Despite his initial hesitation, Orange Cassidy is preparing himself to face Jon Moxley, the current AEW World Champion.
Notably, Cassidy has played a pivotal role in the AEW talent-targeting activities of the newly formed Blackpool Combat Club, even though he kept a low profile until the end of this week’s episode of Dynamite.
In a recent interview on the “Youngstown Studio” podcast, Cassidy shared insights on his ongoing feud with Moxley.
Cassidy expressed, “I’ve come up against Jon Moxley twice before and that’s one too many times. Every encounter with Jon Moxley in the ring had such an impact that it permanently changed me. I didn’t want to repeat that because the change affected not just me, but also those close to me, my friends.”
He added, “It’s clear Moxley wants me to experience that again. So, in the upcoming episode of Dynamite this Wednesday, I’ll be definitive about my intentions moving forward. I didn’t want to engage again, but now I feel compelled to get involved.”
Lio Rush marked his reentry to AEW this past May, and he recently unveiled the backstory to his comeback.
Appearing on the “AEW Unrestricted” podcast, Rush reminisced about the year preceding his return.
Here are some key points from his interview:
Glimpses of his eventful 2024 before rejoining AEW: “I look back at an interesting year. I started off with my own ‘Where’s Home World Tour’ where I travelled across America, Europe, Canada, probing for where home really is. In the last two to three years, I have been wrestling independently and for other companies, but now I have finally returned to AEW. The aim was to discern where I felt most at home.
On being approached for an AEW comeback: “Towards the end of my tour, I received a text out of the blue at 3 am inviting me to an AEW event in LA. Although I had previously made a surprise appearance in the Casino Battle Royale, this was different. This time, my return was truly unexpected. This prompted a lot of motivation and persistence, both with AEW and myself.
“A significant amount of time has passed and I am in a better headspace now. I was ready to be ‘All Elite’, but I didn’t declare it immediately. However, my dedication and consistency played a role in helping me realize where I wanted to be. If my return at ‘WrestleDream’ had been any different, I think it wouldn’t have worked out. But now, having shared the dressing room with my peers, having attended shows, having worked with Tony Khan and others, I can confidently declare that AEW is where I want to be.”