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On Tuesday nights, there's at least one surefire star in the house on NXT... LA Knight.
Knight, formerly known by the ring name Eli Drake, is a veteran of nearly 20 years in professional wrestling and has accomplished quite a bit in his career before signing with WWE last year. He's a former IMPACT Wrestling World Champion and has won numerous regional and independent titles. At 39, he's much more polished and mature than many of his younger contemporaries in NXT.
He had been with WWE before, in the early 2010s, but nothing came of it. So, in essence, this return to the ranks of the company is sort of cathartic for him. It's a chance to prove that, before it's all said and done, he deserves one more shot with The Biggest Sports Entertainment Company in the World.
As LA Knight, he controls the crowd and rules the room.
Few performers can match Knight's delivery and energy on the microphone. The crowd not only chants his name as he gets ready to deliver a promo, but they also recite it along with him when he talks in third person. He can literally hold their attention with his clear and concise speech and the excitability of him punctuating certain sentences with his signature, "YEAH!"
He has an air of crassness mixed with coolness. And it doesn't hurt that he has Hollywood looks and a little bit of swagger. It's a great mix of confidence and arrogance.
He just has that "it" factor. LA Knight could fill the bill if you were casting a movie and needed someone to play a smart-mouthed cop or a cocky fighter pilot. He's got the pretty boy look with the tongue of a serpent, and it works perfectly to bring his character all together.
In many ways, Knight has a lot of the same traits as The Rock, but obviously not at the same level. However, he's done enough, and proved enough, at the NXT level that it's probably about time to move him up to either RAW or SmackDown.
The former Impact Global Champion is playing in the afternoon matinee right now, but it's time to move him up to a prime-time showing. Let the reels roll and pass the popcorn. There's a star in our midst, and he just happens to be in NXT. At least for now.
Do you think LA Knight should be promoted to WWE's main roster? Share your thoughts and opinons in the comments section below.
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