Lexis King has commented on no longer being known as Brian Pillman Jr.
In late 2023 it was announced that Brian Pillman Jr. would be departing AEW as his contract was not going to be renewed by the promotion. Rumours then began to circulate that Pillman Jr. would be the next name to jump ship from AEW to WWE following the news that Jade Cargill had also signed with the sports entertainment titan back in September.
Although Cargill was brought into the company in a big way and was also allowed to keep the name she made famous in AEW, Pillman Jr’s introduction to WWE fans would be very different. Confirming he would debut on NXT, vignettes began airing that referenced Brian Pillman Sr. As the weeks went on, a report surfaced stating that Brian Pillman Jr. would be introduced to fans as Lexis King.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, King confirmed that there were talks that stated that he was unable to keep his AEW name but had no issues with that, wanting to create his own legacy:
“I don’t want to get into the details. But when I first got there, everything was just Brian Pillman, Jr, yada, yada, yada. And then I had some talks, they gave me the whole, you know, we can’t keep your name kind of talk. And I thought, well I don’t want to make it seem like that’s a bad thing. Honestly, I’ve always sort of fantasised about having my own wrestler name.
Because my whole career I’ve had his name. My whole life I’ve had someone else’s name I’ve been I’ve been walking around for 30 years with someone else’s name. Brian Pillman is a name that my father made. He made that name on his own. There’s not much I can add to it.”
Later in the interview, King was asked about being compared to his father and how it affected The Loose Cannon’s legacy. King stated that him keeping the name was causing a negative impact and that he was on board with the name change as it would be a greater benefit for him creatively:
“I got to the point where I felt like I was sort of subtracting from it. I was sort of drawing away from his legacy because I am using his name and I was tired of being compared and everything. So it’s like, as much as it was the company’s initial push for that, I was already kind of on board with that. I was excited for that and I wanted that to happen. I had people telling me no, don’t let them change your name, you want to keep all the intellectual yada yada, I thought, You know what, screw it. I’m not gonna try to swim upstream.
I’m gonna go with the flow. I’m gonna go with what the company wants. I’m gonna put the company first and foremost, and if this is how we can not only benefit me by rebranding me and giving me a whole new identity to work with. But also, it shows the creative capacity for the company to work with its performers and build brand new [stars]. Sure, they could have just said, Alright, he’s Pillman, Jr. and we play the clips of my dad playing football. But then it’s like, where do we go from there?
But with Lexis King, we have so many places that we can go and explore my true personality, which is not my father’s because he didn’t raise me. And we have this sort of dark story where I am the son of my stepfather, right? Like, he influenced me, he raised me all by terribly, he abused me and neglected me. But that’s what makes me a King. Right?
I am a King because I was raised and influenced by that man. And whether that means I have certain habits or tendencies that a guy like him would have and that’s who I am. I’m a lot less of a Pillman, was more of a Pillman if my father was around, but he isn’t. So internally, I am a King, I am Lexis King.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Lexis King recalled valuable advice he received from John Cena at the WWE Performance Center.
Lexis King Unsuccessful In Memorable Main Event Match
Lexis King challenged then NXT North American Champion Dragon Lee on the January 9th broadcast. Although Dragon Lee would retain the title against King, Oba Femi would cash in his opportunity on Lee after the bell, starting the year off with a shock title change.
Also during the interview, the NXT star named Cody Rhodes as a future dream opponent.
In a new update, Brian Pillman’s estate has announced a new partnership with WWE.
If you use any quotes from this article please credit Chris Van Vliet and leave a h/t to Inside The Ropes.