Killer Kross has a Simple Plan for Success in the MLW Tubi Era [Exclusive]

MLW premiered on Tubi last week with it's flagship Fusion show on Thursday night. This week, the company will present Fightland on Tubi and the MLW World Champion, Killer Kross, is ready to lead.

Kross also has a simple plan on how to be successful.

In an exclusive interview with The Takedown on SI ahead of Fightland on Thursday night, Kross spoke openly on the responsibility he shouldered while leading the company into the Tubi era as the world champion. Kross talked about the business of MLW on Tubi, creative expectations, and much more.

"It’s an honor," Kross said on leading MLW onto Tubi as the champion. "I’ve always thought this, even long before wrestling, even when I was a kid. Maybe it was growing up in martial arts. I feel like pressure is a privilege, because you never really know what you’re made of. You never really know what you can handle until you start actually going through it.

"You can tell anybody a story about what you did, what you plan to do, and what not. But until that stuff actually starts happening, it’s all just in your head. It’s a fugazi. But when pressure comes along, I’ve always been attracted to that, and the pressure’s been on, man."

Killer Kross has a simple plan for MLW on Tubi success

Kross praised the MLW and Tubi deal and said it will help accomplish their goal of being accessible to more wrestling fans. Tubi is a worldwide platform that will greatly enhance the viewership footprint. Kross also hyped the fact that the streaming service is free and won't add any extra financial pressure to potential fans.

How does Kross make sure he and the company succeeds in the new era? Simple. Just put on good wrestling shows.

"The way I think about this whole thing is: the absolute best thing I can do for MLW is the best thing I can do for the fans, and the best thing I can do for the fans is to show up and perform as the guy they’ve always wanted to see," Kross said. "I just take that approach. I get the creative, we talk about it, whatever they want, I run the play.

"The best way I can help MLW get to whatever Court Bauer’s vision of MLW will be is by showing up and doing the best job I possibly can. That’s really what he wants me to do. I think that’s what fans want me to do. And beyond that, wherever MLW goes, I feel like they can take the best work I can give and do something with it."

Getting MLW on Tubi was a long, long road

The road to MLW on Tubi has been a long one for the company. Years ago the company had a path to streaming on the platform, but outside interference from WWE prevented the move from happening. MLW sued WWE because of that interference and WWE forced to pay millions of dollars.

As a former WWE Superstar, Kross had heard rumblings of the situation while with the company, but didn't know details. Kross said that was by design, but that WWE paid a steep price.

"I had heard about all of that going on a really long time ago, and my general stance, like in all things in life, is to not ask questions about anything that’s not my business," Kross said. "And the culture I grew up in, whether it still exists or not, is be careful what kind of questions you ask. As the articles were published, I read about it. I never wanted to be the guy in the room who everyone knows, knows everything.

"Imagine being the guy in the company who just cost them $20 million. I wonder if he’s still there. Or she, whoever it is. What a massive misstep. Yeah, there are rules of engagement in war and whatever, but boy, that was a giant misstep."

MLW Fightland airs Thursday on Tubi

As for Fightland on Thursday, Kross is set to team with Josh Bishop in a tag team match against Austin Aries and Mistico. It's the perfect microcosm of MLW all wrapped up in one match. Different talents, different styles, and a crowd certainly ready to react an in an uncertain way. It's the type of chaos that Kross says he loves.

"I kind of love it," Kross said. "I lean into the chaos of things. The more energy that goes into a room for a wrestling event, whether you feel like you can control it or not, it’s almost like surfing, or skiing, or snowboarding. You hop on the board or the skis and you just try to balance through it, and you’re going down the slope, or you’re riding a wave, and I love that. I love the uncertainty and the unpredictability of a scenario like that.

"Sure, you go in there with an intention to elicit a particular emotional response from the audience ... I love sometimes not knowing, especially in a scenario like this one coming up, which way the crowd’s going to be and where it’s going to go, because then, for me, it’s less of an orchestrated dance. It’s more improvisational."

Kross and WWE parted ways in August of last year. He left WWE after a SummerSlam match against Sami Zayn and after generating momentum for himself in the company due to a promo he cut during the weekend of WrestleMania 40.

That momentum sustained Kross' entry into the independent wrestling world again, but he ultimately credits the fans for helping him find success in a post-WWE world.

"(I'm not) surprised by the momentum, but I am surprised how hard people are still behind me, because sometimes there’s a fall-off. I think my situation is different from everybody else’s because of what was happening on my exit.

"I began to speak authentically on a lot of subjects that people weren’t willing to speak on, and it aligned with how fans felt and still feel today. Being the voice of that, and actually having the balls to say the things other people aren’t willing to say, I think that resonates with people. And I wouldn’t have it any other way, man."

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