“Some people are what they are — can’t pretend to be anything else. Even if they try.”
On the July 15 edition of AEW “Dynamite,” Jon Moxley formed a tentative alliance with the current AEW world champion, Kenny Omega.
For years, both men have been at odds with one another, with the richest prize in professional wrestling often hanging in the balance. Now, they’ve found commonality in a shared foe, the Don Callis Family. As well as Moxley’s impressionable apprentice, Will Ospreay, who’s similarly forged an unlikely brotherhood with Omega.
In August, Ospreay and Omega will cast that aside for an opportunity to share All Elite Wrestling’s grandest stage, the main event of “All In.”
That is, if Omega can survive his match against Kevin Knight next Sunday at “Redemption.”
Omega is convinced he can persuade Knight to sever his ties with Don Callis and walk a more righteous path. Moxley isn’t convinced.
“Some people are what they are — can’t pretend to be anything else. Even if they try.”
While Knight was the topic of conversation, Moxley’s words were piercing. The double-entendre wasn’t subliminal. It was overt. Has Moxley deceived us?
To quote another great wrestler, “the greatest thing the devil ever did was convince the world that he didn’t exist.”
One year ago, Moxley was public enemy number one. He had slayed the “American Dragon” Daniel Bryan and hid the AEW world championship from the world, all the while defending his stake at the throne against all-comers. His Death Riders became agents of destruction, forcing the gravity of AEW to bend around them.
In the intervening months since Mox lost the world championship, the faction has operated in a moral gray area, straddling the line between connoisseurs of violence and stewards of competition. Moxley himself has become a reluctant hero, finding redemption through the grueling catharsis of the “Continental Classic.”
“It doesn’t matter who you are; Death Riders against the world.”
Those words, uttered by PAC on the May 16 edition of Saturday Night “Collision,” are more than a mantra. It’s the crystallization of an idea four years in the making that’s been fully realized under Moxley’s careful supervision — an oath to the ceaseless commitment to progress.
The sentiment is both noble and endearing, which is precisely why the Death Riders have continued to find new life under Mox’s stead.
When Mox decided to take Ospreay under his wing, it seemed like the latter had completed his metamorphosis. After all, it was The Death Riders who viciously targeted Ospreay’s neck at last year’s “Forbidden Door.” Guiding Ospreay to the main event of “All In” would be a full-circle moment for Moxley’s journey.
Stylistically, Ospreay has been a walking contradiction since he signed with All Elite Wrestling. There’s nothing cold, ruthless, or measured about the “Aerial Assassin.” He wears his emotions on the sleeves of his audacious jackets. He wrestles with reckless abandonment, often indulging in his own worst inclinations.
Moxley and the Death Riders have acted as the buffer, imploring Ospreay to operate with a more deft hand.
In Mox’s own words:
“You flew like a bird, for no other reason than that’s what birds do: they fly. It was so simple back then, just chasing that feeling. It’s like no other feeling in the world. You can’t really grab it in your hands for more than a few seconds. The joy of doing it. Then everybody came in and tried to make everything so overcomplicated. Years pass, and life happens, with family, responsibilities… Bad things happen. Bad choices catch up to you, and this weight… Weight that weighs down on your shoulders. You feel like you can’t fly. Let me tell you something, man. Lemme tell you something. Nothing is different. Nothing has changed. All those things are still gonna be there, but you can still fly. You’re just more dangerous. You’re a bird of prey.”
It’s easy to understand Mox’s conceit. Given his preternatural athleticism and technical acumen, Ospreay possesses limitless potential. Collectively, The Death Riders are the hammer, forging the “Aerial Assassin” into the most dangerous weapon in professional wrestling.
While their input hasn’t tangibly affected Ospreay’s output, the results are damning. That was, until last Saturday on the July 18 edition of “Collision.”
When Adam Brooks took advantage of Ospreay’s sportsmanship, something broke in the “Aerial Assassin.” Ospreay erupted into a fit of rage, forcing referee Bryce Remsburg to end the match prematurely. His takedown of Brooks was brutal. All the while, Mox was on commentary, urging Ospreay to indulge in his violent desires.
There’s still an inherent fallacy present in the divide between an assassination and outright overkill. Ospreay is still governed by his emotions. Moxley’s Death Riders are ungovernable. Their only north star is the ceaseless pursuit of forward progression.
So, what happens after Ospreay defeats Omega? Will Moxley celebrate with him at the summit, or will he produce a plastic bag and snuff the life out of him?
Surely, all signs point towards the latter. Since his arrival in All Elite Wrestling, Mox has been the unknown variable. A volatile element, waiting to shift the paradigm. This may be his greatest trick yet.
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