"Why are you doing this to me?" - Eddie Kingston teases dream match against 52-year-old legend at the AEW Grand Slam event
AEW star Eddie Kingston has highlighted his dream match for the upcoming "Grand Slam" edition of Dynamite which is scheduled to take place on September 21st, 2022.
The event will be the second consecutive year that AEW has run a show at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York, with the first being an overwhelming success.
Kingston headlined the Rampage portion of the show in an unsanctioned "Lights Out" match, teaming up with Jon Moxley to go against Minoru Suzuki and Lance Archer. However, the "Mad King" has got a few more dream matches he wants to have this year.
Did this last year so why not but dream fights for me in 2022
1) Jun Akiyama
2)Naomichi Marufuji
3) Go Shiozaki
Having already been booked to face his number two dream opponent Naomichi Marufuji in 2022, Eddie Kingston has his sights set once again on Jun Akiyama.
During an interview with Under the Ring, Kingston mentioned that he would love to open the Grand Slam show with Akiyama, and that Tony Khan is probably pulling his hair out at the thought of it.
"That’s where I want Akiyama, put that out there. In a dream world, in a dream scenario, it’s me and Akiyama opening that show. When Tony Khan sees this he’s gonna go ‘Why? Why are you doing this to me?’." (H/T Fightful).
Kingston has mentioned Akiyama as his dream opponent multiple times over the years, but only time will tell if it happens in 2022 or not.
Eddie Kingston recently wrestled one of Jun Akiyama's students: Konosuke Takeshita
While the match against Jun Akiyama has yet to materialize for Eddie Kingston so far, he has had a taste of what it would be like to wrestle him after facing one of Akiyama's brightest students, Konosuke Takeshita.
Eddie Kingston Vs. Konosuke Takeshita was fantastic. A classic AJPW main event-style match blended with a US television opener that somehow didn't compromise the selling. Superbly crafted.
Their match took place on the July 8th, 2022, edition of Rampage. It was a highlight for Kingston this year, and during the same interview, he had nothing but kind words to say about Takeshita.
"Being in there with him was amazing. It was also one of my tests for me to see if I could beat this kid who is a young up and comer and is learning under one of my heros and one of my dream matches, Jun Akiyama. He’s studying under him so if I don’t get the match with Akiyama, this is the closest I’ll get to him." (H/T Fightful).
Would you like to see Eddie Kingston vs. Jun Akiyama? Let us know in the comments section down below!