The Phantom Rant: For The Good Of AEW…Jon Moxley Must Lose The Title

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. As always I am Joe Davis and I am coming to you from New York City. To be honest I had started a different column a few days ago, but for whatever reason it wasn’t clicking so I was not about to submit a subpar effort. I feel better about this one though so join me as I look into more fun with AEW.

AEW is attempting to end the year on a high note with the build to “World’s End” this coming Saturday on pay per view. The Death Riders vs. AEW story has not gone the way many figured it would. Where the rumors of Shane McMahon being the higher power of the group came from…I don’t know. Aside from that what started off good is coming to a hault. The big show down this weekend is Jon Moxley defending against Orange Cassidy, “Switchblade” Jay White and “Hangman” Adam Page. Honestly if it were up to me, I would take the belt off Moxley. I love and respect Jon Moxley for everything he has done in AEW. But in the last few weeks things have fallen flat.

Originally I liked the angle with The Death Riders running rough shod over AEW. You had this group of solid heels who were kicking ass and standing dominant. But as the days turned to weeks and now the week’s to months, it’s starting to fall apart. Moxley is trying his best, but his promo’s are hard to describe to a average fan. Rambly at best is probably a nice way of putting it. His wrestling style has become paint by the numbers and I say that as a Moxley fan. I don’t like the world title belt being hidden away in a briefcase. The one good thing Moxley still does do is when he articulates that no one else is ready to be world champion.

I don’t think that’s true. If there were to be a title switch, Orange Cassidy or “Hangman” Adam Page would be perfect to take the title off Moxley. I would honestly put the title on Orange Cassidy right now. He’s red hot and super over as a good guy and AEW desperately needs a face as a champion right now. It could set up a good feud with the unhinged Hangman who I can imagine going absolutely crazy if he lost in the four way to Cassidy and lost the title. My main point is Moxley needs to drop the title right now and this weekend is the perfect time to do it.

Despite signing a huge television deal with Warner Brothers/Discovery for the next three years, 2025 really feels like it will be a make or break year for AEW. The last week with the shows at the Hammerstein Ballroom here in NYC have been some of the best visually for the company in ages. A lively crowd nicely lit up is such a stark contrast from the dark buildings AEW has been in where they are hiding the fact that only a third of it is full. I really want AEW to come out guns blazing so to speak in 2025. Moxley losing the title would be a good start to the new year.

I will hand it to him though because Moxley and company did give AEW Rampage a good send off (for now as AEW keeps saying) with a huge brawl to close the show. As that was happening, Yuta Wheeler and Pac (who I am convinced does not own pants) destroyed the lighting system to literally put everyone in the dark. Moxley and Marina marched into the production truck and ordered the lowly production people to kill the show and it went to black. It was a nice way to end Rampage (again for the time being supposedly) on a cliff hanger.

Speaking of good starts to the new year, it looks like Ricochet might finally be gathering the traction he so desperately needed where he finally found a personality as a heel. All it took was an annoying laugh and NYC throwing toilet paper at him. Seriously though, Ricochet is finding his stride and his showing in The Continental Classic has been really strong. I like this side of him cheating to win. For so long it was about how many moves can he hit in a certain time. Sure, he still does that but at least now there is some psychology to it like kicking the ref to trip someone on the ropes.

Ricochet is facing Okada at the World’s End pay per view and I suspect that will be a really good match. AEW never fails to deliver at least when it comes to pay per view’s. I expect a solid card from top to bottom. Ricochet if he stays on his current character path should be just fine if he loses. The bigger story in that match is Okada trying to become the greatest tournament wrestler ever and for the money they are paying him…he should win this one. A loss to Okada won’t really hurt Ricochet in the long run as long as he continues being this insufferable guy that he’s being right now. Plus I believe they are setting up a Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet feud in the immediate future, so he’ll have that to hold him over not winning the classic.

Well I believe that is it for this week. I will be back sooner rather than later and hopefully Jon Moxley will be a former AEW World Champion when my next column rolls around.

Until next time have a Happy New Year and as always you can leave comments down below, on twitter or just email me directly at phantomlordnyc@gmail.com