In the aftermath of WWE SummerSlam 2023, LA Knight engaged with the media in a post-show press conference, reflecting on his victory in the Slim Jim-sponsored Battle Royal and delving into the unique pressures within WWE.
Discussing his substantial win at SummerSlam, LA Knight contemplated whether it was a culmination of a long-awaited journey, acknowledging the rapidity of his ascent since his appearance on the SmackDown roster just months ago. He emphasized his self-driven determination, expressing that while others may talk about needing a “rocket strapped” to him, he’s been the one propelling himself forward. He said,
“You could look at it that way, I definitely look at it that way in the grand scheme of things, but you could also look at the fact that, what, LA Knight only appeared on the Smackdown roster back in October, so in a weird way, this has been an amazingly fast climb and it’s been really crazy how it’s happened, kind of unexpected, but at the same time, in a strange way, I’ve said this before, I’ll say it again, I always knew I had something to give. Did I always know it would go to this level this quickly? Not necessarily. But damn, here we are. And for me, everybody is talking about, he needs the rocket strapped to him. Look, I’ll strap the rocket to myself, and that’s exactly what I’ve done.”
Reflecting on his experience in WWE compared to elsewhere, Knight highlighted the unparalleled scale of the WWE stage and the meticulous attention to detail required. He underlined the immense pressure inherent to performing on this grand platform and contrasted it with his previous experiences on smaller stages. Knight affirmed his resilience in the face of internal and external pressures, sharing his unyielding commitment to his journey in WWE. He stated,
“I’ve done TV in so many different places, but there is no stage as big as this. There is no place as big as this. So there are so many meticulous details to go through but always being cognizant of everything that’s happened but also there is a lot more pressure here because you got to look at all the different places I’ve been, have been smaller stages. Everybody is trying to get here. This is the biggest stage. So all the pressure is there. Any pressure that anybody puts on me out there, that ain’t nothing, because all the bigger pressure that I’ve got up here on myself is insurmountable because I don’t know how to give up, I don’t know how to quit, I think a lot of people in my journey would have quit a long time ago.”
