Why Bully Ray Thinks LA Knight Has A 'Different Type Of Energy' That's Good For WWE

WWE is in something of a boom period right now, with ticket sales and TV ratings rising on all three brands. With the likes of Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes at the forefront of weekly programming, the company has major stars they can depend on to drive revenue on a consistent basis, with acts like Seth Rollins, The Judgement Day and Sheamus also being workhorses on "WWE Raw" and "WWE SmackDown" each week. But nipping at the heels of WWE's top performers is LA Knight, who is receiving a groundswell of support from WWE devotees. The 40-year-old is drawing the biggest reactions on Friday nights, despite the promotion so far not fully investing in him as a main event star. 

On "Busted Open Radio", WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray sung the praises of Knight and explained the difference between his reactions and the likes of Rhodes. "There's a different sound coming out of the arenas when LA Knight is there," Bully said. "Cody has that love, LA Knight has that passion. People are behind Cody because of his hard times, his trials and tribulations and what he's going through right now. LA Knight is just fun to watch, fun to listen to, fun to chant with. People have huge smiles on their faces when LA Knight is coming into the arena, because they know they're gonna get something. To me, it's a different kind of energy, which is good for the WWE, because you don't want two guys fighting for that same energy."

"I really hope the WWE does not let that fanbase down when it comes to LA Knight." Knight has also received overwhelming support in the merchandise department, with four of the top-five selling T-shirts this month belonging to the former Impact standout, adding further pressure on the likes of Vince McMahon and Triple H to utilize him to his full potential.

Knight's recent losses in both the Money in the Bank ladder match and US Title contender matches have left plenty of fans scratching their heads, with WWE accused of failing to strike while the iron is hot. Knight's rapid rise in popularity also hasn't come without some criticism, with the legendary Kevin Nash claiming he is "ripping off" The Rock due to his promo delivery. But according to Bully, the best way to flip that narrative on its head would be to put Knight in the ring with Rock in a major way.

"With everything that's going on in Hollywood right now ... The Rock ain't got nothing to do and I'll be damned if I wouldn't like to see an in-ring between LA Knight and The Rock," Bully said. "I do not agree with any of that feedback that has come from some of my fellow wrestlers and fellow veterans out there, taking shots at LA Knight because he has borrowed and or stolen from The Rock. He didn't steal his catchphrase, he has borrowed aspects of what got Rocky to the dance. By the way, so did Dusty Rhodes, so did Hulk Hogan, so did Jesse 'The Body' Ventura, so did Scott Steiner ... they all borrowed from Superstar Billy Graham. Does LA Knight have the same cadence as The Rock? Absolutely, but it's working."

"They are popping out of their freaking socks for the guy, because they want to chant along with him." Knight's connection with the WWE universe is heavily aided by his catchphrase-heavy verbiage, with crowds finding it easy to chant along with the "YEAH" and "Let me talk to ya" portions of his promos. While the losses have continued to stack up for Knight, WWE still have an opportunity to cash-in and create another top-tier superstar for years to come, and putting him in positions where his strengths are accentuated will only bolster those chances.