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LA Knight is red hot right now. After his actions on Tuesday night, most of that heat is coming directly from the fan base.
Although it's pretty clear that NXT Champion Karrion Kross is the top heel of the black and gold brand, Knight might be right up there with him. Following his actions this week, he's certainly got a lot of buzz around him.
After dispatching arch-rival Cameron Grimes to claim Ted DiBiase's vaunted Million Dollar Championship, he would be christened as the new owner of the gold. The Million Dollar Man was on hand to make it all official, and hand over the belt to the man who would carry on his legacy.
Knight did what we all expected him to do: He basked in his own glory for a while.
Then, the man known as LA Knight threw a curveball that even former LA Dodger Sandy Koufax would have been proud of.
After taking at the moment, Knight gave a long and passionate speech. He thanked DiBiase and called him one of his heroes. He heaped praise on the Hall of Famer. For once, LA Knight seemed at a loss for words.
But it was all part of his plan. When Knight ultimately executed it, he poured gasoline on his already fiery character.
He viciously turned on and attacked the man he claimed was one of his idols, pummeling DiBiase until Grimes made the save.
LA Knight made it obvious that something might be up by how he stretched out his promo. But it did hit the spot.
By the time the whole fiasco was finished, the fans were wanting a pound of Knight's flesh.
In many ways, it was the perfect storm. It should also lead to unprecedented success for LA Knight going forward.
Shaun Ricker, the man behind the LA Knight character, is no stranger to success in the wrestling industry.
He had an almost two-year run with NWA before signing with NXT. Before that, as Eli Drake, he was the IMPACT World Heavyweight Champion and one of the company's top heels. He's also had previous stops with WWE and several high-level Indy promotions in the past.
But this ultimate act of evil may be his ticket to the next level. It seems as if throughout his career, Ricker has been able to ride a certain level of success, and then come to a screeching halt. For someone with the talent, the look, and the charisma that he possesses, LA Knight has been held back in many ways over the years.
The shackles are off of LA Knight now
This run as the rogue Million Dollar Champion is potentially the steppingstone the talented performer has been waiting on.
At 38 years old, it's kind of a 'now-or-never' scenario for the well-traveled LA Knight. If he is going to take advantage of this second chance with WWE, he needs to strike while the iron is hot.
The prolonged feud with Grimes will likely rage on, with DiBiase there to add to the rub. Knight has an opportunity now to grow into one of the most grotesquely hated heels in NXT if he continues to ride this wave.
At this point, there's no basement for him. LA Knight should take this vendetta with a legend all the way to the gutter. He should explore the depths of his heel personality, and cement himself as one of the men that wrestling fans love to hate.
With his communication skills and his grasp of psychology, Knight could turn NXT on its ear. He's got just the right mix of arrogance and dominance to be an annoyingly entertaining 'bad guy'.
And that's the kind of heat you can't buy. Not even for a million dollars.
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