Collective Thoughts: AEW’s Eddie Kingston Is The NEW Voice Of The Voiceless

Welcome back for some more Collective Thoughts. With his recent promo exchange within CM Punk on a recent episode of AEW Rampage, and seeing more and more people getting behind him, I thought I would take some time to talk about someone who seems to be the ultimate underdog in the world of pro wrestling, Eddie Kingston.

Now, full disclosure, I didn’t know much about Kingston before he came into AEW. To be fair, though, not very many people had. He was a guy that hung out on the indies that you heard some things about, but like most guys on the indies, you don’t get to see what they can do until they are on a bigger stage. Kingston answered an open challenge from Cody Rhodes on an episode of Dynamite in July 2020 and has been a featured guy ever since.

Kingston’s in-ring work isn’t something that would blow you away, but the authenticity of the persona he has created pulls people in. That’s why he has been a featured guy on Dynamite and should be a big player in the company moving forward. He is doing everything he can to get himself over with a crowd that may not be as familiar with him.

As much as I would love to rave about liking Kingston from the first time I saw him, I would be lying if I didn’t say some of his bookings thus far had me worried that he might not belong in the main event scene. He had some forgettable stuff coming in and didn’t really do much of note at the start. It wasn’t until he started teaming with Jon Moxley that we started to catch glimpses of what Kingston could do, especially on the microphone. They got an AEW Tag Team Title shot, but ended up on the losing end of that, and the team just kind of dissipated which put Kingston under a singles microscope, and we are starting to really see the essence of the Eddie Kingston persona.

When Kingston starts talking, I can connect with him. Even in my early-30’s, I find it refreshing to connect with a wrestler who comes off as authentic and real. Those are the best words I can use to describe the way Kingston comes off to me. Much like Mick Foley as the Mankind character, he reaches out and pulls you into his world, no matter how out of place they seem to be. If you look at Kingston on the surface, from his basic ring skills to his unorthodox ring attire, it would be easy to dismiss him as someone who would just fall through the cracks of any wrestling organization. Digger deeper though, you find artistry in someone journeying into an industry that has a certain look that people look for and Kingston is the anthesis of all of that. He is a tough guy that is from the streets of New York that seems to make his own rules along the way.

I mentioned the interaction with CM Punk he had a few weeks ago, and that put Kingston over the top for me. I told myself after watching the entire segment, that Kingston was someone I would be behind, babyface or heel. He is someone you want to root for, and even if there have been guys that have been laid the groundwork for someone like him, I really feel like Kingston is on the brink for a solid run, even entering into his 40’s (he turns 40 in December). That’s a story you want to tell. Someone who has fought and clawed their way to the very top, and overcame everything that was thrown their way.

Then an article came out by Kingston in the Player’s Tribune documenting the story Kingston wants to tell. It was very well written and really put over Kingston’s journey thus far. Hell, even Jim Cornette mentioned on his podcast this past week that Kingston is starting to come off very “Austin-like”. Not so much in sheer popularity, but in terms of getting over with the fan base organically. Kingston is someone who you can’t help but root for, and at the end of the day, someone you want to see succeed.

Do I think Kingston is a World Champion? I don’t know just yet, but I do know I would feel good for someone with the passion he has getting a chance to run with the title over guys that are there for whatever other reasons that may be.

I am writing this pre-Full Gear, and I am partially doing that on purpose. I wanted to write these thoughts before the biggest match Kingston will have been in at this point. The way they have laid things out, as short as it may be, has made me care about this match much more than a lot of other matches on the card.

Punk and Kingston going back and forth reminded me of why I love wrestling. It was a worked angle that came off as a shoot. Those types of things usually have a little bit of truth underlying to them and with all the personal stuff between the two, they have made it into a storyline that works well. I don’t know what is going to happen, but I am sure we will be entertained and I am hoping that this isn’t the last match between the two. We have been looking for both of them to be put in a meaningful feud, and this may be the best way to use both guys.

Kingston kind of reminds me of Punk during his run in the summer of 2011, and he in some way has become the voice of the voiceless himself. Someone we can all believe in again.

What do you think of Eddie Kingston? Are you a fan or not? Either way, keep the conversation going over @collectiveheel on Twitter, and let me know your thoughts. Next week, we will continue looking through WCW in 1999, and hopefully, we can fight through it together. Until then, take care of yourselves, and each other. I will be back soon enough with some more Collective Thoughts.