Eddie Kingston is currently enjoying arguably the best run of his career as both the Ring Of Honor World Champion and the NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion. However, that didn’t stop Jake Roberts from offering some advice to him, which was simply to not stop.
“If you stop, they’ll pass you, so don’t stop, and be available to change,” Roberts said on “The Snake Pit with Jake Roberts” podcast. “People get tired of watching the same thing, so throw some apples in there with those oranges. Maybe even a cumquat.”
Kingston initially joined AEW in 2020 after answering Cody Rhodes’ TNT Championship open challenge. While he was unsuccessful in that match, “The Mad King” was signed just before he was about to quit the business entirely, and since then has proven to be one of the company’s most popular wrestlers with the fanbase. However, he has often stumbled at the final hurdle during his AEW career, whether that be coming up short against Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship, or against Miro for the TNT title.
Over the years, Kingston has had to fight against certain stigmas regarding his physique, which has led to the likes of CM Punk branding him “fat and lazy.” Meanwhile, others such as Bryan Danielson have questioned what Kingston could have achieved if he’d made more of an effort, but even with those criticisms, Kingston has managed to thrive due to his spirit. He has become an advocate for mental health, speaking and fighting from the heart, and he has made a fan out of Roberts along the way.
“He’s a solid worker, really solid. I enjoy watching him, absolutely,” Roberts said. “He’s serious.”
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “The Snake Pit” with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
