5 reasons why Killer Kross signed with WWE

Earlier this week, WWE signed Killer Kross to a deal. Almost every major promotion in the world - All Elite Wrestling, WWE, Ring of Honor, NJPW - likely had interest in adding the unique performer. Kross ultimately chose the WWE as his next home and I'm glad he signed with them over the other companies. He has a readymade character that could easily fit into either NXT, RAW or SmackDown.

The main question revolves around when and where he will start. He could appear at TakeOver: Portland next weekend or at TakeOver: Tampa the day before WrestleMania 36. Kross could also show up on RAW or SmackDown following the Show of Shows.

Whenever he debuts, it will be a big moment. WWE has been typically running with the same stars atop the brands. RAW has been ruled by Seth Rollins and Brock Lesnar while SmackDown had been led by Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, Kofi Kingston and now the Fiend.

Drew McIntyre will get his chance to join the main event as a permanent fixture at WrestleMania 36. NXT, however, has two big shows just before the Show of Shows. Kross might be a huge signing and a big name in the industry, but the likes of AJ Styles and John Morrison have either been huge stars for over a decade or have already wrestled the WWE style. That's why they were able to skip NXT.

Kross signing with the company will alter the landscape of whichever brand he joins. He might get some fine-tuning in NXT first, but he signed with the WWE for more than just one reason.

Here are five reasons why Killer Kross signed with the WWE over the other promotions.

#5 WWE offers stars a much bigger platform

There's a reason why WrestleMania is called the Grandest Stage of Them All

Even with the success of the industry as a whole and the better global reach of New Japan Pro Wrestling, the WWE is still the biggest and most well-known promotion in the world. Some stars might opt to perform in Mexico or Japan rather than try to get a deal with the WWE.

AEW's emergence over the last year changed things up a bit with another big company with big pockets joining the industry, but the WWE is still the big dog in the wrestling yard. AEW only has one two-hour show on cable television a week with AEW Dark airing on YouTube. WWE has approximately seven hours of programming a week on both FOX and USA.

When stars are interviewed, they usually claim that their dream is making it to the WWE. It's seen as the largest platform for stars and it still is. While a good deal of stars are perfectly fine wrestling without ever starring for the WWE (Okada, Will Ospreay, Joey Ryan, Young Bucks), it does not change the fact that if you want to be seen by the most fans, the best bet for that is in the WWE.

#4 Signing with WWE is a huge accomplishment

Rollins has consistently said that he eats, sleeps and breathes pro wrestling and WWE is the top of the industry

The pinnacle of professional sports (in the US) are the big leagues like the MLB, NHL, NBA and NFL. Most kids grow up wanting to make it to one of those leagues if they are playing the sport as children. While some abandon that dream in high school or college, those who keep with it usually aspire to get drafted.

Just like making it onto an NFL roster and playing in a game on Sundays, making it to NXT and either RAW or SmackDown is just as huge a goal for aspiring performers. We've heard talk from numerous stars about having a "WrestleMania Moment" even if it means winning the Intercontinental title at 'Mania only to lose it the next night on RAW like Zack Ryder.

Not being the top guy or girl in the company doesn't necessarily mean that performers don't still bring their best in every match. Although Daniel Bryan and Cesaro aren't always in the main events, they usually put on fantastic matches. Same goes for the majority of the rest of the roster including the likes of Asuka, The New Day, the majority of NXT and The Fiend.

Being known as a "WWE star" doesn't just apply to the top Champions. From top to the bottom, just like a pro sports' roster, practically every person is important. Some are mostly used to put others over and make them look good while other are relied upon to carry the brands.

There is a huge disparity between the amount of people who try out for and get accepted into the company. Kross was clearly on everyone's radar after a short run in Impact, but that's all it takes for the biggest company in the world to take notice.

#3 Potential for more varied feuds

MLW and ROH have good but limited rosters. NJPW has a good roster but most of any potential matches for Kross would be the same - matches filled with hard strikes and suplexes. NJPW does offer great in-ring action, but they put less of an emphasis on character work than companies like Impact, AEW and WWE do.

AEW now rivals WWE as a potential destination for talented names in the industry, but they too also have a limited roster. Most of the stars are the size of Daniel Bryan or Seth Rollins - i.e. around six feet tall and anywhere between 180 and 220 pounds. Outside of guys like Jake Hager, Wardlow, Jon Moxley, Dustin Rhodes and Luchasaurus, there are not many stars who could be believable threats to the 6'3", 250-pound Kross.

WWE does have a roster full of guys around Bryan and Rollins' size, but they also have several other stars that are much bigger. Guys like Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman are physical matches for Kross in one aspect or another. Then there's the likes of The New Day, The Fiend, Shinsuke Nakamura, Rollins and Brock Lesnar.

That's a truly diverse roster full of several smaller and physical guys along with several stars that are of similar size or bigger than Kross. When we take out the physical side and add in the character work, there also exist logical feuds of the mind in WWE for Kross. I envision him eventually going to task against The Fiend, The New Day, Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman, Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins and Samoa Joe, just verbally.

The simple fact is that WWE still offers up the biggest variety of dream match-ups or pairings that would suit Kross much better.

#2 Scarlett Bordeaux

A lot of pro wrestlers find their significant others in the business. It's where Triple H and Stephanie McMahon met and fell in love. In today's WWE, Aleister Black and Zelina Vega are married and both on RAW as are the engaged couple of Andrade and Charlotte Flair.

On SmackDown, The Usos and Naomi ply their craft, while Carmella and Corey Graves both are also a part of Friday nights. Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch are also a power couple together on RAW. Pro wrestlers often find it easier to date co-workers or others in the business because it's easier for them to relate to another Superstar.

Kross and Bordeaux both wrestled for AAA and Impact and have been together for a couple years. Bordeaux was given her release from Impact Wrestling in June of 2019. A few months later, she signed with the WWE.

It's a no-brainer that wrestling couples want to stay together as it makes their lives much easier. It also allows them the possibility to either continue working together on screen or start doing so in their new homes.

Both stars are now signed to WWE so it could have been different had Bordeaux signed elsewhere. The two are a unique pairing but that's something that would be a great addition to any promotion. For Kross and the Smoke Show, it turned out to be WWE.

#1 Money and freedom

As mentioned on a previous slide, the two companies around that would be able to offer any potential free agent the most money were AEW and WWE. A lot more promotions had interest in Kross, like ROH, MLW and NJPW, but the top two companies in terms of offering the most lucrative deals are the first two mentioned above.

WWE has even been recently offering significantly more money to many different stars just in order to keep them from going elsewhere. If you want to make the most money possible in the professional wrestling industry, you should strive to join either AEW or the WWE.

Some wrestlers like Joey Ryan feel that they have enough freedom in their lives and feel they don't have to be with a huge promotion. Others just want to be happy and chose quality of their life over money. It's a reason why The Revival have rejected new offers.

While some people want to make the most money possible, others get to the point where creative freedom is the ultimate goal. It's a big part why Jon Moxley departed and why certain acts opt to sign with one promotion over another.

In the case of Killer Kross, he was the most prominent free agent once Marty Scrull chose to re-sign with ROH. He had the option to pick his next home and likely had the ability to dictate some terms due to his spot as a coveted free agent. How that translates into his new home is obviously still months away but he had the freedom to pick and choose how and where he would wrestle.

He didn't have that freedom during the latter half of his stint in Impact Wrestling. Now he does and because he was so sought after, it would be crazy not to push him heavily whenever he debuts. Some might argue that WWE doesn't offer everyone creative freedom, but for Kross, the pieces fell into place and he made his choice.