Eddie Kingston‘s journey from the brash savior of independent wrestling to arguably the most intense star in AEW has been nothing short of brilliant. The Mad King showed up to answer Cody Rhodes’ open challenge for the TNT title during the pandemic.
The rest was history.
It’s not just Kingston’s popularity that has skyrocketed from the day he first stepped foot inside an AEW ring. His work rate has improved dramatically over the past years as well. The ardent follower of “Kings Road” has fantastically applied the craft of his spiritual teachers in Misawa and Kawada to produce some of the best matches in AEW.
Let’s take a look at Eddie Kingston’s five best AEW matches.
Kingston Vs. Tomohiro Ishii (All Out 2022)
Those who follow NJPW may be well aware of Tomohiro Ishii’s reputation as the gatekeeper of Japan’s top promotion. Ishii’s work is often referred to as the epitome of “Strong Style,” New Japan’s philosophy when it comes to matches. Combine this with Kingston’s own hard-hitting style and you get non-stop, stiff action.
Kingston versus Ishii wasn’t part of the main show at All Out 2022. It was broadcast on the pre-show. Nonetheless, the match turned out to be a great mesh of two different styles but familiar wrestling philosophies – and the crowd loved every second of it.
Kingston & Jon Moxley vs. The Young Bucks (Double or Nothing 2021)
Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley joined forces after the Mad King nearly sacrificed himself to save his best friend at Revolution 2021. The pair challenged The Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag Team Championship at Double or Nothing 2021.
The match was sink or swim for both all the competitors involved following the disastrous conclusion to the Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch at Revolution. The two teams made the most out of the allotted time and turned their energies into a chaotic and fun outing.
Kingston and Mox’s no-nonsense brawling style blended with the Bucks’ high-flying action. Moreover, this was Kingston’s first experience in front of a live AEW crowd and he delivered to the best of his abilities.
Kingston Vs. Chris Jericho (Revolution 2022)
Eddie Kingston has been dealing with doubters his whole life. He was doubted when he first started in AEW. His biggest naysayer, however, came in Chris Jericho. The Wizard took exception to Kingston insinuating to Santana and Ortiz that they were being held back by Jericho .
The feud led to a match at Revolution 2022. Kingston surprised the first-ever AEW World Champion by taking him out with a vicious half-and-half suplex in the opening moments of the match.
The action really picked up from there as Kingston hit Jericho with a plethora of German suplexes. The outcome of the match saw Jericho submit to Kingston’s Stretch Plum submission.
A solid performance from both men that got 4.75 stars from Dave Meltzer!
Kingston Vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW Rampage – October 29, 2021)
Bryan Danielson’s first few months in AEW saw him give match of the year contenders against the likes of Kenny Omega and Adam Page. The American Dragon wrestled a great match, but overlooked, match against Eddie Kingston on Rampage in October 2021.
Both men wanted a shot at the AEW World Championship. For Danielson, it was his first opportunity to qualify for the world title. The submission specialist brought a great match out of Kingston who looked great even in defeat to one of the very best in the world.
Kingston vs. Claudio Castagnoli (AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam – September 20, 2023)
Eddie Kingston’s win over Claudio Castagnoli signaled the culmination of a feud nearly two decades in the making.
Claudio and Eddie’s history dates back to Chikara, and the pair have made no bones about not liking each other in the media. The former Cesaro’s exit from WWE came as a surprise to many, but Kingston took aim and said Claudio “didn’t have the balls to show up in AEW.”
As it turns out, he did.
The two surprisingly teamed up in a Blood & Guts match in 2022, but they finally reignited their rivalry in a singles match at Supercard of Honor in Los Angeles. Claudio won that one, and it looked like they would lock horns once more in the summer.
Eddie’s entry in the G1 tournament delayed that, but they finally squared off once more at Grand Slam. This match was hard-hitting, and it featured a vocal hometown crowd that was firmly behind Kingston.
Eddie finally beat Claudio. The Swiss Superman finally paid respect by shaking his hand after the bell. Kingston won the ROH World Championship, and solidified his place in history with the win.
Honorable Mention
Eddie Kingston, Santana, Ortiz & BCC vs. The Jericho Appreciation Society (Anarchy in the Arena Match at Double or Nothing 2022)
Eddie Kingston’s battle with Chris Jericho at Revolution 2022 was only the beginning of a heated war with the Jericho Appreciation Society. The Mad King was able to convince Santana and Ortiz to defect from the villainous stable. The trio joined the Blackpool Combat Club for a showdown of the ages at Double or Nothing.
The Anarchy in the Arena Match, as its name suggest, turned out to be one of the most violent and intense outings in AEW history. It provided Kingston with the perfect environment to showcase his violent and sadistic nature.
To top it off, the Anarchy in the Arena Match got Kingston the very first 5 star rating of his career from Dave Meltzer.
Also read: Eddie Kingston Comments On Winning ROH World Title At AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam
