AEW's Jon Moxley Quickly Establishing Himself as Hottest Star in Pro Wrestling

Jon Moxley has found life in the death of the Dean Ambrose persona.

The hottest free agent in professional wrestling debuted Saturday night at Double or Nothing, All Elite Wrestling's monumental first pay-per-view extravaganza, and he wasted little time stealing the spotlight and becoming the sport's most buzzed-about star.

Leaning on social media in ways he never had before, he has captured the attention of fans through mini movie trailers, seizing the spotlight long before he rushed the squared circle Saturday night on B/R Live. 

And he is not done.

Putting his world-renowned character behind him and looking toward the future, Moxley finds himself booked in two high-profile matches, the subject of an explosive Talk is Jericho podcast and a bigger star now than Dean Ambrose was ever allowed to be in WWE.

Heading East

Up first for Moxley is a trip to New Japan Pro-Wrestling on June 5 for an IWGP United States Championship match against Juice Robinson. The match, announced on the heels of his AEW arrival Saturday night, automatically elevates the significance of that title, puts Robinson in his highest-profile contest since his title defense against Cody and gives fans their first opportunity to see what the Moxley character will look like between the ropes.

Will he resemble Ambrose? Has the creative force thought up a new style and move set to debut as part of the makeover? Is the NJPW fanbase about to witness a level of violence it is not accustomed to?

The answers to those questions will be made apparent soon enough, but more than anything, the intrigue surrounding the match and the first, official rollout of Moxley keeps his name in the headlines and benefits both him and his new home.

Battling the Bad Boy

Shortly after it was announced Moxley would battle Robinson in Japan, AEW revealed the latest match for its June 29 Fyter Fest show in Daytona Beach: Moxley vs. "Bad Boy" Joey Janela.

Janela, like Moxley, earned a reputation across the independent scene for his hardcore style and willingness to put his body through extraordinary pain and punishment for the sake of entertaining the audience. He is arguably one of the hottest characters in the sport and is looking for one major opportunity on a grand scale to emerge as one of the brightest young stars on the AEW roster.

While the match is an enormous moment for Janela, it is as equally significant for Moxley.

Yes, we saw him create chaos at the conclusion of Double or Nothing. Yes, he is almost certain to feud with Jericho and Omega early in his AEW run. What we do not know, though, is exactly what to expect out of his character in the promotion.

Will he lean on that hardcore style that was synonymous with his indy character before signing with WWE, or will this incarnation of Moxley more closely resemble an edgier version of the unhinged Lunatic Fringe he was never really allowed to be in McMahonland?

The contest will likely be incredibly physical and full of character work. A dream match of sorts, it only further establishes Moxley's character as the hottest in the sport.

But neither of the announced matches, or even his momentous debut in Vegas, could prepare fans for an appearance on Talk is Jericho that would keep Moxley's name on their lips.

'Talk Is Jericho'

Moxley's appearance on the latest episode of Chris Jericho's Talk Is Jericho podcast not only saw the enigmatic performer speaking openly for the first time since his departure from WWE, but it also featured him harshly criticizing Vince McMahon and his company's creative process.

He went all in on the frustrations and even depression he experienced having to deal with the writing team and McMahon's out-of-touch style of developing stories on a daily basis. He was unabashed in his criticism of the company's storytelling process, or lack thereof, and appeared incredibly relieved to be out from underneath McMahon's dictatorial thumb.

Host Jericho revealed that particular episode had shattered his show's ratings just 10 hours after launching:

That revelation is further proof of Moxley's star power, the fans' interest in him and the major misstep McMahon and Co. made in not capitalizing on his talents and pushing him as one of the faces of their promotion.

Unfortunately for WWE, it must now sit back and watch a star it had burned out and de-emphasized through horrifically bad comedy, unrealistic promos and oppressive creative constraints shed the dead skin of the Ambrose character and thrive under the Moxley persona elsewhere.

He is determined to prove to those who held him down and handcuffed him creatively that he can be the biggest, hottest star in the industry, and there is nothing the almighty McMahon empire can do about it.