In a parallel universe, LA Knight has been at the top of WWE for over a decade having sparkled in NXT. However, things didn’t quite work out that way.
After a couple of cameos, Knight signed with WWE in 2013 but lasted only a year before being released amidst reports of issues with Head Coach Bill DeMott. The WCW veteran and coach left WWE in 2015 following allegations of abuse and backlash against his training methods.
With Knight already gone from the company, he carved himself a career in the independent scene and with IMPACT Wrestling. This success eventually lead him back to WWE.
During a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, Knight addressed his “professional issue” with WWE’s Head Coach in 2013, although he didn’t mention DeMott by name. The SmackDown star said that when everything settled down there was talk of him coming back to WWE, although it took a few years to come to fruition.
“Well, because when I got let go the first time it wasn’t because of talent issue. And that was made very clear to me. It was very much a professional issue. There was a perception with me and the head coach at the time and the way that things were going were not good. Because I was poking the bear because things that were happening and the way things were going.
Well, eventually he was out, and then I was kind of floating around the ether here. And I had run into some people and they were like, ‘hey, what do you think about coming back?’ I said I’d love to come back. And the only issue was, since leaving with heat, I was kind of given the same offer I had the first time around, and I was making more money where I was. So I was like I’m gonna stay here for a year to hang on to this. And so I did, and for the immediate future, that was probably the best move, long term, not the best move.
I quickly hit the ceiling financially, professionally, whatever where I was, and at some point it was like ‘I’m gonna have to take this short term downgrade in pay, because even though I’m making more here, I’m stuck’. But if I take this downgrade here, eventually I can be well above here.”
LA Knight Turned WWE Down Three Times
With regard to returning to WWE, LA Knight was approached while he was working with IMPACT Wrestling and had become one of the biggest stars in the company. Speaking elsewhere, Knight revealed that he actually turned down WWE three times, as they were offering less than he was making with IMPACT.
Although after realising he wasn’t going to go further than he had with the company, he approached WWE, a move which lead to his return in 2021.
If you use any of the quotes from this article please credit the original source with a h/t and link back to Inside The Ropes.