Orange Cassidy faces Jon Moxley for the AEW World championship within the predominant event of Full Gear on the Prudential Center on Saturday (8 p.m. Triller). Before the large match, he took time for some Q&A with The Post’s Joseph Staszewski:
(Edited for clarity and length)
Q: The character Orange Cassidy was originally reluctant to leap into this feud with Jon Moxley and put the highlight on himself. But for you, is that this a possibility you’ve been waiting for to be in a world title picture to be in that top babyface spot leading this major story?
A: No, it was never a goal of mine. It was never something I aspired to do. I enjoyed my role in what I used to be doing in AEW. I enjoyed the matches I used to be having. I enjoyed the spots I used to be having. I used to be very content with that. But then I feel, identical to all of us, once we turn into just a little content or doing the identical thing we form of need just a little little bit of a change. I’m not an excessive amount of on planning or planning ahead. I often just take what comes at me. I never thought two years ago I might have been the International champion or All-Atlantic champion, but that just got here upon me, and I just roll with the punches, and at once being punched rather a lot.
Q: Why did it feel prefer it needed to be you to step up and take this spot now?
A: Probably because I’m the just one available. There’s a whole lot of people injured, out coping with their other things. I feel it’s necessary for me as a person who was just about born in AEW, right? There’s a whole lot of other people who come into AEW, and so they’re from other major promotions, right? I never had that. I never once had that.
AEW is the place where I used to be capable of get my start and gain who I’m today. So I feel that’s a reasonably special thing for any one in every of those people who were there from the start that form of cut their teeth, in AEW to have a possibility at this. So I take a whole lot of pride in that. I feel it’s very necessary that we do have individuals like me that proceed to be put in those positions.
Q: What wouldn’t it mean so that you can turn into AEW champion and is that a job you’ll embrace where there’s other responsibilities that include it?
A: That’s a whole lot of pressure. That’s a whole lot of responsibility that I don’t really take care of, but I understand what that championship is throughout the world of skilled wrestling and what it means to be AEW world champion. You understand I’m saying with 100-percent honesty that it’s just like the symbol of what the perfect skilled wrestling might be, and to be able to have that championship and wave that flag, I feel that’s something I take very, very serious.
Q: What do you think that it’s been about your character development over the five years, that’s allowed it to have this special place with the audience?
A: I feel it’s because they’re the literal reason of why I’m put on this position. I feel they take ownership over Orange Cassidy. I feel they take ownership over me because they were with me from the start. They do an important job educating other fans about me. The fans are those directly accountable for my growth, and I feel that they feel like they’re on this journey directly with me. I feel it’s necessary that additionally they get to experience how I evolve and the way I grow because they’re every much an element of who I’m out and in of the ring.’
Q: We’ve seen a darker version of the character starting this summer. Why was it time to go in that direction with things?
A: It was how I used to be feeling. It felt just within the place that I’m in, the place that I used to be, the place, you understand, we just talked about. Once I first began in AEW and the Best Friends, I wouldn’t be in AEW without them. They let me tag along and to see that disintegrate in front of my face. I went through the entire thing with Trent [Beretta] and that took me to a spot that I didn’t care to go, after which watching my best friend, who I actually lived with and spent my whole wrestling profession with (Chuck Taylor), I mean, his profession is just about over (due to injury). I don’t really express my emotions often, so I feel I do it through other ways.
Q: You expressed them in your promo calling out Moxley for the primary time. That was one in every of the more emotional, one in every of the more fiery belongings you’ve done in AEW. I don’t wish to say refreshing, but was that interesting to go to that place?
A: I don’t express my emotions fairly often. And I feel once I do, they should be very impactful, and it must be something very, very special. Perhaps I put an excessive amount of stock into that and I overthink things. I don’t talk for a reason. I don’t really prefer it once I get to do it, I need to be certain that it’s very, very special and really, very necessary. It sticks with people so it’s a refreshing challenge. But do I look to do it on a regular basis, absolutely not.
Q: Why is it imperative that you just beat Mox and quickly cut off this Reign of Terror?
A: Because I’m afraid that the longer this goes on the more he’s going to influence other people. We are able to literally see what his idea of adjusting the long run and changing AEW for the higher, we literally see what that’s going to do. More people who you care about are going to get hurt and their careers will probably be ended.
I just can’t consider that individuals have forgotten that he put a plastic bag over Bryan Danielson’s head, like, that is the sort of stuff we’re talking about. I care rather a lot about AEW and I care concerning the future, but the long run is filled with young, talented wrestlers, but who’re very young, talented impressable wrestlers. He does need to make AEW higher, but the best way he desires to do it mustn’t mean we’d like to sacrifice our own and I feel it’s necessary that it stops now.
Q: That is your third singles match with him. Does his style and level of violence bring out that other side of you whenever you’re within the ring?
