All Elite Wrestling misses Eddie Kingston

All Elite Wrestling has a slew of amazing performers and characters who fans love. Ask anyone who is their favorite and you will get back a variety of answers. However, there’s one man that is missed on the AEW roster. Not only from a fan standpoint, but from what he brings to the promotion. That is none other than Eddie Kingston.

Kingston may not be an “AEW Original,” but in the four years he’s been a part of the company, few would argue that he’s become the heart and soul of the promotion. From his first promo against Cody Rhodes, to finally securing the Ring of Honor World Championship, fans have been invested in everything he’s achieved. It has been a fun ride of heartache and success – one that truly represents what makes professional wrestling and sports entertainment fun.

Kingston doesn’t look the part. He knows that. He doesn’t wrestle the part either when you compare him to names like Will Ospreay, Bryan Danielson, or Kenny Omega. He also knows that. But what Kingston does know is that he represents a level of the “everyday person” and how they can see themselves in professional wrestling. Look back to his excellent feature in Player’s Tribune, where he goes through exactly what makes wrestling so important to him. We’d all be so lucky to work in a field that we are so passionate about.

Kingston is also important to the on-screen product. Right now, AEW versus The Deathriders angle is the top story on the show. Jon Moxley and his crew are on a reign of terror, attempting to craft AEW into a product made in their own vision. This should be a story that gets fans invested in the future of the product, but after a few short weeks, it has already started to run out of steam. It’s not clear why, but something about this angle isn’t keeping the energy and excitement high. There really isn’t a reason to care.

This is where Kingston is missed. Imagine if he wasn’t injured and was instead the main person standing against Moxley. He has a history with all the major names in this angle, and fans would love to see him as the unlikely hero that AEW needed. If the outcome were to see Kingston win the AEW World Championship, those are the moments that catch attention. In the eyes of many, Kingston is the “Mick Foley” of AEW, and this would be the rise to the top that would generate momentum.

Unfortunately, Kingston is still sidelined with an injury. More than six months since he was injured against Gabriel Kidd, and there’s still no timetable for his return. There’s no telling where AEW will be when he does return to the ring, but Eddie Kingston is a beloved figure who is missed across the company.