Eddie Kingston isn’t mad at Gabe Kidd.
On May 11, 2024, Eddie Kingston and Gabe Kidd had a no rope last man standing match for the NJPW STRONG Openweight title. It was a brutal match, but that shouldn’t be a surprise since during the press conference, Kingston promised to put a bullet in his head!
Kidd ultimately won the nearly 25 minute bout, but unfortunately for Eddie, he suffered a leg injury, which required surgery for a fractured tibia, torn ACL, and meniscus tear that kept him out of action for over a year.
Kingston talked to Renee Paquette on Close Up and they brought up the New Japan star. Kingston made it clear that he has no ill will towards Gabe Kidd for injuring him as it’s professional wrestling and accidents happen. However, that doesn’t mean he’s friends with the New Japan star. In fact, he would still like to beat his ass (Transcript courtesy of Fightful).
“I don’t like Gabe to begin with. That just added more to it. I’m not mad that he injured me because I would have done it to him. What do you think I was trying to do in that match? I get it. This is not ballet, folks. I don’t like Gabe anyway. It just adds more fuel to the fire. Now, here comes the smack, and it’s a little bit harder for those 16 months.
Here comes that slap to the face sideways that I like to do because I really don’t like the person. When I aim for the bridge of the nose, because once you break the nose, eyes get watery, they can’t see, you hit them with a three-piece and a soda. No, I have no ill will for the injury. I have ill will because I think he’s a piece of shit person and I want to [frick] him up for it. Other than that, no,” he said.
Since Eddie’s injury, Kidd has raised his stock in the wrestling world. After his incredible performance against Kenny Omega earlier this year, he’s become one of the focal points of the promotion. Kidd has even crossed over to AEW thanks to Jon Moxley and The Death Riders.
The last time Kidd fought in AEW was at Forbidden Door where him, The Death Riders, and The Young Bucks lost a Lights Out Steel Cage match to Hiroshi Tanahashi, The Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi), Darby Allin, and Will Ospreay. But the last time Kidd was on AEW television, Darby Allin put him in a body bag and dragged him off into the sunset.
We’ll likely see Kidd in AEW again, though it’s unknown if his rivalry with Kingston will spark up again.