After a grueling 497-day absence due to a career-threatening injury, Eddie Kingston has made his successful and emotional in-ring return to All Elite Wrestling. At the All Out pay-per-view in Toronto, “The Mad King” defeated Big Bill in his first match since May of 2024. The victory marks the culmination of a long and difficult road to recovery for the beloved fan favorite, who has been sidelined for over 16 months.
Kingston secured the pinfall victory over Big Bill after hitting a second, devastating spinning back fist. Following the match, Big Bill’s tag team partner, Bryan Keith, entered the ring to attack the already exhausted Kingston. This brought out fellow New Yorker HOOK, who ran to the ring to make the save.
After clearing the ring of the heels, HOOK stood side-by-side with Kingston, forming a new and unexpected alliance. HOOK himself has recently been on his own after parting ways with his former Trios Championship partners, Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs.
Kingston’s last match before his long layoff was at an NJPW Strong Resurgence event, where he lost his NJPW Strong Openweight Championship to Gabe Kidd in a brutal no rope, last man standing match. During that bout, Kingston suffered a multitude of severe injuries simultaneously, including a torn ACL, a torn meniscus, and a fractured leg, which required extensive surgery and rehabilitation.