40-year-old star might be making his final WWE appearance tonight at SummerSlam 2025

We are just hours away from The Biggest Party of the Summer! At WWE SummerSlam, amongst a host of massive matches, former NXT Champion Karrion Kross is set to wrestle Sami Zayn in possibly the biggest match of his WWE career, but it may also end up being his last.

It has been rumored for quite some time that his contract is set to expire this month, and no details of a new contract have been offered, nor has there been any indication that WWE will be doing so. This puts Kross's future into question, and while he does have a match against one of the biggest stars of this generation scheduled for tonight, is that match supposed to have anything to do with Kross's future in WWE?

Karrion Kross has been on a rollercoaster over the past few months

Over the past several months, Karrion Kross has experienced a professional rollercoaster in WWE, marked by growing fan interest but persistent uncertainty behind the scenes. After a long period of character tweaks, a lacking long-term direction, clear deviation from what initially made him special, as well as what some say was underutilization, he delivered a highly praised WrestleMania 41–themed rant over Mania weekend following weeks of incredibly engaging social media vignettes.

As online support skyrocketed, so did merch sales. Karrion Kross and Sami Zayn's long-brewing conflict finally turned into a full-fledged feud and hit the next gear. Unfortunately, the online audience, which had traditionally been critical of him, turned on him again after underwhelming matches with Zayn, despite the latter's status as one of the best in-ring performers and one of the foremost individuals who can make almost anyone look good in the ring.

He is cheered because the crowd finds his persona interesting and sees his potential, and is booed because he is, after all, a heel going against Sami Zayn, but also because some fans simply do not see him as a star. And at 40 years old, Triple H, once known to have been a massive supporter of Kross, seems to be unsure of what to do with him going forward. The entire situation appears to be a mess, with no one knowing how to provide direction, and that is part of why Kross may be gone from WWE altogether after losing to Sami Zayn tonight.

Karrion Kross has refrained from getting too much into his contract status with WWE ahead of SummerSlam

Discussing his contract status ahead of his match against Sami Zayn at SummerSlam, Karrion Kross, on the Battleground podcast, had recently said,

“I don’t think I should talk about any of it right now, but I am hoping that when the time is right, everyone will know what’s going on, including us.” [6:51 - 7:01]

Obviously, given the nature of the wrestling business, one can not comment on the legitimacy of Kross saying he too does not know "what's going on." If that's not enough, then the cryptic character Kross plays only further enhances the mystery of it all, and it is very possible that a decision regarding Kross's future is indeed up in the air, with his match at SummerSlam and how it goes having bearing on whether or what kind of contract he is offered by WWE.

The evolution of Karrion Kross in WWE

Karrion Kross exploded onto the WWE scene in spring 2020 as a massively hyped free agent, debuting on NXT alongside his wife and manager Scarlett Bordeaux in a shadowy, tarot‑infused gimmick designed around intensity and mystique. Within months, Kross defeated Keith Lee at TakeOver: XXX in dominant fashion to capture the NXT Championship, only to relinquish it four days later due to a legitimate shoulder injury.

He later reclaimed the championship at Takeover: Stand & Deliver 2021 by defeating Finn Bálor and successfully defended it in a Fatal 5‑Way involving NXT's biggest stars before dropping it to Samoa Joe at TakeOver 36. In a case not unprecedented at all, the transition to the main roster in mid‑2021 under Vince McMahon proved disastrous, with Scarlett no longer present, a squash loss to Jeff Hardy while he was NXT Champion, and then Kross being repackaged with a gladiator helmet and suspenders following his permanent move to RAW.

The carefully built aura in NXT was completely eroded by inconsistent booking and ill-conceived character changes, culminating in Kross's release from WWE in August 2022. Triple H‘s creative reset saw Kross and Scarlett return, and Kross being thrust into major feuds with Drew McIntyre, Rey Mysterio, and then AJ Styles. The feuds failed to click, or rather, Kross failed to connect with the audience.

Eventually forming the dark faction Final Testament with the Authors of Pain under Paul Ellering, Kross attempted to re-establish momentum as a cunning manipulator. However, an unclear connection, frequent absences, and a bland dynamic prompted Ellering and AOP's release, and Kross's return to being alone with Scarlett.

His backstage segments with The New Day, AJ Styles, and Sami Zayn, coupled with creative social media videos, began to connect with fans, and interest surged following WrestleMania. Yet, he remains in a peculiar place within the company. Whether tonight will be his final WWE appearance, something that sparks a major rise in WWE, or a decision is indeed being left up to how the match goes, for better or worse, SummerSlam is sure to be the turning point of his career.

75 year old legend has challenged Cody Rhodes HERE

Edited by Rahul Madurawe