These two have simply said f-ck it to WWE, and they are now firing indie promoters as though they are the main-eventing WM. Bold? Absolutely. Crazy? Maybe. Genius? We are going to see.
Well, here is the tea-Karrion Kross and his wife, Scarlett, had just dropped the mic on WWE and walked out the door like they are legends. No cap, the wrestling world is losing its mind over this entire situation, and to be frank? And I am to be there to watch every second.
When Thanks, But No Thanks was the hottest Wrestling Topic
Speaking real to it- no one expected this. One minute, Kross and Scarlett are WWE superstars, and the next, as their contracts have expired on the 10th of August, they are tweeting on social media, such as: peace out, we are now free agents. Here is where it gets hot,,t though. Supposedly, WWE gave them an agreement, and took that agreement away quicker than Shervin can say budget cuts. Ouch.
Let’s Talk History: Why Going Solar Is Not Really That Crazy
Before y’all go and call them crazy to leave the safety of WWE behind, let’s slow down and see how indie games have metamorphosed. In the What wild is they didn’t get bogged down with that usual 90-day no compete BS, which normally keeps wrestlers bound. Overnight, they had moved on out of the WWE roster into the realm of “hit us up and book us”. That is a next-level freedom right there, and trust me, they are not letting it go to waste. Dayy- you can kinda do that in the 70s, 80s- wrestlers would jump back and forth between territories with impunity. Nothing like being handcuffed by corporations, pure work.
Then there was the Monday Night Wars period, and men such as Mick Foley and Terry Funk proved to made a difference without sucking Vince McMahon off. Yet what is actually game-changing? Streaming and social media have been around since the 2010s.
Wrestlers suddenly had the fans directly, and had several avenues to make bank.
The playbook was written by Matt Cardona (yeah, the dink who was Zack Ryder) about this. Dude is now the biggest success story in the indie scene, who went from being buried on WWE TV. Even Bully Ray is out here advising Kross and Scarlett to emulate the Cardona blueprint, and you know what? That actually isn’t terrible advice. Cardona also reportedly brings in more coin now than he ever did with WWE, and he is having so much more fun doing it.
The Money Game -Are They Pricing Themselves Into Greatness or Obscurity?
And here is where it gets interesting (and controversial). There is talk in the Street that Kross and Scarlett are not content to get indie-level rates– they want the top dollar as though they are still top WWE talent. It is likely that those booking fees are going down the wrong pipe of some of the promoters.
The point is, though, this is not some unknown random midcard act who is trying to make ends meet. These two do add actual star power to the table. Scarlett has that crossover star quality that extends beyond wrestling fans, and Kross has a legit athletic background that the indie crowds love. And we know, cmon, it is like Scarlett is a one-woman entertainment empire. The girl is all over the place, wrestling, modeling, singing, and announcing.
It is a risky as hell strategy, definitely. Quote it too expensive and you are watching Netflix at home- not performing. But what in case it does? They may end up watching fewer shows with considerably more money, and they can choose and choose their spots. Quality and not quantity, baby.
Is This All One Great Work? The Internet Sleuths On It
Alright, being real here, half of wrestling Twitter believes that this entire thing is fake, and yeah, I dunno, it is/it isn’t. I cannot blame them for being suspicious. WWE has been ripping these reality TV storylines left and right as of late. Do you remember that R-Truth-whole-contract-negotiation thing? And that was toiled more than a Hulk Hogan promo.
However, this is what has me thinking it is possibly legit; they are already advertising indie dates and discussing business with promoters. This being a work, it is likely that WWE would want to push that kayfabe through just a bit more before bringing forth the twist. And transferring them to the alumni page at WWE.com is rather final.
God knows with this firm, though. They can hardly get enough of their mind games, and both of their two well-known talents walking away and then returning with a flourish could prove ratings gold. It is the business of wrestling, and it is based upon working the marks.
