15 Things WWE Fans Should Know About LA Knight
Emily Bell Read update
- With WWE finally getting behind the LA Knight train, it has led to a surge in popularity for the veteran, who has been on fire in 2023. With the record books now reading that he’s had a match for the biggest prize in sports entertainment on PPV - the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship - it is safe to say that he has “made it” in the business. Knight’s fanbase grew a whole lot this year, and that has led to more fans wanting to know more about him. With a multi-year career spanning different promotions, there is certainly a whole lot to know about LA Knight, YEAH.
LA Knight is now one of the hottest names on the main roster, shedding his old Maximum Male Models character last year to bring back "LA Knight" in a move that was met with a lot of love from fans. He is somebody that certain wrestling fans will be aware of from his work over the years, but many have only just learned who he is in the last couple of years.
RELATED: 14 Things You Should Know About WWE's Deal With Saudi Arabia
Whether it be elements of his in-ring career or achievements that Knight has made outside of the business, there is plenty to learn about WWE's main roster star. Knight has a lot of potential, but it still remains to be seen how far he will go, and fans being able to learn more about him will only help his growth.
UPDATE: 2023/11/04 14:30 EST BY ANDREW KELLY
With WWE finally getting behind the LA Knight train, it has led to a surge in popularity for the veteran, who has been on fire in 2023. With the record books now reading that he’s had a match for the biggest prize in sports entertainment on PPV - the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship - it is safe to say that he has “made it” in the business. Knight’s fanbase grew a whole lot this year, and that has led to more fans wanting to know more about him. With a multi-year career spanning different promotions, there is certainly a whole lot to know about LA Knight, YEAH.
15 The Max Dupri Gimmick
Despite a strong run in NXT, Vince McMahon wanted to change LA Knight. Therefore, he was repackaged and debuted on the roster as “Max Dupri”, leader of the Maximum Male Models.
Like any other role he’s had over the course of his career, he put his all into that character, but in the end fans persisted in wanting to see the real LA Knight, and when Triple H took over creative, the Max Dupri gimmick was brought to a welcome end.
14 Previously Been Face To Face With The Rock
LA Knight has been handed a lot of comparisons to the stars of WWE’s Attitude Era with his type of charisma and mic work, and one of the biggest comparisons handed to him is The Rock. It may come as a shock but LA Knight has actually been face to face with The Rock, though not in a wrestling capacity.
The Rock hosted a reality TV show back in 2013 called The Hero, and LA Knight was a participant on it. He didn’t win though, and was eliminated first in the show.
13 Shoes Of A Champion
If WWE fans love the mic work of LA Knight now, then his “shoes of a champion” promo back in the NWA is a must-watch. On NWA Power, Knight cut an intoxicated promo and it was brilliant.
He somehow managed to pull off a great promo despite clearly not being all there, and it was iconic. He would utter the legendary phrase of “shoes of a champion” in this interview.
12 Wrestled Bray Wyatt’s Last Ever Match
The professional wrestling world was rocked with the loss of Bray Wyatt in 2023, and he left a lasting legacy on the business for sure. LA Knight had the unfortunate yet special privilege of competing in Bray Wyatt’s final ever match and feud.
The pair fought multiple times on the house show circuit and at the Royal Rumble event in 2023. Knight would offer out a lovely tribute to Wyatt on the SmackDown after his passing too.
11 Top Merchandise Seller
There aren’t a whole load of wrestlers who can say that they’ve been a top merchandise seller in WWE, especially with the likes of Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, John Cena, and Seth Rollins competing in the company in 2023, but LA Knight is in among them.
RELATED: Arianna Grace: 10 Things WWE Fans Should Know About This NXT Star
Wrestlenomics revealed that even in October of this year, LA Knight was number one on WWE’s merchandise list - a list he’s dominated time and time again this year.
10 His NXT Run
While a large number of wrestling fans watch all of WWE's products, including the developmental brand, some people will not be aware of the fact that LA Knight originally started in NXT. This wasn't under the Dupri character that he debuted on the main roster with, as he worked as LA Knight during this period.
