The rise of LA Knight in WWE was discussed during his appearance on Busted Open, which led to a conversation about his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Match against Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2023. 

Knight noted that he was worried about whether he was being pushed too strongly and whether fans would resent him for it. 

“There’s so many different ways to look at that (Bully Ray’s assessment that maybe Knight is ‘sick & tired’ of being put on the backburner & not getting the push he deserves)… Maybe there was a little too far of a push a little too fast and that’s not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but a little bit of a steady build going into a championship match or something like that. As far as going to the U.S. Championship or the Intercontinental Championship or something like that but jumping straight into the WWE Championship back at Crown Jewel was a little fast to where I almost worried that it might make people go, ah! They’re not gonna do this? They’re not gonna shove him down our throat like this? Are they? Because there is that potential. At the same time, right now, I think I’m in a damn good spot… I don’t know if I’m selling myself short so much as I’m just cautiously optimistic.”