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Kassius Ohno, known as Chris Hero on the independent circuit, was released by WWE in 2020. Ohno recently discussed his return to the company back in 2017 against Robert Roode and how it was filmed several times.
The Knockout Artist first signed with WWE in 2011 and was released two years later. He returned in late 2016 to confront Shinsuke Nakamura but was inactive again for around two months. He attacked Roode on the February 22, 2017 edition of NXT.
In a recent appearance on The It List Podcast, Ohno revealed that they had to re-shoot his return attack on Roode three times.
"I remember when I came back to NXT in 2017," Ohno said. "I came out to do this angle with this guy Bobby Roode and then we did it and we came to the back and they go, 'No, no, no. We want you to go do it again. Do this.' So we went out and we did it again and we came back and they go, 'No, we still want you to go and do this.'"
He felt weird about being forced to do it again and again, but that's the benefit of having taped shows.
"So I remember running out there for the third time and looking at the people and I was just like, 'I don’t know…' And you have to act like it's for the first time, whatever and it feels weird and is weird, but there are production ways to go around this and make it look like it's brand-new for the first time and it's whatever." (h/t Post Wrestling)
Kassius Ohno never got to win the NXT Championship during his two runs with WWE. He was released again in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and has not wrestled since.
Kassius Ohno has not wrestled since WWE release
Kassius Ohno was released by WWE for the second time in April 2020 at the start of the pandemic. Ohno has not wrestled for any promotion since then, and some fans are wondering if he has retired.
In an appearance on the Grapsody podcast earlier this month, Ohno confirmed that he's not retired but is currently inactive.
"If I was retired there would have been some kind of a celebration, a ceremony, a festival," Ohno said. "A week-long, month-long thing. I'm not retired. I'm currently inactive. ... I just can't stay away from wrestling in any way." (h/t Wrestling Inc.)
At the age of 43 years old, Ohno has been in the wrestling business since 1998. He currently works as a matchmaker for West Coast Pro Wrestling in Salem, Oregon.
What's your favorite Kassius Ohno moment during his run with WWE? Share your answers in the comments section below.
