Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
All roads lead to Arlington, Texas this Saturday afternoon as AEW All In Texas takes center stage at Globe Life Field, streaming live on pay-per-view at 3:00 PM ET and internationally on TrillerTV. With over 20,000 fans expected, it marks one of All Elite Wrestling’s biggest domestic events ever, complete with a new $3 million gate — and for rising star Kevin Knight, it's the latest stop in a journey that's taken him from the LA Dojo to Arena Mexico and now into one of AEW’s marquee title matches.
Knight, who will team with “Speedball” Mike Bailey in a three-way bout for the AEW World Tag Team Titles against The Hurt Syndicate and the duo of Christian Cage and Nick Wayne, spoke with PWInsiderElite.com ahead of the event about his preparation, personal history with his opponents, and the emotional scope of performing on the one of the biggest stages of his career.
Knight enters All In Texas riding a wave of momentum, recently scoring a singles victory over Shelton Benjamin. Despite nursing cracked ribs, his confidence is unshaken.
“Physically, spiritually, mentally... I'm feeling great,” Knight said. “That win over Shelton let The Hurt Syndicate know they can't take me and Speedball lightly. And Christian, after seeing his 'son' Nick Wayne take an L too, I'm sure he's not as confident as he wants to be.”
Knight and Bailey may be new as a team in AEW, but the pairing has roots going back to their early days in TNA and shared experiences around the world. Their alliance was met with enthusiasm by Knight.
“My first thought? I don’t have to be on the receiving end of Speedball’s kicks anymore,” he laughed. “We amplify each other’s strengths. We’re both still fresh and hungry. We know how great we are — now it’s about showing the world.”
Knight and Nick Wayne go back further than many fans realize — all the way to the Buddy Wayne Academy in the Pacific Northwest.
“I never met Buddy. He passed a couple years before I got there,” Knight shared. “But Nick and I trained together. We pushed each other. Years later, we met again in Best of the Super Juniors, where he was the champ. Full circle.”
That circle comes back around in Arlington, with Wayne in his corner, flanked by the ever-calculating Christian Cage. Though AEW hasn't spotlighted their shared past yet, Knight says the chemistry — and the tension — remains.
“Nick knows what it is,” he said. “This story's not over.”
Performing in front of 20,000 fans would be nerve-wracking for some younger talents, but Knight thrives in the spotlight.
“I come more alive in big moments. I’ve done the first Forbidden Door, Wrestle Kingdom, Arena Mexico — when the lights are bright, Jet shines,” Knight said. “There’s no second-guessing. I’m going in full throttle.”
Still, he admits that coming down from that kind of adrenaline rush takes time. “After rocking a stadium, it takes 30 minutes to settle back down. You go from all that energy back to the locker room... it’s wild.”
Since signing with AEW, Knight has been everywhere — including a grueling run in New Japan’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament. He credits that experience with sharpening his skills through repetition.
“Katsuyori Shibata always told us: repetition, repetition,” he recalled. “13 matches in three weeks? You get the reps, you improve, you build confidence. I feel like I’ve been there before, even if it’s a new opponent.”
He also wrestled earlier this year in Arena Mexico, facing Neon in a Lightning Match during Fantasticamania.
“It’s a party atmosphere,” Knight said of CMLL’s famed venue. “They’ve got noisemakers, people having the time of their lives. And they knew who I was. They had pictures of me. That showed me — the Jet is internationally known.”
Despite his growing success, Knight remains grounded in gratitude for the fans who’ve supported him through each chapter of his career.
“They remind me of moments I’ve forgotten,” he said. “They’ve given me so much — the least I can do is give them the same joy that wrestling gave me as a kid.”
When asked what part of the wrestling life fulfills him most, Knight highlighted both the travel and the opportunity to connect across cultures.
“I love experiencing new cities, new foods, new accents,” he said. “Each place has something different, and wrestling has allowed me to explore all of it.”
With AEW All In Texas poised to be a historic moment for the promotion and the performers alike, Knight urged fans to be part of the experience — either in person or watching live.
“This is the biggest AEW show on U.S. soil,” he said. “The stories, the matches, the atmosphere — it’s the best wrestling in the world. You gotta be there.”
Kevin Knight and Speedball Mike Bailey will challenge for the AEW World Tag Team Titles this Saturday, July 12, at AEW All In Texas, live at 3:00 PM ET on pay-per-view and TrillerTV+. For updates, follow Knight on Twitter and Instagram at @Jet2Flyy.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
