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LA Knight

Also known as Eli Drake, Max Dupri, Shaun Ricker, John Ricker, Dick Rick, Dick Rick Leykis, Deuce, Slate Randall, Number Two, El Hijo de Trump

General Data
Current gimmick:
LA Knight
Age:
43 years
Brand:
RAW
Active Roles:
Singles Wrestler

Personal Data
Birthday:
01.11.1982
Birthplace:
Hagerstown, Maryland, USA
Gender:
male
Height:
6' 1" (185 cm)
Weight:
229 lbs (104 kg)

Career Data
Roles:
Singles Wrestler (2002 - today)
Tag Team Wrestler (2003 - 2021)
Manager (2022)
WWE Development Wrestler (2013 - 2014)
Beginning of in-ring career:
15.02.2002
In-ring experience:
24 years
Wrestling style:
Allrounder
Trainer:
Nicknames:
"The Greatest Orator In Professional Wrestling"
"The Megastar"
"The Natural Selection"
Signature moves:
Bottom Rung
BFT (Blunt Force Trauma)

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7.60
Current Total Rating (?)
Valid votes: 573
Number of comments: 162
10.0 30x
9.0 105x
8.0 192x
7.0 143x
6.0 79x
5.0 13x
4.0 6x
3.0 3x
2.0 1x
1.0 1x
0.0 0x
Average rating: 7.60  [573]
Average rating in 2026: 7.59  [58]
Average rating in 2025: 7.44  [135]
Average rating in 2024: 7.42  [118]
Average rating in 2023: 7.89  [128]
Average rating in 2022: 7.78  [32]
Average rating in 2021: 7.45  [40]
Average rating in 2020: 7.50  [6]
Average rating in 2019: 8.25  [4]
Average rating in 2018: 8.10  [10]
Average rating in 2017: 8.08  [13]
Average rating in 2016: 7.83  [24]
Average rating in 2015: 4.33  [3]
Average rating in 2013: 7.50  [2]
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Other:
Phrygo wrote on 16.09.2026:
[8.0] "A fine enough worker and insanely charismatic. Sure, he may not have the in-ring skills to challenge at the top, but his work on the mic ends up compensating for that and makes him a great contender for any more secondary title. He's currently the United States Champion and I'd say that's a fair position in the card for him. EDIT: raising his rating from a 7, which I gave him back in 2024, to an 8, as I think, right now, he's worked his way up to being main event material. His promo game is absolutely great and he seems to also have improved in the ring, even if still prone to botches."
ReboundLariat wrote on 17.07.2026:
"Great on the mic. Ok wrestler, fun move set. Great top babyface look. Maybe the most charisma in the world. Not well liked by bookers for some reason. This is a guy who was taylor made for the wwe but isn't booked well by them."
SuperLlama88 wrote on 11.07.2026:
[7.0] "LA Knight is a very good talker and probably top 5 on the mic in the world currently. He is super charismatic and connects really well with the fans, but his wrestling skills are average. I don't really know what WWE is waiting for with him, it seems he has been teased to get a push for the past 3 years but never has gotten over the hump."
PWC wrote on 13.06.2026:
[6.0] "His TNA run as Eli Drake was great. However, come time to jump ship to WWE? It's not so hot for him there. More of the same attitude, mannerisms, look, catchphrases, moves, all of it is basically everything he did there to WWE and it's sadly gotten stale. Not a single feud he had in WWE is worth motioning, from the god-awful feud with Bray Wyatt in 2023 right before he died to being John Cena's BFF to now being peacekeeper to the Uso's, he can't seem to suffice with someone else or something to propel his career forward. He's been circling the drain and do the same old stuff, year after year now and the last time he was really entertaining was in 2015. His wrestling skills, timing and tenacity to botch is getting worse. His botch at the Elimination Chamber 2026 was so bad and will be remembered as a meme for years to come. That being said, you can tell he has fun while performing and entertaining the fans but, his career is in total limbo right now and if he doesn't do something about it -- he'll just get worse and worse over the years, or even worse -- be shown a pink slip sooner, rather than later."
