8 months ago
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Eddie Kingston is a true veteran in the world of professional wrestling, as he has competed all over the world in various companies. Kingston is a major star in AEW now, but he did have a WWE tryout back in the day. In light of that, Kingston made it clear he doesn’t regret his nonchalant attitude towards the tryout.
AEW Continental Champion Eddie Kingston may not have achieved significant success in WWE, but the Mad King remains unfazed by it. Before the launch of AEW in 2019, Kingston had an unsuccessful tryout with WWE.
Reflecting on his experience in a recent interview with Inside the Ropes, Eddie Kingston discussed the ‘attitude’ he brought to the Performance Center during that time.
“A friend of mine hooked me up with it… but I went there with this attitude of ‘whatever f**k it, I don’t really care.’ I didn’t really care, I was like ‘they’re not looking at me anyway.”
Kingston added that at the time, WWE was more focused on recruiting female talent for the Mae Young Classic, an all-female tournament. Recognizing this focus, Kingston entered with the belief that his chances of being signed were slim.
Although Kingston didn’t secure a WWE talent contract, the company recognized something valuable in him and approached him about a coaching role. However, Kingston turned down the offer, explaining during the interview that the coaching role didn’t align with his preferences. Kingston also shared a noteworthy moment when his old friend Kevin Owens approached him, attracting considerable attention from many people in the process.
“As soon as they saw me say hello to Kevin Owens and he gave me a hug, and a couple of other people that were there, next thing you know the next day everybody was my friend.”
Reflecting on his tryout, Kingston expressed no issues with how things unfolded. He clarified that he already had numerous independent bookings lined up that would have been financially rewarding. Kingston’s career indeed flourished, securing titles such as the AEW Continental Championship, the NJPW Strong Championship, and currently holding the ROH World Championship.
Are you glad Eddie Kingston never signed with WWE? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
