Lexis King Isn't Brian Pillman Jr Anymore

Lexis King (@lexiskingwwe) is a professional wrestler signed to WWE and appears on NXT. He is also known for his time in MLW and AEW where he wrestled under his real name Brian Pillman Jr. He sits down with Chris Van Vliet in Orlando, FL to talk about leaving AEW and his decision to sign with WWE, what the meaning behind his name "Lexis King" is, what his goals are in WWE, why he considers Cody Rhodes a dream opponent for him, living the gimmick by driving a Lexus, being coached by Fit Finlay, the hatred that he gets for his beard, memories of his father Brian Pillman and much more!
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00:00 Intro
00:35 Changing living locations
01:43 Moving to Jacksonville for AEW
05:07 The difference between Brian Pillman Jr. and Lexis King
08:20 How his AEW run impacted his career
09:01 Why did he decide to go to WWE?
10:06 The story of the name Lexis King
13:33 Lexis King driving a Lexus
14:44 Did he consider almost being Brian Pillman Jr. in WWE?
19:29 Learning to sing a new autograph
20:30 How well did he know his dad?
22:10 Maturing in the business
24:12 Being coached by Fit Finlay
25:53 What’s his week like at NXT
26:36 Memories of his NXT debut
28:15 His favorite matches so far in NXT
32:48 Having a beard adding to his heel persona
36:25 The story behind his unique look
37:58 Who are his dream matches in WWE?
40:04 His dream story working with Cody Rhodes
43:07 Working out playing a big roll in his life
47:59 What does “My Way, My Life” mean to him?
51:47 Is Brian Pillman his favorite wrestler?
52:56 Does he have a little ‘Loose Cannon’ In him?
55:27 Stone Cold giving him his dad’s weight belt
57:08 Wanting to become NXT Champion?
58:01 Getting advice from John Cena
01:02:56 His hair no longer being the focus
01:04:38 3 Things Lexis King is grateful for
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#wwe #wrestling #nxt #BlueWireVideo

[@ChrisVanVliet]

Thanks for checking out this episode with Lexis King! Get $5 off Magic Spoon with the code CVV at magicspoon.com/cvv And use the code CVV to get your first month of BlueChew for FREE at bluechew.com

[@ClarencePryorNYC]

Thank you for your this interview, Chris! Our KING here is truly amazing!

[@animal1nstinct394]

interview Velveteen Dream and Jaxson Ryker. you play it way too safe. controversy = cash

[@TimLoyalToWifeHaterFreeZoneA]

Love It ChrisVanVliet Bro.

[@MAtowndown]

You're fantastic and seem to be a great human being 🙏, any chance interviewing Joe Hendry? That would put you over the top

[@vicspre]

@ChrisVanVliet just want to say I absolutely love your videos and want to thank you for everything you do for the wrestling fan in these interviews I have 1 request Could you plz try and get an interview with Christian York that would be awsome Thank you keep up the great work

[@1KQ_]

Major respect to him for wanting to bet on himself by making the jump and not wanting to use his fathers name as a crutch, skys the limit for lexis king ✊🏼

[@lazer3982]

Lex offenders rise

[@1KQ_]

​@@lazer3982we here and registered brother 😤✊🏼✊🏼

[@DirtySouthMVPTE]

People who see him they know who he is but he is trying to come up on his own way

[@SimpleCrisis]

@@lazer3982registered Lex offenders my good sir

[@dangalangman7379]

Personally I think that's bullshit bc I preferred the og Pillman Jr back in MLW with the Heart Dynasty. 😂 dude don't even have that sexy mullet no more and also the wwe sucks lmao

[@zern4483]

“i dont have dream matches i have dream stories” thats all i need to hear. he understands the business

[@christopherchuauhang4829]

I was looking for this exact comment. He’s gonna go places. He knows this sport isn’t a spot fest, it’s about story telling.

[@Zaclatemap]

That's exactly why he probably left AEW. The lack of story telling.

[@christopherchuauhang4829]

@@Zaclatemap LK: I wanna do more story telling instead of just having random matches. TK: That doesn’t work me brother

[@brianneconstantino3091]

I'm genuinely rooting for this guy. I hope he succeeds in WWE.

