AEW has made major signings in 2021, bringing in CM Punk, Adam Cole, and Bryan Danielson and turning all three men into featured stars on television.
With the addition of top talents and only so much television time to go around, some wrestlers are not featured weekly on AEW Dynamite and Rampage.
Eddie Kingston, who was signed during the pandemic in 2020 and has carved out a weekly role for himself, believes that the addition of new talent will force everyone to step up.
“No [you can’t have too many top talents], because it makes everybody else step up. And if you don’t step up, you get left behind and that’s your fault. That’s not Punk’s fault. That’s not Bryan’s fault. That not whoever comes in fault. If you’re worried about the roster getting bloated or you’re worried about said ‘spot’ – as I put in quotations – then work on it and use it as motivation. I do," Kingston told Alex McCarthy of TalkSPORT.
Along with Punk, Danielson, and Cole, AEW has added the likes of Andrade El Idolo and Malakai Black in 2021.
“When Bryan signed, when Punk signed and when Adam Cole signed I said ‘alright, let’s go.’ Let’s see what you got. Because I know what I got. I know what I have to improve on. Let’s see what you got. I like it. I have a big chip on my shoulder. I hope Tony Khan brings in everybody because in my opinion, if they haven’t fought me before on the independents, they have no idea what they’re getting themselves into. I don’t care, I’ll be the first one to meet you at the gate [laughs] and I’ll let you know this is a different world, partner. This is professional wrestling, but I’m going to hit you, I’m going to beat you up and you’re going to have to beat me up. And that’s it,” Kingston asserted. “Step your game up. I’m trying not to eat as much as I used to to step my game up! Trying to do more cardio – stepping my game up! Trying to quit smoking cigarettes – stepping my game up! You got to step your game up."
Kingston has already shared the ring with Danielson and Punk, facing the former in the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament and the latter at AEW Full Gear.
“There’s no fear here because I know if I work hard, they’ll have to take it from me. And taking stuff from me throughout my life is a hard thing for people to do. So that’s what I say to everybody on our roster, everybody in internet land, here’s your little clickbait title: I don’t care who you bring in because at one point and time, they’ll have to fight me and I’m going to enjoy it. And if they enjoy it, then welcome to AEW. If they don’t, there’s the front door, don’t let it hit your ass on the way out,” Kingston finished.
Kingston is set to team with Santana & Ortiz to take on 2point0 (Jeff Parker & Matt Lee) & Daniel Garcia at AEW Dynamite New Year's Smash.
If you missed anything from AEW Holiday Bash, check out Fightful's full report on the show by clicking here.