Eddie Kingston reveals his REAL feelings about CM Punk amid AEW absence

Eddie Kingston and CM Punk go way back. Their issues began on the independent scene in the mid-2000s and followed them all the way to a major AEW pay-per-view in 2021. Now that Punk has moved on to WWE, The Mad King has given his real thoughts on his bitter rival, amid the latter's absence from the Jacksonville-based promotion.

When The Second City Saint joined All Elite Wrestling in 2021, Eddie Kingston jumped at the chance to vent some frustration at his old enemy. The two faced off at Full Gear that year, with CM Punk coming out on top. Still, Eddie got a few good licks in, and their intense promo battle leading up to the match is still remembered fondly by fans.

Eddie Kingston is lauded for his passion and "realness" on the microphone, and that rings true even when he speaks about his enemies. In a recent conversation on Wrestling with the Narrative, The Mad King admitted that Punk is one of the few legitimate draws in the business:

"I loved punching him in the face, I’ll tell you that much. Again, I’m not a bullsh***er, I’m not gonna lie and be like, ‘Nothing, f**k him.’ I’m gonna take the personal stuff out of it and just look at it from the outside and say that Punk is one of the few names still left in wrestling where if you put [his] name on a billboard by itself, you’re gonna get people to come and see what’s going on. Personally, that’s a different story, but business-wise man, he’s really one of the last few names in wrestling [that can do that]."

Eddie admitted that WWE doesn't interest him, but he understands how big a deal CM Punk is for fans:

"I haven’t watched WWE in a very long time, not because I’m Mr. whatever, it’s not interesting to me. That’s me, though. If it’s interesting to you, god bless, awesome you’re watching wrestling, that’s all I care about personally. Punk, I give him that man, you put his name on anything, people will either buy it or come see what’s going on. You put him in a supermarket or Walgreens or something, saying CM Punk’s gonna be here, people are going to come to see what he’s doing. So, he’s definitely a name," said Kingston. [H/T Fightful]

Check out his comments in the video below:

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Latest updates on Eddie Kingston amid AEW hiatus

After winning the inaugural Continental Classic tournament in 2023, Eddie Kingston became a Triple Crown Champion. Unfortunately, the added strain of defending his three titles may have contributed to his body breaking down.

The Mad King tore his ACL and meniscus at NJPW STRONG Resurgence in May 2024, and he's been out ever since. During that time, he's faced separate health issues and accumulated a lot of stress, as well.

The latest reports on the 43-year-old indicate that he's looking better. He was recently spotted training with Cezar Bonini, and fans noted that he was sporting a massive beard.

Eddie Kingston is a fan favorite in AEW, and his return is certain to garner a huge reaction. Whether The Mad King can make it back to the ring in 2025 remains to be seen.