Kevin Knight revealed that he was surprised when Tony Khan named him as one of AEW’s new pillars, along with Mercedes Moné, Thekla and Kyle Fletcher.
In an interview on TMZ’s Inside the Ring, he talked about the importance of that recognition, especially since he has been in the company for a little over a year.
Commenting on the recognition he received from Khan, Knight said.
“That means a lot honestly because I’ve been in this company, what, a little over a year at this point? I was on the dual contract. When I first got to AEW, I was mainly New Japan. Things happened and I looked up, and everything has happened the way it happened.”
He also explained why the comparison with the other three names means so much to him.
“The reason why it [Tony’s praise] impacted me, I wasn’t one of his first guys that he first signed right out the box. Mercedes was a big name coming from WWE. Thekla was a big name coming out of Stardom. Kyle has been grinding the last two, three years on TV. And me, I feel like I just got here. So for him to mention me among those names, it’s like, ‘Wow, he really thinks a lot of me.’”
Finally, Knight talked about his mindset after receiving the praise.
“For me, I just do what I do to my best abilities, and obviously he gravitates to it. So I’m just like, ‘I’m doing something right, so let me just keep doing it.’”
Knight and Fletcher have a big match on Saturday at AEW WrestleDream in Orlando, Florida. The two will face the Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) for the AEW World Tag Team Championship.