Dntbamark wrote on 15.05.2026:
[8.0] "Hugely charismatic, great look and can work with just about anyone and not have a bad match with them. Plus he has a ton of experience and has been practically everywhere and been successful wherever he goes. I don't understand why he hasn't at least been World Heavyweight Champion yet, it seems like he's one of those guys whose been told to grab the brass ring and does it only for them to pull the rug out from under him."
berockin270 wrote on 07.05.2026:
[10.0] "LA Knight has some of the best mic skills of all time. The BFT is an iconic finisher and gets me hyped every time he pulls get to do it. I miss Knight's United States championship run and hope he gets to have another one soon. As for now, I'm just happy to see him on the show every time he makes an appearance. I don't know how much longer he'll stay active as a wrestler but I really hope he gets to stick around in any type of commentary role a when he's done wrestling. Luckily I got to see him live on a double taping night of Smackdown in 2024 and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life."
qweave wrote on 05.05.2026:
[6.0] "better on the mic than a lot of guys working today and looks like the concept of Pro Wrestling but i don't think i've ever been that impressed by an LA Knight match. feels like every step forwards he takes in the ring is accompanied by a step back, which is a rough place to be when you're getting into your mid 40s."
[8.0] "One of the very best talkers in WWE. His promos feel very authentic and he connects with the crowd very well. I also think he's very underrated in the ring and has expanded his moveset quite a bit. I will say he does sometimes botch a bit too much but for the most part it doesn't hurt the way I perceive his matches because they're pretty good apart from that."
Khalid Ace wrote on 04.05.2026:
[5.0] "Seeing how highly rated LA Knight is and how average he performs is quite astonishing. He was never good in the ring and I have never found him good on the mic. The man has been wrestling for over two decades and still can't work"
CashGrabWrestling wrote on 02.05.2026:
[8.0] "I really like LA Knight, but at the same time, he's getting older. The more WWE waits to push him, the more older he gets, the more frequent to messing up he gets, and a big missed opportunity. I like LA Knight, good promo guy, good wrestler, veteran, knows what he's doing. They better hurry up and make him top guy before he either gets injured, or too old."
OmegaKing6000 wrote on 21.04.2026:
[8.0] "LA Knight has everything he needs to be a main eventer dispite both TNA and WWE doing a bad Job with him right now. His promo skills are amazing, he is believable as a main eventer and he can go in the ring despite not being the best in terms of in-ring skills."
WWESucks wrote on 14.04.2026:
[8.0] "Great gimmick and promo with above average wrestling skills that's being held back from a consistent main event spot since the last 3 years."
Reacher123 wrote on 08.04.2026:
[8.0] "I echo what a lot of people say about him: He's a decent wrestler with insane levels of charisma. Ideally he would be a great wrestler which would make him the total package. But, his character would work in the 80s, the 90s, and his character working now is proof he would thrive in any generation. He's already up there in age and I hope he finally gets the push for at least 1 world champion run."
Sonny Karado wrote on 08.04.2026:
[8.0] "He's got so much charisma and his mic skills is so great, he can handle main-event in which I waiting him to be. Update after 10 months, man, why time is going so fast... His botches is just lmao, but still charismatic and talented wrestler with a good gimmick and potential"
JessieNotMeltzy wrote on 07.04.2026:
[8.0] "LA Knight's a tough wrestler to rate. On one side, most of WWE fans consider him some sort of messiah, while his promotion is objectively underutilizing him. I believe he's a nice athlete, able to wrestle good matches when he needs to. He's a great talker, but his promos are not as brilliant as his fans say. He manages to make those edgy, slightly cocky promos interesting, which is something. What really makes him shine is his charisma, he really is natural in what he does. I really do hope he leaves WWE, AEW needs someone that cuts promos like him."
AJN7 wrote on 06.03.2026:
[6.0] "LA Knight has a great charisma and a great look. He's also incredibly over with the fans. That doesn't happen by accident. In the ring, he peaks at good. He is very prone to a botch in ring and on the mic. I would say he is overrated."
Galmondi wrote on 04.03.2026:
[7.0] "He's in a weird position, too good to be a true midcarder but not good enough to be a main eventer, so yeah, he's stuck inbetween. He deserve more but at the same time, i don't see him more than that, so it's complex. They should pull the trigger at least one time tho."
Jjj769 wrote on 03.03.2026:
[10.0] "Yeah! LA Knight should have been World champion already, should have won money in the bank instead of damian priest in 2023, he should have won last year instead of Seth. he is underappreciated right now in wwe and hope that he starts getting what he deserves soon and he's a great guy as well."
