Karrion Kross Relinquishes the NXT Championship

This week’s episode of WWE NXT opened with Scarlett and the new NXT Champion, Karrion Kross. At NXT TakeOver: XXX this past Saturday, Kross bested Keith Lee for the title. This match occurred after weeks of punishment dealt by Kross, not only to unfamiliar faces but established stars on the brand including Donovan Dijakovic. Lee attempted to defend the brand at TakeOver: XXX. Alas, he became the latest to the fall at the hands of Kross.

However, the celebration would be short-lived. Not long after Kross’ championship victory, it was revealed that he suffered a legitimate separated shoulder during the match. Depending on the severity of a situation, it’s not uncommon for an athlete to be out of action for a few months. Nonetheless, on this week’s episode, Kross made the difficult decision to relinquish the NXT Championship. It was left in the center of the ring along with Scarlett’s trademark hourglass. This was symbolic, to say the least; time would slowly tick until the duo would make their return, setting their sights on the champion Kross never lost.

A difficult moment for @WWEKarrionKross, but the greatest comebacks come from the harshest falls. @Lady_Scarlett13
The clock to the return starts…now. #TickTock #WWENXT https://t.co/H2YOpUOHRJ

— Triple H (@TripleH) August 27, 2020

Along with Scarlett, Karrion Kross made his NXT debut in April. From there, he began to lay waste to anyone in his path. Case and point, his first TakeOver match featured him taking on Tommaso Ciampa. At TakeOver: In Your House, Kross bested the former NXT Tag Team and NXT Champion in dominant fashion. His victories led him to the aforementioned NXT Championship match against Keith Lee at TakeOver: XXX. Within five months of his NXT debut, Kross ended the show holding the top title on the brand.