On a recent edition of his “1 Of A Kind” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam lavished praise on AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, stating that he sees certain characteristics of himself in the AEW wrestler.
RVD said, “Orange Cassidy is a version of me because he’s so laid back, relaxed, and doesn’t give a f**k, and I see that. When I first realized what was important to this guy, his value system, just looking at Orange Cassidy, I was like ‘Yeah, they took one side, one perspective of me, and exploited it into a whole character.’ I like it. It’s different … I recognize that vibe in myself for sure, of ‘Dude, who gives a f**k? Let’s do it.’”
Cassidy will defend the AEW International Title against Jon Moxley this Saturday at AEW Full Gear 2023.
Darby Allin recently shared his thoughts on being part of Sting’s final in-ring run, his Mount Everest climbing plans and more. Allin spoke with Forbes for a new interview and you can check out some highlights below:
On being part of Sting’s retirement tour: “When I first got paired with Sting, I really did not know how it was gonna go. But to be a part of the final chapter of his career is super important because to me, in a story, the most important part of the story is the end…If you tarnish the end, everyone’s always going to remember that.”
On Sting’s run in AEW: “He has gotten more hunger than a lot of the younger guys on the roster. He’s got nothing to prove, but he pushes the boundaries every time he wrestles.”
On training to climb Mount Everest: “I have zero mountain experience, like, zero. I don’t even know what I’m doing. [laughs] I just signed up, and I’ve got 6 months to train to climb Mount Everest.”
On having a scary moment on a training expedition in France where they were hit with a blizzard: “We ended having to hike back, and on the side of a mountain, it’s literally only two feet wide. Fall off one side, you’re for sure dead. If you fall of the other side, you’re for sure dead. The whole time, I’ve just got the biggest smile on my face because I live for this.”
On fans worrying about his well-veing: “People said I wouldn’t be able to walk when I’m 30, and I’m like 30 right now. Everybody keeps upping the age. ‘OK, he made it to 30, so he’s not going to be able to walk when he’s 35.’ Then, when’s 35, ‘Oh, he’s not gonna be able to walk til he’s 40.’ So, they’re just gonna keep pushing it til the day I die.”
On taking care of himself outside of the ring: “People don’t know this, but I feel great. My mind feels awesome, my body feels awesome. A lot of people really don’t take the time to actually ask me what I do outside the ring, but I feel wonderful… I really believe with everything that I’ve done and that I continue to do for my body, I’m gonna feel great for a long time, unless I, like, die on Mount Everest.”
On his loyalty to AEW: “[There will never be a] bidding war for Darby Allin…. My life doesn’t begin and end with wrestling, and I would hate to be anywhere else where I feel like I can’t be me. Honestly, like get real, no other company is gonna let me do what I do inside the ring and outside of the ring. And there’s no amount of money in the world to me that can make me stop skateboarding or doing all my shenanigans.”
On his goals in AEW: “My next goal, my next step in AEW is…main event Wembley. I feel like I’m the actual unwritten spokesperson of AEW. With Aarby Allin, there’s never gonna be this bidding war. I just feel like I represent what you can make of yourself with this company… [To] be in a main event on AEW’s biggest show is my goal because I’ve lived and bled this company. To me, it’s the peak of how high you can be in the company —that and being a world champion.”
On wanting to face Bryan Danielson: “He’s just like me in a way. He’s like a hundred miles an hour, and he will wrestle until his body is completely broken. And I feel like, to me, it’s really inspiring to have a guy like that in the company that is just pushing it so hard physically. A guy like him shows week in and week out, when the chains are let off, how crazy and magical things can be.”
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In a recent episode of his podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam expressed his admiration for AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy. RVD sees certain similarities between himself and Cassidy, particularly in their laid-back and carefree attitudes. He believes that AEW has taken one aspect of his personality and turned it into a whole character with Cassidy. RVD appreciates the uniqueness of Cassidy’s persona and recognizes the same vibe in himself.
Cassidy is set to defend his AEW International Title against Jon Moxley at AEW Full Gear 2023 this Saturday. This match will be a significant test for Cassidy as he faces a formidable opponent in Moxley.
In another interview, Darby Allin discussed his involvement in Sting’s retirement tour and how important it is for him to be part of the final chapter of Sting’s career. Allin believes that the end of a story is the most crucial part, and he wants to ensure that Sting’s retirement is memorable for all the right reasons.
Allin also spoke highly of Sting’s run in AEW, noting that despite having nothing to prove, Sting continues to push boundaries and show great passion for wrestling. Allin’s admiration for Sting’s dedication is evident, and he appreciates having someone like Sting in the company who sets an example of hard work and commitment.
Aside from wrestling, Allin has set his sights on climbing Mount Everest. Despite having no prior experience with mountaineering, Allin has signed up for the challenge and has six months to train for the climb. He shared a scary moment during a training expedition in France where they encountered a blizzard, but Allin’s love for such extreme situations keeps him motivated and smiling throughout.
Fans often express concern about Allin’s well-being due to his high-risk wrestling style. However, Allin brushes off these worries, mentioning how people have been predicting his physical decline since he turned 30. He feels great both mentally and physically and believes that his dedication to taking care of himself will ensure he feels good for a long time, unless something unexpected happens during his Mount Everest climb.
Allin’s loyalty to AEW is unwavering, stating that there will never be a bidding war for him. He feels that no other company would allow him the freedom to be himself both inside and outside the ring. Allin values his ability to skateboard and engage in his various shenanigans, which he believes are integral parts of his identity.
As for his goals in AEW, Allin aspires to main event Wembley, considering it the pinnacle of success in the company. He sees himself as the embodiment of what one can achieve with AEW and wants to showcase that through headlining their biggest show and becoming a world champion.
Allin also expressed his desire to face Bryan Danielson, whom he sees as a kindred spirit in terms of their intense wrestling styles and willingness to push their bodies to the limit. Allin finds Danielson’s dedication inspiring and believes that their match would create something magical when given the freedom to go all out.
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