TheOneAndOnlyCactus wrote on 14.02.2026:
[8.0] "Previously known as Eli Drake, LA Knight always had bucket loads of charisma, regardless of where he was performing. But over the past couple of years, he has been undoubtedly amongst the most popular names across the wrestling industry thanks to his captivating abilities with a microphone. On top of that, while he's never been a ring general, LA Knight can more than hold his own in-between the ropes and have entertaining matches with a simple but effective moveset and adequate selling. He's the kind of guy every company loves to have, as a versatile talent that can be slotted anywhere on the card, as a face or heel, and get a response."
RooVols wrote on 13.02.2026:
"Perhaps the most underused, underappreciated guy both by the bookers of WWE and by the fans. He does everything you'd want a guy that leads a company or brand to do. He's charismatic, great on the mic, solid in the ring at a minimum, and he gets the biggest "pops" night in and night out. I think WWE knows this, but they are too scared to really push him. That's why he's always featured in a variety of moments or scenes with the #1 main event guys in the company, but is never booked like one. That's not to say they get an excuse however, because their booking of him particularly in the build with the vision, taking him out of wargames after feuding the entire summer and fall with them, and them putting him right back in a feud with them afterwards was egregious. He's my favorite star on the roster right now. I really hope they finally pay him off. There is alot of potential for a storyline which essentially transforms him into a super baby face in the build to Money In The Bank. They can tell the story of how 3 times in the past he had been so close to winning the briefcase, but had ultimately failed at the last moment."
Keithnelson18 wrote on 27.01.2026:
[8.0] "LA Knight is amazing, he's fantastic on the mic, good in the ring, had a decent catchphrase, and the fans love him. How has WWE not utilize on him yet?"
GoodVsBadGuys wrote on 16.01.2026:
[8.0] "ENGAGER: 10 STRIKER: 7 CRAFTMASTER: 6 AERIALIST: 7 POWERHOUSE: 7 EXTREMIST: 7 ENTRANCE: 10 NARRATIVE: 7 GIMMICK: 9 ANGLE: 8 GRUDGE: 8 ELOCUTION: 10"
LandonM12 wrote on 06.01.2026:
[8.0] "Knight has the full package: good build, good skills in ring and on the mic, and has a gimmick that resonates with fans. He puts this all together to be one of the best and most entertaining stars on the modern roster, and it's a shame he's not won a world title in the WWE."
notanothersmark wrote on 20.12.2025:
[7.0] "LA Knight deserves better than the cards he's been dealt. For someone's who consistently able to get a lot out of his opponents and always seems to have the crowd on his side, he's had a major lack of confidence placed in him by the WWE, who've let guys like Jey Uso and Damian Priest pass him by. Still can't believe they didn't strike when the iron was hot with Knight back in 2023. Has always been a reliable and steady hand. With everybody saying... L A KNIGHT, YEAH!"
1coldscorpio wrote on 16.12.2025:
[5.0] "I think the reason he doesn't get pushed is the gimmick infringement. Obviously throughout history there have been guys to borrow gimmicks and styles but it's cringe how obviously he's going for a Rock/Austin hybrid. HHH worked with both of those guys his whole career, so he might not be able to see past or unsee it like maybe someone else would. He performs it well and it is catchy but goddamn man it's just so unoriginal. Also FFS he's in his mid 40s, what do we need to push him for?"
BR0197 wrote on 12.12.2025:
[10.0] "One of my favourite superstars to watch on WWE. Extremely good on the mic and good enough in the ring, La knight is a true success story, going from one of the worst gimmicks after having already been tna champ, to one of the most over superstars of the modern era."
LemmeTalkToYa wrote on 01.12.2025:
"One of the best mic workers of all time and an excellent wrestler who brings that old school feel back to matches! I hope he gets a world title, i gope he becomes a grand slam champion cause he is in my mount rushmore of current wwe roster wrestlers. YEAH!"
dhruboezit wrote on 29.10.2025:
[9.0] "This guy is magic, man... he's the most organically over dude WWE has hade for over a decade and yet they haven't put the world title on him. In-ring skills, stage presence, mic skills and aura all together he's a fit for the main event arena, which at this point he's a consistent part of but also getting exploited and not given any meaningful wins or reigns."
x1MCI9 wrote on 20.10.2025:
[5.0] "LA Knight is overhyped by the fans, and honestly, I don't get the appeal. To me, he comes across as boring and not particularly entertaining. Sure, I'll give him credit where it's due -- he's solid on the mic, but not to the level that justifies the kind of attention and push he's getting. His promos often feel repetitive, and he hasn't shown much versatility in storylines. He talks a big game, but when it comes to delivering something truly memorable or fresh, he falls short. Overall, he's decent, but far from the main-event level hype he's riding on."
