Kevin Knight has offered his most reflective comments yet on the end of JetSpeed, acknowledging that he may have been too harsh toward “Speedball” Mike Bailey when their partnership came apart earlier this year.
The former AEW TNT Champion and Bailey had formed one of AEW’s notable tag team pairings after joining forces last year. Their run as JetSpeed lasted a little more than a year before Knight turned on Bailey, attacking his former partner and decisively changing the direction of both competitors. While the betrayal appeared to close the book on the team at the time, Knight is no longer ruling out the possibility that the two could eventually reconcile.
Speaking on Inside The Ring, Knight looked back at the split and admitted he may have handled the situation with Bailey too severely.
“You know, I think I might have been a little hard on Speedball for not choosing my side at the time,” Knight said. “But, you know, things happen for a reason. Things happen for a reason, and I think he’s been thriving on his own. You know, he’s with Will Ospreay and his group now, so I think he’s doing well on his own, and I’ve been doing well on my own as well.”
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Knight’s remarks do not erase the damage created by his turn, but they provide a noticeably different tone from the hostility that ended JetSpeed. Rather than presenting Bailey as someone who held him back, Knight framed the separation as an outcome that has allowed both men to find success independently.
That distinction matters. Tag team breakups in wrestling frequently lead to an extended cycle of personal attacks, escalating confrontations and repeated attempts to prove which former partner was responsible for a team’s failures. Knight did not take that approach in these comments. He still made clear that he and Bailey are on separate paths, yet he also recognized Bailey’s current position and suggested that there is no need for either man to diminish the other’s accomplishments.
Knight Reflects on the Bailey Betrayal
JetSpeed was built around the contrasting but compatible athletic styles of Knight and Bailey. Their partnership brought together two highly mobile performers whose speed, agility and striking ability made them natural allies. The pairing also gave both men a platform that extended beyond their individual ambitions, establishing a connection that made Knight’s eventual attack on Bailey all the more significant.
Bailey was caught off guard by Knight’s betrayal. The split was not presented as a gradual drift between partners who simply wanted different things. Knight’s turn was a direct rupture, leaving Bailey to process the end of a partnership he had believed in while also dealing with a former teammate who had become an opponent.
Their rivalry reached a key point on the June 3 edition of AEW Dynamite. Knight was the TNT Champion at the time, and he got the better of Bailey in their match. The result gave Knight an important measure of validation during the early aftermath of the split, particularly as Bailey sought to answer the betrayal in the ring.
Months later, Knight’s willingness to say he “might have been a little hard” on Bailey adds another layer to that history. It does not amount to an apology, and Knight did not specifically say that he regrets attacking Bailey. Still, it is an acknowledgment that his view of the conflict may not be as absolute as it was when JetSpeed first collapsed.
For Bailey, any eventual attempt at reconciliation would naturally have to be weighed against what happened. Knight’s comments indicate that he understands the distance between a vague possibility of making peace and an immediate reunion. There is a long history between the two men, but there is also a betrayal and a singles rivalry that cannot simply be ignored.
Bailey Has Moved Forward With Will Ospreay’s Group
Knight pointed to Bailey’s association with Will Ospreay and his group as evidence that his former partner has continued to thrive after the end of JetSpeed. That observation was notable because it focused on Bailey’s present situation rather than revisiting the issues that drove their split.
Bailey’s new alignment has helped define the next stage of his AEW run. Instead of remaining tethered to the aftermath of JetSpeed, he has moved into a different environment alongside Ospreay and the group around him. Knight’s comments suggest he sees that move as proof that Bailey has found his footing without needing to revisit their former partnership.
At the same time, Knight emphasized his own progress as a singles wrestler. “I’ve been doing well on my own as well,” he said, positioning the breakup as a separation that has created opportunities for both sides. His former status as TNT Champion remains a major part of that individual resume, and the June 3 match with Bailey reinforced that Knight was capable of standing across the ring from his former teammate rather than beside him.
There is no indication from Knight’s remarks that either man is actively pursuing a JetSpeed reunion. Bailey is aligned elsewhere, and Knight appears content with the direction of his own career. However, the absence of an immediate reunion does not mean the idea has been completely discarded. In wrestling, a former team can remain apart for a long time before circumstances, common enemies or a shift in priorities create a reason to revisit an old alliance.
Knight Does Not Want Another Lesson in Bailey’s Striking
While Knight entertained the idea of reconciliation, he also made it clear that he has no interest in testing Bailey’s striking power again. Bailey’s kicks have been a defining part of his offense, and Knight knows firsthand how punishing they can be.
“So maybe there’s some reconciliation,” Knight said. “But, you know, that guy kicks so hard. I’m really not trying to experience that ever again. So as long as they stay on that side and we stay on our side, we’re good.”
The comment carried a degree of humor, but it also drew a firm boundary. Knight is willing to acknowledge that the relationship may not be beyond repair. He is not, however, inviting Bailey into another fight or suggesting that they are ready to resume working together tomorrow.
That caution is understandable given the physical nature of their previous encounters. Bailey’s striking is not just a talking point for Knight; it is something Knight has experienced in the course of their rivalry. By specifically mentioning the kicks, Knight turned the conversation away from sentimentality and back toward the very real consequences of stepping into the ring with his former partner.
His preference appears straightforward: Bailey can continue on his current side, Knight can continue on his own, and neither man needs to force a confrontation. That is a more restrained position than a direct challenge, but it leaves room for the story to change if their paths cross again.
What a Reconciliation Could Mean for JetSpeed
Knight did not provide a timetable for any conversation with Bailey, nor did he offer a detailed plan for repairing the relationship. The word “maybe” is important. It signals openness without making a promise, especially when the two wrestlers have spent months apart and followed different professional paths.
A reconciliation also would not necessarily mean an immediate return of JetSpeed. Making peace and re-forming a tag team are two very different developments. Knight’s comments were centered on the possibility of mending fences, not on declaring that he and Bailey are prepared to reunite in the tag division.
For now, the clearest takeaway is that Knight no longer speaks about Bailey strictly as an enemy. He recognizes Bailey’s success, acknowledges his own independent progress and concedes that he may have pushed matters too far when JetSpeed ended. Yet he remains wary of the man whose kicks he would prefer never to feel again.
That combination of respect, caution and unresolved history keeps the door slightly open. JetSpeed may remain a thing of the past, and both Knight and Bailey may be better served by their current directions. But Knight’s comments ensure that their story is not being treated as permanently finished.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.