Ahead of his AEW return match at All Out, former Continental Champion Eddie Kingston spoke about his time away and how at one point, he felt that it might be time to bring his career to an end.
Kingston will make his return to the ring at All Out on September 20 as he takes on Big Bill. The Mad King has been away from the ring for over a year after suffering a broken leg at a New Japan show back in the summer of 2024, and at one point thought that might be the way that his in-ring career would end.
While speaking with SHAK Wrestling, Kingston noted that he was beating himself up about the time off and that he was trying to convince himself that it was ok to bring things to an end, until close friend Homicide stated that he knew this was not the way that Kingston wanted to bid farewell to wrestling:
“It was me beating myself up, not knowing if I’m not going to get back in the ring, and trying to be satisfied,” he recalled. “I was trying to convince myself that it’s okay to call it, to end it.” However, thoughts of unfulfilled goals and advice from his mentor, Homicide, kept him going. “[Homicide] was forced to retire. He goes, ‘You can walk, you can run… Why leave?’ He’s like, ‘Are you really satisfied? Why leave?’… He would tell me, ‘Go out your way. And I know this is not the way you want to go out.’ Very true. I want to go out on my shield. I want to go out swinging to the end.”
Eddie Kingston Speaks On Pain Ahead Of AEW Return
Also in the interview, Kingston spoke about his road to recovery, adding that at one point he was unable to straighten his leg, adding that the mental challenges were far greater than the physical ones:
“My leg at one point in time wouldn’t straighten,” Kingston said. “First day, they said, ‘Let’s go,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, this is gonna suck,’ but it was worth it, because I had to do it.” He noted that his doctor told him it could be a year of in-ring activity before he feels the same or better, but added, “I don’t remember a day where I wasn’t a little beat up going into the ring. So, yeah, I’m ready.”
The physical pain, however, was secondary to the mental challenges he faced while sidelined. “The hardest part of anything in life is the mental game,” Kingston stated. “It’s always the mental part that’s a struggle… for two months I was by myself… just sitting there days in the dark.” He continued, “You’re watching, and I’m seeing AEW do great things, good things. You think that didn’t break my heart not being able to be in Texas, not to be at Wembley again? To me, Forbidden Door is my WrestleMania.”
At the end of the interview, the former Continental Champion sent a message to the fans who have supported him over the past year and to his All Out opponent, Big Bill:
“I just want everyone to understand that I’m not perfect,” he said. “I’m not healed or cured. I fight things every day, but if you look at me to be like, ‘Hey, he can do it,’ that helps me, and I’m going to try my best.”
He concluded with a direct message for his opponent at tomorrow’s All Out event, Big Bill. “There’s no real beef with me and Big Bill,” Kingston stated. “The only reason why now we have beef is because he mentioned my name. F— you, Bill. I’ll see you in Toronto. I’m gonna f— you up.”
H/t to Wrestling News.co for the use of transcriptions.
Featured image: AEW
