Jon Moxley On Backstage Reaction To AEW DON PPV, Not Being Able To Wear His New Ring Gear
AEW has been holding no-crowd shows for a couple of months now but Double or Nothing was their first PPV to be held in an empty venue. Jon Moxley talked about the backstage feeling of the show during a post-Double or Nothing media scrum.
"Backstage after the show ended, it feels like we just won the Super Bowl. We put on a hell of a PPV and everyone is jacked up and high-fiving. It feels like we won a game when we were an underdog," Moxley said while adding that with the ongoing pandemic and no fans, it felt like AEW's backs were up against the wall and the same can be said for him individually.
"I felt a lot of motivation tonight, not only because of the personal situation with me and Brodie Lee, but you want a world title match to be a big thing. There was a clear No. 1 contender with two months of build-up and a backstory. Brodie, to his credit, stepped up on a three-week notice and jumped right into a fire in a dangerous match against me. He rolled the dice and came up short but I don't think he has anything to be ashamed of.
"That was the toughest match I've had in AEW and I really was concerned I was gonna lose. For the first time in AEW, I felt like I was drowning and swimming for air. But that's the championship mindset where you refuse to lose? you find ways to win and that's the only message I can give to people under these circumstances."
This was just Moxley's second defense of his AEW World Championship and he was asked who he has in mind for future title defenses.
"Right now Kenny Omega is in the tag team division but I don't think the chapter is closed for me and him. He's maybe the best big match wrestler in the world and brings that big match feel," stated Moxley. "I think Hangman Page has momentum behind him and is growing into what he's gonna be. He's gonna have that moment where he steps into being the man one day and that might be at my expense.
"Cody Rhodes could be a generational rival for me. We're cut from the same cloth but also two sides of the same coin. You won't find me wearing a suit but we still have the same passion for wrestling."
Moxley added that he wants to work with a bunch of different guys like MJF, Sammy Guevara, Joey Janela and Jake Hager.
"It's so much fun to have different types of matches with different types of opponents so I wanna get in the ring with everybody. But ultimately, it's whatever the fans want to see. Whatever the big name or marquee names are, that's who I wanna be matched up against," said Moxley.
Instead of just a TV audience, AEW had a PPV audience for Double or Nothing and Moxley was asked if there was extra pressure or motivation to deliver to those paying customers.
"100 percent. If they're gonna pay a little more, then you've gotta give them a little more. You gotta make sure that they know that an AEW PPV is something they can't miss. AEW PPVs are the top of the line PPVs and to have the responsibility to main event that is huge. You know you're gonna get incredible action and everybody is looking to steal the show every single night. AEW PPVs are can't-miss so you definitely bring out a little bit extra," said Moxley.
Along the lines of bringing a little extra, Moxley planned on getting new ring gear but shipping delayed its arrival. However, he did get a new Bret Hart-inspired jacket that had barbed wire epaulettes on it.
"You definitely put in a little extra effort when you know you're on PPV especially an AEW PPV because we're trying to gain and maintain the good will of the fans. If we're gonna ask them to pay money, then they know they're gonna get an incredible show," said Moxley.
"Personally, I was extra motivated. I've wrestled Brodie Lee a zillion times and could wrestle him in my sleep. But Brodie Lee is in a different thing now and I'm in a different thing. A month ago, this is exactly how I envisioned tonight's match. I call it a hailstorm of violence because I knew that was exactly how it was gonna be. It was a very gratifying feeling being part of a triple main event with only a three-week build. So, I had that extra chip on my shoulder tonight."