LA Knight Says He Has Surprise For Ted Dibiase On NXT
New Million Dollar Champion LA Knight joined Busted Open Radio to talk about his victory over Cameron Grimes at NXT TakeOver: In Your House. Knight captured the Million Dollar Championship over Grimes in a ladder match, and he reflected a bit on his journey to winning the title.
"It's been such a long crazy journey that I think about, as a kid, watching the Million Dollar Man run around with that belt," Knight said. "Like, it's next level. And here's a guy that I'm talking to right now (Tommy Dreamer), who actually booked me my first extra spot, where I had a dark match in 2006 for the first time. We're talking long, long, long journey to get to where we are. So personally, as banged up and beat up as I'm feeling from last night, I'm feeling pretty damn amazing."
The title was brought back by WWE Hall of Famer Ted Dibiase, who has appeared on NXT frequently over the past month. Knight said Dibiase would be sticking around and indicated he had a big surprise for the Million Dollar Man.
"Ted's still going to be around," Knight revealed. "I need him, I want him to be there. I think I have a pretty big surprise coming for him, because I owe him, big time at this point. So I definitely want to make sure that he's around for sure."
Over the years the Million Dollar Championship has only been held by five people; Dibiase, Virgil, Steve Austin, Ted Dibiase Jr. and now Knight. The lack of champions makes the belt feel more prestigious to Knight, and he feels it will only continue to grow being on a program he feels is the best wrestling show on TV today.
"100%," Knight said. "You talk about a belt with such a short list of names who held the thing. So to me, for a thirty year history with a belt that has such a short list, that makes it so much more prestigious. It puts it on another level, and I think this is the first time it's been fought for on such a level. A ladder match, something like that. Such a special occasion.
"You know, I don't want to sound like I'm here brown nosing, doing the company thing. But I mean, if I'm honest, I think NXT's gotta be, I'm going to say probably the best wrestling show on TV right now. And I think that's because there's a little bit of something for everybody. Just the different creative juices that are getting moving and just the way things work on that show. It's next level."
Knight talked further on the Million Dollar Championship. He said holding it would not deter him from chasing either the NXT or North American Championships, but in some ways he considers his title to be the most prestigious of the three.
"You're talking about an iconic piece of this whole business," Knight said. "Anybody who's watched in the last thirty years knows that thing, and it's such like, it spurns excitement from anybody that sees it. I feel like it's created a new importance for the title, because it's one of the first times its been fought for. Usually it's been assigned to somebody or (someone) was chosen as champion or whatever. But we actually had to make that climb up that ladder and grab it. Instead of grabbing the brass ring we grabbed the gold belt.
"I don't know man. There's so many places we can go with it now, because everybody's aiming for the North American Title. Hell I still want it. Everybody's aiming for the NXT Title, I still want that. But at the same time, it's like, in a certain way I almost say this might be the most prestigious title walking the streets right now."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Busted Open Radio and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription