Eddie Kingston on AEW changes, injury return, and goals

Eddie Kingston said he did not expect to become an All Elite Wrestling regular when a spontaneous call-out at an independent show led to his AEW debut against Cody Rhodes in July 2020, and in a recent interview he outlined how the company has changed, described his recovery and return from injury, and set out three career goals he still hopes to achieve. Kingston spoke about the episode, his relationship with Jon Moxley, and his ambitions as he resumes in-ring activity following a lengthy layoff.

Kingston recalled that he cut a promo at a small show in New Jersey and, on a whim, called out Rhodes, who had been running an open challenge on AEW Dynamite. He said he did not expect anything to come of it until AEW contacted him and offered the match, a booking that led to his signing with the company. Kingston added that he was struggling financially at the time and treated the opportunity as a way to keep working.

Asked whether AEW is the same organization it was when he arrived, Kingston answered directly. "No, it's changed. It's definitely changed. The roster has changed, the office has changed," he said. He declined to judge whether those changes were positive or negative,...