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Same

[@SultanKhan-fm6zb]

Same here, bro

[@kenarco3765]

Me too , I'm watching 👀

[@mattwalford8000]

me too, saw him and brock andeerson at the rik flair retirement and he looked a completely different performer than the white meat babyface 'the other company' presented him as

[@ktrainsem]

Definitely 1 guy I'm rooting for

[@RobPalmer80]

I love his attitude of wanting dream stories as opposed to dream matches. If only more wrestlers thought that way.

[@NotA.Bot69]

I feel like him phrasing it like that makes it feel like he doesn’t just care about it being a good match but he wants it to be a great, and engaging story as well like he’s cares about it all not just one aspect of it

[@RobPalmer80]

He's saying it because he knows that is the way it's supposed to be. Great matches are just a bonus, they're not a necessity. Which is why a company like AEW's ratings are stagnating, because they'd rather have good matches, which only appeals to the hardcores, but doesn't grow the audience.@@NotA.Bot69

[@kross331]

Absolutely! I vaguely remember specifics of matches… storylines are what have stuck with me over the years.

[@shitakeparty8793]

"Dream stories" He is thinking the right way. "Matches" Don't mean shit if they don't have stories backing them.

[@frankejk]

That mentality also exactly explains the difference between AEW and WWE and why he made the switch.

[@bigboydancannon4325]

​@@frankejkWhat are you talking about? AEW has too many stories, if anything. Many of them are never followed up upon or straight up abandoned

[@Steamedhams578]

​​@@bigboydancannon4325 "Hey you we happen to have prior history so let's have a match" is over half of the AEW stories is the problem. There are barely any interesting angles or actual wrestling stories beyond hey let's have a match. They don't even bother having well defined faces and heels anymore. WWE are actually trying to have proper scripted storylines at least it's very different in what they're trying to accomplish. For example the current story line with Ricky Starks, Jericho and Don Callis is so convoluted and there's barely any promos or angles just matches.

[@El_MuertoLoco]

@@frankejkhe was never signed back to AEW.🤣

[@deelove7518]

As a Cincinnati native, I'm rooting for this kid. I was a huge fan of his dad. I know Brian Sr would be very proud of this young man.

[@bhhdty2272]

I’ve never understood the hate Lexis gets, he seems like such a nice chill guy and he’s steadily improving since joining NXT. Best of luck to him the future is bright!

[@iannnCFC]

only ones hating are the AEW marks and insecure men to keep it real with u 💀 anyone with a brain can see this kid has star potential

[@user-lj6uf5tp5o]

he sucks hes nothing like his pops he is a jobber at best

[@FaustSweep]

people think hes a bad wrestler (no? he has a few iffy moments but hes okay, has a unique moveset, and hes certainly getting better) and think hes a bad person for him defending his friend who had SA allegations (cant comment on this, i just remember it seeming like lexis backed off whenever he realized how serious the allegations were)

[@bhhdty2272]

@@iannnCFC facts 😭😭

[@user-lj6uf5tp5o]

so he hangs with pedos@@FaustSweep

[@jorgemelendez4287]

Mad respect for him to basically thanking everyone working on him in NXT. Not being corny and just saying “I went to the big leagues and it’s all me”

[@kylewipert1976]

It’s hard to not pull for this guy. I wish him nothing but success.

[@DarkAssassin01]

The best thing about Lexis King is... He's doing great in WWE now! Future legend / Future Champ!

[@InvisibleFreak23]

I am glad he found his self confidence, that´s what i´ve always missed in his AEW run. And Lexis King seems to have a bright future in front of him - and exactly the right people who are teaching him. Shawn & Mr. Regal are great at what they do.

[@ryanpatrick3284]

The chair entrance is so sick. Lol he’s already one of my favorites in NXT.

[@nikhilkrishnan9]

He reminds me of a young Chris Jericho. His wrestling style, body physique along with the way he moves around the ring is very similar to Y2J. Hopefully he'll have a career in WWE as successful as Jericho did.

[@andrewbenjamin3835]

Love this already. Best interviewer ever is Chris

[@stevenjoseph6048]

LEX OFFENDERS we here. This interview is a banger

[@MilesTheMartian.]

