AEW Champion Jon Moxley: Stone Cold Steve Austin Revisited

For years, WWE has tried to recreate Stone Cold Steve Austin. Sometimes the efforts were very subtle and other times, not so subtle. The excitement that once followed The Texas Rattlesnake to every town WWE ran, was infectious. It caught on in a major way and spread throughout the pro wrestling world.

That excitement lead WWE over WCW during The Monday Night Wars and it completely revitalized Vince McMahon’s company. It’s arguably the most memorable and most popular part of The Attitude Era. WWE has tried to do it again with other Superstars, but to no avail. But now, AEW has found its own Stone Cold and the ironic part is, he used to work for WWE.

Jon Moxley is the modern day rebel that every fan can believe in. He’s tough, he’s fearless and he’s unapologetic. He is who he is and nothing can change him. When Mox makes a prediction, he delivers. He fights the good fight and he does it his way. No one can tell him what to do and seemingly no one can stop him.

If that sounds familiar, it should. Stone Cold Steve Austin was Jon Moxley before Jon Moxley was Jon Moxley. Of course, Mox existed before WWE but in terms of overall impact on the business, Jon is unquestionably on top of the world right now. He’s never meant as much to a promotion as he does to AEW and he’s never looked better in every aspect of his game.

Relive Jon’s Inner Circle decision

Moxley’s win over Chris Jericho for the AEW Championship at Revolution on February 29 was the crowning achievement for Jon’s career thus far. It meant more than perhaps anything he’s ever done before and that includes his run with The Shield in WWE.

That run defined the man known as Dean Ambrose. It set him on a path in the sport that saw him rise to the very top of the industry. He was WWE champion. He worked the main event of major shows. He faced legends like Brock Lesnar and AJ Styles. Jon did it all in WWE and he became a household name in the process.

But despite how important the WWE Championship is to the company it represents, it carries a weight that no other pro wrestling title does. Becoming a top WWE Superstar means giving away a piece of yourself and in many instances, it becomes impossible to get that piece back. 

Watch Moxley after winning the AEW Championship!

Moxley did what he had to do and he always gave maximum effort to do it. No matter what was asked of him, Jon always delivered and he did so to the best of his ability. But at the end of the day, he was just another spoke in the wheel.

He could never be on Stone Cold’s level in WWE because that company wouldn’t allow him to get there. In fact, they wouldn’t allow anyone to get there. Steve Austin left behind a void that could not be filled and much of that was because of the immense stroke that he gained while running at the top. Vince McMahon rarely ever gave anyone that kind of power and no one has even come close to that spot since then.

The truth is that Dean Ambrose was just another Superstar. He was valuable and he was over. But he wasn’t so valuable that WWE couldn’t live without him and they consistently let him know it. So after years of silliness and ridiculous storylines, Jon had enough and made his exit from WWE. Now he’s wearing a belt that represents something he can believe in and more importantly, believes in him.

Watch Jim Ross’s interview with Moxley!

The Stone Cold comparison was inevitable because of the nature of Jon’s gimmick. Mox has that never say die attitude and he’s hellbent on doing the work himself, rather than depend on anyone else for help. He’s a one man wrecking crew and he’s a force of nature that immediately captivates any crowd that sees him perform.

Then there’s the fact that he is one of the hottest stars in the industry today. There are very few talents who get a bigger reaction that Moxley and many would say that no one gets a bigger reaction. Jon Moxley has captured lightning in a bottle and he’s on a run that most stars can only dream of. But what happens now?

The fact is that Jon is only just getting started in AEW and he’s only just getting started with Chris Jericho. The leader of The Inner Circle is not finished with Moxley and both men will face off again in the near future. 

Jon’s momentum is at an all-time high and he’s enjoying the ride of a lifetime in AEW. He doesn’t have to worry about anyone named McMahon putting him in nonsensical situations and he also doesn’t have worry about the plug getting pulled for no good reason. Moxley is in a prime spot and he’s earned every bit of spotlight he’s enjoying as a result.

Despite what happens next, the fact is that Jon Moxley is at the top of his game. He’s never meant more to a pro wrestling company than he does right now and he’s never meant more to fans than he does right now. Mox is in his element and he’s on top of the world. Jon Moxley is the man in AEW and that’s the bottom line.

 

Tom Clark is a Senior Pro Wrestling Analyst and Featured Columnist for Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live