On a recent edition of “The Ten Count” podcast, AEW Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston discussed his AEW signing, dealing with fan negativity, how long he wishes to compete, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On how long he wants to compete and changing his style: “I have to go all the way in or I can’t do it. I can’t half a*s it. If I do, then I’m not giving the people what they want. They pay to see me do my thing. And if I back up, or if I half a*s it, I’m not giving the people what they paid for. You know what I mean? I know a lot of guys focus on ratings and who’s watching. But for me personally, I worry about the people who actually paid money to come to the show, I care about the mom, the dad or the dad dad or the mom mom, or whatever it is and their kids, because it’s not cheap to come to the show. So when they pay for that, those tickets, I’m thinking about them. And what they paid to see. And now there’s no slowing down. Nothing like that. How long do I have? I don’t know. I don’t know. I’m just gonna keep going until my body says no more. Yeah, I would like to reach 30 years because that’s an old school number. Like a lot of the old school guys back in the day would be like, 30 years is what they wanted. So like I say, 30 but I’m probably gonna go into and so I can’t walk to be honest with you. Terry Funk’s the goat so I learned from him.”
On dealing with fan negativity: “That’s just a part of life. Not everyone’s gonna love you, not everyone’s gonna hate you. That’s all it is. You know what I mean? For the people who do like me, love me or whatever you want to say, it’s humbling. I’m just doing what I’ve been wanting to do since I was nine years old. So for somebody to actually enjoy my work and enjoy what I’m doing or even love it, it’s very humbling. For the people that don’t like it. I really don’t pay attention to you because then it’s not for you. I’m a firm believer, if you don’t like what I do, then don’t watch. Or wait for something else to come. There’s gonna be something you like on AEW, We have a good percentage that are gotta like something on AEW.”
On how he got hired by AEW: “At the time I was working, it was the first independent show since COVID. I went in there and Homicide my mentor was there and he’s like, ‘Hey, man, you got to do something tonight. This is our first independent show back, you have to do something. You have to say something today.’ And I was like, Alright, man, I’ll do it. The promoter didn’t know. So I just grabbed the microphone. And I called out Zack Sabre Jr. Because meaning was supposed to wrestle in England before the pandemic hit. And he’s been ducking me for years. And then I called out Nick Aldis because at the time, I was working for the NWA. And he was NWA World Champ. In my mind then I went, you know what? Why not? Hey Cody Rhodes, you got this open challenge, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I talked all this trash, and I didn’t think nothing of it. And then I guess it got over on Twitter. And I get a phone call from QT Marshall. And he’s like, ‘Hey, you want to fight Cody?’ I said, ‘Yeah, how much?’ Because at that time, I was selling my wrestling gear to pay for my mortgage. Because there was no shows running. So I was like, yeah. I didn’t look at it as a tryout. I didn’t look at it as my way in. I just looked at it as another payday so I can pay off the mortgage for that month, and then I’ll figure out what I can do next month. That’s the way I looked at it.”
Eddie Kingston, the reigning AEW Continental Crown Champion, recently appeared on “The Ten Count” podcast to discuss various aspects of his career. In the interview, Kingston opened up about his future in wrestling, dealing with fan negativity, and how he landed a contract with AEW.
When asked about how long he wants to compete and if he plans to change his style, Kingston expressed his commitment to giving his all in the ring. He believes that if he doesn’t go all-in, he won’t be able to deliver what the fans expect from him. Kingston emphasized that he cares about the people who pay to see him perform and wants to give them their money’s worth. He mentioned that he would like to reach the milestone of 30 years in the wrestling industry, as it is a number that many old-school wrestlers aimed for. However, he also acknowledged that he will continue wrestling until his body can no longer handle it, citing Terry Funk as his inspiration.
Addressing the topic of fan negativity, Kingston shared his perspective on the matter. He acknowledged that not everyone will love or hate him, and that’s just a part of life. He expressed gratitude towards those who appreciate his work and find enjoyment in it, considering it a humbling experience. For those who don’t like his style or persona, Kingston believes they should simply stop watching and find something else that suits their preferences. He also assured fans that AEW offers a diverse range of talent and storylines, so there is likely something for everyone to enjoy.
Kingston also revealed how he got hired by AEW. He recounted an incident at an independent show where he was encouraged by his mentor, Homicide, to make an impact. Without the promoter’s knowledge, Kingston grabbed the microphone and called out Zack Sabre Jr. and Nick Aldis. This caught the attention of fans on Twitter and eventually led to a phone call from QT Marshall, who offered him a match against Cody Rhodes. At the time, Kingston saw it as an opportunity to earn a payday and cover his mortgage expenses, rather than a tryout or a gateway into AEW.
The interview with Eddie Kingston provides insight into his mindset as a performer, his dedication to the fans, and the circumstances that led to his signing with AEW. As he continues to make waves in the wrestling industry, fans can expect Kingston to bring his unique style and passion to the ring for years to come.