WWE NXT's Lexis King Considers Possibility Of Becoming A 'Loose Cannon' Down The Road
As the son of wrestling legend Brian Pillman, Lexis King has some very big shoes to fill. But aside from the expectations that he be a similar performer as his father, there are also expectations that one day King will embrace the role of being the "Loose Cannon," a gimmick Pillman made famous during the latter days of his career in WCW and WWE.
In an appearance on "Insight with Chris Van Vliet," King didn't dismiss the possibility of one day becoming a "Loose Cannon," but appears to be cautious about embracing the role, due to how things turned out for his father.
"I would say his career, his life ended the way it did because he was living on that edge, and maybe the character and the injuries and everything just all came to a head," King said. "I hope that if I ever do become a loose cannon, in kayfabe, my personal life is super boring. I hope I'm just super chill at home and like, my kids are fed and everybody's money is saved, and the bills are paid, and then I can go to work and be a psycho.
"I don't want it to be 'I'm crazy' and then it's like I come home and there's chaos at home. I want to make sure that there's that balance. Right now, it's just a building stage of getting my s**t together. But also building my stock in NXT and then WWE, and then building up that person of who I am. But I think at some point, there might be a little...I don't know. Maybe never."
Lexis King Seeks Different Spin On Loose Cannon Persona Than His Father Brian Pillman
Another thing King was adamant about was that should he become the "Loose Cannon," it would not be in the same direction his father took in breaking the fourth wall and blurring the lines between kayfabe in reality. Rather, King's preferred take would be to channel his real-life hardships growing up into an out-of-control rage, which would serve as a new twist to the old "Loose Cannon" formula.
"Lexis King is Lexis King," King said. "If I'm crazy, it's because of how my childhood went and how my stepfather abused me and how I was neglected by my mother and how I have all this built-up hatred towards the world that I'm going to take out on everybody in the ring. That's my crazy. I'm not crazy because my dad was the 'Loose Cannon' crazy. I'm crazy based on my real life, and how that plays into my wrestling, you know what I mean?
"So I have all my own reasons for wanting to snap at some point. But maybe I will, maybe I won't. Lexis King has a lot of composure...he's in control. There's probably a little sadistic mind in the back there, but right now, I'm just soaking up all the attention and having some of the best matches of my career."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Insight with Chris Van Vliet" and provide an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription