AEW TNT Champion Kevin Knight shows the rise of a star

“The Jet” Kevin Knight can be seen flying above the pro wrestling ring of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) on Wednesday and Saturday nights with “Dynamite” and “Collision” respectively.

Knight is the AEW TNT Champion and was the trios champion with Adam Page and “Speedball” Mike Bailey and Bailey and Místico. It has been almost seven years since Knight first entered the industry and his meteoric rise has led him to become one of the stars in AEW.

The 29-year-old recalled in an interview with Fox News Digital that he moved to Seattle after college to start a business.

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“Who is Kevin Knight, 'The Jet,' — many things rolled into one,” he said. “I'm originally from Brooklyn, New York. I grew up in Atlanta. I started my wrestling career when I moved to Seattle after college. And about six months, I moved to LA to join the New Japan LA Dojo. For those who don't know, it's like training based on the Japanese style.

“So, I was living a Japanese life in L.A. during the pandemic. So, it was a lot of different things going on. I think that's why I call myself 'The Jet,' because I have a lot of different flavors from all different cities around the world just rolled into one. I'm living in Orlando now. Just a cool, flighty guy who just likes to do cool things.”

Knight called training during the coronavirus crisis an “adjustment period,” but admitted he can do whatever he wants.

He said there was a complexity to pro wrestling that attracted him – from the heroism of the wrestlers themselves to the competition of the sport.

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“I could be doing anything. I could be flipping burgers, I could go to space or something, I don't know,” he told Fox News Digital. “But as far as pro wrestling, I just loved the launch of it. I love the show, the pyro, everything about it. It felt like real heroes coming down the street.

“You saw the commentators, you saw the action. And of course, people have cool theme songs and cool costumes. I know what it was right away and I just loved the show and it was like my version of watching superheroes or Spider-Man or whatever. I wasn't much into superheroes when I was younger. But wrestlers, they were my superheroes growing up.”

Knight made waves in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), but the second time around, he became a free agent. Any company could sign him – and indeed, Bailey.

Last March, Knight and Bailey both decided to sign with AEW. Knight explained the X-factor that AEW had to make the promotion stand out above all else.

Kevin Knight competes inside the ring during New Japan Pro-Wrestling at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on May 15, 2025. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)

“AEW allows freedom, freedom of speech, to be yourself and you can go to Tony (Khan), talk to him, talk to him regularly,” he said. “It's not like, you have to walk on eggshells. It's just been you and being yourself is just a great gateway to creativity and being your best self. There's no added pressure of, 'Oh, I have to say hi to 50 other people I just saw earlier today,' and all that stuff.

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“So, AEW, just from the fan base, the roster, the catering, man, everything about AEW is like 10 out of 10. I can't complain. In my free agency, I looked at all my options and I feel like this was the best.”

Knight won the vacant TNT Championship in a six-man gauntlet casino match at Dynasty last month. It was the first singles title of his career and 32nd overall, following the likes of Darby Allin, Kyle Fletcher, Christian Cage, Jack Perry and others.

“It was a workhorse title. It was a title that people made open challenges for. The best athletes in the world held this title, the TNT Championship,” he said. “For me to be able to hold this and this being my first ever singles championship in my career, it was an amazing feat especially one year after my first AEW pay-per-view.

“As shown in a short period of time, how quickly you can rise through the ranks with self-belief, hard work, discipline and being in the right place at the right time. It's been an amazing journey and we're just getting started.”

Kevin Knight enters the ring during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Wrestling DONTAKU 2023 event at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center in Fukuoka, Japan, on May 3, 2023. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)

Now, Knight earned a shot at the AEW World Championship on Wednesday night at “Dynamite” against Allin. He defeated Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) for a shot and Allin defeated Brody King to regain the title last week.

For Knight, he suggested that it was full time for him as he used Allen's advice when he started the industry.

“This game means a lot to me because I come from the same school that Darby Allin went to in Seattle – Buddy Wayne Academy,” Knight told Fox News Digital. “And when I first met Darby, I was probably 3-4 months into my career, and the 1 thing he told me was don't waste time, don't waste time. And, I feel like I did that with my time in AEW. Here we are, a year later, I'm already a champion. I've won the trios titles twice already.

“So, I feel like I'm listening to what he said and it's all coming true. It's going to happen on Wednesday. I'm definitely not going to waste time. I think it's going to be the first time that there's a world championship and TNT Championship in arms. So, I'm ready for that.”

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But don't expect MJF to get another world title any time soon.

“Basically, he's at the back of the line. He's at the back of the line. He lost against Darby. He lost with me. He's lost two in a row. So, I'm not sure what his resume says to get a shot at the title,” Knight said. “I know he's going to try to worm his way back into the picture. If it's up to me, the first person to get the 'fastball' title is Mike Bailey. MJF, behind the scenes.”