Karrion Kross criticizes wrestling's overcommercialization during interview

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Since TKO took control of WWE, programming for the promotion has been flooded with constant advertisements, from incessant commercial breaks to corporate logos being plastered on nearly every conceivable surface. AEW, TNA, and other companies certainly aren’t immune to this tendency either. Killer Kross, better known as Karrion Kross to WWE fans, recently spoke out against this excessive branding, saying he doesn’t “like the direction that wrestling is going in with cutting down so much time in the program away from the actual wrestling and stories.” Kross, the current MLW World Champion, made these remarks during a Thursday (September 24) appearance on 11Alive, an NBC affiliate in Atlanta, to promote an MLW event on October 3. He got on the topic after reporter Joe Ripley asked him “who’s somebody you look at today that you think can take the torch and run with it to lead pro wrestling into the future?” “It’s a complicated question, if I’m answering honestly. I can give you a headline response, and it would be completely unauthentic of what I actually believe,” Kross began. “The problem I’m seeing right now is wrestling has always been sort of like a reflection, sort of a social commentary of what’s going on socially in the world.” He continued, “It’s always been that way, like a lot of what we see in the programming is a reflection of what’s going on in society. So, to say who right now could carry it into the future, I don’t know what the future is going to look like. “So far, I actually don’t like the direction. Sorry, I don’t like the direction wrestling is going in with cutting down so much time in the program away from the actual wrestling and the stories.” Kross then said that “if you go to Broadway, or you go to theater, you want to watch the show, and you want to be immersed in it. Constantly blasting you with advertisements, and even after a match, they’re dropping commercials and advertisements and stuff like that — I don’t like that.” The former WWE NXT Champion added: “I understand that there’s revenue to be generated, but treating the airtime for wrestling like it’s real estate time for other stuff to generate revenue…I understand the business practice of it, but I don’t like it.” “So, when you ask me who’s going lead us into that, it could be anybody. What does it matter?” Kross said in concluding his thoughts on the topic. If it’s pure pro wrestling, the pure pro wrestlers will be able to do that.” What do you think of Kross’ evaluation of wrestling TV today? Let us know in the comments.