A: Jon Moxley is one in every of the blokes that I form of hate wrestling because I don’t know what his style is. I take a whole lot of pride in knowing plenty of several types of skilled wrestling. I take a whole lot of pride in training and several types of skilled wrestling. Jon Moxley doesn’t do any of those. I can’t have a look at a tape and be like, ‘Oh, he’s gonna do that, he’s gonna do this, he’s gonna do this.’ He doesn’t do the identical thing twice. It’s something that I took a whole lot of pride in. I try to not do the identical things, or I attempt to get ahead of my opponent through the use of different styles. He’s the master of that.
Those other two matches I had against him, my body, my mental status won’t ever be the identical. He does bring something out of me. We were in Wembley Stadium for All In, the primary one, and we did the large Stadium Stampede match. I discovered myself wrapping my hand in tape and putting broken glass around it.
Q: You’ve taken on just a little little bit of a backstage role too. What’s that role been like?
A: If anyone wants to come back as much as me and ask me for help, I’m gonna do it, because I’m often just sitting around doing nothing anyway. I care rather a lot about AEW, and I care concerning the way forward for AEW, so whatever I can do to assist I’m gonna do..
Q: Moxley talked a few ‘hard reset’ and looking out at how things are done in AEW. Do you’re feeling like once we’re coming up on this latest TV deal, that may be a time to form of have a look at that is what we do well, what are some things we clean up?
A: All of us, and whatever we do in our lives, we all the time could make adjustments and enhancements for a greater life and a greater workplace. Am I the one qualified to say what those are and what that’s? I don’t think so, but whatever I can do this will help bring us into the best direction, and whatever I can do for example for what we should always do, the best thing I’m going to do.
Q: Is there anything in your mind to where, hey, that is something we’d like to have a look at?
A: Yeah, probably guys running up from behind once I’m doing interviews and smashing me. We are able to have a look at that. We are able to have a look at after my matches are over, guys just running from the gang into the ring and punching me within the back. We are able to have a look at all that stuff. That’d be great.
Q: How did the Conglomeration come together, where it looks like a somewhat random collection of fellows?
A: We were literally a gaggle of people who all went through loss, heartbreak, whatever it’s. And when that sort of thing happens to you, you are likely to shut down and you may stay in your individual little shell. But all of us found one another doing that. You begin talking (to) Kyle O’Reilly, Mark Briscoe, Willow Nightingale, Ishii. They were all people trying to search out something and check out to search out our people again. We form of just all got here together. They’re truly incredible, talented people and the Conglomeration isn’t going anywhere.
Q: How do you all keep a straight face when Mark Briscoe starts breaking out a few of those promos?
A: I wear sunglasses for a reason in order that when Mark is talking, I could just close my eyes or try to not listen.
Q: You never know what’s coming from you guys?
A: We don’t either, so great.
Orange Cassidy faces Jon Moxley for the AEW World championship within the predominant event of Full Gear on the Prudential Center on Saturday (8 p.m. Triller). Before the large match, he took time for some Q&A with The Post’s Joseph Staszewski:
(Edited for clarity and length)
Q: The character Orange Cassidy was originally reluctant to leap into this feud with Jon Moxley and put the highlight on himself. But for you, is that this a possibility you’ve been waiting for to be in a world title picture to be in that top babyface spot leading this major story?
A: No, it was never a goal of mine. It was never something I aspired to do. I enjoyed my role in what I used to be doing in AEW. I enjoyed the matches I used to be having. I enjoyed the spots I used to be having. I used to be very content with that. But then I feel, identical to all of us, once we turn into just a little content or doing the identical thing we form of need just a little little bit of a change. I’m not an excessive amount of on planning or planning ahead. I often just take what comes at me. I never thought two years ago I might have been the International champion or All-Atlantic champion, but that just got here upon me, and I just roll with the punches, and at once being punched rather a lot.
Q: Why did it feel prefer it needed to be you to step up and take this spot now?
A: Probably because I’m the just one available. There’s a whole lot of people injured, out coping with their other things. I feel it’s necessary for me as a person who was just about born in AEW, right? There’s a whole lot of other people who come into AEW, and so they’re from other major promotions, right? I never had that. I never once had that.
AEW is the place where I used to be capable of get my start and gain who I’m today. So I feel that’s a reasonably special thing for any one in every of those people who were there from the start that form of cut their teeth, in AEW to have a possibility at this. So I take a whole lot of pride in that. I feel it’s very necessary that we do have individuals like me that proceed to be put in those positions.
Q: What wouldn’t it mean so that you can turn into AEW champion and is that a job you’ll embrace where there’s other responsibilities that include it?
A: That’s a whole lot of pressure. That’s a whole lot of responsibility that I don’t really take care of, but I understand what that championship is throughout the world of skilled wrestling and what it means to be AEW world champion. You understand I’m saying with 100-percent honesty that it’s just like the symbol of what the perfect skilled wrestling might be, and to be able to have that championship and wave that flag, I feel that’s something I take very, very serious.
Q: What do you think that it’s been about your character development over the five years, that’s allowed it to have this special place with the audience?
A: I feel it’s because they’re the literal reason of why I’m put on this position. I feel they take ownership over Orange Cassidy. I feel they take ownership over me because they were with me from the start. They do an important job educating other fans about me. The fans are those directly accountable for my growth, and I feel that they feel like they’re on this journey directly with me. I feel it’s necessary that additionally they get to experience how I evolve and the way I grow because they’re every much an element of who I’m out and in of the ring.’
