Eddie Kingston’s long and arduous road to recovery has reached its triumphant conclusion. He secured a victory over Big Bill in his return match at AEW All Out: Toronto and ended the night aligned with a surprising new ally in HOOK.
Kingston had been sidelined for well over a year after suffering a devastating series of injuries in May 2024. During a brutal No Rope Last Man Standing match against Gabe Kidd at an NJPW STRONG event, he sustained a fractured tibia, a torn meniscus, and a torn ACL, which required extensive surgery and kept him out of action for a significant period.
The physical toll was immense, but Kingston has been open about the severe mental health challenges he faced during his absence, which only began to ease with his return to in-ring training last month. He battled depression and a lack of motivation, even contemplating ending his career while away from the ring.
That struggle made his return at All Out all the more poignant. Despite showing inevitable ring rust against the formidable former AEW Tag Team Champion, Kingston fed off the energy of the Toronto crowd. His first attempt at the Spinning Back Fist wasn’t enough to put Big Bill away, but a second, grazing shot sealed the hard-fought victory.
The celebration was cut short by a post-match attack from Bryan Keith, which brought HOOK to the ring. The fellow New Yorker made the save for Kingston, and the two stood tall before leaving together, signaling the start of a new partnership.