In a recent interview with New Japan Pro Wrestling’s website, Eddie Kingston discussed several topics, including being part of the NJPW G1 CLIMAX 33 Tournament, how it has been a life-long dream of his, wanting to do good for legendary names in NJPW history and much more.

“I can feel the spirit, you know, I can’t stop smiling, because I can feel the spirit, the fighting spirit of my heroes that wrestled here, and it’s something that I’ve never felt before. This power, I’m almost speechless, there’s no words than can do justice to this building (Korakuen Hall) and the company and the tournament.

It means everything to me, it’s what I’ve wanted to do since I got started in the business, the pinnacle of pro wrestling, you have to be battle hardened, you have to be battle tested to survive here. I want to show all the fans, not just AEW fans, that I can do this style, that I’ve studied this style before I even broke in. To me, Japanese professional wrestling is the best professional wrestling in the world, I felt that ever since I was a teenager. My first pro wrestling tape had Muto versus Chono in the 1991 G1 Final, that blew my mind and it made me want to be here more than anywhere else.

I felt like my career was over right before the pandemic, when the pandemic hit I thought okay, that’s it, my career’s over, I’m not supposed to be here. I’ll get emotional saying this, but I’ve dreamed of this since I was 13 years old. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, in life, not just in wrestling, and I never thought I’d bere. To be here now seems very surreal, so I just want to do good for the Japanese fans, for New Japan and for the people I looked up to, for Hashimoto, Chono, Muto, Baba, Inoki, the Four Pillars and on and on, Jun Akiyama as well, I’ve been able to wrestle and team with him, and he gave me so much confidence.”

The full interview is available at this link.