New WWE NXT Champion Karrion Kross recently spoke with ESPN’s Marc Raimondi and said he does not believe he will miss any significant time from the ring due to the separated shoulder he suffered on Saturday night at “Takeover: XXX” in the main event title win over Keith Lee.
As noted, WWE confirmed that Kross suffered a “separated acromioclavicular joint” and will be undergoing a MRI on Monday to get a better idea of the severity of the injury. Kross confirmed that the injury is to his right shoulder. He commented on Monday’s MRI and reiterated what Triple H said in his post-Takeover media call – this is not ballet.
“I will get the professional, educated opinion on what the severity of it is,” Kross told Raimondi. “But it’s definitely separated. I won’t beat around the bush about that. As the saying goes, it’s not ballet.
“I feel mixed emotions right now. The whole situation is very bittersweet. I think from a natural place, I’m always a very motivated individual. I’m a solution-based thinker, rather than a pity-based thinker.”
Kross said he felt the pain immediately, revealing that the injury occurred when Lee hit him with a clothesline near the ropes. Kross’ right shoulder took the brunt of Lee’s 300-pound momentum.
“It felt like a choir of demons screaming inside my shoulder in unison,” Kross said.
Kross is already researching ways he can begin rehabbing the shoulder. He also commented on how he still does have some range of motion.
“From my point of view, no,” Kross said when asked if he thinks he’ll be out for a significant period time. “[Due to] how I feel and what I’ve heard, I don’t know. I’m very intuitive with my body.
“And the range of emotion that I have right now, while it’s not what I would like it to be, for me personally, it would indicate to me that I’m going to get be able to get through this without any sort of extreme measures, so to speak. In my opinion, today.”
Kross said fighting through the shoulder pain was his way to “prove who I am,” he said, acknowledging that in everyone is trying to tell, and sell, others on who they are in the world of pro wrestling. Kross said he believes this was his chance to show that everything he has been saying about himself was true.
“Whatever is going on with my shoulder is not as important to me as proving right now to every single person that I work with, every single person that’s taken time or equity out of their careers to elevate me, that I’m worth a shit,” Kross said. “And I’m gonna finish this strong, no matter how severe this is. This is the time where people see who you really are. Because nobody could do anything for you right now. You have to stand up on your own two feet and show your worth.
“There are times in life where something happens and now it’s time to prove all of those things that you said. That was my calling [Saturday] night. That moment for me was [Saturday] night. It didn’t happen at a time where it was convenient. It happened in literally the most important match of my career on probably the most important day of my life occupationally.”
Stay tuned for updates on Kross’ status.
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