I have watched a lot of wrestling content over the years. Every iteration of the art form has been seen by me. I think I can see a train wreck coming inside the squared circle quicker than most and appreciate it when the symphony of sports entertainment is pulled off perfectly. It is rewarding when long-term stories appear on a show. A months-long feud isn't a typical one- company feud. A band-aid was ripped off and left a scar over a decade ago.
There was a subtle removal of the flexible fabric at the end of the All Elite Wrestling show. The replacement for Bryan Danielson on the show was named Cesaro. He will work with Eddie Kingston in subbing for the American Dragon. They don't like each other. The two can be seen jawing at each other as their teammates watch them argue.
Their feud is mentioned in commentary by Excalibur, sandwiched between several nice things to say about the show. It wasn't ignored in their first on camera appearance together in over a decade It is difficult for AEW to have established continuity. Veteran wrestlers' histories with other companies are what they need to rely on to fill background here and there.
Chikara is where Kingston and Castagnoli's history was found. The Philadelphia-based independent was known for its over-the-top characters and for its inspiration from comic books and other media. It always had a rating under the age of 18. It was the strictest rule of the promotion. Fans replaced chanting "holy shit" with "holy poop" in order to work. At a Chikara show in 2010, Castagnoli shouted down a group of fans chanting profanities with children in front of him.
The feud between Castagnoli and Kingston began in 2009. The entire history won't be run down by me. If you don't want the cliff notes, this video is for you. The rivalry between the two began to decide who the better wrestler was and Kingston began to proclaim that Castagnoli was a bad guy. Eddie was correct that there would be a double turn between babyface and heel in the new year. Castagnoli got the upper hand on Kingston due to the Bruderschaft des Kreuzes stable. The feud was about to end when Castagnoli decided to join the company. It was the only way to career advancement without moving to Japan or Mexico. There was no conclusion to the feud.
A wall was put between the subjects for 11 years. It is the same as if the universe was put on hold for more than a decade after the movie. We don't know how Earth's mightiest heroes save the day for nearly a dozen years in the movie "Endgame" Castagnoli worked in the wrestling ring. He still hates Kingston, but does he really want to be an AEW champion? There is no contractual boundaries to continue their hatred now.
The chemistry between Kingston and Castagnoli was so bad that their disdain didn't suffer. Chikara didn't allow for weapons to be used to show their anger. Nothing will feel less legit than a TV-14 product like AEW, where swearing, gore and chair shots are on display.
During Kofi Kingston's run to the WWE Championship, I gave him props for telling long-term stories, like when Randy Orton tried to humiliate him in the ring a decade ago. It's necessary to give the same respect to Eddie and Claudio. Tony Khan paid a lot of money to buy Ring of Honor. Chikara needs a video library. The AEW roster has a lot of ties with the promotion and should be purchased.
There is a chance that a collision will address their beef. It ended with Castagnoli as the bad guy and Kingston as the hero. They will be inside the steel cage on Wednesday. I think Kingston doesn't give a rat's ass about that. He saw red with everyone but Jon Moxley at one time. Kingston is relatability is one of the reasons he endears himself to the company's fans. Castagnoli can't have that. His popularity is due to his strength. He is carved from stone. There are a lot of people in the crowd at a AEW show. There isn't a lot.
If Castagnoli and Kingston were to occupy the same stage again, it would be uncomfortable. Both men should be applauded for continuing to butt heads. We don't know how the original plane would land, but they are now teammates. While Chikara was a nice place for the men to spar, waiting 11 years to see any conclusion may be worth it in the long run.
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