The energy inside the Mid-Hudson Civic Center was electric for ACW Aftershock, but the atmosphere shifted the moment the lights went out and the familiar silhouette of Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux appeared. In a main event that pushed all three competitors to the brink, Kross emerged victorious over Richard Holliday and Mike Santana to become the new ACW World Champion.
Moments after the bell, The Stunner caught up with Kross backstage. For the New York state native, this title win was a homecoming.
A New York State of Mind
Despite being billed from Las Vegas, Kross was quick to remind the audience that his roots are firmly planted in the Empire State. Winning the gold at the MJN Center brought his journey full circle, back to the culture that raised him.
“I got a very sentimental history with this building and the people of New York,” Kross told The Stunner. “You know, I’m billed out of Sin City, Las Vegas, Nevada, because I got my break there and I lived there for a long time. But really, I was born and raised in Rockland County, New York. I was a New York State kid and periodically lived in the city, and my roots are here. And it’s like, it’s an old funny saying, you know, anywhere we go, we always meet people from the Northeast or New England area or anywhere in New York or whatnot. It’s like you could take the kid out of New York, but you can’t take the New York out of the kid. And it’s just nice to be home and among a culture I grew up in. It feels really good.”
The WWE Exit: Art vs. Professionalism
Kross has recently become a free agent after a high-profile stint with WWE, and he didn’t hold back when discussing the transition from a global corporate machine back to the gritty reality of the independent scene. He offered a candid look at the “panic” that often sets in when wrestlers leave the major leagues.
“It’s crazy how things line up. You know, most people they have like a panic attack when they leave WWE. You know, I’ll be real with you. I’ll be straight with you. People freak out. It’s the most money a lot of pro wrestlers have ever seen in their lives. But something can happen when you work for any major organization where if the business is with somebody else you got to take a backseat and so does your love for this. You have to be a professional before you’re an artist. But out here on the independents that’s not the case. The best professional wrestling you will see will come from the heart.”
For Kross, the ACW environment provides a level of creative freedom that he felt was lacking behind the scenes in his previous stops.
“It means everything, you know, like having the opportunity to go out there without, you know, strange things happening behind the scenes of people trying to cut your legs out and just be the competitor that the audience wants to see you be. It’s what brings us all alive in the ring and you know it brings us to life and I just this is going to be one I’m going to remember forever for all of the reasons in my life.”
The Beautiful Cycle of the Ring
Perhaps the most poignant moment of the night was Kross reflecting on his own childhood. Long before he was a “psychopathic killer” in the ring, he was just another kid in the Poughkeepsie crowd dreaming of the big time.
“I was thinking about that actually. It’s so funny you said that on the way here. I was a kid in that audience, you know, and there’s kids in that audience today that could have seen anybody in the ring tonight on that show that’s going to go back and tell their grandfather like I did, ‘Hey pop, I’m gonna grow up and be a pro wrestler. I’m gonna wrestle for you one day.’ That’s an amazing thing. You know, we keep the cycle going. It’s a beautiful thing.”
A Warning to the ACW Roster
While Kross was sentimental about his history, he was chillingly direct about his future. With Scarlett by his side, he made it clear that the “cockroaches” like Richard Holliday are in for a rough ride during this championship reign.
“I’m not afraid of any of you. And if you want this title, tuck your chin. You’re going to take the ride. You buy the ticket, you take the [f’n] ride. So, get ready. Doomsday’s right on your head.”
The era of Killer Kross in ACW has officially begun. If the locker room was looking for a hero, they may want to look elsewhere; the “Killer” is home, and he isn’t looking for friends.