Got to meet him at a local indy wrestling show in central Ohio a few months before he debuted for NXT. He is a genuine and down to earth guy. Definitely see him having a great future not only in NXT but on the main roster. Long Live The King 👑

[@talentrippin3535]

He has very good mindset about the business. I wish nothing but success to him and hopefully he becomes a major champion one day in WWE

[@mattw6993]

He's evolving similar to his father's journey: whitemeat babyface to tag team guy to instigator/provocateur. Really excited to see what he has in store for us next.

[@spc3461]

Chris, your latest interview with Lexis King shedding the Brian Pillman Jr. persona was eye-opening! The evolution of his character adds a whole new dimension to the wrestling world. Great job capturing the essence of this transformation!

[@Cyrribrae]

This is an AI bot, right? Right?

[@HomeStarGlitcher]

To me, he seems like he could be the next Chris Jericho if WWE pushes him right. I'd also love to see him bring more of the wild side like his father had. High hopes for him and looking forward to seeing him move up and make his mark in WWE.

[@djayo851]

this guy can do a really unique grunge rock type of gimmick... he already has a Cobain/Axl Rose type look

[@mrowley7300]

So happy he's doing well for himself in WWE

[@usmzn]

I wish his name was “The Cannon King” Lexis Pillman, but I’m so stoked for this guy! He gets an insane amount of hate, but I think he’s going to be a star!

[@austin_316]

Great interview. He's so down to earth, a very humble man.. wish the best for Brian 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@primocolon4936]

I much prefer this version of Lexis King, he comes off so much more chilled and laid back. The character on NXT can be a bit of a turnoff at times because it looks like he’s trying too hard to play a gimmick. Glad to see he’s getting an opportunity.

[@cityandlocal]

Great talent. I really can't call him any other name except Brian Pillman Jr. It's hard when he looks EXACTLY like his father.

[@MakeMeCare89]

What's up with these sort of gimmicky nowadays? Like it's just weird 😅

[@MartinPhillips-rb7lr]

I would love to see this guy on stone colds podcast.... The memories he could share with him about his dad would be amazing

[@mayooranthevakumaran]

Future legend ❤

[@paulkendrick4153]

😂

[@mayooranthevakumaran]

@paulkendrick4153 this is what people said about randy orton , john cena , even roman reign. stars arnt made in days or months it takes time. But if you go watch aew and nxt. You'll see what I mean

[@MegaMijit]

he looks like a 90s/2000s rockstar, love it!

[@thegarbagefly]

I really like this kid, awesome attitude. Love's story over spots, being his own man, composed and chill. I hope he gets far!!

[@bryguytyguy]

Awesome episode. The name is great especially with his perspective of it and I hope he keeps it for a long time if not for the rest of his career. It seems like there’s more room for exploration and growth now as opposed to when he went by Brian Pillman Junior.

[@tommydeamon7657]

And as usual thank you chris for the kick ass interview ,not a actual request but a idea seed chris vanvleet interviewing the undertaker in a interview segment diving deeper and pulling the curtain back farther than ever before on the undertaker kane and the charechter that allmost never was

[@MoscatoWorld]

Great Interview. I always wanted him to come out to his father's Rocket Theme. But I love that he's making his own mark.

[@TheThird1977]

This was a fantastic interview.

[@CNCPHD]

He has star potential all over him. Really. It's kind of hard to see right now, even though you can see how good he is, out of the AEW sandlot, but he has superstar potential. I hope he works hard and lives up to it.

[@mringram]

Great interview

[@charles616]

Fantastic interview

[@user-zc4hw5or7q]

Awesome interview Chris

[@Mourndarkv]

Solid interview! I wish him continued success!

[@Synapsse]

Great conversation!

[@Mr10024]

what an amazing set of questions, you went back to mentioning his a dad a bit - but they weren't ambigeous where Lexis would have to guess his answers. Questions like " what would your dad think?" or "if your dad was here what would he say?". Lexis also does a great job of respecting his father and mentioning that he doesn't remember much of his father.

[@bound2musik]

I was teen watching his dad wrestle to now seeing his son making his own name in the wrestling world is truly awesome! I'm definitely a fan of Lexis King!

[@mspacely6521]

Great job cvv smashing it lately

[@Anthonys_S]

I always enjoy any interview CVV does, he just connects so well with all his guests , always has done his research and you can tell that the guys and gals all like him and trust him

[@samcarter565]

When the was describing his look… I instantly thought of early 96-97 Raven.

