Eddie Kingston

Kingston in July 2023

###

Yonkers, New York, United States

**Edward Moore** (born December 12, 1981), better known by his ring name **Eddie Kingston**, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He also performs for AEW's sister promotion, Ring of Honor (ROH).

Through a working relationship between AEW and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and AEW, he also works for the promotion, where she is the current Strong Openweight Champion in his first reign.

Kingston started his wrestling career in 2002, and has wrestled for numerous wrestling promotions. Outside of brief stints in Impact and ROH, Kingston was a mainstay on the independent scene for 18 years before signing with AEW. He has been praised for his speaking skills and ability to cut promos, and is regarded by some as one of the best speakers of the modern professional wrestling era.

## Early life

Edward Moore was born on December 12, 1981, in Yonkers, New York, to an Irish father and a Puerto Rican mother. He had a difficult childhood in a tough part of Yonkers, constantly getting into fights at school; he credits getting into wrestling at an early age from watching old tapes as what kept him out of jail and trouble.

## Professional Wrestling Career

### New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2021–present)

Kingston made his debut for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) on the November 27, 2021, episode of *Strong*, teaming with Jon Moxley to face Minoru Suzuki and Lance Archer in a Philadelphia Street Fight, in a losing effort. On the January 8, 2022, episode of *Strong*, Kingston returned to defeat Gabriel Kidd. At the Capital Collision event in May 2022, Kingston faced Tomohiro Ishii, but was defeated.

On February 18, 2023, at Battle in the Valley, Kingston faced Jay White in a Loser Leaves NJPW match, where had Kingston lost, he would have need White's permission to continue to compete in NJPW. On May 21 at Resurgence, Kingston issued a challenge to whoever is the Strong Openweight Champion between KENTA and Hikuleo. On June 6, at Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall, Kingston was announced as participant in the upcoming G1 Climax tournament. On July 5, at NJPW Strong Independence Day, Kingston defeated KENTA to win the Strong Openweight Championship. Later that month, Kingston was granted entry into the 2023 G1 Climax, his first G1 Climax tournament. On August 8, he finished the tournament with a record of four wins and three losses, with a loss against David Finlay on the final day costing him a spot in the quarterfinals of the tournament. Following the tournament, on August 12, after Kingston was victorious in a eigth-man tag team match, HENARE came to the ring and subsequently attacked Kingston, before motioning toward his Strong Openweight Championship belt. The following day, after a eight-man tag team match, Kingston returned the favour and attacked HENARE. The two brawled to the back, where Kingston suggested they faced each other for the title at Fighting Spirit Unleashed on October 28. On the August 31 episode of *AEW Dynamite*, Kingston made his first successful title against Wheeler Yuta, marking the first time that title was defended outside of NJPW. Initially billed as a potential title match, after Kingston successfully defenfed the title three more times, including a title vs title match on September 20 at *AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam*, where Kingston retained Strong Openweight Championship and defeated Claudio Castagnoli to win the ROH World Championship, on October 3, NJPW made the title match official for the event. On October 28 at Fighting Spirit Unleashed, Kingston successfully defended the title against HENARE.

On November 11, 2023, the NJPW's American partner promotion AEW announced a tournament called the Continental Classic, with the winner becoming the first AEW Continental Champion. Kingston, who held the Strong Championship and the ROH World Championship, announced that he would be putting his championships on the line during the tournament and that the tournament's winner would be the AEW Continental Crown Champion. As part of the Triple Crown Championship, the Strong Openweight Championship is recognized by NJPW, AEW, and ROH, and is defended in all three promotions. Subsequently, the Strong Openweight Champion at the time of the next Continental Classic will automatically be entered into the tournament. At AEW's Worlds End event, Kingston defeated Jon Moxley in the Continental Classic final, retaining the Strong Openweight Championship and becoming the first Continental Crown Champion

## In Wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *American D* (Sliding forearm smash to the back of the opponent's head)
	+ *Northern Lights Bomb* (Scoop brainbuster)
	+ *Royal Flush* (Spinning DDT)
	+ *Shotgun Lariat* (High-impact short-range lariat)
	+ *Sliding D* (Sliding forearm smash)
	+ *Uraken* (Spinning backfist) - adopted from Aja Kong
* **Signature moves**
	+ DDT
	+ Enzuigiri
	+ Inverted cloverleaf
	+ Lariat
	+ Multiple knife-edge chops to a cornered opponent
	+ Multiple suplex variations
		- Belly-to-back
		- Belly-to-belly
		- Capture
		- Head-and-arm
		- Saito
		- Tiger
	+ Running arched big boot, sometimes to a cornered opponent
	+ Side slam backbreaker
	+ Ura-nage
* **Nicknames**
	+ **"Mad King"**
* **Managers**
	+ Jon Moxley
	+ Homicide
* **Entrance themes**
	+ **"Cold World (Eddie Kingston Theme)"** by Mikey Rukus

## Championships and accomplishments

* **CBS Sports**
	+ Rookie of the Year (2020)
	+ Smack Talker of the Year (2020)
* **DDT Pro-Wrestling**
	+ Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (1 time)
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ Ranked No. 40 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the *PWI 500* in 2022
* **New Japan Pro-Wrestling**
	+ Strong Openweight Championship (1 time, current)
* **Ring of Honor**
	+ ROH World Championship (1 time, current)
* ***Sports Illustrated***
	+ Ranked No. 10 of the top 10 wrestlers in 2020
* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter***
	+ Best on Interviews (2020)
	+ Feud of the Year (2020) vs. Jon Moxley