Eddie Kingston cut an emotional promo at PROGRESS Chapter 199 that left fans in tears, revealing that he wanted to leave wrestling altogether after the passing of his friends “The Butcher” Andy Williams and Benjamin “PAC” Satterley. The heartfelt moment came after his match against Luke Jacobs, and it quickly became one of the most shared wrestling moments of the weekend.
Eddie Kingston (Credits: Fightful)
It has been an emotional time for wrestling fans, with the losses of Williams and Satterley — two well-known names in the business who, by the accounts of their peers, were among the nicest and most giving people in wrestling — in the past couple of months.
Eddie Kingston Emotional Promo at PROGRESS Chapter 199
Speaking to the crowd, Kingston did not hide his grief. “You lose real people. Life is a fucked up place, but I wake up every morning and do this because of the fans,” he said. “You fans put me into fucking tears with some of your messages. After Andy and Ben passed away, I didn’t leave my house for five days. I wanted to leave this business.”
He continued: “This is not about me anymore. This is not about what I want. I don’t know why you guys like me, I really don’t, but I thank you guys so much. Every fan who hit me up to tell me your story about mental health and your fucked up life, and you tell me I helped you, bullshit, you helped me.”
The promo struck a chord because Kingston has always been known for his honesty. Fans who have followed his career know that his connection with the audience is built on exactly this kind of raw, unfiltered emotion — and this was Kingston at his most vulnerable.
Eddie Kingston Thanks Fans After Butcher and PAC Deaths
Kingston was also part of the AEW tribute show for The Butcher, and tributes to PAC have poured in from across the wrestling world since his passing. At PROGRESS Chapter 199, though, the focus was on what those losses meant personally — and on the fans who helped Kingston keep going.
Clips of the promo spread quickly on social media, with fans praising Kingston for speaking openly about grief and mental health in front of a live crowd. For many, it was a reminder of why Kingston remains one of wrestling’s most beloved figures: he says what others feel, even when it hurts.
Kingston closed by making clear that, despite everything, he is still here — because of the fans. And after a promo like that, it is hard to imagine a crowd that did not feel the same way about him.
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Source: Fightful — read the full story there.
