Reigning NXT Champion Grayson Waller has continued to take shots at Cruz Montana, claiming his rival should set his sights on EVOLVE rather than contending for WWE’s top developmental prize.
At NXT Heatwave on August 30, Waller walked out with the NXT Championship after prevailing in a Fatal 4-Way match against Tony D’Angelo, Cruz Montana, and Zilla Fatu, bringing an end to D’Angelo’s 148-day title reign.
During a recent appearance on Peter Rosenberg’s Cheap Heat podcast, Waller addressed his suggestion that Montana head to EVOLVE, pushing back against the idea that working for the promotion would be a demotion for the WWE star:
“So I think he should be thankful that he got to get in the ring with me twice. And now he can maybe go do Evolve. Maybe he can be the Evolve Champion. I think Cruz Montana will be a fantastic Evolve Champion. That’s not a demotion. I’m giving him the opportunity. I got the opportunity. Here’s an opportunity for Cruz Montana: Evolve Champion.
“So as much as I don’t think it’s a personal thing with me and Cruz, like, I don’t hate him as a person. I understand his journey to get here and it’s cool and all, but, like, what’s disrespectful is he thinks he should have the NXT Championship. He thinks he should be the star of the brand and all these things. Like, you don’t have it like me, lad.”
Despite the barbs, Waller did give Montana credit for his hard-hitting style inside the squared circle before taking another swipe at the TNA roster:
“But the one thing I’ll say about Cruz is I’ve been in there twice with him, and this is what it’s supposed to feel like. When he hits me, he hits me with everything. I remember that first match, he slapped me across the face and I had a white flash and I was like, ‘Oh, oh. This is what we’re doing.’
“Yeah. Dude, that TNA line was so funny. It’s so, it’s so easy sometimes. Like, it’s so easy. ’Cause I just know the TNA guys are just sitting on the internet begging for someone to, like, mention something so they can be relevant for 24 seconds.”
During his return to NXT back in July, Waller memorably compared Montana’s run in TNA to being the best basketball player at a local YMCA.
The comment drew clapbacks from several TNA talents, including Moose, A.J. Francis, Brian Myers, and Bear Bronson, with Myers taking a shot at Waller for being sent back down to WWE’s developmental brand.