Jon Moxley is legitimately scared of an AEW star who can dethrone him: "He’s a mean, terrifying adult man"
Jon Moxley just entered into the third month of his AEW World Championship reign. The veteran star has had several top challengers since dethroning Bryan Danielson at WrestleDream in mid-October. With even more challengers on the horizon, Moxley has made a very telling statement on one star out for retribution.
The Purveyor of Violence in his record-setting fourth reign as AEW World Champion. Before this campaign, Moxley held the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship for 79 days. Two weeks after winning the NJPW gold from Tetsuya Naito, the Cincinnati native made his first title defense on AEW Dynamite, against Powerhouse Hobbs. The match ended via referee decision after Hobbs suffered a knee injury at around the 11-minute mark, and Moxley retained.
The Embodiment of Willpower returned to the ring in early November, now as a babyface after turning on The Don Callis Family. Last week's Dynamite saw Hobbs win a Casino Gauntlet to earn a title match from the Death Riders leader. Ahead of Wednesday's inaugural Maximum Carnage Dynamite, Moxley spoke with CityBeat to push his Cincinnati homecoming. He was asked how he defends his gold when he's at the top, and how retaining is different from the championship chase:
"There’s always this hunger and it’s true for any endeavor you’re chasing. Getting there is always different than staying there. You have this release of, 'Oh, okay, I got here,' and then you realize you have to keep that energy up and now everybody’s trying to knock you off that hill. It takes a lot more discipline and mental strength and patience and fortitude," Jon Moxley said.
The former Dean Ambrose of WWE continued with a bold assessment of Hobbs. The former Shield member put over the one-time TNT Champion, and explained why Hobbs is terrifying:
"I’m defending the AEW championship on Wednesday against Powerhouse Hobbs. He has the opportunity of a lifetime. He won a lottery ticket and he has absolutely nothing to lose. He’s physically bigger, physically stronger. He’s not a scared kid — he’s a mean, terrifying adult man... So the difference in energy in being a champion on top of the hill, I have to stay calm and not get rattled by someone that’s shooting all of their artillery at you," Jon Moxley said.
Maximum Carnage will mark the second Hobbs vs. Moxley singles bout. Dynamite on April 24 of last year saw Moxley retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship over Hobbs in around eleven minutes due to referee stoppage. Hobbs suffered a knee injury that night, and was on the shelf over six months.
Updated lineup for Wednesday's AEW Dynamite special
AEW will hold its inaugural Maximum Carnage Dynamite episode on Wednesday at the Brady Music Center in Cincinnati. Below is the updated lineup:
- Kenny Omega vs. Brian Cage for the first time
- Women's Casino Gauntlet: Winner will challenge Women's World Champion Mariah May at Grand Slam: Australia
- Christian Cage vs. Hook
- World Championship Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
AEW will tape the Maximum Carnage Collision on Thursday at the same venue, to air on Saturday. The following matches are official for the taping: Adam Page vs. Christopher Daniels in a Texas Death Match, plus 12-man action with Cope, FTR, The Outrunners, and Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, Chris Jericho, Big Bill, and Bryan Keith.