Kevin Knight, known professionally as Jake Knight, is an American professional wrestler making waves in both the United States and Japan. Born on January 1, 1997, Knight has quickly risen through the ranks, showcasing his talent and dedication to the sport.
Early Career and NJPW LA Dojo
Knight began his journey in professional wrestling at the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) LA Dojo in 2020, training under the guidance of Katsuyori Shibata. In 2021, Knight competed on NJPW's American-based show Strong, frequently teaming with fellow LA Dojo members such as Karl Fredericks, Clark Connors, and Alex Coughlin. As is typical for NJPW Young Lions, Knight often faced defeat in his matches, a crucial part of the learning process.
In July, Knight participated in the Tag Team Turbulence tournament, partnering with The DKC. However, they were eliminated in the first round by the West Coast Wrecking Crew. Knight continued to wrestle on Strong throughout the year, honing his skills and gaining experience.
Debut in Japan and Super Junior Tag League
On November 20, Knight made his debut in Japan for NJPW at Historic X-Over, teaming with Connors, Coughlin, and Gabriel Kidd in a pre-show match to defeat Kosei Fujita, Oskar Leube, Ryohei Oiwa, and Yuto Nakashima. It was also announced that Knight would compete in the Super Junior Tag League, teaming with Kushida. This marked his debut in an annual NJPW tournament.
During the tournament, Knight underwent a significant transformation, shedding the traditional black trunks worn by NJPW Young Lions. Instead, he adopted bright orange gear and sunglasses to match his partner Kushida, signaling his graduation from the Young Lion status.
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Teaming with Kushida and Impact Wrestling Debut
Following the tournament, Knight and Kushida continued to team together, forming a formidable duo. Knight debuted for Impact Wrestling on January 14, teaming with Kushida to defeat The Good Hands (Jason Hotch and John Skyler). On January 20 in Impact Wrestling, Kushida and Knight lost to Bullet Club's Chris Bey and Ace Austin. On February 25, Knight lost to Kenny King.
On March 30, at Multiverse United, a co-produced show between Impact and NJPW, Knight competed in a Six-way Scramble match for the Impact X Division Championship, but the title was retained by champion Trey Miguel.
Intergalactic Jet Setters and Championship Success
In April, Knight and Kushida officially began teaming under the name Intergalactic Jet Setters. On April 27, Knight and Kushida won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships from Catch 2/2 (T. J. Perkins and Francesco Akira). The following month, Knight competed in his first Best of the Super Juniors tournament, competing in the B block. Knight finished his tournament champaign with 6 points, failing to advance to the semi-finals. On June 4 at Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall, Jet Setters lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships back to Catch 2/2 in a rematch. On October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling, Jet Setters defeated Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney) to regain the titles.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Reigns
| Reign | Team | Date Won | Date Lost | Opponents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight and Kushida) | April 27, 2023 | June 4, 2023 | Catch 2/2 (T. J. Perkins and Francesco Akira) |
| 2 | Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight and Kushida) | October 14, 2023 | N/A | Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney) |
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Appearances
Due to NJPW's working relationship with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Knight has made several appearances in AEW. In May 2022, Knight debuted for AEW, teaming with The DKC in a losing effort to The Factory's Aaron Solo and Nick Comoroto. After the match, The Factory attempted to attack the duo, but they were saved by their LA Dojo stablemates. This led to a match the following week, where Knight teamed with Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks, Alex Coughlin, and Yuya Uemura to defeat The Factory's Q. T. Marshall, Aaron Solo, Nick Comoroto, and Anthony Ogogo.
On June 29, 2023, it was announced that on July 15, 2023, at Impact Slammiversary that Kevin Knight will be facing Mike Bailey, Kushida, Jonathan Gresham and Alan Angels in a 5-way Ultimate X match to determine the #1 contender to the Impact X Division Championship. Later on Jake Something was added to the match making it a 6-way.
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Did Time Run Out For PAC And Kevin Knight | AEW Continental Classic
Knight is also signed to the American professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is one-half of the tag team JetSpeed with "Speedball" Mike Bailey.
Cross Country Performances
Beyond professional wrestling, Knight has also participated in cross country events:
- Finished 69th overall with a time of 20:44.9 in the Men's 6K at the Elon Friday Night Lights Opener (Aug.).
- Placed 81st overall with a time of 20:21.1 in the Men's 6K at the Adidas XC Challenge (Sep.).
- Finished 63rd overall with a time of 26:53.2 in the Men's 8K at the Dill Family Foundation Invitational (Oct.).
- Placed 93rd overall in the Men’s 8K with a personal-best time of 26:50.5 at the Upstate Invitational (Oct.).
Knight says "I really loved the environment and the proximity to all that the Raleigh area has to offer."
Personal Bests:
- 6K // 20:21.1 at the Adidas XC Challenge (Sep.)
- 8K // 26:50.5 at the Upstate Invitational (Oct.)
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