Killer Kross put his endurance to the test in Battle Riot VIII where he won the MLW Heavyweight Championship. He stood as the sole survivor in the 40-man match during the event taped in Kissimmee, Florida on January 29. The 40-year-old prepared for the night by restricting calories and increasing water and electrolytes, as well as focusing on cardio by hiking, climbing, and running. He spent the first two weeks of January in Africa, traveling through Ethiopia. The time in the mountains made all the difference.
His latest achievement meant even more knowing his mom, who overcame cancer, was in attendance. Adding to the special evening was the fact that mom didn't know the main event result.
She knew nothing," Kross recalled. "This was the first time she saw me perform live since she finished her treatments. For people who don't know when you're going through cancer treatments your immune system is compromised, so you can't be around a lot of big groups of people. You kind of have to hunker down and protect yourself. She really didn't know what was going to be happening. She just knew the aspects of the match and what the performance was going to be about and all the stakes involved. But she knew nothing."
The former WWE superstar has been in demand, given his strong connection to fans. He sat down with MLW before coming back about how things would potentially go. Those conversations went well.
I thought they were sensible," Kross said. "I thought they were fair. I thought they were a challenge. I enjoy challenging performances. I'm not looking for an easy road. I'm not looking to roll in and rest on my laurels and reap the benefits. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that at all. Dues are dues, but I really miss challenging performances. I want to be challenged out there because that resonates with the audience. If everything is a breeze, there are benefits to that. You probably physically feel better. Things being easy and clearing good money is a dream scenario for most people in life, but I'm just different.
"I like being challenged. I feel like when you accomplish those challenges, the reward is that much sweeter and more real when there is skin in the game and something on a line, I think that's the component that makes a wrestling show really special for people to watch because they know and are smartened up and know there is real shit going on here. Despite whatever their preconceived notions are about pro wrestling, they can feel when someone has to show up and you're not able to roll in on cruise control. There will be some shit involved here. That night is what it felt like for me. That's what it was all about."
Kross has always enjoyed the MLW locker room, but he felt even more so now with numerous veterans. He sees this as elevating the product.
People who know who they are in the ring. People who understand different market audiences. People who understand what the business should be beyond what is just on the paper given to them, for the betterment of the audience. In my opinion, we're lucky to have who we have. This is a solid roster," Kross concluded.
Among those new names that have entered the mix is Kross' wife Scarlett Bordeaux. A veteran in her own right, the "Smoke Show" has been getting more time to shine.
When she went to WWE there was a long period people were just being introduced to her for the first time," Kross said. "They had no access to Telemundo or were familiar with the Latin American countries airing or promoting AAA. A lot of people didn't even know she was a wrestler. She wasn't presented as a wrestler, only occasionally. The moments she was given on TV were very small, so nobody could see her go.
"Now in MLW she is being given matches where people can actually see what she can do. Her original fan base that has followed her everywhere for almost 15 years are like finally. Everyone wins. I think MLW giving her the ability and time to perform not only is good for her because she is having fun and scratching that itch, but I feel the fans are being rewarded and feel that people who haven't seen her perform are getting something new, fresh and special."
Kross can see a bright future for MLW. One where the promotion has the potential to find itself with a new TV platform.
MLW has the type of roster and internal team that in my opinion can produce something episodically every week," he said. "I absolutely believe that. I know there is such a thing as wrestling fatigue. If there are too many options, people aren't going to watch this, that, and the other thing. But in respect to that, MLW is a very strong alternative to what a lot of people are able to see on television. So if they are watching something and feel it's the same thing over and over again, MLW will give you something different.
They are aiming to give you something different. They are not looking to do a copy paste of things they've previously done. They are looking to refresh things and make things exciting and perhaps do the things other places are not able to do. I think in terms of television distribution and things, respectively, I'm not in those conversations. At one point, if we do cross that bridge I'd love to be in those meetings and be able to talk to them. I feel like the time I've been able to have independently and the elbows I've been able to rub up against being a free agent independent, I've learned a lot of the mechanics of all that. I think I can be a value in those conversations…
