Real Reason Jon Moxley Won’t Show The AEW World Title
Fans don’t need to see Jon Moxley holding the AEW World Championship belt.
At WrestleDream, Jon Moxley claimed the AEW World Title with a stunningly violent win over Bryan Danielson that ended his full-time career. To celebrate that win, Moxley then put the belt into hiding.
The belt was originally thrown into a black bag, but in more recent months has been carried around in a briefcase by Marina Shafir.
The unusual move has drawn criticism from some who claim that it shows how little Moxley cares about the title. Those same critics suggest it’s not a good look for the promotion as a whole, at least in terms of perception, with the gold looking like an afterthought.
However, Moxley has a different opinion.
Speaking to Renee Paquette on Close-Up, the champion explained that the World Championship is more than just the belt, and as champion, he is the living definition of the World Championship.
“Why do you need to see it? What do you need to see? You want to get a look at it and take a picture? This a petting zoo? Why do you need to see it? You don’t know anything about it. You don’t understand it at any level. You don’t understand what a world championship means, what it’s about, what it takes to be a champion, what it takes to climb a mountain.
I am the AEW World Championship. I am the living definition of that championship. You want to see it, it’s right here [points to himself]. Take a look at it. This is the AEW World Championship. It lives here. It’s not something you win, it’s not something you hold, it’s not something you show off or hold over your head or pose a picture with.
It lives in here [points to Claudio’s chest]. It has to be cultivated and grown, forged in the white hot fires of combat and struggle.
I’m trying to build a thousand Jon Moxleys and backfill them behind me, so I will put them through what I went through and worse. That might not be pretty. That might be ugly and uncomfortable, but that’s the only way I know how to do it. That’s the only way our generation knows how to do it. Struggle.
You want to be the AEW World Champion? All you have to do is beat me. Pin me. It’s that easy. It takes three seconds. A very simple formula. How are any of you going to do that? Are you building an army right now? I am. Every single day. I’m building an army. More than what you see here. Much bigger than what you see here. Much more powerful than what you see here.
You’re looking for answers? You don’t even know what questions to ask. You can’t see the board. You don’t even know what f*cking game you’re playing.”
Jon Moxley Vows To Keep Fighting
Speaking in a different interview, Jon Moxley promised that he has no plans to retire despite the punishment he’s put his body through in the ring. The World Champion will turn 40 before the end of 2025 after spending two decades pushing his body often beyond the limit.
However, Moxley said he still feels in good shape and, as such, sees no need to walk away. The star added that he’ll only retire when he can physically no longer perform.
Moxley made the most recent defence of the World Championship against Powerhouse Hobbs at Dynamite Maximum Carnage.
H/t to Fightful