Jon Moxley Opens Up About His Pre-Rehab Head Space: 'I Was All F--Ed Up'

It's been almost a year now since AEW World Champion Jon Moxley checked into rehab for an ongoing struggle with alcoholism, later returning to AEW and other wrestling promotions in January 2022. Since then, Mox has been on a roll, putting on memorable, bloody matches and winning the AEW World Title two more times this year alone. During a recent conversation with Sports Illustrated, Mox reflected on his climb back to the top of the card, acknowledging significant changes that have happened for him both mentally and physically.

"A year ago, I wasn't in the same head space," Moxley says. "I was all f—ed up. I hated traveling. I was living in Vegas, felt like I was always in an airport, flying coast to coast, and I was sick of leaving my family. I thought about freelancing when my deal was up. Not that I would leave AEW, but I didn't want to be there every week. I was in a bad place. Then I went to rehab and all that, and now I'm in a totally different headspace. We're living in Cincinnati, too, which is great. I look forward to going to TV every week. I get to see my friends in the Blackpool Combat Club. I'm not f—ed up. I have a clean headspace. My life is completely different than it was a year ago, and all for the better."

Mox has even parlayed his sobriety into a sponsorship deal with Athletic Brewing, a company that describes itself as "revolutionizing craft non-alcoholic beer for today's healthy & active beer lover." Less than a month after the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door where he requested the sponsorship, Mox revealed on social media that the company reached out to work together.