In the inaugural clash of “AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam” at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Queens, New York, Eddie Kingston emerged victorious over his long-standing adversary, Claudio Castagnoli, to seize the illustrious ROH World Championship. Post-battle, an emotionally charged Kingston dedicated his triumph to the memory of Xavier, a fellow Queens native, and the second-ever ROH World Champion in history, having dethroned Low Ki for the title in September 2002.
Via a video disseminated across AEW’s social media platforms, Kingston emphatically emphasized Xavier’s deserving of greater acclaim within the wrestling domain.
“This dedication is an homage to Xavier,” Eddie Kingston uttered with reverence. “Rest serenely, my friend. I extend gratitude for your manifold contributions to this industry. Your camaraderie in the locker room remains etched in my memory. Yet, this victory is singularly yours, dear comrade. People must not forget your identity, my dear X. Your legacy is indelible. Rest peacefully.”
Xavier’s tenure as ROH World Champion extended for an impressive 182 days, commencing in September 2002 and concluding in March 2003 when he relinquished the championship to Samoa Joe. Subsequently, he underwent numerous auditions for a role in WWE, occasionally making guest appearances as an enhancer on programs like “WWE Jakked” and “WWE Velocity.” Additionally, he assumed the role of an extra participant in backstage narratives. Eventually, he reunited with ROH in 2006, commencing a brief rivalry with then-ROH World Champion Bryan Danielson before venturing back into independent wrestling and, subsequently, testing the waters of mixed martial arts.
In the year 2020, Xavier harbored plans to return to ROH for the “Past vs. Present” event, yet these aspirations were curtailed due to the unforeseen disruptions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Regrettably, Xavier’s life met an untimely end in August 2020 under circumstances undisclosed.
