Claudio Castagnoli calls out Eddie Kingston as a quitter

All signs pointed to Claudio Castagnoli defending the ROH World Championship against Eddie Kingston at Supercard of Honor on March 31. It was just a matter of time before the match got put together. The agreement finally occurred on the latest episode of ROH TV (Mar. 23, 2023).

Caprice Coleman conducted a sitdown interview with Claudio and Kingston to hash it out. Claudio ripped into Kingston as unfit to carry the ROH world title. Kingston had retorts about how the title is for fighters and underdogs. Those claims blew up in his face when Claudio spoke the truth. The champ found it funny that Kingston paints himself as an underdog. Claudio pointed to Kingston’s tendencies as a quitter, partaking in pity parties, and always playing victim. He called Kingston the biggest waste of potential he has seen in his life. Claudio wasn’t scared of Kingston’s tough talk. Match on.

This was a very good scene. Watch for yourself.

I really hope this is part of a longer story, and ROH doesn’t fast-track Kingston with a title win. The Kingston character has a lot of potential as a redemption story reaching the top. His matches are entertaining, and his promos feel real. The missing step is that his character finally needs to acknowledge his own bullshit and make a change for the better.

We’ve heard similar arguments from CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, and others about Kingston. Their criticisms were correct. Those promos never felt like cheap heel lies. It is obvious by observing Kingston’s physique and emotional outbursts that his character lacks the discipline necessary to be a champion. Kingston is not the special type of athlete that can cut corners and still reach the top. A great story is there for him putting in the work to achieve his dream.

What’s your take on the promo exchange between Claudio Castagnoli and Eddie Kingston?