Karrion Kross Claims Fan Support Was Treated Like A Problem After WWE Exit

Karrion Kross has opened up in a big way following his WWE contract expiration on August 10, becoming a free agent and leaving fans wondering where he’ll end up next.

The former NXT Champion says the organic support he’s built over the past year was not only overlooked by WWE, but in some cases treated as if it was an issue. Kross recalled how the fan reactions began to build early in 2025, both online and in arenas, even with limited TV time. He said not everyone was willing to acknowledge the groundswell.

“I remember in the beginning some people were saying, ‘Hey, I wouldn’t take it seriously. It’s not going to last’ or ‘Let’s see if it’s for real when you go out there tonight or if it’s still there when we’re in a different city or state.’ When it was still there and it got louder and louder every week, that went away and it was, ‘We’re not really ready to fully embrace that.’ I was being told by certain people, ‘Don’t acknowledge it,’ which felt really wrong because having a connection with the audience, especially one like this, this doesn’t just come around for everybody.”

He stressed that the support didn’t happen overnight, but was the result of years of hard work.

“This is something that is happening because of what has happened over the last three years. We’re getting to a tipping point and it can be stated that it started because I punched through something and everyone saw what was on the other side of that. I don’t feel like we are all collectively going in the direction that the audience would like us to go in. That part doesn’t feel good.”

Kross admitted that the situation behind the scenes often left him frustrated.

“Things feel fucked. It’s impossible to ignore it. I don’t want people to feel like they are being ignored, and a lot of them do, which is why it’s getting louder. I knew this was going to happen. If we didn’t lean into what the audience was asking for and what they wanted to see, they’re going to get louder. Pretending it’s not there or convincing ourselves that it’s going to go away, it’s not.”

In the “The Killer” part two documentary, Kross is shown interacting with fans who want to see him featured more. He said some within WWE saw that as a threat rather than a positive.

“I’m building a relationship and having a relationship with the audience, sometimes, with certain people, to me, it feels like they’re treating it as if I’m being rebellious or that it’s a problem that this has happened. This should not feel that way. It should not be treated like it’s a problem. It makes it feel like you outperformed or got ahead of something that they didn’t think you would get ahead of and they don’t like that you have gotten ahead of it.”

Kross also revealed that he had to investigate his own merchandise success because the company wasn’t giving him answers.

“The merchandise, when it started to blow up, I had no idea until fans started pointing it out online. I go back to my points of contact and the company and ask them, ‘Is this true?’ They’re like, ‘We don’t know.’ How do you not know? I did some digging and I came to find out it is true. Karrion Kross became a top seller through fan engagement.”

He credited the online wrestling community for helping turn digital support into live arena reactions.

“Support online is different because a lot of the fans online are people that are in other states who couldn’t make it to the current state of the show, but they’ll be there next week when you show up to their town. It was the online community that put that merch up there… That support translated from online to in the building over time.”

Earlier this year, Kross finally got more TV time, working alongside AJ Styles in a feud with Logan Paul before moving into a storyline with Sami Zayn, leading to matches at WWE Night of Champions and SummerSlam. He believes ignoring the audience is one of the biggest mistakes any wrestling company can make.

“You can’t ignore the crowd in this business. You can try. It’s not going to be good in the end. You don’t want to make your audience feel like they are not part of this. You can’t tell them they are part of this and they are the universe and are so heavily involved in every aspect and then tell them certain subsections don’t matter… That pisses people off and turns people away.”

Now a free agent, Kross’ future is wide open. Wherever he lands next, his message is clear — the crowd’s reaction isn’t something to hide, it’s something to run with.

Karrion Kross has made it clear he’s ready for a new chapter and wants to work somewhere that values the connection he’s built with fans. The next company that lands him might be getting one of wrestling’s most underutilized stars — and one of its most loyal fan followings.