Eddie Kingston shared an emotional message after his victory at AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam.
NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston won the ROH World Championship by defeating Claudio Castagnoli on Wednesday night.
In a tweet, AEW shared Kingston’s post-match comments. He first stated that he shook Castagnoli’s hand because he was a great champion.
“I’m in pain. That stage hurts. Claudio hurts every time he hits you. I don’t like him as a human being. But I shook his hand because let’s be honest, he was a great Ring of Honor Champion, and I’ve always said he’s a great wrestler. I just don’t like him as a person, and that’s not gonna change. But I can definitely show that I’ve grown. I’ve grown up.
“Back in the day, I wouldn’t have shook his hand. I would have spit in his face, and then I would have gloated. But bro, I grew up, man. I’ll give him his due and his respect. I’m proud, I’m happy. When I get back to the hotel, I’m not gonna be proud and happy because now I know I gotta defend this championship and this championship. It’s gonna be hard, but I like it. Without struggle, there is no progress. I feel too weird if there’s no struggle.”
Eddie Kingston Dedicates His Win To Xavier
Eddie Kingston continued by dedicating his victory to the late Xavier, the second ROH World Champion.
“This is dedicated to Xavier, the second-ever Ring of Honor World Champion,” Eddie Kingston said. “Rest in peace, bud. Thank you for everything you’ve done for this business. Thank you for being good to be in the locker room. But this one’s for you dog, because people should remember who are. X marks the spot, baby. Love you, X. Rest in peace. I’m good. I just wanna go see my parents now.”
Xavier (real name John Jirus) passed away in 2020. He previously won the ROH World Championship in 2022, and he was a key member of ROH’s roster in its early years.
Catch up on our coverage of AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam here.