Purgatory753 wrote on 30.09.2025:
[9.0] "an extremely good talker, chock-full of charisma, and very solid in the ring. Too bad the WWE seems to be allergic to booking him to win any matches recently."
yamcha414 wrote on 11.08.2025:
[9.0] "This man gets the people going. I get that the higher-ups don't like it when the fans choose their champion, but this man is CHOSEN BY THE PEOPLE."
laknightlover wrote on 04.08.2025:
"An absolutely amazing wrestler who has the looks, the charisma and the in-ring skills. Absolutely astonishing how he hasn't won the world championship yet."
bigredtalk89 wrote on 29.07.2025:
[9.0] "Current rating will likely change based on how his run as a main eventer goes. The man is good in the ring, great on the mic, and has a connection with the fans most wrestlers can only dream of. Despite being called a ripoff by less talented wrestlers(looking at you, Diesel) he has the swagger of an attitude era guy."
GunAlpha wrote on 25.07.2025:
[6.0] "LA Knight is a charisma machine--there's no denying that. The man can light up a microphone like few others in modern wrestling. His promos are sharp, commanding, and drenched in that old-school bravado that instantly grabs attention. Whether he's in the opening segment or closing a show, he gets people talking. The crowd reactions speak for themselves--"YEAH! " has become a full-on phenomenon. But here's the thing: wrestling is more than just talking, and that's where the score takes a hit. Knight's in-ring work is serviceable but undeniably limited. His pace is slow, his offense feels dated, and he often struggles to keep up with more dynamic opponents. He's not a bad wrestler, but he's not the kind of performer who elevates a match with his athleticism or ring IQ. His matches tend to follow a formula, and when that formula wears thin, there's not much else to fall back on. To be fair, LA Knight knows his strengths--and he leans into them hard. That's helped him stay relevant and even thrive in certain storylines. But if we're talking complete packages, especially in 2025 when the bar in-ring is so high, he lands at a solid 6.0. Great talker, average worker. A fun act--but not quite top-tier."
Gerdo wrote on 11.07.2025:
[4.0] "I don't get the hype for him. He's very charismatic, sure, but that's where he ends. He doesn't put on great matches, usually botches, and all he has good are his mic-skill. His character never tells a story, he just yells "YEAH" and roasts his opponent. I think that you could really call him a Temu The Rock. He's a good midcarder but he's sooo overrated, the most overated in the last years."
arminamin wrote on 26.06.2025:
[8.0] "He's one of my favourites of current WWE. Knight just has IT. He's undeniably Charismatic and not only has a hot catchphrase, but he also is capable of cutting great promos. His ring work is what stops him from being my absolute favourite as there are a lot of guys that are more athletic and just overall better than him. But Knight is Solid in the ring at worse. Really love the guy"
bherbert1980 wrote on 06.06.2025:
[9.0] "I've been a fan of his for years, but never expected him to get himself over to this point. The only hinderance is the booking - they could very easily have him winning a world championship with his talent and how much the fans are invested in him"
Phone8286 wrote on 03.06.2025:
"La Knight has good charisma and a good finish. He is one of the best on the mic. He is also pretty good in the ring. LA KNIGHT is very good all around. He gets cheered easily. YEAH!"
mistaroni wrote on 15.05.2025:
[9.0] "What more can be said that hasn't already been said? He's got a great look, good in the ring, one of the best and unique guys on promos in years, and to top it all off, he's on Smackdown every week (made the most amount of appearances for WWE this year currently)"
ItsLuger wrote on 12.05.2025:
[8.0] "I had him at a 7, it's time I bump it up to an 8. This guy is genuinely good, an all-rounder, someone you want on your roster always. Very often people, even fans of Knight, say that "he's not that good in-ring but he's very entertaining in his promos, charisma, etc." I think I've seen enough to say that's not fair to Knight. This guy IS good in-ring, and it's been very interesting seeing how when he started wrestling on the main roster, his matches were pretty boring. But somehow, at 42 years old, he's tapped into something that has really upped his workrate. He's just so fun, there are people who are indeed better at workrate than him, but I would say that quite a bit of them aren't as fun to watch even though that's true. His promos and the way he carries himself is self-explanatory, he is undeniable in those."
