Since the Death Riders first started up in the fall of 2024, Jon Moxley has been adamant that the goal of the group is to save AEW. And according to Death Rider stablemate Daniel Garcia, Moxley may have done exactly that. In an appearance on “Thrive with Alex Sagot,” Garcia discussed how AEW went through a lull of sorts during 2023 and 2024, and, without going into significant detail, described how Moxley was the catalyst for getting AEW back on track.
“AEW, I would say like a year ago, or two years ago, was in an interesting spot where I feel like it lost a lot of goodwill with the fans,” Garcia said. “A lot of the fans didn’t really feel like it was the AEW that first belonged to them. AEW was brought into the wrestling world as an alternative, as something to be different from WWE. I feel like AEW got to a place where the fans felt like we weren’t really an alternative anymore. We were just kind of falling into the same patterns that other wrestling companies have fallen into.
“Mox, in my opinion, turned the ship around. He turned the ship around. I won’t share his story completely because it’s amazing. I’ll tell you off camera. But he really decided that he needed to take control and turn the ship around, and he did exactly that. AEW is in a much better place right now than it was a year ago.”
Though polarizing at times, Moxley’s run as AEW Men’s World Champion from late 2024 to mid 2025 has been seen by many as reigniting fan interest in AEW, especially his loss to “Hangman” Adam Page at AEW All In 2025. Moxley has been out of the AEW World Title picture since but has remained a heavy presence, currently reigning as AEW Continental Champion at the start of the Continental Cup tournament.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Thrive with Alex Sagot” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription
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