The New Wrestling Economy Is Out Of Control, Y All
The thing that is so interesting about this is that it indicates just how different the wrestling business is. They used to say that back in the day, WWE did not need you, that you were screwed. Now? There is AEW in money spraying mode, Impact Wrestling continuing to do what they are doing, New Japan is perpetually seeking gaijin talent, and the indies are more lucrative than ever.
The pandemic even served to assist many wrestlers in discerning that they could earn ga ood income without being locked into a company. OnlyFans, Cameo, streaming Twitch, selling merch, a million different ways to profit off your base that just flat out did not exist during the time that Stone Cold was an absolute rockstar.
An intelligent wrestler of a decent brand can honestly earn more by working selectively, on the indies, than by working 300 WWE dates a year. It is not just speculation; guys like Cardona are demonstrating it day in and day out.
What’s Next? The Million Dollar Question
See, Kross and Scarlett are literally gambling all they have on themselves at the moment, and this alone requires some balls. It is like they are saying, “We are not valued as much by WWE as they should, and we will show them otherwise.” Either the boldest play in wrestling, or the greatest error–probably shall never be able to tell which, till next year, or two years at least.
Here is the thing: they have the means to make it work. The presentation is very strong, their characters are unique, and above all, they know the business. Scarlett, in particular, does have that mainstream crossover potential that can open the door to new areas other than wrestling shows.
But keep it 100, the indie scene is cutthroat. You’re the hottest free agents in the wrestling game one day, and the next, everybody is onto the next shiny thing. And a career in indies means a lot more traveling for potentially less monetary compensation, and that kind of lifestyle can wear you out very quickly.
Social Media Game Strong -New Wrestling Currency
How crucial is the presence on social media nowadays? For example, your Twitter following could even be more valuable to you than your wrestling talent in 2025.
That Instagram model thing that Scarlett has going on that extends far past the borders of wrestling nerds is incredibly valuable to promoters who want to sell tickets.
They are not wrestlers any longer but brands. Content creators. Influencers. The entire game has shifted, and the savvy performers are ready. Kross and Scarlett appear to have the same idea, and it, therefore, offers them a good chance of making this work.
Analyzing It Further- What This is Ending Up Being
Polling, as far as I see it, is more than two wrestlers quitting WWE. It deals with power politics in the wrestling industry, and it is about wrestlers taking their careers into their own hands, and it is about whether or not the old-school view of it being WWE or bust is now officially defunct.
The modern-day wrestling audience is much smarter by far. They are well aware when it is work, they know the business aspects of things at hand, and they are not shy about calling BS when they find it. That makes such a case even more intriguing, as everyone is trying to determine what is actually real and what is a plot.
However, the largest lesson, according to me, is based on how two veteran performers feel at liberty enough to leave the assured revenue of WWE and take their chances on their own. That demonstrates how the wrestling world has evolved as much as anything has. A decade earlier, this would have been a career killer. Today? It may simply be genius in a career.
That Hot Take of mine:
Honestly? I am cheering these two to totally kill it on the indies. This is not because I have anything against WWE, but because success stories such as this improve the whole wrestling business. It is in everyone`s best interests when performers have leverage and options, where wrestlers receive higher pay, promoters must now raise their game, and fans get better shows.
Sure, at the moment their booking fees are ridiculously high, but assuming they can deliver performances that justify extravagant booking fees, then so be it. The indie scene could use some legit stars, and Kross and Scarlett could be just that.
So will it work? Hell, I don’t know. I do, however, respect the hell out of them because they took the shot. When it comes to a business where risk-taking self-confidence is key, there is just a time when you need to put your money where your mouth is. This is exactly what they are doing, and they will do it, whatever the outcome, their way.
Whether the old guard likes it or not, the wrestling business is evolving. Kross and Scarlett are perhaps the newest format of entertainers who discover they do not require corporate support to be a success. In case they succeed, it will be a great inspirational message to many more wrestlers that it is time to think twice about attending the contract renewal meetings.
