Nearly two decades grinding the East Coast independent scene forged the Mad King into one of wrestling’s most authentic voices. Kingston’s crowning achievement came in 2023, winning the Continental Classic tournament to become AEW’s inaugural Continental Champion, unifying the title with the ROH World and NJPW Strong Openweight Championships simultaneously. His hard-hitting brawling style and emotionally raw promos built a massive following, with his mic work earning him widespread critical acclaim. The Chikara Grand Championship and CZW World Heavyweight Championship further round out a title history that spans multiple eras.
At NJPW Strong Resurgence in May 2024, Kingston suffered a broken tibia, torn ACL, and torn meniscus, requiring surgery and 16 months of rehabilitation before returning at AEW All Out in September 2025. After later taking time off to deal with migraines, he returned in March 2026 teaming with Ortiz at a Maple Leaf Pro event and has since worked ROH tapings. He has announced this is his final independent run, set to stop working indie dates entirely by November 2026.