Over the past month, Eddie Kingston and Hook have competed against The Ops, assisted “Hangman” Adam Page in his feud with Samoa Joe, and unsuccessfully challenged Page for the AEW World Trios Championship. Despite Joe and Page’s scheduled steel cage match at Full Gear and injuries to OPPS members Powerhouse Hobbs and Katsuyori Shibata following their singles bouts with Page, Kingston and Hook found themselves with limited options on Saturday, prompting them to issue an open challenge on Wednesday night.
This challenge was quickly answered. AEW revealed on Thursday’s X that the Work Horsemen, Anthony Henry and JD Drake, accepted Kingston and Hook’s challenge. Consequently, the two teams will clash in the Tailgate Brawl before Full Gear, an event that also marks the return of Big Boom AJ, features a $200,000 four-way tag team match, and showcases Mascara Dorada, Mistico, and Neon defending the CMLL World Trios Championship against Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita, and Hexero.
The Work Horsemen present a sterner challenge for Kingston and Hook compared to their previous opponents, the Frat House, at last month’s WrestleDream Tailgate Brawl. This match allows Kingston to face familiar adversaries from his independent wrestling days. Drake has acknowledged that Kingston helped him secure a job in AEW during the pandemic, though Henry and Kingston notably clashed at Ring of Honor Final Battle 2023, where Kingston secured the win. The Tailgate Brawl will be the first match for Drake and Henry since they lost a trios match at Ring of Honor a month ago; the pair have been teaming regularly since last July but spent significant time sidelined due to injuries last year.
Fan Take: This matchup is a thrilling prospect for AEW fans as it pairs seasoned rivals in Kingston and the Work Horsemen, promising intense and competitive action. It also highlights AEW’s commitment to blending familiar faces with fresh talent, which keeps the sport dynamic and exciting.
