The warpath of Eddie Kingston continues and has claimed another victim, Jericho Appreciation Society’s Jake Hager, on AEW Rampage.
After causing “The Mad King” to be eliminated at Dynamite’s Interim Title Battle Royal, Kingston demanded that he fight Hager on Rampage to get his receipt. And just like that, the contract was signed, and while the match didn’t meet the energy and excitement of the Rampage opener one week prior – Young Bucks vs. Lucha Bros – it was still a hard-hitting fight and a win Kingston needed to gain momentum leading into Blood and Guts.
The match itself emphasized Hager’s size and MMA training advantage against Kingston’s brawler spirit and deep-seated rage, with plenty of suplexes, strikes, and Kenta Kobashi-inspired machine gun chops to go around.
I scream "KOBO!" Before I do it for the originator and my favorite wrestler Kenta Kobashi. https://t.co/GNPQFnIh9F
— Eddie Kingston #BlackLivesMatter (@MadKing1981) June 11, 2022
After an attempted submission via ankle lock ended with a rope break and more offense from Hager, Kingston gained the upper hand, hitting Hager with a combination of a powerbomb and two spinning backfists for the victory. A relatively clean finish when you consider just how much AEW protected Hager when he first started.
Battle Royals can be great opportunities to continue feuds and set up matches. Hager took Kingston out of an opportunity to win the Interim Title, Kingston wanted his receipt, and so the ensuing match was justified and was a perfectly entertaining opener, heating things up more before the violence really turns up to 11 at Blood and Guts.
One thing is for sure: Considering Kingston’s character and love of violence, Blood and Guts is guaranteed to be even bloodier and gutsier than last year.
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