Jon Moxley's Original Plans Before Re-Signing With AEW Revealed
Jon Moxley is All Elite for what very well might be the rest of his career. News broke last week that the current AEW World Champion had signed a five-year extension with AEW, which is set to expand his role to both coaching and mentoring positions and will also make him all but exclusive to Tony Khan's promotion. Mox will still be able to work with AEW's international partners, such as New Japan Pro Wrestling, but seems to be done with independent bookings like Game Changer Wrestling. That was especially cemented last weekend, when Moxley dropped his GCW World Championship to Nick Gage at GCW Fight Club.
While Moxley's recent impassioned promos in AEW made many believe he was always going to be a lifer for the company, the former WWE Champion originally had different plans. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Moxley intended to wrestle for AEW for the duration of his initial three-year contract and then venture off to do "whatever he wanted." This was said to be specifically with the independent circuit and also AEW, as Mox anticipated keeping a freelance tie to the company. The report does not mention anything about Moxley potentially wanting to return to WWE.
"I don't plan on going anywhere else," Moxley said in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated. "It's the best job in the world, and I'm very lucky to have it. In AEW, all I worry about is wrestling. That's my focus, and that's a joy. I love storytelling, I love promos, I love wrestling. I love coming up with ideas for other people, I love learning. For me, it's a perfect fit."
It was also noted that Mox's original contract was set to expire in May around the time of AEW Double or Nothing, but it was extended until mid-July due to his time away from the company in late 2021.
"A year ago, I wasn't in the same head space," Moxley said, alluding to his struggles with alcoholism. "I was all f---ed up. I hated traveling. I was living in Vegas, felt like I was always in an airport, flying coast to coast, and I was sick of leaving my family. I thought about freelancing when my deal was up. Not that I would leave AEW, but I didn't want to be there every week. I was in a bad place.
"Then I went to rehab and all that, and now I'm in a totally different headspace. We're living in Cincinnati, too, which is great. I look forward to going to TV every week. I get to see my friends in the Blackpool Combat Club. I'm not f---ed up. I have a clean headspace. My life is completely different than it was a year ago, and all for the better."
Jon Moxley defends his AEW World Title against Hangman Page next week on a special Tuesday night edition of AEW Dynamite.