Blessed with charisma, good looks, and a whole lot of swagger, LA Knight has always had the makings of a classic star. Could he end up being a double threat - both on the mat and in movies?
There's just something about LA Knight that appears as if he's been sent to us from central casting.
The WWE Superstar is cut with the profile of James Dean but with the polish of Steve McQueen. He looks like a million bucks and surrounds himself with elegance. In almost any film, you would want him to play the leading man.
Shaun Ricker has actually been cast in several roles during his time in professional wrestling. The 40-year-old performer was long considered a blue-chip athlete and someone with incredible potential, but he never seemed to be produced in the right way. He's switched names and personas over the years but has always maintained a movie star presence. Even though he had to appear in a few B-grade flicks and matinee showings along the way.
While he read for many parts since launching his career in 2003 and has even had his name at the top of the marquee a few times. His run in IMPACT Wrestling as Eli Drake was considered a star-making performance by critics. He found his mark there, winning the promotion's World Heavyweight Championship.
But the greatest thing that LA Knight captured while in IMPACT was the final touches on his powerful, and sometimes pretentious, persona. That was illustrated anytime he engaged the audience with his hilarious 'Facts of Life' segments, where he presented his List of Dummies.
It was a great way for him to hone his craft as a cool heel. And even though Eli Drake was supposed to be the bad guy? The company's faithful fans always gave him two thumbs up for his performance there.
Under any name, he's got something you can't teach: screen presence. It's one of the biggest reasons why he was considered a red-hot commodity when he eventually signed with WWE in early 2021.
Granted, he had previously been with the promotion in the early 2010s, but nothing came of it. So, in essence, this return was a long time coming. In the eyes of many, LA Knight was going to be a bonanza at the box office. This was before he had even stepped through the yellow ropes in NXT.
He's now a featured performer on Smackdown. At least, for now. He might be set to make the move to RAW, where he'd immediately be in the mix for the new WWE World Championship.
Knight has yet to hold any gold since he joined the company's cast of crazy characters. And after over two years of auditioning? He's ready for his close-up, one that features a beautiful belt slung over his shoulder. Be that on Smackdown, chasing Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship, or in a switch to the Red Brand where he could rule over Monday Nights.
The WWE Universe certainly wouldn't mind either scenario. Like most audiences, they're organically drawn to LA Knight. He has an air of crassness and coolness - and it doesn't hurt that he has Hollywood looks and a little bit of swagger.
He has the "it" factor that holds people's attention. The crowd not only chants his name as he gets ready to deliver a promo, but they also recite it along with him when he talks in the third person. He can literally hold their attention with his clear and concise speech and the excitability of him punctuating certain sentences with his signature, "YEAH!"
LA Knight is the type of dual-threat that could fill the bill if you were casting a movie for certain types of characters. If you were searching for needed someone to play a smart-mouthed cop or a cocky fighter pilot. He's got the pretty boy look with the tongue of a serpent. That combination could eventually take him down the road to other forms of entertainment.
Knight's ability to consistently deliver poignant promos with perfection makes him one of the best talkers in the game today. It's also s skill that he shares with great actors, who are often more with how they deliver
Knight speaks with similar clarity and cadence as The Rock, which has drawn a few jeers from those who mislabel him as a copycat. That's not really fair, considering The Brahma Bull himself has admitted that he lifted a lot of his promo punctuation from the likes of his Dad, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, and a host of others. In other words? Both Knight and Rock use pretty standard wrestling speak. They just do it exceptionally well.
In that same vein - could LA Knight take those vast talents and massive charm and find fame in Hollywood? Is he the type if WWE Superstar that could follow in the footsteps of Dwayne Johnson, Dave Bautista, and John Cena, becoming the toast of Tinsel Town?
Probably so. As stated before, much of Knight's appeal is unexplainable. That plays well on the West Coast entertainment scene. The film industry is always looking to discover the next big thing, and he's certainly got the chops to shine TVs and movies.
With the WWE marketing machine behind him, anything is possible for an entertainer the caliber of LA Knight. With the way the camera loves him, he could easily make the transition to another platform. He's already made a few major appearances here and there, including a cameo on the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine and a handful of other credits.
A big babyface turn or entertaining run as a villain would go a long way into making that happen. So, with a new era beginning in World Wrestling Entertainment, Knight could step into the sportlight as a dual threat - a factor in both the squared circle and on the silver screen.
It's certainly possible given the right scenario. Could LA Knight be the kind of WWE Superstar who could someday hold the WWE World Championship while hosting Saturday Night Live? Could he pull off portraying a soldier or a super hero? Is he that type of gifted performer who could potentially transcend the industry itself?
In one word? YEAH.
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