WWE's Max Dupri is dead, long live WWE's Max Dupri.

Though the decision to bring the man born Shaun Ricker up to the main roster after a successful run in NXT under the LA Knight moniker wasn't too surprising, as there aren't a ton of 39-year-olds kicking it in WWE's developmental system anymore, what was controversial was how he was elevated.

You see, Knight has been more or less playing the same character for about a decade, with his run in Impact under the Eli Drake moniker being arguably the most well-known and endearing run of his professional wrestling career. He developed his in-ring style, which would be far more at home in the old-school WWF than in the modern-day WWE, ironed out his promo game, including signature catchphrases like “yeah,” and dummies, and even captured gold over 14 different championship reigns.

To say that Brian Cage's former tag team partner from Championship Wrestling of Hollywood – as Michael Cole semi-pointed out on commentary – was ready to wrestle in the big show was an understatement; his character was set, his act was set, if it worked, great, if not, well, AEW had an interest in Eli Drake before he signed with WWE, and that door would likely remain open to Knight if he became a free agent once more.

Speaking with WhatCulture in a column called “10 things we learned by talking to Eli Drake,” Knight touched on how close he came to signing with AEW before jumping to NXT.

“When I left Impact, there was [interest from AEW],” Knight said. “As a matter of fact, breaking news, I had two separate deals ready to go with them, ready to be signed. To the point where I had even sent them my entrance music. We were about to be ‘go'. Then some things just fell through, and it didn't end up happening. They sent me one deal, we renegotiated, they sent me another. They were just waiting on my signature.”

And yet, when the time came for Knight to get to work, it wasn't going to be as a cocky heel fighting for the IC Championship; no, it was to be as a manager for Mace and Mansoor, filling the role of excentric Male Model enthusiast Max Dupri. A classic Vince McMahon idea in every sense of the word, Durpi's faction was immediately hated by fans, incredibly belabored in its execution, and ultimately failed to get over in the way it was intended. Mr. McMahon reportedly found Dupri creepy, and one of the final acts he oversaw before retiring was introducing Maxxine Dupri as Max's sister and effective replacement.

Fortunately, Paul “Triple H” Levesque decided enough was enough, and just like that, LA Knight was officially a WWE superstar, ready to sink or swim on the strength of his act. Will it work? Will Knight hold a belt before his deal is done? Only time will tell but based on his words, he isn't lacking in confidence.

Max Dupri had a lot to say after his WWE SmackDown debut.

When asked about defeating his former Maximum Male Models protege, Mansoor, in his debut match on SmackDown by SmackDown LowDown reporter Meghan Morant, LA Knight cut her right off and did what he does best: talk.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing? Is this what you want to talk about?” Knight asked. “Let me talk to ya. While you’re out here, ahh, maybe saying the things that I might say, let me say some of the things that you might say. ‘Welcome to SmackDown LowDown; we want to talk about Maximum Males Models, Mace, and Mansoor, right?’ Wrong. Cause where are they, getting flushed down the toilet right about now. And why is that? Because Mace and Mansoor, both of them, dropped on their head for their troubles. And what does that mean? Now, moving forward, now only going where I can go, and that is to the top. Why is that? Because there is one, and there is only one megastar walking around WWE, and you are looking at him. Why is that? Because whose game is it? It’s LA Knight’s game, yeah.”

So what's next for Knight? Is he going to give Mace the business now that he's flushed Mansoor down the toilet? Or will he instead attempt to insert himself into the IC, or even the Universal Championship picture in order to make good on his claims? Either way, it looks like every Superstar on the WWE roster will have to face off against Knight one way or another, for better or worse.