LA Knight has been one of WWE’s fastest-rising stars in recent years, but even he had concerns about losing momentum when CM Punk and Randy Orton made their high-profile returns at Survivor Series 2023.
While speaking to The Metro, Knight admitted that he initially worried about fading into the background after Punk and Orton’s comebacks, fearing WWE’s attention would shift away from him.
“Randy comes back, CM Punk comes back. And I’m like, ‘Alright, well, now the perception is going to be, I got defeated, now these guys are here, so now I fade.’ And I think a lot of people [had] kind of taken that stance for a moment.”
Coming from years on the independent scene and working for various promotions before his WWE breakout, Knight explained that he’s always felt the need to watch over his shoulder, expecting the rug to be pulled out from under him at any moment.
“I think for years and years of being on the independents and different companies and whatnot, you just get used to kind of looking over your shoulder and just thinking, ‘Alright, at any point somebody’s gonna try and pull the carpet out from under me.’”
However, despite his concerns, Knight noted that his momentum rebounded quickly, citing key milestones like his Royal Rumble performance, WrestleMania appearance, and a show-stealing match with Logan Paul at SummerSlam.
“Along came the Royal Rumble, and then beyond that, then came WrestleMania. And then from there, it was like, okay, now we’re getting to this fever pitch again. We get to SummerSlam, me and Logan Paul, and the place blew the roof off. So yeah, it was always going to be ebbs and flows and little peaks and valleys and stuff like that.”
Despite his initial concerns, LA Knight has remained a top-tier fan favorite, consistently delivering memorable performances and receiving massive crowd reactions. His ability to stay relevant even with CM Punk and Randy Orton in the mix speaks volumes about his staying power in WWE.
With WrestleMania 41 on the horizon, all eyes are on Knight to see what’s next for one of WWE’s hottest superstars.
