Jon Moxley Describes His ‘Weird’ Return To Pro Wrestling After Rehab
In November 2021, former AEW World Champion Jon Moxley entered an alcohol treatment program to aid his debilitating battle with alcoholism. Upon returning to All Elite wrestling two months later, Moxley had some mixed feelings when stepping back through the ropes to compete again.
"When I first wrestled again – so, I came back in January [2022], and it was weird. Like, just being in the ring was weird. It felt strange," Moxley told his wife Renee Paquette on The Oral Sessions. "I came back and did a promo, and that was cool because I didn't have to do anything physical. I just got to talk. I was like, super relaxed.
"So my first match back, you think it's just going to be like, 'OK, well, now you're sober, so you're just going to feel like a million dollars.' It doesn't really work like that. It was weird. It was like my legs were in quicksand. I didn't have any adrenaline. Not that I didn't have any adrenaline, so much as like, I wasn't nervous or like – it's hard to put into words."
Moxley stated that he felt "terrible" and "off" during that first match back, which was a victory against Ethan Page on AEW "Rampage" via referee's decision. Moxley explained that after debating with himself whether he "sucked now," that it wasn't until he faced Bryan Danielson at the Revolution pay-per-view in March that he "started feeling his mojo again." Although Moxley does not drink anymore, he notes that avoiding alcohol has been the "easiest" part, whereas dealing with the after-effects on his body has been testing for him.
Moxley noted that he is now "evolving" in the ring, as he looks ahead to facing Hiroshi Tanahashi for the interim AEW World Championship this Sunday night at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view. Moxley defeated Casino Battle Royale winner Kyle O'Reilly to advance to the so-called dream bout, following an injury to reigning AEW World Champion CM Punk. Tanahashi looked set to face The Second City Saint at the first-ever inter-promotional pay-per-view with AEW and NJPW but earned his opportunity to fight for the interim title by defeating Hirooki Goto at Dominion 6 in Osaka-jo Hall earlier this month.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Sessions With Renée Paquette" and give a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.