Tex Rex wrote on 24.04.2025:
"My Rating: 9.2 In modern day wrestling guys are too afraid to say what they think on the microphone. LA Knight is still cool even on PG era. Might have not stand out 25 years ago but now he is the most interesting thing of current WWE tv shows."
ZARKK27 wrote on 20.04.2025:
[9.0] "Il devient une valeur sûre de Smackdown, un midcard en marche vers le main roster... Il perd 1 point pour le manque de fond que Hunter et les scénaristes n'ont pas encore assez travaillé."
Spanky wrote on 25.03.2025:
[8.0] "As someone who followed the former Eli Drake all the way back in 2016 when he was working under TNA, it's very cathartic to see this man finally receive a push and get his flowers from the fans. The guy's promos are some of the best WWE has to offer and he gets reactions like the superstar he is. It is amazing how stars are made when you allow wrestlers to truly be themselves and let them cook for lack of a better term."
Daequanbs wrote on 18.03.2025:
[10.0] "La Knight... My current favourite superstar, sorry Megastar! In WWE. Everything from the entrance music, to the promos, to the catchphrase. Everything about Knight is amazing to me. His promos give me vibes of Rock, and Stone Cold while still having his own flare. WWE needs to really push this guy, he's been over for a long time, and he needs to get out of the mid-card championships. I know a lot of people call him a bad wrestler, and while he may not be a Daniel Bryan, I think he's good enough to get that main event push that he needs. We need that main event push with everybody saying, L.A Knight! Yeah!"
ShedYourSkin wrote on 16.03.2025:
[7.0] "It just feels like his career will never get started, they're always building and building and nothing comes of it. His best match is with Logan Paul. He was one of my favourites about a year ago but its getting hard for me to care"
arkhamoutlaw10 wrote on 16.02.2025:
[4.0] "He does not do it for me. A chant and nothing else. Very dull in the ring for the most part and I never feel emotionally connected to his promos, never feel the desire to cheer for him or really engage with him on a deeper level. I really don't like the chant which is a real damning quality when that's all he's really got on the main roster."
ibrokenheartt wrote on 15.02.2025:
[8.0] "One of the best on the mic currently in WWE, I really liked his recent reign and I feel like he needed to show more since it was a bit short for me, his quality in the ring is good and he has the bearing of an incredible superstar"
TripleCrown wrote on 02.02.2025:
[7.0] "He does everything so well... aside from the actual wrestling part. I think he's a great character and somebody WWE needed, as he's just fantastic on the mic and has a great look. But once the bell rings, yeah... it's all downhill from there. He speaks a certain way, and in your head you can tell he's definitely somebody who should be in the upper midcard/main even scene, but he wrestles like somebody who should be on the lower card side of things. I don't think he'll get any better in-ring, considering his age and the fact if you look back at his TNA stuff and whatnot, he just wrestles the same. He doesn't have it in him to be a great in-ring wrestler, but he has all the tools needed to be a big star. **02.02.2025** LA Knight has definitely found his ceiling. Whilst he is a good talker, in-ring wise he still hasn't stepped his game up since getting that push last year. Still keeping him at a 7 because he's not awful, but he's not great either. His charisma makes up for everything else."
wrestlingswiftie wrote on 30.01.2025:
[2.0] "I know this isn't the most popular opinion, but LA Knight is NOT "good on the mic." If blatantly copying legends makes you a "good promo, " then where's Jay Lethal's props for the Ric Flair/Macho Man impressions? There's also his over-reliance on catchphrases, another issue I had with The Rock's promos as well. Be honest: aside from the "YEAHs" and the "NAH NAHs, " how often does the audience actually pay attention to his words? There are times where he'll stumble over his words a lot, stuttering and messing up mid promo. But promos aren't the only thing he botches at, because when you watch his matches? It's even worse. I think more people will agree with me when I talk about him not being good in the ring, so to put it shortly: He botches a lot, has a boring moveset (primarily consisting of punches and kicks), all with a finisher that looks stupid."
MEDamine wrote on 06.01.2025:
[8.0] "He's good in the ring, and also incredibly charismatic, his 2023 was inconsistent, but he remained charismatic and over with the fans, and that shows how great he is, and in 2024 he improved even more, and he got awarded finally with a WM Moment and a US title run, which was good, he is currently one of the best in WWE"