Kevin Knight

Knight in May 2023

###

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

**Kevin Knight** is an American professional wrestler currently working to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-half of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.

After starting his career in 2019, Knight joined NJPW the following year as a "young lion". He began teaming with KUSHIDA in November 2022, subsquently graduated from his young lion status, after being repackaged as "The Jet", complete with a new look and a new persona, based on KUSHIDA's futuristic gimmick, before winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in April 2023.

## Early life

Before beginning his career, Knight practiced track and field before training for his professional wrestling career in May 2019, being trained by Buddy Wayne.

## Professional wrestling career

### Early Career

Knight started his professional wrestling career in August 2019, he would in work in the American independent circuit under the ring name "Jet Knight" and would work for promotions such DEFY Wrestling and Pacific Pro Wrestling until when Knight passed a try-out to enter in the NJPW L.A. dojo.

### New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2020–Present)

#### Young Lion (2020–2022)

In early 2020, Knight earned a training spot in the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW)'s LA Dojo, after the passing an introductory test. He made his debut on December 12, at the 2020 Super J-Cup in a tag team match along with fellow Young Lion Ren Narita, losing to Bullet Club's KENTA and Bad Luck Fale. As is customary for most young lions, Knight spent most of his matches losing to other, more experienced wrestlers, which would help put over other wrestlers while at the same time give him some in-ring, televised, experience.

In June 2021, Knight took part in the Tag Team Turbulence along with fellow Young Lion, The DKC, losing in the first round to Team Filthy's West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson and Royce Issacs). Through NJPW's international partnerships Knight made his debut in the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW), on May 1, 2022, in a tag team match along with fellow Young Lion, The DKC losing to The Factory's QT Marshall and Nick Comoroto. On October 10, Kinght along with the DKC lost a four-way tag team match for the #1 contenders for the Strong Tag Team Champions. On November 28, at the Rumble On the 44th Street, Knight and DKC failed to capture the Strong Tag Team Champions in a three-way match also involving the champions, Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis) and The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley), where Knight got the pin. On November 20, Knight made his Japanese debut at Historic X-Over's pre-show, along with Clark Connors, Alex Coughlin and the returning Gabriel Kidd in a winning effort against fellow Young Lions, Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita, Yuto Nakashima and the debuting Oskar Leube.

#### Jet Setters (2022–present)

From November 21 until December 11, Knight and KUSHIDA part in the 2022 Super Jr. Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record two wins and seven losses, failing to win the tournament. However during the tournament, Knight would graduate from his Young Lion status, something that KUSHIDA, would confirm himself. Knight started using orange baggy pants and Oakley sunglasses to match KUSHIDA's futuristic gimmick, nicknaming himself "The Jet".

Following the tournament, Knight and KUSHIDA continued to team together, with both debuting for Impact Wrestling, to face The Good Hands (Jason Hotch and John Skyler) in a winning effort. On April 3, they named their team the "Jet Setters" and subsquently challenged Catch 2/2 (Francesco Akira and TJP) to a title match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. On April 27, Knight and KUSHIDA defeated Akira and TJP to become the new champions. The following month, Knight took part in the 2023 Best of the Super Juniors, finishing the tournament with a record of three wins and six losses, failling to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. On June 4 at Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall, Knight and KUSHIDA lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship back to Akira and TJP. From October 21 to November 2, Knight and KUSHIDA took part in the 2023 Super Jr. Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record five wins and four losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing Moves**
	+ Knightfall (Cruficix powerbomb)
	+ Spike DDT
* **Signature Moves**
	+ Boston crab
	+ Body slam followed by standing frog splash
	+ Bridging inverted roll-up
	+ Crucifix pin
	+ Dropkick
	+ Foot choke to a low cornered opponent
	+ Jumping somersault frog splash
	+ Multiple strike combinations
		- Elbow
		- Knife-edge chop
		- Knuckle punch
		- Uppercut
	+ Multiple crossbody combinations
		- Diving
		- Flying
		- Slingshot
		- Springboard
		- Stinger splash
	+ Pump kick
	+ Running Frankensteiner
	+ Sit-out Spinebuster
	+ Somersault backbreaker
	+ Topé con Hilo
* **Nicknames**
	+ **"The Jet"**
* **Entrance themes**
	+ **"The Jet"** by Monteasy

## Championships and accomplishments

* **New Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with KUSHIDA