bond over that fact.

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#1. Kross goes after the WWE Intercontinental Championship

Karrion Kross isn't ready to go after Roman Reigns just yet, but he's more than qualified to be a challenger for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. It's safe to say that, sometime in 2023, Kross will be going after IC gold. But at that point, Gunther might not be the champion anymore.

Kross would not only be a credible challenger for this mid-card title, but he'd be a very believable champion if he were to win the strap. By the time 2023 comes to a close, WWE gold could be around Karrion Kross' waist. Only time will tell if that piece of gold will be the Intercontinental Title.

Gunther versus Kross would also make for a banger of a match. It will presumably be a battle featuring heel against heel, though fans will likely side with the Austrian over Scarlett's husband. Even if that match doesn't end up happening in 2023, championship glory in WWE could still be an option for Kross in the near future.