[@brandondoty6535]

Love what he's doing. He reminds me so much of his father. Really good character work.

[@GimmeAHullYeah]

Great work, mate

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Fitting this interview dropped today as my Lexis King shirt I ordered showed up today as well

[@ChrisVanVliet]

Perfect timing!

[@_maliciousoul3865]

Let’s Go !!! Nothing but success for this guy been following him since he first started training

[@mercyobasi3237]

Really digging the headbands Lexis wears. Love that style on him

[@iAmChristopherMunoz]

Loving Lexis King! He's been my favorite to watch lately on NXT. Unpredictable and so entertaining. Keep it going, King!

[@guitarrox]

its Good to be King !!! Great Vid once again Chris !!!

[@blaisejones1053]

He’s becoming one of my favourite wrestlers in nxt. Genuinely so excited to see what the future holds for him

[@Elisha_TheGoddess]

Great interview of Lexi’s King !

[@MrVante247]

The King is here! Man, I love Lexis King. Dude, was made for this. He is a champion in the making

[@noellegendary3120]

I'm so glad to see his progress in NXT he's so good

[@jonathanlineberry7113]

I’m so glad to see BPJr in WWE and SUCCEEDING. Truly deserving and can’t wait to follow his journey more.

[@DaWrestlingKnowledge]

Lexis King is quickly becoming my favourite wrestler on NXT. He has become great on the mic all of a sudden. I love the way he carries himself with his character. Great heel right now on NXT. Enjoying his in ring style too. Definitely has a bright future.

[@thatboyaintright]

He deserves the push he's been given by WWE after being left for dead in AEW after Julia Hart left to join the House of Black.

[@jasonjtd79dunne88]

Between that, Mark Sterling trademarking the Varsity name taking it from him and Griff to Griff getting hurt and him joining with The Andersons but not getting much opportunity as the LineAGE teaming with Brock while being with his father’s former partner in the Horsemen Double A

[@karlasaenz6512]

I'm surprised they didn't talk about King's fans being called "Lex offenders"

[@cerebralfanatic]

I can’t speak for everyone but for me It’s always fun & interesting seeing how 2nd 3rd & so on generation talent turn out Seeing what they take from their family & what they make their own. Seeing if they reach or exceed expectations. Yeah the name can get you there but the hard work is gonna keep you there. I’m definitely rooting for him

[@comboshortsproductions9204]

Was not expecting the bluechew ad

[@JustinTafoya801]

A lot of people hate on Lexis, but I'm rooting for him. Just like anyone else, we have to learn our craft and put in time. People expected him to be ready from day one, but he's learning and developing. I hope WWE can develop him the same way they developed Dom Mysterio.

[@agamcohen3286]

You mean be in his daddy's shadows ?

[@ralphso5567]

The hate is more on having no rizz or aura. So i think its just playful banter

[@James.Gatsby]

keep the grind going, this man screams rockstar in pro wrestling!

[@saigemazda9219]

Definitely liking his run as Lexis way more than his run when he was in the Varsity Blondes.

[@BRD0211]

1:23 Opening your car door wouldn't make snow fall on to your seat if you cleared your roof like you are legally required to do so in some states (at least the ones that care if you accidentally launch a sheet of ice on other cars/people or onto your own windshield blocking your line of sight)

[@TurntUpTurtles]

18:30 that's really adorable haha. Being able to be a great influence on your young family members by using their name has to mean the world to them. Excited to see what the future holds for Lexis King.

[@LILFATTY303]

I’m always rooting for this guy to succeed

[@niteporter]

Finally. Big fan of his. Obviously huge fan of late great Brian Pillman. His father is a Legend and never gets his credit. Finally this channel stepped up

[@MrMikey300]

towards the end when he was talking about being the best at being your character is why a guy like Baron Corbin was so consistently booked in the Vince era

[@mangotoosmooth]

The king will rise to the main roster soon! Watch

[@higler.]

