In a recent appearance on the “ESPR” podcast, AEW Triple Crown Champion Eddie Kingston lashed out at tribalistic wrestling fans who continuously wish for the downfall of AEW or WWE.
Kingston himself admitted to speaking out against WWE but said that he was simply supporting AEW and wouldn’t go as far as the haters have.
He said, “I understand it because when I was a fan, I was all about ECW and screw everybody else, but I never said I want a place to close. To me, when you sit there and say ‘I hope AEW closes’ or ‘I hope WWE closes’ or whatever, to me, you’re a nasty human being because people are losing their jobs. People with families are losing their jobs. This has nothing to do with tribalism, this is you being nasty and not understanding what life is about. To me, that’s wrong. I’m a Yankee fan, but I don’t hope the Red Sox players get hurt or injured. People are like, ‘You talk crap about WWE.’ Yeah, just like I talk crap about the Boston Red Sox. AEW is my team, the Yankees are my team, the Giants are my team. The Giants, this year, were not good, but I’ll sit there and say, screw the Cowboys, screw the Eagles, even though they are in the playoffs and doing their thing. Still, as a Giants fan, I’m going to say that.”
He continued, “Just like I’m a fan of AEW, I’m going to say everybody else sucks, even though it’s not true. Just like people in WWE will say AEW sucks and they are the best. You stick with your team and that’s it. I don’t want [any company] to close because I have a couple people who I consider friends over at WWE and I don’t want them to lose their jobs. They have a wife and kids. I want them to feed their families. Those guys don’t want me to lose a job. These fans don’t get that. We’re all pulling for each other. We want everybody to eat, but we want our people to eat first and eat more, that’s it, but everyone can eat.”
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In a recent interview on the ESPR podcast, AEW Triple Crown Champion Eddie Kingston expressed his frustration with tribalistic wrestling fans who constantly wish for the downfall of either AEW or WWE. While Kingston himself has been critical of WWE, he clarified that he was simply showing support for AEW and would not go as far as the haters have.
Kingston acknowledged that he understands the passion of fans who align themselves with a particular promotion, as he himself was a fan of ECW and was all about supporting them. However, he emphasized that he never wished for any promotion to close down. He criticized those fans who openly express their desire for AEW or WWE to fail, stating that it makes them nasty human beings because people are losing their jobs in the process. Kingston highlighted that these wrestlers have families to support, and it is important to recognize the impact of such comments on their livelihoods.
Drawing an analogy to sports, Kingston mentioned that he is a fan of the New York Yankees but does not wish for harm to come to players from rival teams like the Boston Red Sox. He explained that being a fan of a particular team does not mean wishing ill upon others. Similarly, he pointed out that fans from WWE may say negative things about AEW, and vice versa, but it should not translate into wanting a company to close down. Kingston emphasized that wrestlers from different promotions support each other and want everyone to succeed, even though they may have their own allegiances.
Kingston concluded by expressing his concern for his friends who work in WWE and stated that he does not want them to lose their jobs. He emphasized the importance of understanding that everyone in the wrestling industry is pulling for each other’s success and wants everyone to have opportunities to provide for their families.
In conclusion, Eddie Kingston’s comments shed light on the negative impact of tribalistic behavior among wrestling fans. While it is natural for fans to have preferences and support their favorite promotions, it is crucial to remember that these are real people with real lives and families. Wishing for the downfall of a company can have severe consequences for the individuals involved. It is essential for fans to appreciate the hard work and dedication of wrestlers across different promotions and support the industry as a whole.