Age is just a number: Karrion Kross explains why he waited to get into wrestling (Exclusive)

Since the day he stepped foot in a WWE ring, it was clear Karrion Kross was going to be a major player. Everything from his presentation, to his entrance, to his overall performance in the ring said that the sky was the limit.

In just his seventh match with the company, Karrion Kross defeated Keith Lee at NXT TakeOver: XXX to capture the NXT Championship. If it wasn't for a shoulder injury suffered in that match, Karrion Kross may still be have been carrying the top prize for the Black and Gold brand.

Welcome to your 𝔡𝔬𝔬𝔪. #WWENXT @WWEKarrionKross @Lady_Scarlett13 pic.twitter.com/HQXLRMmyc3

— WWE (@WWE) August 27, 2020

With the exception of getting injured, Karrion Kross told SK Wrestling this week that the start to his WWE tenure is exactly what he envisioned when he signed with the company. Karrion Kross says he has a lot of input on his presentation, and that WWE has only helped him expand and evolve as a performer:

"I've never worked somewhere before in my life where I learned something, literally every time I go to work... I feel like I've improved tenfold being here and the whole process of this has been absolutely amazing. Even, it's going to sound crazy but... anyone who's ever been through an injury, you grow personally from that. You grow psychologically from that. And I feel stronger mentally and physically now, after this, than I did a year ago."

It took Karrion Kross just three months to recover from that shoulder injury, after some doctors thought he would be out for action for up to a year. He's just a special athlete and a special performer. Karrion Kross believes he was born to compete in a wrestling ring, even though (comparatively speaking) he waited until later in life to start training.

Karrion Kross' pro-wrestling career started late.

Karrion Kross was passionate about pro-wrestling from a young age, but didn't start training to become a pro wrestler until he was 27. That's a lot later in life compared to other Superstars, but it turned out to be the exact right time for Karrion Kross for a number of reasons. He told SK Wrestling why he waited so long to lace up a pair of boots.

"I've been a wrestling fan, literally my entire life. I think my first love of anything was professional wrestling and sports entertainment. I was mesmerized by watching this on television as a kid... Watching Macho Man, Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, the whole spectacle of that was, there was something magnetic about it. I've always been interested in doing it. I've always wanted to do it, but the reason that it didn't do it sooner, to be completely transparent with you, is I just had very good forms of work (laughs). I was financially comfortable."

When he reached his mid-to-late 20s, Karrion Kross found himself in the enviable position of no longer needing to chase a paycheck. He also found himself not being fulfilled by his work and no amount of money was going to change that.

It was at that point in his life that he decided to chase his life-long dream of being a professional wrestler instead of sticking with a career he wasn't passionate about.

"I went to a pro wrestling school and I was like, 'I'm going to do this.' And it was so funny. I'll never forget this. The very first time I ever stepped into a ring, I knew. It was the first day, I knew. I was like, 'I was always supposed to be here.' But I'm glad that I didn't do it any sooner because this business, at the highest professional level, it requires a certain maturity. And it requires a certain personal development as an adult to participate in this and be successful. Humbly, I don't think I would have had that before I was 27. I was very wild," Karrion Kross said.

Diving into his wild side a little further, it sounds as though young Kross just couldn't be tied down to one place for very long.

"I was a free soul. I liked to do a lot of crazy stuff. I loved to just pick up and leave and travel and do all different types of stuff. When I got into this, it was the perfect time for me to do it, because I was able to take all of my energy and focus and put it in one direction. And it's been awesome. It's been outstanding. The results that I've gotten back from being totally absorbed by this had been outstanding."

After the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble match concluded, a good portion of the wrestling world started focusing on the age of the field. It bothered some fans that 28 of the 30 participants were over the age of 30. It especially bothered some people that Edge, a 47 year-old WWE Hall of Famer, won the match.

Threatening or motivating, @WWEKarrionKross has @EdgeRatedR's attention. #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/WnEULfSUsz

— WWE (@WWE) February 4, 2021

Yes, this year's Royal Rumble match had its fair share of older performers including the afformentioned Edge, a returning Christian, Kane, Carlito, Hurricane Helms, and Rey Mysterio. However, upon further review, many of those older guys are some of the newest stars on the WWE roster. Damian Priest and Matt Riddle are both over 35.

Karrion Kross himself is 35, but in his mind it doesn't matter how old you are. If you can still go, you can still go.

"Does this take a toll on your body? Of course it does. Absolutely it does. But if you're good at this, you love it, you enjoy it and you take care of yourself... I mean there's guys that have had very, very long careers. There's people that can stand the test of time doing this," Karrion Kross said.

There may be no better example of standing the test of time than Bobby Lashley. The 44 year-old has never looked better than he does right now, and he is on the verge of capturing his first WWE Championship.

Karrion Kross could very well be a multi-time WWE Champion by the time his career is over, whether that day is five years from now or 15. For now though, he's focused on Finn Balor and getting back the NXT Championship he never lost.