Knight was a popular member of the roster, working as both a babyface and a heel throughout his stint on the roster where he showcased his promo skills and in-ring abilities to become a top star and earn his place on the main roster.
9 Former Million Dollar Champion
The Million Dollar Championship is one that a lot of fans will have likely forgotten about, but WWE did bring it back in NXT during LA Knight's storyline with Cameron Grimes. The Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase made his return to WWE during this time, and he brought the title with him.
This led to it being reintroduced to the company, and this was a period where Knight was able to win the title, enjoying a 70-day reign with the belt. It was a big opportunity for him to prove himself, and that is exactly what he did during this time, which is his only title run in WWE to date.
8 Video Game Voice Work
LA Knight wasn't a playable character in 2K22, but he can be found in the full version of the game, as he is the voice of Paragon Jay Pierce, who is a character in the 'My Rise' mode of the company.
This is something a lot of people wouldn't know about him, but it is something that showcases his promo skills, because clearly 2K and WWE knew he would be good enough to take on this role and bring the character to life.
7 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Appearance
A lot of wrestlers have gone into the acting world over the years, with the likes of The Rock, Batista, and John Cena all making a big splash in movies and television. That has opened the door for many others in the business, and that includes LA Knight, who was previously on an episode of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."
RELATED: 10 Things WWE Fans Should Know About Nick Aldis
He is involved in just one episode from the second season of the show where he plays a non-speaking role of a bodybuilder, which tapped into his physique. During the episode his character gets married inside the gym, pushing his love of working out.
6 Former NWA Tag Team Champion
LA Knight has showcased his qualities on the microphone on SmackDown, but he has also achieved a lot before he ever reached WWE. One iconic promotion that he was able to work for was the NWA, and during that time he managed to capture the NWA Tag Team Championships.
He got the chance to work alongside a legendary name in tag team wrestling, James Storm, who is best known for being one half of Beer Money. Together, the two of them held the titles, and they were able to make a name for themselves with their promo and in-ring work.
5 He Had A Previous WWE Run
LA Knight might seem like a fresh face on the WWE roster compared to most, which is true due to this being his first time on the main roster, but this is actually his second time with the company. Knight previously worked for WWE back in 2013-2014, being part of the developmental system.
He did get some opportunities in NXT at that point, working under the name of Slate Randall, but ultimately he wasn't able to make a success of that run at the time, and he and WWE ultimately parted ways.
4 Working As An Extra
When wrestlers are trying to break into WWE, a lot of the time they are given opportunities to prove themselves by taking on extra work. This has seen countless top names appear in different segments in a variety of roles, and LA Knight has also been in one of these previously.
He took on the role of a security guard, which is a common one for WWE to put wrestlers in, and Knight was part of a classic segment. He was security on the night CM Punk and Kevin Nash went back and forth in a promo segment, which was a hilarious one.
3 Hijo de Trump
LA Knight is a wrestler that has had a variety of different gimmicks throughout his career, and the majority of them have been the classic style characters that are seen as reasonable in the wrestling world. But one that ended up being a little more controversial is when he became Hijo del Trump.
This was all about him pretending to be an illegitimate child of Donald Trump's, and it saw him dress up as him inside the ring by wearing a wig and putting on a lot of fake tan.
2 Issues With Bill DeMott
Bill DeMott was the head trainer at the Performance Center for WWE's developmental system during the time that LA Knight was first with the company, and he was a big reason for why he ended up leaving. DeMott ended up being fired from this position due to the mistreatment of the people he was training.
RELATED: 14 Things You Didn't Know About WWE's Announcer Samantha Irvin
That is something that Knight suffered from, and he has been open about the fact that the two of them didn't get along during his time learning as a young wrestler, which proves how big the problems were.
1 A Former World Champion
LA Knight is a proven star, turning more and more heads in WWE. When it comes to main event level success, his best work ended up taking place at Impact Wrestling.
He was pushed as a top-level star, and that saw him win the Impact World Championship, adding his name to the strong legacy of former champions that have held the title over the years.