Q: We’ve seen a darker version of the character starting this summer. Why was it time to go in that direction with things?
A: It was how I used to be feeling. It felt just within the place that I’m in, the place that I used to be, the place, you understand, we just talked about. Once I first began in AEW and the Best Friends, I wouldn’t be in AEW without them. They let me tag along and to see that disintegrate in front of my face. I went through the entire thing with Trent [Beretta] and that took me to a spot that I didn’t care to go, after which watching my best friend, who I actually lived with and spent my whole wrestling profession with (Chuck Taylor), I mean, his profession is just about over (due to injury). I don’t really express my emotions often, so I feel I do it through other ways.
Q: You expressed them in your promo calling out Moxley for the primary time. That was one in every of the more emotional, one in every of the more fiery belongings you’ve done in AEW. I don’t wish to say refreshing, but was that interesting to go to that place?
A: I don’t express my emotions fairly often. And I feel once I do, they should be very impactful, and it must be something very, very special. Perhaps I put an excessive amount of stock into that and I overthink things. I don’t talk for a reason. I don’t really prefer it once I get to do it, I need to be certain that it’s very, very special and really, very necessary. It sticks with people so it’s a refreshing challenge. But do I look to do it on a regular basis, absolutely not.
Q: Why is it imperative that you just beat Mox and quickly cut off this Reign of Terror?
A: Because I’m afraid that the longer this goes on the more he’s going to influence other people. We are able to literally see what his idea of adjusting the long run and changing AEW for the higher, we literally see what that’s going to do. More people who you care about are going to get hurt and their careers will probably be ended.
I just can’t consider that individuals have forgotten that he put a plastic bag over Bryan Danielson’s head, like, that is the sort of stuff we’re talking about. I care rather a lot about AEW and I care concerning the future, but the long run is filled with young, talented wrestlers, but who’re very young, talented impressable wrestlers. He does need to make AEW higher, but the best way he desires to do it mustn’t mean we’d like to sacrifice our own and I feel it’s necessary that it stops now.
Q: That is your third singles match with him. Does his style and level of violence bring out that other side of you whenever you’re within the ring?
A: Jon Moxley is one in every of the blokes that I form of hate wrestling because I don’t know what his style is. I take a whole lot of pride in knowing plenty of several types of skilled wrestling. I take a whole lot of pride in training and several types of skilled wrestling. Jon Moxley doesn’t do any of those. I can’t have a look at a tape and be like, ‘Oh, he’s gonna do that, he’s gonna do this, he’s gonna do this.’ He doesn’t do the identical thing twice. It’s something that I took a whole lot of pride in. I try to not do the identical things, or I attempt to get ahead of my opponent through the use of different styles. He’s the master of that.
Those other two matches I had against him, my body, my mental status won’t ever be the identical. He does bring something out of me. We were in Wembley Stadium for All In, the primary one, and we did the large Stadium Stampede match. I discovered myself wrapping my hand in tape and putting broken glass around it.
Q: You’ve taken on just a little little bit of a backstage role too. What’s that role been like?
A: If anyone wants to come back as much as me and ask me for help, I’m gonna do it, because I’m often just sitting around doing nothing anyway. I care rather a lot about AEW, and I care concerning the way forward for AEW, so whatever I can do to assist I’m gonna do..
Q: Moxley talked a few ‘hard reset’ and looking out at how things are done in AEW. Do you’re feeling like once we’re coming up on this latest TV deal, that may be a time to form of have a look at that is what we do well, what are some things we clean up?
A: All of us, and whatever we do in our lives, we all the time could make adjustments and enhancements for a greater life and a greater workplace. Am I the one qualified to say what those are and what that’s? I don’t think so, but whatever I can do this will help bring us into the best direction, and whatever I can do for example for what we should always do, the best thing I’m going to do.
Q: Is there anything in your mind to where, hey, that is something we’d like to have a look at?
A: Yeah, probably guys running up from behind once I’m doing interviews and smashing me. We are able to have a look at that. We are able to have a look at after my matches are over, guys just running from the gang into the ring and punching me within the back. We are able to have a look at all that stuff. That’d be great.
Q: How did the Conglomeration come together, where it looks like a somewhat random collection of fellows?
A: We were literally a gaggle of people who all went through loss, heartbreak, whatever it’s. And when that sort of thing happens to you, you are likely to shut down and you may stay in your individual little shell. But all of us found one another doing that. You begin talking (to) Kyle O’Reilly, Mark Briscoe, Willow Nightingale, Ishii. They were all people trying to search out something and check out to search out our people again. We form of just all got here together. They’re truly incredible, talented people and the Conglomeration isn’t going anywhere.
Q: How do you all keep a straight face when Mark Briscoe starts breaking out a few of those promos?
A: I wear sunglasses for a reason in order that when Mark is talking, I could just close my eyes or try to not listen.
Q: You never know what’s coming from you guys?
A: We don’t either, so great.