What a great Lance Storm impression! 11:40

[@johnritter8654]

As a fan of his father from football to WCW and wwe.he has the respect for his father his step father he is a good young man I like him he is going places

[@BC2023NYC]

I remember seeing him as part of the new hart foundation in mlw awhile back n this dude has gotten better. Seems to have the right mindset sometimes change of scenery does wonders

[@Blackgold1155]

As someone who doesn’t watch NXT, I didn’t get who Lexis King is just seeing clips or photos. That beard is weird. But it’s great to hear from Brian why he uses the name and how he’s different from his AEW character. Glad they are putting trust in him and he’s thriving in his new role.

[@thetruej7872]

I'm very excited for Lexis King fka Brian Pillman Jr in NXT. Other than his short feud with MJF, he really didn't do much in AEW and didn't have a character. So I'm enjoying his run right now in WWE. He could be a future NXT North American Champion.

[@jsolloso]

He didn't need a "character". Why the desperate need for a character when he has such a great name already. Plus NXT is really a step down, great for gaining more experience but little else.

[@thetruej7872]

@@jsolloso I think him going to NXT is the perfect start for his WWE career

[@MysticKing777]

​@@jsollosoHow is NXT a step down? They are getting bigger numbers than ROH, rampage and their new show. He wouldn't have been on dynamite if he stayed. Just like his tag partner being stuck in another tag team he only got on dynamite to lose to edge then back to ROH the dead brand.

[@jsolloso]

@@MysticKing777 the numbers are highly questionable. Aside from being on a more relevant network, they also have the legacy of WWF and the WWE2K game, both giving it hype. It is a "developmental" promotion, so it's lower than its parent promotion, WWE, therefore lower level. Not too difficult to figure out except for WWE groupies who never think beyond 2010.

[@jsolloso]

@@thetruej7872 because so many make the jump upwards 🤣

[@Lycano23]

Now I want to know the name of the background song at the beginning. What's the name?

[@SupaDupaMarioVillelli]

Love this guy. hope he has a great career

[@echobay2023]

I am really liking his new look and attitude. Big time potential

[@MakeMeCare89]

He looks like an overgrown child.

[@ianbishop5912]

I could listen to him For hours

[@claymathewselevator8121]

Love his entrance

[@BlackieMike14]

39:11 perfect examples of what get wrestling over I’m glad he understands he we be a star

[@EdrisVandam]

As long as I see them happy man, God Bless them wherever these wrestlers end up.

[@jmurdock8303]

When he was in AEW I don't know why they didn't think to put him with Dustin. Seeing that was his father's last program.

[@thejordanbrooks4893]

Share the Osprey workouts Chris!

[@joaquinsmith5616]

No other wrestler im rooting for more. Dude defies the odds constantly!

[@JoshuaBrady91]

CVV is the most grateful man of all time.

[@BBoldGaming]

I used to think that.. but family legacy is what goes down in history .

[@claymathewselevator8121]

What an inspirational story

[@ethan-ray]

dude i didn’t know his dad went to miami of ohio and was a cincinnati bengals!! not sure how i wasn’t aware before considering i love wrestling and the bengals/red hawks are my football teams

[@philipcohen7192]

So happy for him.

[@yusufgazi7]

Lexie King vs Bron Breakker is a great feud I want to happen, both second generation as well

[@Anthonys_S]

I really hope Brian makes it big , he certainly seems to have a good head on his shoulders and I think leaving his dads name out for the wrestling can only help, as he says he didn’t know his dad too well and it’s just a constant thing of is he as good as his dad etc. of course I’m sure he’s proud of his dads career. I think anyone who was watching then like me really wish Brian’s life hadn’t went the way it did , left us far too early.

[@jeremyblase]

Good interview, I’m now a fan a Alex King

[@kyledamron]

When AEW started I thought Brian Pillman Jr. was a must get. He had some moments but he was completely misused. He got some learning experience but NXT is where he should be just because of how much he will learn and he's already treated as a star

[@MovieEggman]

Dream Stories, not Dream Matches, smart man that Lexis King. CM Punk Vs MJF was a Dream Story that became reality.

[@robertriley2356]

I lived in mid northern Kentucky near Frankfort we grew up a long i71 two hrs apart

[@flyestfreshestprince9223]

That guy is definitely going to be a major superstar in WWE and I would love to see that match between two generation superstars and I must say that Nirvana graphic tee and them Air Force ones are fn 🔥

[@snkfan01]

CVV great job on interviewing Bret Michaels 😂 keep up the great content