5 Directions for Jon Moxley after losing his title at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door III
At Forbidden Door 2024, Jon Moxley battled Tetsuya Naito in a much-anticipated match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. It was a hard-hitting contest, where The Red Comet dethroned The Deathrider to finally reclaim the prestigious title.
Following an entertaining reign as NJPW's top champion, Moxley would likely shift his focus back onto AEW now. The Purveyor of Violence must address the growing issues within The Blackpool Combat Club before it gets too late.
Besides dealing with the BCC, there are some other intriguing storyline directions that The Deathrider could explore. In this article, let's look at five things Jon Moxley could do following his IWGP World Title loss at Forbidden Door.
#5 Jon Moxley feuds with his BCC stablemate, Claudio Castagnoli
![Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli could be headed towards a heated rivalry [Image credits: AEW's YouTube channel and AEW on Facebook]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/07/c0a50-17198304442717-1920.jpg?w=500)
Claudio Castagnoli could soon be heading toward a heel turn. Following a string of recent losses, The Swiss Superman has begun showing signs of resentment towards his fellow stablemates of The Blackpool Combat Club.
Castagnoli recently had a staredown with Bryan Danielson after his loss against PAC in the quarterfinals of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. Although The King of Swing did not attack Danielson, it would not be long before he unloaded his frustrations on the entire BCC faction.
With Jon Moxley no longer being the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, The Deathrider could find himself on the target of Claudio Castagnoli. It would be a refreshing direction for both performers, which could eventually culminate in a match at AEW All In.
While the duo has faced each other before in WWE, they have yet to lock horns in All Elite Wrestling. Having been partners for two years, Moxley and Castagnoli seem ready to finally get into a heated rivalry.
#4 Jon Moxley goes after the AEW International Championship
At AEW All Out 2023, Jon Moxley defeated Orange Cassidy to become the AEW International Champion for the first time in his career. Unfortunately, Moxley's reign was cut short 17 days later when he suffered a concussion during his title defense against Rey Fenix.
After being medically cleared, Moxley once again challenged the then-reigning International Champion, Orange Cassidy, only to be unsuccessful in his efforts.
Now that he is no longer the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Moxley can finally focus on the title he never truly lost. The BCC member could set his sights on the current International Champion, Will Ospreay, who suffered his first singles defeat as an AEW star at Forbidden Door 2024.
Moxley vs. Ospreay could be a show-stealer contest at Wembley Stadium, considering the insane chemistry they displayed in their past battles in NJPW. After slaying Chris Jericho last year, The Aerial Assassin would love to hunt down another AEW World Champion at the stage of All In.
#3 Joins Team AEW for the war against The Elite
At Double or Nothing 2024, The New Elite dismantled the team of Bryan Danielson, FTR, and Darby Allin in a brutal Anarchy in the Arena match. The tyrant group inflicted great punishment on Danielson, who was the leader of Team AEW in this contest.
Although The American Dragon has shifted his focus away from The Elite, Jon Moxley could make The Young Bucks pay for their actions. With Team All Elite Wrestling set to battle The Elite in a Blood & Guts match, The Purveyor of Violence could come in handy for the babyface team.
Considering his prior experience in the deadly double-caged structure, Moxley could turn out to be a serious threat to his heel opponents.
#2 Goes after the AEW World Trios Championship
The AEW Trios division has picked up steam of late. Bullet Club Gold has established itself as an entertaining unit on Collision, with multiple factions gunning for their World Trios Championship. While The House of Black is the current number one contender for the AEW World Trios Championship, Christian Cage's Patriarchy also has its sights set on Jay White's faction.
Things could get even more interesting in the Trios division if The Blackpool Combat Club decides to enter the fray. If Claudio Castagnoli decides to stick with the BCC, he could team up with Wheeler Yuta and Jon Moxley to battle the Bullet Club Gold.
Having achieved great success as a solo performer, The Deathrider would be eager to leave his impact in the Trios division. It will also be an intriguing new direction for the entire BCC, which has majorly kept its focus on singles championships.
#1 Challenges Swerve Strickland for the AEW World Championship
Jon Moxley is counted among the most decorated World Champions in AEW history. The Purveyor of Violence has spent a long time at the mountaintop, having won the AEW World Championship thrice in his career.
Despite losing the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, Moxley's hunger for gold is unlikely to go down. Now that he is once again a regular in the singles division, the Ace of AEW could step up as the next challenger for Swerve Strickland.
The Killshot has so far defeated top names like Christian Cage, Roderick Strong, and Will Ospreay as the AEW World Champion. However, he has yet to cross paths with someone like Jon Moxley, who has held the AEW World Championship multiple times in the past.
A match against The Deathrider would help Swerve Strickland cement his World Title reign. Moreover, it would allow The Killshot to settle his scores with Moxley, who handed him a defeat in the Continental Classic 2023.
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