Karion Kross is one of the most well-traveled members of the WWE roster. He made a name for himself on the indies and in Mexico. He expanded his resume competing for Lucha Underground and Impact Wrestling, and it helped him eventually land a spot in NXT. There, he was the last dominant champion when Triple H was still running the brand.
That is why he will surely draw a lot of interest on the open market. On Monday, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful reported that Kross’s WWE contract ends this year. He has done some good work over the last six months but is still being used on a limited basis. While Sapp did not reveal when his deal ends, if he does decide to take his talents to the next best North American companies, AEW and TNA Wrestling, we look at five perfect rivals for him.
Joe Hendry
Joe Hendry is the new face of TNA. The Scottish star has done an excellent job of turning himself into a notable star outside of WWE. If he wants to take his fame and TNA to new levels, he needs meaningful bad guys to face. Kross could be a great long-term rival for Hendry. He is an imposing figure physically and verbally and could bring the best out of Hendry.
Swerve Strickland
Swerve Strickland is one of AEW’s greatest success stories. After being cut by WWE a few years ago, he has worked his way up from the very bottom of the company to become one of its top stars. However, as a performer who has been around for quite a few years, he is running out of fresh opponents. Kross could be that and then some for the former AEW champion.
Cope
Adam Copeland, AKA Edge, is in the twilight of his career. As a legend of the sport that has been around for decades, finding him new and worthy competition can be difficult. That is why he would be a perfect rival for Karrion Kross. It would be the most high-profile feud of Kross’s career and would give Cope a good match in and out of the ring. It could be a chance to pass the torch to the 39-year-old star and make him a centerpiece of AEW’s future.
Kazuchika Okada
During his notable career, Kross did not compete in NJPW. Despite seeming like a perfect fit for their style of wrestling. Well, in AEW, he would be able to face several NJPW greats, including the GOAT, Kazuchika Okada. Kross versus “The Rainmaker” would be something wrestling fans have not seen and could end up delivering some really entertaining and hard-hitting matches.
Moose
Moose is one of Impact and TNA Wrestling’s true legends. While the rivalries on this list are all new, revisiting Moose and Kross would appeal to many long-time Impact/TNA fans. They feuded years ago when he was Killer Cross, however, both are very different men now. So it would be rekindling an old favorite but in a very new way.
