10 Most Violent AEW Wrestling Matches So Far
5. Cody Vs. Eddie Kingston (No Disqualifications Match)
Cody's TNT Championship open challenges provided something to look forward to each week. From the debut of Ricky Starks to the rise of Jungle Boy, nothing was quite as noteworthy than the arrival of Eddie Kingston on the 16 July episode of Dynamite.
The inaugural CHIKARA Grand Champion not only went to town on Cody on the microphone, but also in the ring. Having Eddie's first AEW match be fought with no disqualifications was a necessity. It wouldn't have had the same sort of impact had Kingston competed in a standard match on his first night in the company.
While there may not have been weapons used in the match (a simple bag of thumbtacks is all that was on offer here), both Cody and Eddie absolutely tore into each other from a striking perspective. 'The War King' used headbutts, chops, and jabs to wear down the defending champion, while 'The American Nightmare' jolted back to his feet off a Backdrop Driver to lariat the former ROH star onto the tacks. It was nasty spot after nasty spot here.
Aside from the Mr. Brodie Lee challenge in August, none of Cody's TNT Championship defences were quite as shocking as this. That Eddie earned a full-time AEW contract from this sole appearance speaks volumes in terms of its importance.