Lexis King Confesses Self-Doubt During AEW Stint

Brian Pillman Jr’s contract with AEW expired last year and he made his way to the WWE Performance Center. He finally became a star on NXT a few months ago and now King admitted that he doubted his own self-worth during his AEW run.

Lexis King underwent a significant transformation after rising to stardom in NXT, drawing both attention and ridicule. Despite that, there is no doubt that King’s character in NXT is more interesting than what he was in AEW.

While speaking on the Insight podcast, Lexis King discussed his WWE NXT TV debut, expressing gratitude for the confidence the company has in him. Lexis King would then admit that he spent several months second-guessing his career in AEW and was full of self-doubt at every turn of the way

Reflecting on his previous doubts, he emphasized the significant turnaround in his career and the thrill of now being called “King.”

“It [his WWE NXT TV debut] was great. I was just sitting n it and I’m backstage thinking ‘Is this real?’ I spent, and this isn’t a knock on anybody, but I spent so many months of my career at the previous company, just second-guessing myself. Am I really any good? Am I worth it? A lot of self-doubt. And just to see how my career has done a total 180 since then [is incredible].”

“I went from just sitting in the back and filming a few dark matches in Orlando here and there. Six-minute tag matches, barely getting in the ring and feeling the canvas to now, I’m sitting on a throne, making my entrance. In the biggest wrestling company in the world, they have this confidence in me. And it fuels me, now I have confidence in myself.”

“Hell, they gave me the name King! It doesn’t get any better than that. So just to feel that 180 and go out there and perform with a certain level of grit and attitude. You know, I’m going to prove everyone one wrong, everyone who didn’t believe in me, It’s a dream come true.”

While King acknowledges his current success in WWE NXT, he wants to clarify that he holds no resentment towards AEW or his time there. He attributes any self-doubt to his own mindset during that period, emphasizing that he took it upon himself to overcome challenges. King appreciates the experience gained with AEW, both living there and traveling, as crucial in shaping him into the performer he is today.

“There’s no ill-will [towards AEW] but it’s just sort of that mindset. I put myself in that mindset. Nobody else put me in that. I just put myself in that mindset of ‘What’s going on here?’ That self-doubt. And I kept griding. Like I said I moved back home. I kept grinding, going to the local [wrestling] school. Trying to find out what makes me tick as a performer. And just the experience living there, the experience I gained traveling with AEW made me the performer I am today.”

Lexis King also got his first piece of NXT merchandise recently, signifying WWE’s trust in him. 2024 has just begun and only time will tell whether Lexis King will end up becoming a breakout star this year, similar to what Tiffany Stratton has managed to do over the past year.

What’s your view on this Lexis King story? Do you feel he is better off in WWE than AEW? Let us know in the comments!