5 most embarrassing moments in Jon Moxley’s career
Jon Moxley is popular amongst wrestling fans as The Ace of AEW. As the pillar of the second biggest wrestling promotion in the world, the audience always expects Moxley to live up to his "top guy" reputation.
The Purveyor of Violence is one of the hardest-working individuals in the business. Moxley has consistently delivered great in-ring performances during his decorated career. Unfortunately, The Deathrider has had his fair share of embarrassing moments during his wrestling career, which let down his admirers to a great extent.
A passionate performer inside the squared circle, Jon Moxley is notorious for often engaging in ridiculous acts that could tarnish his image as a main event talent. From participating in forgettable spots to bleeding in every match, there have been numerous humiliating moments in his career that the erstwhile Dean Ambrose would wish to leave behind in the past.
In this article, let's look at the five most embarrassing events of Jon Moxley's wrestling career:
#5. Jon Moxley gets rabies shot live on WWE RAW
During his time as Dean Ambrose in WWE, Jon Moxley was mostly treated as a laidback babyface who liked to crack jokes and play hilarious pranks. The former Shield member was rarely allowed to display his serious side, which held him back from cementing himself as a main event talent.
Once Moxley turned heel in October 2018, fans expected him to bring out his ruthless persona. Unfortunately, the management took a different direction with Moxley's heel character, making him less serious and more annoying.
During an episode of Monday Night RAW in November 2018, The Deathrider appeared in arguably the most ridiculous segment in his wrestling career. The former AEW World Champion was seen in a clinic with a doctor, as he refused to appear in front of the Milwaukee audience. Moxley called fans "vermins," stating that he would catch a disease if he were to perform in Milwaukee.
In an attempt to inoculate himself from fans, the 38-year-old took rabies shots on live television. It was a humiliating moment for the erstwhile Dean Ambrose, who had just witnessed the demise of what could have been a remorseless heel character. Moxley was infuriated at Vince McMahon for booking this segment, prompting him to finalize his decision to leave WWE.
#4. Jon Moxley had a forgettable experience on Stone Cold's podcast
Jon Moxley is one of the most charismatic trash talkers in the business. The Deathrider brings an element of passion into his promos, which helps him strike a genuine connection with the audience.
However, The Lunatic Fringe is an introverted individual off-screen who has not always been comfortable sharing details about his private life. The Purveyor of Violence appeared on Stone Cold Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions in 2016—an event that dealt a serious blow to his public image.
The Ace of AEW seemed uncomfortable whenever The Rattlesnake asked questions about his difficult past. The 38-year-old barely gave any proper answers, much to the annoyance of the WWE legend. The seasoned talker was at a loss for words at many points during the show, which made up for an underwhelming viewing experience.
Stone Cold Steve Austin eventually ran out of patience with his guest and called him out for his laid-back demeanor. The Rattlesnake asked the then-reigning WWE Champion to step up his game and stop resting on his laurels.
The controversial episode tarnished Moxley's reputation to a great extent, causing fans to turn their backs on the former Shield member. Veterans like John Cena and Paul Heyman also took shots at the former WWE Superstar, mocking him for his underwhelming performance on Stone Cold's podcast.
#3. Nia Jax attacks Jon Moxley on WWE RAW
Following a disastrous run as a heel in 2018-19, Jon Moxley decided that he would leave WWE once his contract expired. He soon made his decision public, giving WWE a chance to book a memorable farewell for the former Shield member.
However, the creative team had some other plans, and they decided to humiliate Moxley on his way out. On the final episode of WWE RAW in January 2019, The Lunatic Fringe locked horns with Seth Rollins in a losing cause. Following the hard-hitting contest, Moxley sat on a steel chair with a microphone in his hand.
The Ace of AEW was looking to have a conversation with the WWE Universe before he was shockingly interrupted by Nia Jax. The Irresistible Force had a tense confrontation with The Deathrider, who traded a few words with the reigning WWE Women's Champion in the ring.
As Moxley slowly turned his attention towards Tamina, Jax delivered a blow to his neck, sending The Lunatic Fringe out of the ring. The short segment significantly weakened Moxley's character, making him appear like a joke.
Thankfully, WWE realized their mistake and scrapped the controversial angle entirely. The Purveyor of Violence got to celebrate his farewell with his Shield brothers, ending his WWE career on a high note.
#2. Jon Moxley was involved in a humiliating spot at AEW Revolution 2021
At AEW Revolution 2021, Jon Moxley battled Kenny Omega in an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch. The two rivals had mutually agreed upon the unique stipulation, as they wanted to provide a brutal conclusion to their rivalry.
Having prior experience as a Deathmatch wrestler, Jon Moxley had an unfair advantage heading into this match. However, the former IWGP World Champion surprisingly came up short in this match, as The Good Brothers helped Omega retain the AEW World Title. As Moxley lay helpless inside the ring, the timer for the explosion set off.
As the countdown began nearing its end, Eddie Kingston appeared on the scene to save his friend. What happened at the end of the timer was equally frustrating as it was hilarious.
While fans expected to witness an intense detonation to demolish everything in sight, they ended up getting a mild explosion, with sparklers coming out of each of the ring posts.
To make matters worse, Eddie Kingston covered Jon Moxley as if the whole ring was about to blow up. The Mad King kept on selling the effects of the mild explosion, which caused zero damage to him and Moxley. The ending of the Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch turned out to be a disappointing affair, making The Deathrider and The Mad King appear as a laughing stock.
#1. Jon Moxley kisses his opponent in GCW
Jon Moxley's decision to continue working in the indie circuit has always been very divisive among fans. While some individuals applaud the AEW star for uplifting smaller promotions, others seem critical of Moxley for working with talents way below his level.
The Purveyor of Violence defended his GCW Title against indie sensation EFFY at GCW: Homecoming 2022. During the match, the 38-year-old laid a kiss on his opponent's lips before planting him with a Paradigm Shift. The moment caused a ruckus on the internet, with fans objecting to the controversial nature of the spot.
The former AEW World Champion was chastised for allegedly bringing down the prestige of All Elite Wrestling. The overall tone of the match seemed unacceptable to fans, who were disappointed to see Moxley engage in such unnecessary spots.