'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It seems the AEW TNT Championship Open Challenge has become the perfect place for AEW to recruit independent wrestlers, and that's exactly what seems to be happening. Cody Rhodes won the AEW TNT title after defeating Lance Archer at AEW Double or Nothing and ever since then, has been defending the title in Open Challenges every week. It appears that one of his latest opponents, Eddie Kingston, is now a part of All Elite Wrestling.
AEW signs Eddie Kingston
AEW has now signed Eddie Kingston.
Eddie Kingston made his first and only appearance on AEW at Dynamite a week ago. On that occasion, he appeared out of nowhere and gave Cody Rhodes the fight of his life. He challenged the AEW TNT Champion to a No Disqualification match for the title, coaxing him into accepting it.
What followed was a serious beatdown on Cody Rhodes, who was having a lot of difficulty surviving against him. They got all sorts of weapons involved in the match with Kingston introducing thumbtacks into the fray as well. This resulted in Cody Rhodes getting powerbombed by Eddie Kingston into the thumbtacks with them embedded deep in his back.
It appeared several times that Kingston would actually get the win over Cody Rhodes, but that did not happen. Instead, Cody Rhodes able to retain, breaking Kingston's heart. Kingston had delivered a heartfelt promo ahead of the match and won over the fans. This resulted in a campaign to get him signed by AEW, and it appears that this has worked.
Eddie Kingston has also reacted to the signing saying that the 'StrayDog' was off his chain.
Cody Rhodes and the AEW TNT title
Since winning the AEW TNT title, Cody Rhodes has hosted the Open Challenge regularly.
So far, Cody Rhodes has faced Jungle Boy, Marq Quen, Ricky Starks, Jake Hager, Sonny Kiss, Eddie Kingston, and WARHORSE.
Of all of these, Starks, Eddie Kingston, and WARHORSE were independent wrestlers. Now, two of them, Ricky Starks and Eddie Kingston, have been signed by AEW.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
