Before His AEW Rise, Kevin Knight Made ASÉ History
Before Kevin Knight chased championships in AEW, he made ASÉ History by becoming its first winner.
The leap was already there. So was the confidence. And when “The Jet” stepped into Charlotte’s Grady Cole Center on December 1, 2023, it took one match to give a brand-new promotion a moment worth remembering.
Knight jumped over a clothesline, launched himself from the canvas to the top rope, and defeated “The Frontman” Jah-C in the first match in ASÉ history.
Now, the stakes have grown. Knight and Kyle Fletcher are scheduled to challenge the Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag Team Championship at WrestleDream on October 17.
For fans following his rise on national television, ASÉ’s opening chapter is worth another look.
The footage captures a wrestler whose athleticism demanded attention—and whose personality was beginning to catch up with it.
ASÉ’s first match put The Jet on display
Jah-C understood the assignment: keep Kevin Knight grounded.
The Frontman brought an amateur wrestling background and training from Seth Rollins’ Black and Brave Wrestling Academy. Knight brought his New Japan pedigree and the kind of jumping ability that could erase an opponent’s advantage in seconds.
Their opening exchanges gave Charlotte a little of everything. Counters. Strength. Speed. Then Jah-C started finding shortcuts.
When Knight attempted a springboard, Jah-C pushed the referee into the ropes, disrupting his balance. An eye rake helped the Frontman maintain control. He mixed legitimate offense with just enough interference to keep Knight from finding a runway.
The crowd kept waiting for The Jet to take off.
Late in the match, he did.
Knight cleared an attempted clothesline with a vertical leap that left the commentary team scrambling to describe it. Then, with Jah-C perched on the top rope, Knight jumped from the canvas into a Frankensteiner.
A jumping DDT followed. Three seconds later, ASÉ had its first winner.
That finish still works as an introduction to Knight. He can make the space between the mat and the ropes feel much smaller than it does for everyone else.
ASÉ gave that ability the first spotlight of its first show.
His return brought a little more attitude
Knight’s connection to ASÉ continued beyond opening night.
In a return match against Movie Myk, The Jet faced an opponent who arrived ready to direct his own cinematic masterpiece. There was a clapboard, camera requests, and a competitive match beneath the theatrics.
Myk controlled stretches of the action, slowing Knight down and forcing him to fight back. A dropkick helped turn the momentum. Knight followed with strikes and an airborne crossbody before eventually securing another victory.
Then the conversation got interesting.
During his post-match interview, Knight declared himself the best athlete ASÉ had to offer. Ian Maxwell stepped in with a rebuttal: he had beaten the same opponent much faster.
Knight had an answer for that, too.
“I don’t think you can fly with the Jet.”
The exchange gave ASÉ fans something beyond another spectacular finish. Knight had a rival willing to challenge his confidence, and he was comfortable enough on the microphone to push right back.
Watching that moment now, the larger television persona feels familiar.
The athleticism had a foundation
By the time Knight wrestled ASÉ’s opener, he was already building an international résumé.
His development took him through the Buddy Wayne Academy and into New Japan’s LA Dojo under Katsuyori Shibata. In a 2025 interview, Knight described Shibata’s emphasis on fundamentals, intensity and using his voice—lessons he credited with preparing him for Japan.
Working alongside KUSHIDA added another layer. Their Intergalactic Jet Setters partnership produced two IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship reigns.
Those experiences help explain what makes the ASÉ footage compelling. Knight’s opponents could interrupt the highlight reel, but the match kept moving. He could wrestle through control stretches, build a comeback and make the eventual burst count.
The jumps caught the eye. The work between them kept the audience invested.
AEW’s spotlight brought a sharper edge
Knight’s 2026 AEW run has put that combination against some of wrestling’s biggest names.
On April 29, he retained the TNT Championship against MJF by beating the challenger at his own game. With MJF preparing to use his Dynamite Diamond Ring, Knight struck with a low blow and secured the victory.
By June 3, his direction had become clearer. Knight joined the Don Callis Family and defeated former partner “Speedball” Mike Bailey to retain the championship. The crowd favorite with the spectacular vertical leap was becoming a more calculating presence.
His ambition reached the world title picture, too. Knight challenged Kenny Omega in the main event of Redemption in July. Omega retained, but Knight had earned a stage that placed him opposite one of the industry’s defining performers.
The next turn came after Darby Allin took the TNT Championship at All In. Callis paired Knight with Fletcher, bringing together two wrestlers with plenty of talent and some early friction. Their partnership began producing results.
Another championship opportunity is coming
Knight and Fletcher already have a victory over their upcoming opponents.
On September 9, they defeated the Young Bucks in a Tables Match with help from FTR and Stoke. At All Out later that month, their match against Allin and Steven Borden ended in a doctor’s stoppage, earning the Callis Family duo a future tag title opportunity.
That opportunity is scheduled for WrestleDream on October 17.
The Young Bucks will enter as AEW World Tag Team Champions. Knight and Fletcher will arrive with a chance to turn their emerging partnership into championship gold.
For ASÉ fans, following Knight adds another layer to that matchup. They can remember the first win, the return appearance and the confidence that prompted Maxwell to step into his interview.
Knight’s career was already taking flight when ASÉ launched. The promotion made him part of its foundation.
Whatever comes next in AEW, the first line in ASÉ’s record book still belongs to The Jet.
Watch Kevin Knight make ASÉ history in ASÉ Wrestling TV Episode 1.